jesswindsor
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 3, 2011
I just got caught up. This is really a great thread!!!! Thanks so much figmentforever24 for doing this. I'm sure you have done hours & hours of research. Gread read!!! I can't wait for more!!!
The history and backstory of Disney rides
- Thread starter Figmentforever24
- Start date
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Reflections of Earth - Today I am doing something a little different and giving my appreciation to arguably one of the best firework displays to date. So enjoy!
To begin we have to start at the beginning when Epcot Center opened. October 23rd was just a couple weeks into the opening and Disney debuted the parks nighttime spectacular. Carnival De Lumiere. The way the show worked was three giant barges were put into place at the front of the lagoon if you were coming from Future World. These three barges had projections on them that played during the show. Between each barge was set of pyro launchers and water effects. The show was a bit hit and was a major step forward in nighttime entertainment. Yet there was one problem with the show that was overlooked popularity. The show was very popular yet the viewing area for the show was only from Canada to Mexico. Disney knew this wasnt going to work so a new show was planned right away.
The following year Disney debuted a new nighttime show called A New World Fantasy. The show also had searchlights added to the buildings of World Showcase. The show lasted for a short time when a new show called Laserphonic Fantasy debuted in 1984. This show was the answer to all of the problems plaguing nighttime entertainment as it was to be viewed from ANYWHERE in World Showcase. The show was to use music from the past show, but it was made to fit the huge new area. It also had new visuals and special effects. The show used similar equipment and the barges that held the fountain machines were used again for this show. They were placed across from each other on different sides of the lagoon. To make the barges more new for the show they added more lighting to them. Of course it couldnt be a laser show without lasers .so lasers were added to the show. Laser machines were added to both Canada and the American Adventure building. A few more lasers were added to the Mexico building although most of the room was saved for the control booths that ran the show.
The show did see many updates in the years it ran including the addition of pyro. There were none when the show started. The show lasted for five years but then something big happened at Epcot Center .Illuminations was born. Illuminations was a new show for a new generation and promised to live up to the grand legacy of Epcot Center. What once was a sponsor less show now had a new sponsor. Well not so new since this sponsor did host a very popular attraction in Future World ..can you guess? General Electric wanted their name to be pinned to a great show so many new elements were added to make the show truly grand. Rim lighting was added to the buildings of all of the pavilions in World Showcase. Giant strobe lights and other equipment were placed on the buildings yet these didnt need to be seen during the day. So hydraulic platforms push the lighting up when the show is not running. The fountain barges also were improved on and given updates to fit this new show. These new fountains projected the first ever water screens that could project images onto them. They also improved on the fountains themselves allowing better flow and movement of the fountains. In the center of the lagoon was a laser barge that held the images projected onto the screens. It also was able to project images onto itself.
Ask anyone and they would tell you that the show was great. To many the best part was when the pavilions themselves came alive with their rim lighting. One by one the pavilions would light up around the lagoon. Every pavilion had lighting besides Morocco due to religious purposes. Also at the time there was no Norway so no lighting was used there either. Something else that was cool was that special projectors transformed the pavilions during the show. For example during the show the American Adventure building became the capitol building. But to run a show like this you needed some tech. So that is why 25 linked computers were added to make sure the show ran properly. When the show began it was a huge hit. This was the first time a show completely surrounded guest front to back.
The show stayed the same for six years until 1994 when new lighting was added to the show. As time went on lighting and stuff was replaced with brighter or sharper lighting to keep the show cutting edge. Most of these replacements were done before a very special event however the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. The show that had been popular for eight years finally ended to make way for a new show .Illuminations: 25. Unlike the last show that was more elegant this show was all about the big celebration. This show had brand new music, new lighting, new pyro and four new barges were added. Lighting was added around the shoreline and lasers even lit up the smoke left behind. The show was good yet it lasted not even a year. A new show came in the summer of 1997. The show held the same name but had some changes made. This new show still celebrated the 25th although much of the party was over. The new show had new music added that went back more to the original score. Less party and more classical. The show saw once again the improvement of lighting and it was very impressive to say the least. Lighting up the lagoon in an array of colors. This show was more like the original yet did you know a slightly different show known as 25c was made? In 1998 the 25th thing was done and over with so it was removed without notice. The show was known by some as Illuminations 98 and it ran until 1999.
In 1996 it was known that something big was needed for the turn of the century. So Disney put their best together to make a new show. Finally after about a year of working on it a new show was made. The original name of the show was EARTH:2000 yet the name was later changed to Illuminations :2000. This show would be the biggest show in the history of the park. It would feature many new effects not yet seen including the addition of 6 new water barges. This show also had something new .story. The story was new for fireworks so they made sure to work it right. Also an idea was borrowed to be used in the show. Spaceship Earth was going to be covered in LED paneling to celebrate yet the idea was cancelled and the idea was used for the show instead. A giant globe was to be covered in TV paneling. This globe would be an engineering triumph as the barge itself would weigh 350 tons. The barge came to Epcot in two parts in 1999 and World Drive was even closed that night. The globe was then assembled and became the first globe to be covered in TV panels and used the way it was. The little light bulbs come together to make images that are stored in a computer over near Mexico. The show also has projectors that can project the images in case of emergency. The barge is operated by hand at night and the man running it hides in a fireproof bunker until his time to move the barge out to see.
Something else new was the use of a fire barge. This fire barge was equipped with liquid propane and 37 nozzles that could shoot fire up to 50 feet high. Special water systems were placed under the barge for emergency reasons. The fountain barges no longer needed water screens so they were removed and new lighting was added that could sync with the music. The pyro barges each held over 750 pieces of pyro each with 200 of these being for the finale. In total the show has 2800 things of pyro making it a huge pyro maker. All the pyro is shot from 34 different places around World Showcase lagoon. 3 of these places being barges that shoot them in the sky with air. Causing them to explode way up in the air. This also keeps guest from seeing pyro until it bursts. All of these special barges are kept behind the lagoon in the World Showcase marina. Ok and tell me there is no irony here when I say the lagoon is next to China .you know the people who made the firework .funny right ..no .ok never mind.
During the day the barges are brought out before the show. They start with the four fountain barges and place them at different angles around the lagoon. The inferno barge leaves next and is placed at a small dock that sits in the center of the lagoon. The eight pyro barges are placed with two in front of each fountain. The globe, being the biggest part of the show, is placed on the shore of the lagoon in front of the American Adventure until the show actually begins. The lighting and sound for the show was upgraded around the entire lagoon. Many people do not know this but there are a total of 19 propane torches round the lagoon for a very important reason. Each torch represents a century that has passed. The 20th torch is hidden inside the globe only to be revealed at the end. A new laser system was installed including on an island in the lagoon. It then hits a mirror in Mexico that bounces the lights. New strobe lights were added to each pavilion and two were added to Communicore. Firing positions for fireworks were also added around the shoreline .15 in total. One, in front of the UK, shoots the pyro extra high and for good reason.
