No Kuka Arm for the Subs?

[Nicole220]

I was reading through MiceChat and came across some posts that might explain why the angler fish has not been working. Some have reported that Universal now has the patent to use them in their new Harry Potter whatever, so Disney can't use them.

Here are the posts: http://micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67570
http://www.micechat.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1843073&postcount=217

Can anyone confirm/deny this? I'd hate for them to not use the kuka arms. The scene is so unimpressive and boring without them. The one at the Seas is amazing!

 

[netenyahoo]

I heard DL did have the Kuka arm, actually several of them. Maybe it was just not working. I don't think the deal with Universal would have affected the ride as it was built and installed before the deal was made. I think the deal just hurts future use of it like Disney using it for the Incredibles ride planned.

 

[darthjohnny]

What is so special about this Kuka arm?

In essence, hasn't this technology been around for years? Isn't it just an advanced form of the robot arms on car assembly lines?

Can't Disney just build their own "arm"?

 

[Nicole220]

What is so special about this Kuka arm?

In essence, hasn't this technology been around for years? Isn't it just an advanced form of the robot arms on car assembly lines?

Can't Disney just build their own "arm"?

I looked it up and yes it is a robot arm thing.

It is what makes the angler fish effect at the Seas so amazing. Without it in the Subs ride, the angler fish just sits there....very boring!

I'm sure Disney could make their own, but like netenyahoo said, I thought they already had 6 of them.

In response to netenyahoo: If it's just not working, then they must have a hard time fixing it. The things been open for a week now and I don't think anyone has seen the kuka arm in motion. Hopefully you're right.

 

[coasterphil]

I have a very hard time believing the Kuka can go back and tell their previous customers that they must shut-off their attractions because Universal signed a deal with them. It would be asinine.

 

[darthjohnny]

I looked it up and yes it is a robot arm thing.

It is what makes the angler fish effect at the Seas so amazing. Without it in the Subs ride, the angler fish just sits there....very boring!

I'm sure Disney could make their own, but like netenyahoo said, I thought they already had 6 of them.

In response to netenyahoo: If it's just not working, then they must have a hard time fixing it. The things been open for a week now and I don't think anyone has seen the kuka arm in motion. Hopefully you're right.

Yeah, the Angler fish is cool in the Seas with Nemo and Friends.

From what I have read, the angler fish isn't working.

I remember rumors that there was going to be one (mayber two, one for each side of the sub) Angler fish, and it was going to be at least twice as big as the one at the Seas.

But are the Kuka arms even in place at the lagoon in Disneyland?

Can they even work as well underwater as they do at the Seas?

 

[Piebald]

The Kuka Arm at Epcot doesn't work underwater.....

Most of the effects at the Submarine Voyage aren't even underwater. Some are enclosed in glass but are hidden so well that guests can't tell the difference and they seem like they're underwater.

 

[darthjohnny]

The Kuka Arm at Epcot doesn't work underwater.....

Most of the effects at the Submarine Voyage aren't even underwater. Some are enclosed in glass but are hidden so well that guests can't tell the difference and they seem like they're underwater.

I knew the Epcot Kuka arm isn't underwater.

But I didn't think about them actually encasing the effects underwater at the subs, very cool.

I would love to see the new Sub ride. Too bad I just read that the line is being expanded past the Matterhorn near It's a Small World for the expected 5-6 hr. wait times at peak crowd seasons!.

 

[flynnibus]

I knew the Epcot Kuka arm isn't underwater.

But I didn't think about them actually encasing the effects underwater at the subs, very cool.

Not even encasing.. just putting them behind a clear wall. When the wall is clean, you can't tell you are looking through a wall into a dry area.

So instead of the lagoon going all the way to the building walls.. you just build dry walls in closer to the subs.. allowing you to put effects in the dry, behind the wall.. but they appear to be in the water that the subs are looking through.