Problems im Tomorrowland on 8-20-05

[Tom]

OK, i've got a question. Are the speakers on poles in tommorrwland regular 8 ohm speakers or a 70 volt distributed system or a powered speaker system(amp and speaker combination).

I was always under the impression that all the amps were in the utilidors and that the speakers were just passive. So if lightning knocked out power in tommorrowland it should not have knocked out the sound system.

So, can some CM explain this to me please, I'm baffled(pun intended) and curious!!

Unkadug, I'm with you here. I predict that all the speakers are on "regional" amps, which are all connected via audio switches so that they play "area" music during the day and switch to "event" music for parades and fireworks. More than likely, they are powered only by the Amps - and since those are downstairs, they probably didn't go out with the Lightning Strike, unless it was just coincidence that the circuits powering those particular Amps were also affected by the strike due to their panel location.

 

[Woody13]

This is just one example of the various 8 Ohm speakers they use:

<TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=600 border=4><TBODY><TR><TH><!--%% include logo-oe.htm --><CENTER><TABLE width=150 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH>


OEM Systems, Inc.

</TH></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#d0d0d0><CENTER>Authorized OEM Systems Distributor</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><!--%% endinclude -->SS-84


Dual Voice-Coil In-Ground Speaker

</TH><TH rowSpan=2>

<TR><TD>

• Weatherized
• One Point Stereo Operation
• Dual Voice Coil 8" Polycarbonate Cone Woofer
• 4 Piezo Tweeters (2 per channel)
• 40 - 20,000 Hz
• 8 Ohms, 50 watts per channel nom. 100 watts per channel max.
• May be wired in parallel (4 ohm) for single channel operation.
• Includes 50 feet of 4 conductor cable rated for in-ground burial.
• Unit designed to be buried in-ground, approx. 8" above ground exposure.
• 14"H Base: 13" square. Top: 13" dia.
• Available in Green and Sand.

<TR><TD colSpan=2>

Need outdoor sound? Here's an outdoor speaker that will blow your socks off! When testing this speaker, we actually had to stand on it to keep it from bouncing around its bass is so powerful. (In use, the speaker is half-buried in the ground.) Outdoor sound is difficult: You need many times the power to achieve the same apparent sound level as you would inside. So the speakers must be able to handle the power smoothly and crisply. This speaker connects to both the left and right channel of an amplifier and somehow--don't ask us how--it manages to present discernably stereo sound all around the speaker! Not just another one of those "amusement park speakers," this speaker has four tweeters arrayed around the top so that you can hear the highs wherever you're standing. Whether you need to cover one medium sized area with a single speaker...or you are going to fill a large yard with music with speakers all over...we think this is the absolute best landscape speaker around. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Tom]

<TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=600 border=4><TBODY><TR><TH><!--%% include logo-oe.htm --><CENTER><TABLE width=150 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH>



OEM Systems, Inc.


</TH></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#d0d0d0><CENTER>Authorized OEM Systems Distributor</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><!--%% endinclude -->SS-84



Dual Voice-Coil In-Ground Speaker


</TH><TH rowSpan=2>

<TR><TD>

• Weatherized
• One Point Stereo Operation
• Dual Voice Coil 8" Polycarbonate Cone Woofer
• 4 Piezo Tweeters (2 per channel)
• 40 - 20,000 Hz
• 8 Ohms, 50 watts per channel nom. 100 watts per channel max.
• May be wired in parallel (4 ohm) for single channel operation.
• Includes 50 feet of 4 conductor cable rated for in-ground burial.
• Unit designed to be buried in-ground, approx. 8" above ground exposure.
• 14"H Base: 13" square. Top: 13" dia.
• Available in Green and Sand.

<TR><TD colSpan=2>

Need outdoor sound? Here's an outdoor speaker that will blow your socks off! When testing this speaker, we actually had to stand on it to keep it from bouncing around its bass is so powerful. (In use, the speaker is half-buried in the ground.) Outdoor sound is difficult: You need many times the power to achieve the same apparent sound level as you would inside. So the speakers must be able to handle the power smoothly and crisply. This speaker connects to both the left and right channel of an amplifier and somehow--don't ask us how--it manages to present discernably stereo sound all around the speaker! Not just another one of those "amusement park speakers," this speaker has four tweeters arrayed around the top so that you can hear the highs wherever you're standing. Whether you need to cover one medium sized area with a single speaker...or you are going to fill a large yard with music with speakers all over...we think this is the absolute best landscape speaker around. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Thanks Woody. Indeed, a speaker requiring no power source except from the AMP itself.

 

[PlaneJane]

I managed to snag one:

Get that pic over to Steve quick!! Major update...

 

[Nion4]

My wife and I were driving up to GF for dinner and sitting down we noticed lots of lightning.

What I found was weird was that there were no monorails running on the Epcot line and for the most part the trains were stationary around MK.

I've been through a lot worse (rain wise) at Disney, and was surprised things were shut down.

Maybe this TL power outage explains it? Or do they always shut down the monorails in lightning (seems kinda odd if they do).

 

[lnsemsf]

The rain was terrible yesterday, we sat under the castle for 45 minutes waiting for it to let up and never did. I eventually decided to improvise a poncho out of 3 large shopping bags (I had 3 in my car, i was not about to invest $6.50 on a 4th, not to mention it was fun to see if I could do it.) Once I got out we walked over to Haunted Mansion which was down also because of lightning. According to the guy telling everybody the ride was down both Pirates and Space were down as well because of lightning strikes. Not the worst storm I've ever been in at Disney, but definitly the most destructive.