The show like I said earlier has a story. It begins with things getting dark and a lone pyro shoot from the UK area. It then meets in the sky with explosive pyro that represents the Big Bang. Then things get chaotic which is why the next segment is known as chaos. It involves the fire and shows the universe forming itself. Then one planet emerges from the chaos .Earth. The Earth globe moves to the center where little white lights glow around the lagoon representing stars. Then the globe begins to show life on the globe. Then when the music picks up we reach the adventure portion. This part represents the courage and adventure man found in the world. Next we see Earth from space as it shows the Earth is home to everyone big and small. Then there is peace with the finale being meaning. Showing that we go on together to discover new things. The final torch is then lit and the fireworks display the finale showing us we truly are one.
The show was a grand display. Since 1988 General Electric had been sponsoring the evening shows. They stayed the sponsor until 2003 when they left Disney for good. This stayed that way for two years until 2005. This is when Disney signed a deal with the Siemens company .during the show they say Sylvania which is a division of the company. They have been sponsoring the show ever since then, and since then the show has seen many different versions. For example many times the perimeter rockets are turned off for any reason and the lagoon rockets are only used. Oh and if this isnt cool then you need to live in Russia because youre obviously not American after the show the extra gas has to be taken out of the tank. It is a public thing as there is a countdown and you can watch the big explosion. Though the barge exploded for real in 2005 and the show played without fire until 2006. The show also has holiday versions with a special barge known for its extra firepower. They do Christmas, Independence Day, New Years. They also did a special 25th and 30th park anniversary. Also a 2000 New Year party. New Year is the biggest of them all with launch pads on the lagoon and behind each country.
To begin we have to start at the beginning when Epcot Center opened. October 23rd was just a couple weeks into the opening and Disney debuted the parks nighttime spectacular. Carnival De Lumiere. The way the show worked was three giant barges were put into place at the front of the lagoon if you were coming from Future World. These three barges had projections on them that played during the show. Between each barge was set of pyro launchers and water effects. The show was a bit hit and was a major step forward in nighttime entertainment. Yet there was one problem with the show that was overlooked popularity. The show was very popular yet the viewing area for the show was only from Canada to Mexico. Disney knew this wasnt going to work so a new show was planned right away.
The following year Disney debuted a new nighttime show called A New World Fantasy. The show also had searchlights added to the buildings of World Showcase. The show lasted for a short time when a new show called Laserphonic Fantasy debuted in 1984. This show was the answer to all of the problems plaguing nighttime entertainment as it was to be viewed from ANYWHERE in World Showcase. The show was to use music from the past show, but it was made to fit the huge new area. It also had new visuals and special effects. The show used similar equipment and the barges that held the fountain machines were used again for this show. They were placed across from each other on different sides of the lagoon. To make the barges more new for the show they added more lighting to them. Of course it couldnt be a laser show without lasers .so lasers were added to the show. Laser machines were added to both Canada and the American Adventure building. A few more lasers were added to the Mexico building although most of the room was saved for the control booths that ran the show.
The show did see many updates in the years it ran including the addition of pyro. There were none when the show started. The show lasted for five years but then something big happened at Epcot Center .Illuminations was born. Illuminations was a new show for a new generation and promised to live up to the grand legacy of Epcot Center. What once was a sponsor less show now had a new sponsor. Well not so new since this sponsor did host a very popular attraction in Future World ..can you guess? General Electric wanted their name to be pinned to a great show so many new elements were added to make the show truly grand. Rim lighting was added to the buildings of all of the pavilions in World Showcase. Giant strobe lights and other equipment were placed on the buildings yet these didnt need to be seen during the day. So hydraulic platforms push the lighting up when the show is not running. The fountain barges also were improved on and given updates to fit this new show. These new fountains projected the first ever water screens that could project images onto them. They also improved on the fountains themselves allowing better flow and movement of the fountains. In the center of the lagoon was a laser barge that held the images projected onto the screens. It also was able to project images onto itself.
Ask anyone and they would tell you that the show was great. To many the best part was when the pavilions themselves came alive with their rim lighting. One by one the pavilions would light up around the lagoon. Every pavilion had lighting besides Morocco due to religious purposes. Also at the time there was no Norway so no lighting was used there either. Something else that was cool was that special projectors transformed the pavilions during the show. For example during the show the American Adventure building became the capitol building. But to run a show like this you needed some tech. So that is why 25 linked computers were added to make sure the show ran properly. When the show began it was a huge hit. This was the first time a show completely surrounded guest front to back.
The show stayed the same for six years until 1994 when new lighting was added to the show. As time went on lighting and stuff was replaced with brighter or sharper lighting to keep the show cutting edge. Most of these replacements were done before a very special event however the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. The show that had been popular for eight years finally ended to make way for a new show .Illuminations: 25. Unlike the last show that was more elegant this show was all about the big celebration. This show had brand new music, new lighting, new pyro and four new barges were added. Lighting was added around the shoreline and lasers even lit up the smoke left behind. The show was good yet it lasted not even a year. A new show came in the summer of 1997. The show held the same name but had some changes made. This new show still celebrated the 25th although much of the party was over. The new show had new music added that went back more to the original score. Less party and more classical. The show saw once again the improvement of lighting and it was very impressive to say the least. Lighting up the lagoon in an array of colors. This show was more like the original yet did you know a slightly different show known as 25c was made? In 1998 the 25th thing was done and over with so it was removed without notice. The show was known by some as Illuminations 98 and it ran until 1999.
In 1996 it was known that something big was needed for the turn of the century. So Disney put their best together to make a new show. Finally after about a year of working on it a new show was made. The original name of the show was EARTH:2000 yet the name was later changed to Illuminations :2000. This show would be the biggest show in the history of the park. It would feature many new effects not yet seen including the addition of 6 new water barges. This show also had something new .story. The story was new for fireworks so they made sure to work it right. Also an idea was borrowed to be used in the show. Spaceship Earth was going to be covered in LED paneling to celebrate yet the idea was cancelled and the idea was used for the show instead. A giant globe was to be covered in TV paneling. This globe would be an engineering triumph as the barge itself would weigh 350 tons. The barge came to Epcot in two parts in 1999 and World Drive was even closed that night. The globe was then assembled and became the first globe to be covered in TV panels and used the way it was. The little light bulbs come together to make images that are stored in a computer over near Mexico. The show also has projectors that can project the images in case of emergency. The barge is operated by hand at night and the man running it hides in a fireproof bunker until his time to move the barge out to see.
