Tower of Terror Effects

[bomberman]

Does anyone know how the heck the first scene in the tower of terror works, because i cant figure it out.

 

[WDWBro]

Disney magic, duh!

I couldn't tell ya, anyone else?

 

[Captain Hank]

To the best of my knowlege, the ghosts are a projection on a scrim (a piece of fabric that appears opaque when lit from the front, but transparent when lit from the back). After a few seconds, the ghosts fizzle out, the lights are brought all the way down, and fiber optics planted in the sets and elevator car are brought up. The fiber optics are visible through the scrim. The window is another projection effect.

Edit: well, I was close:

The corridor scene uses an old theatre trick called "Pepper's Ghost" where an image is projected using a mirror onto glass (a variation of Pepper's Ghost as in the past, the images are projected onto a scrim(a thin, translucent screen)) to make the image look as though it's right in front of you when it's actually off to the side.

Edit: And more from the same site:

The corridor scene itself is a forced perspective. It is about 4 feet high in back and about 8-10 feet high in front. There is a diagonal glass wall in the middle of the hall. To the left of it is a projector room with a scene. That projector projects the ghostly figures on the screen and is then picked up by the glass, so you can see it. When they disappear the hall goes dark and the back wall, which is a screen with a projector behind it, projects the window coming towards you and crashing while that's happening the screen on the side of the hall slides away (not the glass). Then after the window crashes fiber optic lights turn on, on the sides and in the projector room. You can see the refection of them off the glass. Then that's it.

 

[PaisleyMF]

Spoiler carefull what you read

There are several ways to make this effect. First remember is a Forced perspective room (like the castle or Main Street Buildings (they are made to look taller or longer from what they really are). the projection can be acomplished in several ways. some are old tricks like the screen front / back lit (but then you won't see the whole hallway). There are some other magic screens used for this (remember the gostly efect at Haunted Mansion dinning room scene, well thats a glass at an angle) newer technology let me project images to a glass surface. and keep my transparency intact, here is one of the types available example of the magic screen. Remember this is no the one used but close enough to explain one of the many ways to do the effect.

 

[b21nhl]

the diagonal glass wall is really cool! i was able to get a tour of it this year. there are fibers in the rug in front of you as well. there is a newspaper by one of the doors that is to date with the freak accident. it is really small due to force perspective. really great experience

 

[Rayray]

WDI is an expert at Pepper's ghost effect. They use a very elaborate version of it in the dining hall of the Haunted Mansion. You should google Pepper's ghost effect. Some pretty interesting websites exist.

 

[nyfrenchy]

i was able to get a tour of it this year. [...] really great experience

How do you get into a backstage tour of TOT??!! Sign me up!