New Disneyland Big Thunder effects will they come to WDW?

[Californian Elitist]

I'm not holding my breath for these new effects being added in WDW anytime soon. However, I've often wished that the Orlando version could have had some of the animals that the Anaheim version does.
I know that most (if not all) are relics from the old Natures Wonderland attraction but how expensive could it be to add a few tortoises or coyotes in WDW? Most of them have limited movement or none at all so what's preventing them?
Except for a few bighorn sheep, the WDW BTMRR has it's wildlife visible only from the train or briefly glimpsed as you whiz by Tumbleweed and I can't help but feel that they would add considerably to the experience for relatively little investment.

Don't forget possums.

 

[matt9112]

do

I know we all lament the loss of the falling rocks but let's not pretend that they really looks like the rocks were going to fall on us. This looks substantially better, hopefully a similar quality scene will be added to Florida.

they have no money....period.

 

[RSoxNo1]

do


they have no money....period.

um... what?

 

[articos]

Interesting. I wonder why WDW (TDO?) has an aversion to installing LN2 gas/smoke effects? Is it the humidity in Orlando that makes it harder to maintain those systems? Or is it just money and a "the tourists are too stupid to care" mentality that some have mentioned creeps into TDO financial decisions?

Thunder Mountain at Disneyland is still in Cast Member preview testing, it doesn't officially open until March 17th and AP previews are this weekend. But during these CM previews they appear to be having problems getting the LN2 fog to fire for every train.

Miceage has a day/night preview video up now from this weekend's Cast Member testing rides, during the day preview at the 3:00 mark the fog doesn't fire, but later that night at the 6:35 mark in this video the fog fires. The fog does improve the effect quite noticeably, so I'm sure WDI is working on getting the effect to work for every train. Still an interesting effect to watch; I'm especially impressed at the flame and spark effect at the start of this scene at 6:35.

It's not just WDW, it's every theme park out there. Creative loves to put in fog effects, but fog is extremely finicky and takes regular maintenance to work reliably as well as continual tinkering to make sure it's consistent. Even when it is consistent, the humidity and temperature affect the volume and density of the fog. One day it could be full and perfect, the next thin and dissipates too quickly, the next it's so smoky inside that you can't see anything and then it sets off fire alarm sensors or prevents show-action equipment optic sensors from firing, e-stopping rides. Operations and maintenance don't like difficult. They'd rather turn it off. Combine that with money saved on not having to purchase LN2 which is trucked in to holdings tanks backstage, and that's why fog is a constant battle between creative and ops/maintenance.

 

[marni1971]

Definitely NOT wishing to start another argument, but Universal relies heavily on fog effects and manage to maintain and run 80%+ of them consistently.

RotM alone has 13 different types of fogging effect, from LNo2 to meefog.

 

[ThisIsSimba1]

Definitely NOT wishing to start another argument, but Universal relies heavily on fog effects and manage to maintain and run 80%+ of them consistently.

RotM alone has 13 different types of fogging effect, from LNo2 to meefog.

Aren't most of the attractions that utilize fog effects at UNI primarily indoors (barring, I believe, the Incredible Hulk at IoA)? Would that make a difference compared to something like BTMRR, which is primarily exposed to the FL humidity?
I guess what I'm asking is: Is it easier to maintain fog effects on an indoor attraction compared to an outdoor attraction?

Not trying to start an argument, I'm really just curious.

 

[articos]

Definitely NOT wishing to start another argument, but Universal relies heavily on fog effects and manage to maintain and run 80%+ of them consistently.

RotM alone has 13 different types of fogging effect, from LNo2 to meefog.

Marni, just saying it's the same conversations at Uni as at Disney with regards to putting in fog in new attractions, and I've also seen the same memos at Universal about wanting to turn off fog effects due to maintenance, reliability and cost issues. I'm not saying Universal doesn't do a better job of keeping them running, I'm saying that it's the same battle at each park or company industry-wide with regards to fog fx, both with fighting to install them in attractions and not letting them get cut during the attraction design process, and then once built, keeping them in the show.

 

[articos]

Aren't most of the attractions that utilize fog effects at UNI primarily indoors (barring, I believe, the Incredible Hulk at IoA)? Would that make a difference compared to something like BTMRR, which is primarily exposed to the FL humidity?
I guess what I'm asking is: Is it easier to maintain fog effects on an indoor attraction compared to an outdoor attraction?

Not trying to start an argument, I'm really just curious.

Easier to maintain as in maintenance? Not really, you have to do the same maintenance on the systems regardless. Easier to maintain with regards to show quality, yes and no. The difference with indoor versus outdoor is in keeping the fog in the area you want to keep it in, and maintaining the show quality density and dissipation rates in different humidities and temperatures where the fog can dissipate into the environment. But indoor also presents its own challenges: you can have too much fog build up in an enclosed space, and then that messes up your day too - have to spec specific air handling systems for shows that use a decent amount of fog. There's all sorts of challenges with show effects.

 

[Mukta]

How long has it been since the flying bats were seen at the WDW BTMR? I remember when I went as a kid (around '82-89') I always remember hearing and seeing the flying bats right before the first lift hill.