Something else new was the use of a fire barge. This fire barge was equipped with liquid propane and 37 nozzles that could shoot fire up to 50 feet high. Special water systems were placed under the barge for emergency reasons. The fountain barges no longer needed water screens so they were removed and new lighting was added that could sync with the music. The pyro barges each held over 750 pieces of pyro each with 200 of these being for the finale. In total the show has 2800 things of pyro making it a huge pyro maker. All the pyro is shot from 34 different places around World Showcase lagoon. 3 of these places being barges that shoot them in the sky with air. Causing them to explode way up in the air. This also keeps guest from seeing pyro until it bursts. All of these special barges are kept behind the lagoon in the World Showcase marina. Ok and tell me there is no irony here when I say the lagoon is next to China .you know the people who made the firework .funny right ..no .ok never mind.
During the day the barges are brought out before the show. They start with the four fountain barges and place them at different angles around the lagoon. The inferno barge leaves next and is placed at a small dock that sits in the center of the lagoon. The eight pyro barges are placed with two in front of each fountain. The globe, being the biggest part of the show, is placed on the shore of the lagoon in front of the American Adventure until the show actually begins. The lighting and sound for the show was upgraded around the entire lagoon. Many people do not know this but there are a total of 19 propane torches round the lagoon for a very important reason. Each torch represents a century that has passed. The 20th torch is hidden inside the globe only to be revealed at the end. A new laser system was installed including on an island in the lagoon. It then hits a mirror in Mexico that bounces the lights. New strobe lights were added to each pavilion and two were added to Communicore. Firing positions for fireworks were also added around the shoreline .15 in total. One, in front of the UK, shoots the pyro extra high and for good reason.
The show like I said earlier has a story. It begins with things getting dark and a lone pyro shoot from the UK area. It then meets in the sky with explosive pyro that represents the Big Bang. Then things get chaotic which is why the next segment is known as chaos. It involves the fire and shows the universe forming itself. Then one planet emerges from the chaos .Earth. The Earth globe moves to the center where little white lights glow around the lagoon representing stars. Then the globe begins to show life on the globe. Then when the music picks up we reach the adventure portion. This part represents the courage and adventure man found in the world. Next we see Earth from space as it shows the Earth is home to everyone big and small. Then there is peace with the finale being meaning. Showing that we go on together to discover new things. The final torch is then lit and the fireworks display the finale showing us we truly are one.
The show was a grand display. Since 1988 General Electric had been sponsoring the evening shows. They stayed the sponsor until 2003 when they left Disney for good. This stayed that way for two years until 2005. This is when Disney signed a deal with the Siemens company .during the show they say Sylvania which is a division of the company. They have been sponsoring the show ever since then, and since then the show has seen many different versions. For example many times the perimeter rockets are turned off for any reason and the lagoon rockets are only used. Oh and if this isnt cool then you need to live in Russia because youre obviously not American after the show the extra gas has to be taken out of the tank. It is a public thing as there is a countdown and you can watch the big explosion. Though the barge exploded for real in 2005 and the show played without fire until 2006. The show also has holiday versions with a special barge known for its extra firepower. They do Christmas, Independence Day, New Years. They also did a special 25th and 30th park anniversary. Also a 2000 New Year party. New Year is the biggest of them all with launch pads on the lagoon and behind each country.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
So now we have looked at many great rides that were built or have been destroyed at Walt Disney World. But what about the ones not there anymore? Well now we will look at some of these
starting with the rides of the Japanese pavilion.
So go back to 1978. World Showcase is almost done with the planning stages as the Epcot Center is beginning construction. Many of the pavilions have been planned and are starting to be worked on. Some of them would include rides. One of these was Japan. The country of Japan sits directly between America and Morocco. ( America and France in the beginning) The land would feature giant temple building, eateries, entertainment and the beauty of Japan all showcased in this little pavilion. At the back of the pavilion guest would enter the main ride for the land. The original ride was going to a coaster presented by Fuji Film. Behind the buildings guest would see the façade of a mountain appear. They would enter a building at the bottom as they boarded their bobsled. The bobsleds would be similar to the Matterhorn. In fact this was Disneys attempt to add the Matterhorn to the Walt Disney World resort. The ride would allow guest to come face to face with the Godzilla monster that lives in the mountain. The entire ride would take place inside the building and was to be decorated like a mountain. Unlike the Matterhorn where guest really go up the mountain. This mountain was just a façade. The plans for the ride stayed until about 1977. Then Disney faced issues when Kodak raised hell over the idea. So the plans were cancelled and they decided on a new ride that could still showcase the history of the country in a way that wouldnt need a sponsor.
This idea came quickly in the form of a ride called Meet the World. Disney realized that the Carrousel of Progress in Disneyland was still very popular, and the ride was something still not seen often in theme parks. So they decided to add one to Epcot Center or more specifically World Showcase. This new version would be different then the original in that guest would enter their seats at the center of the theater. The four stages would be set on the outside of the theater. Also the backgrounds would be screens that would help tell the story of Japan along with many AAs. The ride was never built and for good cause. In Tokyo Disneyland the ride was opened in the same manner that it would have been presented in America. In the ride two children are taught the history of their country by a stork. One part of the ride refers to World War 2 when Japan was bad. A short comment is made and the subject is glossed over. Disney was afraid this would offend soldiers who fought in the war so they just cancelled the plans outright rather then rework everything.
The idea then came in a third form that was sure to work. In fact they were so sure that the building for the ride was built and still stands today. This new ride was going to be a bullet train stimulation. Guest would board a bullet train with screens in the windows. The train itself wouldnt move as vibrations under the floor would make guest seem as if they were moving at fast speeds. The ride was to pass things like farms, rural villages, mountains, rivers, forest and even busy cities like Tokyo. The finale was always going to be the same and include a huge festival taking place. Guest would enter through that arch in the back of the pavilion that leads to no where. They would then exit directly into the gift shop. In fact the reason the gift shop is so large is that the back half is the unloading portion of what would have been the bullet train. These plans were pretty solid yet due to being behind schedule and over budget, the plans were cancelled. Disney was also worried that with the park being new that people trying to overcrowd World Showcase to get to rides would be a nighttime. So the high capacity boat ride in Mexico was the only thing to be built while Germany and Japan would get their rides at a later date. Italy and United Kingdom would follow behind them. Although to this day none of these plans have come to alive.
To this day people can enjoy the wonder and quiet sensations of the Japan pavilion at Epcot.