 

[KumbaRider]

It was terrible to drive in.

 

[bgraham34]

So did it make the rest of the park really busy?

 

[speck76]

from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/lightning1.html

yeah......

typically the tires blow out, as the lightning will exit the frame through the tires

 

[gniko21]

gniko21

I managed to snag one:

That's a riot!

 

[DisJosh]

from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/lightning1.html

I saw this on a television show...on Discovery Chanel. I forget what it's called. One of the hosts sat in a car in some place where they can actually make bolts of electricity and focus them at a target. The body of the car made a sort of shell which the electricity travelled over and then down to the ground. They hit the car multiple times as well with more wattage every time. Interesting stuff.

Now just so I'm on topic...sort of.

Back in January when I was in the World we headed to Epcot one morning to find that the A/C was not working in any of the attractions, shops or restaurants. I'm wondering now if maybe that problem was lightning related. :veryconfu

 

[DisJosh]

yeah......

typically the tires blow out, as the lightning will exit the frame through the tires

Well apparently that's not so typical speck. The tires were completely unaffected by the lightning strikes in this experiment I saw.

I'm pretty sure the shows name is Top Gear.

 

[ELopez]

Just curious - what exactly happens if you are on the ride at the time of the lightning strike?

 

[UltimtMickeyFan]

Im going to throw out a guees, but id say REALLY hope you dont get zapped by the lightning, followed by a very quick evacuation of the ride....

 

[Nion4]

Wow looks like MK really was hit with rain.

That's the amazing thing about Florida, you can be down the street 5 miles way (celebration for example) and not be terribly affected.

Poor folks!

(p.s. I've never heard of lightening blowing out tires, and also, was that d.c. show mythbusters? Those guys really work hard to break myths)

 

[speck76]

Wow looks like MK really was hit with rain.

That's the amazing thing about Florida, you can be down the street 5 miles way (celebration for example) and not be terribly affected.

Poor folks!

(p.s. I've never heard of lightening blowing out tires, and also, was that d.c. show mythbusters? Those guys really work hard to break myths)

FRom NOAA.gov

Safe Vehicle
A safe vehicle is a hard-topped car, SUV, minivan, bus, tractor, etc. (soft-topped convertibles are not safe) . If you seek shelter in your vehicle, make sure all doors are closed and windows rolled up. Do not touch any metal surfaces.

If you're driving when a thunderstorm starts, pull off the roadway. A lightning flash hitting the vehicle could startle you and cause temporary blindness, especially at night.

Do not use electronic devices such as HAM radios or cell phones during a thunderstorm. Lightning striking the vehicle, especially the antennas, could cause serious injury if you are talking on the radio or holding the microphone at the time of the flash. Emergency officials such as police officers, firefighters, security officers, etc., should use extreme caution using radio equipment when lightning is in the area.

Your vehicle and its electronics may be damaged if hit by lightning. Vehicles struck by lightning are known to have flat tires the next day. This occurs because the lightning punctures tiny holes in the tires. Vehicles have caught fire after being struck by lightning; however, there is no modern day documented cases of vehicles "exploding" due to a lightning flash.

 

[hcswingfield]

I wonder if having a rubber Mickey tenna topper would make it less likely for lightning to strike your car antenna. Hmmm.....:lookaroun

 

[JJHale]

I managed to snag one:

<a href="http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tland0fu.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/9483/tland0fu.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>

I am particularly impressed by the incredible detail you are able to capture in this image. You obvioulsy have a rare talent. Please, give us the details on how you took this amazing photo! :lol:

 

[JROK]

I was there with my girlfriend on the 20th... funny thing, we weren't going to go but then the Channel 13 weather guy said that it was a beautiful beach day (this was around 1pm) so we decided to go... we hung around pin trading (collecting all those new bus pins) and then the rain came down around 5:15pm and didn't stop till atleast 6:30 or 7... So after the rain we decided to go ride Space Mountain while the rest of the park was watching Spectro... but around the vacation planning area (coming from Fantasyland) we noticed Tomorrowland being exceptionally dark... once we saw the 5-8 CMs standing outside of Space Mountain and the arcade and everything being pitch black, we knew it was closed... curious as to the reason we questioned and received the same answer, "Lightning struck and blew out a transformer, won't be up till tomorrow..." but we went ahead and rode Buzz (walk-on) and then walked through the darkened Tomorrowland towards Pirates to visit George the Ghost (which CMs do say he exists and they must say Good Morning and Good Night to him)... The Pirate CMs also confirmed the Haunted Mansion ghost and that they have to pet the dog in the graveyard scene... but anyways, being that it was a full moon, we decided we'd see if George would do anything... we were the only people on the ride (two boats infront of us were empty as well as two behind us)... perfect setting to get a sighting from George... we called out to him in the burning town scene but unfortunately, nothing... maybe we were too kind and should have said that we didn't believe... but if he's a friendly ghost, then why be mean?? Anyways... ya...

 

[Woody13]

yeah......

typically the tires blow out, as the lightning will exit the frame through the tires

I once had a 1971 Ford Mustang GT that got a direct hit by lightning at Surf City, NC. It hit and completely destroyed the radio antenna. I was driving the car at the time of the strike. Also the radio was destroyed as well. The rest of the car was fine. It was one heck of a big bolt too! The sound was very loud.