On my last visit, OCT '13, it seems like it was just a run through dark spaces until the first lift hill - I don't remember hearing or seeing any of the bats?

Does anyone else remember the bats (as they are seen in some of the preview videos of BTMR DL)?

There are some flapping rubber bats in WDW's BTMR. I saw them on my last trip recently.

I'll probably head to DL this weekend for AP previews of the ride.

 

[jmuboy]

That's why it's now been 4 years I have boycotted WDW and instead give my money to DL. It all goes to Big Daddy Iger in the end. But at least my money is going to segments of the WD Company I think deserve my $$$

Anahiem and Tokyo constantly tinker with their existing attractions and improve them while WDW's versions rot without basic maintenance much less consistent improvements.

 

[marni1971]

Stories of the original SSE fog swamping the load area...

Universal has had fights to keep the effects.... MIB and Spider-Man now seem to have a happy medium. The previous owners deemed for effects too expensive and actively cut them where possible. Some elements actively need the effect.... I was privy to seeing T2:3D with no lno2 and needless to say it really needs it. Also encouraging was a problem with the effect in Transformers last fall and the effort they went to to have it working again ASAP.

 

[sponono88]

Since we're on the subject of fog -- I remember that Soarin' featured fog during the takeoff scene as the carriages were lifted up. This was during the early opening of the ride in DCA back in 2001.. Anyone know if that actually existed at one point or is it just my imagination messing with my memory?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Since we're on the subject of fog -- I remember that Soarin' featured fog during the takeoff scene as the carriages were lifted up. This was during the early opening of the ride in DCA back in 2001.. Anyone know if that actually existed at one point or is it just my imagination messing with my memory?

I've been visiting DCA since its opening, and I don't remember fog effects. Then again, I was nine when the park opened, so there very well could have been fog and I just don't remember, due to my young age at the time.

 

[RandomPrincess]

Since we're on the subject of fog -- I remember that Soarin' featured fog during the takeoff scene as the carriages were lifted up. This was during the early opening of the ride in DCA back in 2001.. Anyone know if that actually existed at one point or is it just my imagination messing with my memory?

Are you sure you didn't just confuses the clouds on the screen and the breeze in your memory with fog in the theater?

 

[aladdin2007]

El Rio use to have fog, gone now for a empty tunnel with a blaring bright cartoon. And Maelstrom use to feature fog.

 

[Figments Friend]

Call me 'old school' if you wish....
..and i may be alone in this opinion, but i like having a different experience to be had in EACH version of BTMR.

Let 'the Original' in DL have the cool new upgrades. It deserves it.
Let WDW keep it's original 'earthquake'. It is nostalgic and fun, but will wholeheartedly admit that it was better back when it was fully working.

Let the two versions have their differences.

I think the real issue here is that the recent DL upgrade has made it more then obvious that the WDW version needs to address the now-defunct-for-too-long finale.
Since the boulders went away, and the effects were turned down ( or just off..) longtime fans have missed that original fun experience in the final lift.

I would like to see the effects reinstated, perhaps in a way that will satisfy any possible safety concerns.
I thought the original WDW versions' projection effects, and moving boulders were a fun effect...but then again, i confess to liking it 'old school'.

With that being said, i know i will enjoy experiencing the new upgrades to the DL version when i have the chance in a couple of months.
I really look forward to that experience quite a bit.
Part of the excitement is getting to experience a old favorite in a different way then what i am used to...mainly, the differences between DL and WDWs version of the Attraction now.

That has a LOT of appeal to me - the 'differences'.

 

[articos]

Since we're on the subject of fog -- I remember that Soarin' featured fog during the takeoff scene as the carriages were lifted up. This was during the early opening of the ride in DCA back in 2001.. Anyone know if that actually existed at one point or is it just my imagination messing with my memory?

Yep, Soarin' DCA was built with a mist system that was supposed to go during lift and landing. I haven't noticed whether it was working in a while. Actually forgot about it.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Yep, Soarin' DCA was built with a mist system that was supposed to go during lift and landing. I haven't noticed whether it was working in a while. Actually forgot about it.

Any truth to what Dusty and Norm were saying in the Micechat update in regards to DCA Soarin' 2.0?

 

[sponono88]

Any truth to what Dusty and Norm were saying in the Micechat update in regards to DCA Soarin' 2.0?

There's actually filming scheduled this morning before the parks open. This diagram shows the planned flight path through both DCA and DL. It looks like they will be flying through Cars Land and Buena Vista St. before returning to DL to recreate the current finale.

(source: @DLThings via Twitter)

Yep, Soarin' DCA was built with a mist system that was supposed to go during lift and landing. I haven't noticed whether it was working in a while. Actually forgot about it.

aha! good to know I didn't imagine it, though I can't remember the last time I saw it working. It must've been turned off years ago never to come back.. I guess we'll have to wait and see what new effects (if any) will be added to Soarin 2.0

 

[articos]

Any truth to what Dusty and Norm were saying in the Micechat update in regards to DCA Soarin' 2.0?

Haven't looked over there, but I think the comment above answered.