So go back to 1978. World Showcase is almost done with the planning stages as the Epcot Center is beginning construction. Many of the pavilions have been planned and are starting to be worked on. Some of them would include rides. One of these was Japan. The country of Japan sits directly between America and Morocco. ( America and France in the beginning) The land would feature giant temple building, eateries, entertainment and the beauty of Japan all showcased in this little pavilion. At the back of the pavilion guest would enter the main ride for the land. The original ride was going to a coaster presented by Fuji Film. Behind the buildings guest would see the façade of a mountain appear. They would enter a building at the bottom as they boarded their bobsled. The bobsleds would be similar to the Matterhorn. In fact this was Disneys attempt to add the Matterhorn to the Walt Disney World resort. The ride would allow guest to come face to face with the Godzilla monster that lives in the mountain. The entire ride would take place inside the building and was to be decorated like a mountain. Unlike the Matterhorn where guest really go up the mountain. This mountain was just a façade. The plans for the ride stayed until about 1977. Then Disney faced issues when Kodak raised hell over the idea. So the plans were cancelled and they decided on a new ride that could still showcase the history of the country in a way that wouldnt need a sponsor.
This idea came quickly in the form of a ride called Meet the World. Disney realized that the Carrousel of Progress in Disneyland was still very popular, and the ride was something still not seen often in theme parks. So they decided to add one to Epcot Center or more specifically World Showcase. This new version would be different then the original in that guest would enter their seats at the center of the theater. The four stages would be set on the outside of the theater. Also the backgrounds would be screens that would help tell the story of Japan along with many AAs. The ride was never built and for good cause. In Tokyo Disneyland the ride was opened in the same manner that it would have been presented in America. In the ride two children are taught the history of their country by a stork. One part of the ride refers to World War 2 when Japan was bad. A short comment is made and the subject is glossed over. Disney was afraid this would offend soldiers who fought in the war so they just cancelled the plans outright rather then rework everything.
The idea then came in a third form that was sure to work. In fact they were so sure that the building for the ride was built and still stands today. This new ride was going to be a bullet train stimulation. Guest would board a bullet train with screens in the windows. The train itself wouldnt move as vibrations under the floor would make guest seem as if they were moving at fast speeds. The ride was to pass things like farms, rural villages, mountains, rivers, forest and even busy cities like Tokyo. The finale was always going to be the same and include a huge festival taking place. Guest would enter through that arch in the back of the pavilion that leads to no where. They would then exit directly into the gift shop. In fact the reason the gift shop is so large is that the back half is the unloading portion of what would have been the bullet train. These plans were pretty solid yet due to being behind schedule and over budget, the plans were cancelled. Disney was also worried that with the park being new that people trying to overcrowd World Showcase to get to rides would be a nighttime. So the high capacity boat ride in Mexico was the only thing to be built while Germany and Japan would get their rides at a later date. Italy and United Kingdom would follow behind them. Although to this day none of these plans have come to alive.
To this day people can enjoy the wonder and quiet sensations of the Japan pavilion at Epcot.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Mystery. Romance. Adventure. These are the things found in the Norway pavilion at Epcot Center. Yet was it always going to be Norway? And what is there to know about this little pavilion? Lets find out?
So lets go back to 1978 when World Showcase was really starting to be planned. We know about Japan, and the other countries, but most did not know about Denmark. Denmark was the pavilion planned to be place between the Mexico and China pavilion. Then as plans went on the pavilion was dropped and then moved to a piece of land across the lagoon. At the same time next door Costa Rica was dropped in favor of China. This was due to the lack of Asian countries being represented in World Showcase. After plans were being finalized it was realized that Denmark was not going to make it to World Showcase in Phase One so United Kingdom was placed in its spot and it was planned to be placed between China and Mexico when the time came for it to be built.
When Epcot Center opened there was no pavilion in this plot of land, but there was restrooms. The park really needed a bathroom in this area so the restrooms were designed in the style of Denmark. The plan was to add all of the other buildings at a later date. Then one year after opening things begin to move forward for something in this area, but it was not the Denmark pavilion. Disney Imagineering worked on plans for a Scandinavian pavilion. This pavilion wouldnt showcase just one but three different countries. Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The plans were finalized and a special company was brought in to help with the project. Then as time went on the plans became more Norway orientated. If you wonder why you can know it was largely due to the money being poured into it. Norway was giving more money then other countries meaning they would have a bigger say in the pavilion. Then in June of 1985 Disney came forward to announce the pavilion was going to be Norway. The official name for the pavilion was Norway: Gate to Scandinavia. The pavilion became largely Norway due to the funding of ten different Norwegian countries. These countries are as followed: Norway Foods A/S, Vesta-Gruppen A/S Insurance Finance, Kosmos A/S Shipping, Selmar-Sanda A/S Construction, Norcem A/S Industrial, Norse Data A/S Technology, Frionor Norsk, Frossenifisk Seafood, Den Norse Credit Bank, Det Norsk Veritas Marine Insurance.
SAS is the largest airline in the Scandinavian region and sponsored much of the ride and little pre-show in Norway. The government was also convinced to give a little assistance although they were very hesitant to give anything to the project claming it would fail before it would even open. They were also convinced that Disney wouldnt fully represent the splendor of their country. So they only partially financed the project due to the pressures of the other companies paying money to the project.
This pavilion was going to be 90,000 square feet yet a lot was going to have to fit into this space. To save space a giant show building would be built to hold all of the shops, eateries and the first thrill ride in the park! Yep this would be the very first thrill ride that Epcot Center ever had. The ride itself was going to take guest in boats of twelve seats through the forest and rivers of Norway. The original ride wasnt really focused on Norway as it was more focused on the fantasy side of the country. You were on an adventure to find a rainbow bridge meeting gnomes and trolls along the way. The original ride name was also going to be Sea Venture. The idea was nice yet Disney felt like there wasnt much there for an entire ride. So they then decided that the ride should focus on the history of Norway. Starting with the origins of Norway and then continue through the fantasy and then into the modern day of Norway. The thrill portion of the ride would stay and it would come from a new system. This new ride system would allow the boat to travel backwards something not done before. There would also be a drop and other special effects to enhance the thrill element of the ride. The ride would end with guest traveling through a sea storm. The rides would have wind, waves and even mist to spray the guest.
Plans were finalized and in 1986 the pavilion began construction. What is hilarious about the entire thing is that the bathrooms did stay and they built around the entire thing. For two years the pavilion was worked on and the name for the ride was quickly changed to Maelstrom. When everything opened the pavilion was a smash hit. The ride itself was very cool and took in large crowds. Would you believe more special effects were on the ride then, then there are now? Music played in the lift tunnel, sound effects in the troll room, music in the forest before the drop, the troll talked and made comments about sending you down the falls rather then his head just pop up, the oil rig scene had real lighting due to a Telsa placed in the room with wind and water effects. The little unloading area also had music and sound effects.
The ride has seen some changes overtime and has not always been the exact same. When the ride first opened a huge fog machine blew a lot of smoke in the ride. The rain effect in the oil rig scene was toned down a lot along with the real lighting. It was replaced with strobe lights and rods.
The outside of the pavilion has also changed a lot. For example the little playground ship near the entrance to the pavilion was removed in 2008 for safety reasons. In 2002 the main dining area was not home to princesses or at least not yet. They were added to breakfast and then was later added to all meals due to the popularity.
So lets go back to 1978 when World Showcase was really starting to be planned. We know about Japan, and the other countries, but most did not know about Denmark. Denmark was the pavilion planned to be place between the Mexico and China pavilion. Then as plans went on the pavilion was dropped and then moved to a piece of land across the lagoon. At the same time next door Costa Rica was dropped in favor of China. This was due to the lack of Asian countries being represented in World Showcase. After plans were being finalized it was realized that Denmark was not going to make it to World Showcase in Phase One so United Kingdom was placed in its spot and it was planned to be placed between China and Mexico when the time came for it to be built.
When Epcot Center opened there was no pavilion in this plot of land, but there was restrooms. The park really needed a bathroom in this area so the restrooms were designed in the style of Denmark. The plan was to add all of the other buildings at a later date. Then one year after opening things begin to move forward for something in this area, but it was not the Denmark pavilion. Disney Imagineering worked on plans for a Scandinavian pavilion. This pavilion wouldnt showcase just one but three different countries. Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The plans were finalized and a special company was brought in to help with the project. Then as time went on the plans became more Norway orientated. If you wonder why you can know it was largely due to the money being poured into it. Norway was giving more money then other countries meaning they would have a bigger say in the pavilion. Then in June of 1985 Disney came forward to announce the pavilion was going to be Norway. The official name for the pavilion was Norway: Gate to Scandinavia. The pavilion became largely Norway due to the funding of ten different Norwegian countries. These countries are as followed: Norway Foods A/S, Vesta-Gruppen A/S Insurance Finance, Kosmos A/S Shipping, Selmar-Sanda A/S Construction, Norcem A/S Industrial, Norse Data A/S Technology, Frionor Norsk, Frossenifisk Seafood, Den Norse Credit Bank, Det Norsk Veritas Marine Insurance.
SAS is the largest airline in the Scandinavian region and sponsored much of the ride and little pre-show in Norway. The government was also convinced to give a little assistance although they were very hesitant to give anything to the project claming it would fail before it would even open. They were also convinced that Disney wouldnt fully represent the splendor of their country. So they only partially financed the project due to the pressures of the other companies paying money to the project.
This pavilion was going to be 90,000 square feet yet a lot was going to have to fit into this space. To save space a giant show building would be built to hold all of the shops, eateries and the first thrill ride in the park! Yep this would be the very first thrill ride that Epcot Center ever had. The ride itself was going to take guest in boats of twelve seats through the forest and rivers of Norway. The original ride wasnt really focused on Norway as it was more focused on the fantasy side of the country. You were on an adventure to find a rainbow bridge meeting gnomes and trolls along the way. The original ride name was also going to be Sea Venture. The idea was nice yet Disney felt like there wasnt much there for an entire ride. So they then decided that the ride should focus on the history of Norway. Starting with the origins of Norway and then continue through the fantasy and then into the modern day of Norway. The thrill portion of the ride would stay and it would come from a new system. This new ride system would allow the boat to travel backwards something not done before. There would also be a drop and other special effects to enhance the thrill element of the ride. The ride would end with guest traveling through a sea storm. The rides would have wind, waves and even mist to spray the guest.
Plans were finalized and in 1986 the pavilion began construction. What is hilarious about the entire thing is that the bathrooms did stay and they built around the entire thing. For two years the pavilion was worked on and the name for the ride was quickly changed to Maelstrom. When everything opened the pavilion was a smash hit. The ride itself was very cool and took in large crowds. Would you believe more special effects were on the ride then, then there are now? Music played in the lift tunnel, sound effects in the troll room, music in the forest before the drop, the troll talked and made comments about sending you down the falls rather then his head just pop up, the oil rig scene had real lighting due to a Telsa placed in the room with wind and water effects. The little unloading area also had music and sound effects.
The ride has seen some changes overtime and has not always been the exact same. When the ride first opened a huge fog machine blew a lot of smoke in the ride. The rain effect in the oil rig scene was toned down a lot along with the real lighting. It was replaced with strobe lights and rods.
The outside of the pavilion has also changed a lot. For example the little playground ship near the entrance to the pavilion was removed in 2008 for safety reasons. In 2002 the main dining area was not home to princesses or at least not yet. They were added to breakfast and then was later added to all meals due to the popularity.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Welcome to this new and improved history report on a classic Animal Kingdom ride. (My first one for Animal Kingdom!) I hope you have enjoyed those quaint little history reports in the old pages because now we start anew with a history report that will forever convince you that the future is truly in the past. (See what I did there.)
Ok so lets get in our time rover and lets go back to the year 1992. This was when the 4th theme park for the Walt Disney World resort is being planned. The plans for the park called for two major E-Ticket attractions. This was something big since MGM opened with only one E-Ticket. The first E-Ticket was going to come in this land known as Beastly Kingdom. The Dragon Tower coaster was going to be a suspended coaster made to go through the lair of a slumbering dragon. Then you had to travel to the other side of the park where the second E-Ticket would be found ..the ..EXCAVATOR! Yes this old coaster would have been formed to look like wood and would have included more then encounters with fossils! The second ride for the then Dino Nature Land was going to be a family attraction covered in AAs and was outside and inside. Due to the high cost of the entire theme park some things had to be cut. Beastly Kingdom was a good idea so it was pushed back to another phase. The excavator coaster was cancelled and the entire land was reworked. By cancelling all of these plans however Disney realized there was a big problem ..no thrill rides.
With both coasters being cancelled there was no thrill ride for the park. So Disney decided to turn the family ride in Dino land to the thrill ride of the park. Yet where would the inspiration for this ride come from? Well it had to be new and improved then some old ride vehicle they had been using. Disney looked to Disneyland Paris and Anaheim for the answer. In 1991 a new ride system is being designed for the park. This new ride system still rode on a track, but the portion guest sat in moved independently on his own. Having the ability to swing back and forth and tilt in any direction it so choose. This vehicle would be tweaked some and then would become the ride vehicle for the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. The cool thing about the vehicle is it could be programmed for any ride. So it can move in any way the programmers so desire. Then a light bulb flipped in Eisners head and he realized something. The money they could save by cloning the Indiana Jones ride for Animal Kingdom would be huge. They could dress up the ride as a prehistoric themed attraction and then BAM! They would have unique ride that guest would think was completely new. (No joke his thoughts not mine)
When he said cloned he meant it. The track layout and ride design was EXACTLY the same as the ride being built in Anaheim Disneyland. Yet to give them credit they would work hard and Eisner did allow a slightly bigger budget to make sure the ride felt new. They didnt want guest thinking they had been ripped off. So Disney Animal Kingdom now had its thrill ride! Countdown to Extinction would be a race through time to go through the time of the Dinosaurs. The storyline was that an institute had created a form of time travel that could take guest to the time of Dinosaurs. A secret wing was built onto this old building where they showed old exhibits. Yet although you planned to go to the time of peace during the Dino period, you actually make a trip to the minutes before the rock that killed most life on Earth hit.
This ride would feature some big ole AAs. In fact twelve would be the biggest they had ever created in that time period. The ride had plenty of other smaller figures that would dot the ride. The ride also came with some amazing laser light and smoke effects to top off the ride. A total of 16 vehicles were made for the ride with one being the spare tire of the lot.
So this is kind of beside the point but I wanted to point out some details you may not have noticed when riding this ride. So you go in right inside the rotunda where you can see some old exhibits. You go inside the pre show room and then head below ground into a un-used sewer. As you are inside notice that the lights are always dimming this is due to the power being used for the time machine. Also once you board notice you pass under this beam of light? its a security beam checking everything out before you go inside. Originally as you were about to go in you noticed the place has been set wrong and you are entering the wrong time period. Its to late though and you are taken inside. The next effect was used with smoke that covered the ground. Your rover was floating and rocking back and forth as it traveling through time. Strobe lights and real spark effects cause a portal in front of you to open. You can see the jungle and pass through right as the portal closes. Little meteors are falling around you and in the distance the giant rock is in the sky. You pass different Dinos not concerned with you but get a lock on the homing signal coming from the Iguanodon. Your rover shoots off but missed the path it was meant to take. It then stops right in front of that big red guy .you know who ..who is shocked by the humans and rams the rover. Your rover turns the corner quickly only to run over the tail of another Dino when then flops its tail at you. Rocks are falling in great numbers now as things are getting bad. Your rover goes off the trail and down a rocky hill to avoid the flying Dino and get away from the falling rocks. By crashing down we disturb a nest of little Dinos who leap from their nest and come towards us. We dodge them only to get stuck in a mud pit. As we are stuck the big guy from earlier has caught up to us and comes to ram the vehicle again. We get away just in time. The Dino is behind us and rocks fall from the sky as we now dodge them and the Dino. We lose power due to the energy used for four wheel drive and we stop with the giant Dino right on us. He gets ready to eat us only to be distracted by an earthquake. Power is restored and we get away just in time. As we make the curve big rocks fall causing explosions and taking down a tree right in our path. The Iguanodon catches the tree and helps us through as we catch it with a computer net. The life ending rock has made it and the ground is starting to burn. The big guy has caught up and takes us head on. Just then the time vortex opens between us and him. The rover floats into the vortex as we hear the giant rock hit the ground behind us. It pushes us forward as we move back to the modern time period. There was one effect that didnt make it into the ride. When guest exited a mirror would use a ghost like effect to show the Dino sitting on the back of the rover in the net. This was cut due to different reasons. They then decided to just add a TV that showed the Dino moving through the building. Something else was to change the lighting in the ride so that every ride vehicle went through at different times of day. They then went with night only to enhance the thrill and terror of the ride. The ride opened in 1998 with the rest of the park and was a HUGE HIT!
The ride has lost some things over the years including the spark and laser effects in the vortex tunnel. The swinging bird you barely miss was locked into place. The little jumping Dinos were placed on sticks and in the air. The laser net for the Dino was also taken off. Sound effects were also toned down everywhere to make the ride less scary for kids. The giant rock at the end of the ride was swapped out for a head of the big guy who popped out. These changes were small though compared to what came next. The biggest change happened in the year 2000. Eisner wanted a tie in with the movie Dinosaur that just came out so the ride was renamed. The audio and everything in the ride was changed up to fit the new theme of purposely going back to find the Dino rather then accidentally ending up in that period.
Ok so lets get in our time rover and lets go back to the year 1992. This was when the 4th theme park for the Walt Disney World resort is being planned. The plans for the park called for two major E-Ticket attractions. This was something big since MGM opened with only one E-Ticket. The first E-Ticket was going to come in this land known as Beastly Kingdom. The Dragon Tower coaster was going to be a suspended coaster made to go through the lair of a slumbering dragon. Then you had to travel to the other side of the park where the second E-Ticket would be found ..the ..EXCAVATOR! Yes this old coaster would have been formed to look like wood and would have included more then encounters with fossils! The second ride for the then Dino Nature Land was going to be a family attraction covered in AAs and was outside and inside. Due to the high cost of the entire theme park some things had to be cut. Beastly Kingdom was a good idea so it was pushed back to another phase. The excavator coaster was cancelled and the entire land was reworked. By cancelling all of these plans however Disney realized there was a big problem ..no thrill rides.
With both coasters being cancelled there was no thrill ride for the park. So Disney decided to turn the family ride in Dino land to the thrill ride of the park. Yet where would the inspiration for this ride come from? Well it had to be new and improved then some old ride vehicle they had been using. Disney looked to Disneyland Paris and Anaheim for the answer. In 1991 a new ride system is being designed for the park. This new ride system still rode on a track, but the portion guest sat in moved independently on his own. Having the ability to swing back and forth and tilt in any direction it so choose. This vehicle would be tweaked some and then would become the ride vehicle for the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. The cool thing about the vehicle is it could be programmed for any ride. So it can move in any way the programmers so desire. Then a light bulb flipped in Eisners head and he realized something. The money they could save by cloning the Indiana Jones ride for Animal Kingdom would be huge. They could dress up the ride as a prehistoric themed attraction and then BAM! They would have unique ride that guest would think was completely new. (No joke his thoughts not mine)
When he said cloned he meant it. The track layout and ride design was EXACTLY the same as the ride being built in Anaheim Disneyland. Yet to give them credit they would work hard and Eisner did allow a slightly bigger budget to make sure the ride felt new. They didnt want guest thinking they had been ripped off. So Disney Animal Kingdom now had its thrill ride! Countdown to Extinction would be a race through time to go through the time of the Dinosaurs. The storyline was that an institute had created a form of time travel that could take guest to the time of Dinosaurs. A secret wing was built onto this old building where they showed old exhibits. Yet although you planned to go to the time of peace during the Dino period, you actually make a trip to the minutes before the rock that killed most life on Earth hit.
This ride would feature some big ole AAs. In fact twelve would be the biggest they had ever created in that time period. The ride had plenty of other smaller figures that would dot the ride. The ride also came with some amazing laser light and smoke effects to top off the ride. A total of 16 vehicles were made for the ride with one being the spare tire of the lot.
So this is kind of beside the point but I wanted to point out some details you may not have noticed when riding this ride. So you go in right inside the rotunda where you can see some old exhibits. You go inside the pre show room and then head below ground into a un-used sewer. As you are inside notice that the lights are always dimming this is due to the power being used for the time machine. Also once you board notice you pass under this beam of light? its a security beam checking everything out before you go inside. Originally as you were about to go in you noticed the place has been set wrong and you are entering the wrong time period. Its to late though and you are taken inside. The next effect was used with smoke that covered the ground. Your rover was floating and rocking back and forth as it traveling through time. Strobe lights and real spark effects cause a portal in front of you to open. You can see the jungle and pass through right as the portal closes. Little meteors are falling around you and in the distance the giant rock is in the sky. You pass different Dinos not concerned with you but get a lock on the homing signal coming from the Iguanodon. Your rover shoots off but missed the path it was meant to take. It then stops right in front of that big red guy .you know who ..who is shocked by the humans and rams the rover. Your rover turns the corner quickly only to run over the tail of another Dino when then flops its tail at you. Rocks are falling in great numbers now as things are getting bad. Your rover goes off the trail and down a rocky hill to avoid the flying Dino and get away from the falling rocks. By crashing down we disturb a nest of little Dinos who leap from their nest and come towards us. We dodge them only to get stuck in a mud pit. As we are stuck the big guy from earlier has caught up to us and comes to ram the vehicle again. We get away just in time. The Dino is behind us and rocks fall from the sky as we now dodge them and the Dino. We lose power due to the energy used for four wheel drive and we stop with the giant Dino right on us. He gets ready to eat us only to be distracted by an earthquake. Power is restored and we get away just in time. As we make the curve big rocks fall causing explosions and taking down a tree right in our path. The Iguanodon catches the tree and helps us through as we catch it with a computer net. The life ending rock has made it and the ground is starting to burn. The big guy has caught up and takes us head on. Just then the time vortex opens between us and him. The rover floats into the vortex as we hear the giant rock hit the ground behind us. It pushes us forward as we move back to the modern time period. There was one effect that didnt make it into the ride. When guest exited a mirror would use a ghost like effect to show the Dino sitting on the back of the rover in the net. This was cut due to different reasons. They then decided to just add a TV that showed the Dino moving through the building. Something else was to change the lighting in the ride so that every ride vehicle went through at different times of day. They then went with night only to enhance the thrill and terror of the ride. The ride opened in 1998 with the rest of the park and was a HUGE HIT!
The ride has lost some things over the years including the spark and laser effects in the vortex tunnel. The swinging bird you barely miss was locked into place. The little jumping Dinos were placed on sticks and in the air. The laser net for the Dino was also taken off. Sound effects were also toned down everywhere to make the ride less scary for kids. The giant rock at the end of the ride was swapped out for a head of the big guy who popped out. These changes were small though compared to what came next. The biggest change happened in the year 2000. Eisner wanted a tie in with the movie Dinosaur that just came out so the ride was renamed. The audio and everything in the ride was changed up to fit the new theme of purposely going back to find the Dino rather then accidentally ending up in that period.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
You may, and I will do my best to work on them, although I cant promise quick results.
I think the following might provide an interesting back story. Hall of Presidents: How does Disney come up with the animatronics for the current president as they are elected? How long does it take to get the new animatronic into the Hall of Presidents? Does an artist come up with the model from photos or does the president/electee pose or participate in some way? How much work does it take to install each new animatronic, i.e., do other figures have to be moved; is the Hall of Presidents closed down temporarily for the installation? Seems like there would be a lot more to it than you would think like running new hydraulic lines, computer connections, etc.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Ill see what I can come up with.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Ask anyone who visits Walt Disney World regularly, and ask them about the hidden gems of Magic Kingdom. Many of them will tell you that the Hall of Presidents is one of those little gems. A show that features more AAs then most rides and still happens to draw in the crowds. Yet how did this show come to be?
When the Hall of Presidents opened in October 1971, Richard Nixon was in office. Since that time, a number of elections have brought a few changes to this attraction. Since opening, Audio-Animatronics figures of Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have been added to this distinguished cast. And on July 4, 2009, Barack Obama took his place among these other men.
When Walt Disney was planning Disneyland he wanted things that had never been seen by the public. One of these things was mechanical figures that could act out the emotions and actions of a human being. This was something never seen before. On a trip to New Orleans (His inspiration for New Orleans Square) he found this little show with a robotic bird. The little bird could move its beak and wings as well as make audio noises. Walt Disney loved the bird and bought it from the man to take back with him. He then had his men take apart the bird to make it work.
Shortly after this event Walt was ready to continue with his work for AAs. Walt had his friend Buddy Ebsen dance in front of a large grid. Walt then recorded and filmed his movements. Walt then had his men sit and study the movements and measurements were taken. They then took the information they gathered and made a small model of Buddy. The model was perfectly able to reproduce the dance sequence.
Walt now had a way to make figures that could move, but how would he use them. Well when Disneyland opened many movable figures could be seen in rides like Alice in Wonderland, but he needed something where he could truly show off men performing actions. In 1958 Walt Disney planned a new land to the side of Main Street called Liberty Street. Not much is known in detail about the land except that it was to include a version of Hall of Presidents. The plans were shortly cancelled due to budget reasons.
As Audio-Animatronics (AA) continued to improve, Walt's ideas continued to grow. Next he wanted to build a Chinese restaurant with a life-sized figure of Confucius who would be seated in the center of the room. As diners enjoyed their meals, this ancient philosopher would dispense gems of wisdom. The Imagineers were able to create an AA figure that worked, but not well enough. The restaurant idea was not abandoned, though, just its human host. It was decided that the Imagineers could create AA birds and flowers easier than people. In addition, audiences would be less critical of their stilted and limited movement. Instead of a Chinese eatery, a Polynesian restaurant was conceived where diners would be serenaded by birds while they enjoyed their food. But since the average meal would take between 45 and 60 minutes, it was realized that only a limited number of people would be able to see this new wonder and the restaurant concept was dropped. Eventually, the Enchanted Tiki Room was created and opened on June 23, 1963. However, Walt never gave up on his idea of creating a human AA figure and continued to have his Imagineers work on this project.
As a side note, Disney has created a couple of restaurants with AA entertainment. When Disneyland Paris opened, a restaurant called the Explorer's Club could be found in Adventureland. This was an elegant, table service restaurant that featured AA birds and flowers perched throughout the room. Here, diners could enjoy a meal while being entertained by tropical flora and fauna. Eventually this restaurant was converted to a counter service eatery, but the birds still remain overhead in a large tree. And back at the Magic Kingdom in Florida, Sonny Eclipse entertains guests at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland. As Disney often says, no good idea goes unused.
When the 1964-65 New York World's Fair was in the planning stages, developer Robert Moses was in search of attractions that would "wow" his audiences. Seeing the success of Disneyland, Moses arranged for a tour of the park and to meet Walt at his studio in Burbank. For the most part, Moses wasn't impressed with what he saw at the Studio until Walt asked him if he'd like to meet Mr. Lincoln. When Moses agreed, Walt led him into one of his "off limits" areas where Mr. Lincoln stood up and extended his hand for Moses to shake. Moses was blown away and said that he must have Mr. Lincoln for the fair. Walt was hesitant. Even though what he had just shown Moses was impressive, he knew a lot of work still lay ahead before the 16th president would be ready. But Moses was insistent and in very short order, Walt agreed. Soon after, the State of Illinois was brought onboard to sponsor the attraction.
Walt still wanted to create all of the presidents for the fair, but there wasn't time. With just 13 months until opening, it would be all the Imagineers could do to get Lincoln ready, let alone 34 other figures.
Shortly before the attraction opened, Walt previewed the show for the pavilion's sponsors. During the performance, a hydraulic valve broke and red fluid started to visibly stain Lincoln's shirt. One of the guests jokingly commented that Disney was recreating the assassination. Walt was not amused and had the Imagineers substitute clear hydraulic fluid for the red.
When the fair opened, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was an immediate success. Guests were stunned when this lifelike figure actually stood up to deliver his speech (voiced by actor Royal Dano). Some even have memories, although completely inaccurate, that Lincoln walked across the stage. Others remember him delivering the Gettysburg Address, another inaccurate recollection.
During the fair's run, a second Audio-Animatronics figure of Lincoln was being prepared for Disneyland. An identical show opened in California on July 18, 1966. Sponsored by Lincoln Savings and Loan, this was a free attraction in the days of ticket books. In order to encourage children and young adults to see the show, all Child and Junior ticket books had a "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" coupon included in their packet -- although it wasn't needed for admission to the attraction.
When Florida's Magic Kingdom was in the planning stages, it was decided to omit Disneyland's New Orleans Square due to Orlando's proximity to Louisiana and the real New Orleans. As a replacement, Imagineers dusted off the plans for Liberty Street. Eventually, this tiny "street" grew into a full-fledged land -- a land big enough to stage all of the chief executives in a theater-style presentation similar to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Hall of Presidents is housed in a red-brick colonial hall topped with a peaked tower. This architectural style is designed to recall Philadelphia and Boston meeting houses. Above the front door you'll find the date 1787, the year the United States Constitution was ratified.
The first thing guests encounter upon entering the show's waiting room is the "Great Seal of the United States" crafted out of 100 percent wool carpet. It took an Act of Congress to grant Disney permission to display this seal. Also found in the lobby are a number of presidential portraits. These are reproductions of paintings commissioned by each president during his term in office. The theater holds 700 guests.
Unlike Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents did not have a corporate sponsor. In the early years of the Magic Kingdom, when ticket books were still in use, Hall of Presidents required an E-coupon.
Except for the occasional addition of a president, the original show remained virtually unchanged from 1971 through 1993. In 1993, the movie portion of the show was changed to provide a stronger focus on slavery and its effects on the framing of the constitution. Also, up until this time, Lincoln's speech was almost identical to his California counterpart. Now it would be rewritten to coincide with the revised movie. Pete Renaday would replace Royal Dano as the voice of Lincoln, and Maya Angelou was brought onboard as narrator of the show and to read the president's roll call. But the biggest change was the addition of a second, speaking president to the show. Bill Clinton recorded his own speech and his AA figure delivered it prior to Mr. Lincoln's address. When George W. Bush came to office, he too recorded a speech for the attraction. Also at this time, J.D. Hall took over the role of narrator.
The speaking presidents require more sophisticated Audio-Animatronics than their nonspeaking counterparts. This is because the speaking presidents demonstrate more movement and facial expressions. Also, the audience's focus will be directed primarily at them whereas most of us pay very little attention to James Buchanan after the roll call. When George W. Bush was added to the lineup, Clinton's AA frame was given to him. There was no reason to build an elaborate figure of Bush when a less complicated model could be created for Clinton.
With the exception of Obama, all of the Presidents were sculpted by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson and his staff. Paintings, photographs, and video were all used to create each president's likeness. For Lincoln, an actual life-mask taken in 1860 was used. The crafting of all the opening day presidents took two years to complete. Mr. Gibson's one-time apprentice, Valerie Edwards, was responsible for sculpting Obama, as Blaine is in his 90s and has retired.
The clothing that each president wears is accurate to the time period in which he lived. Even the tailoring techniques and fabric types used are correct for the decade in which the president was in office. Small, unseen details include braces on FDR's legs and Bush's Timex Indiglo watch, which has his first inauguration date inscribed on the back. For Obama, Imagineers recreated his wedding ring, complete with its braided design. Another detail involves Washington's chair. It is a copy of the one he used during the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Each AA figure has at least two sets of clothes so they can occasionally be dry-cleaned. Even though these presidents might not sweat, they do leak oil and get dusty just standing around all day.
One of the goals of Bob Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, is to bring many of the attractions we've loved over the years into the 21st century. It's not his desire to drastically change these rides and shows, but only to make sure they don't become tired and dated. Hall of Presidents is a good example of this directive. Not only has Obama been added to the show using the most sophisticated AA ever built by Disney, but the lighting, sound, and video have all been digitized and improved. Now audiences are treated to a crisp show that seems fresh and alive.
When the Hall of Presidents opened in October 1971, Richard Nixon was in office. Since that time, a number of elections have brought a few changes to this attraction. Since opening, Audio-Animatronics figures of Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have been added to this distinguished cast. And on July 4, 2009, Barack Obama took his place among these other men.
When Walt Disney was planning Disneyland he wanted things that had never been seen by the public. One of these things was mechanical figures that could act out the emotions and actions of a human being. This was something never seen before. On a trip to New Orleans (His inspiration for New Orleans Square) he found this little show with a robotic bird. The little bird could move its beak and wings as well as make audio noises. Walt Disney loved the bird and bought it from the man to take back with him. He then had his men take apart the bird to make it work.
Shortly after this event Walt was ready to continue with his work for AAs. Walt had his friend Buddy Ebsen dance in front of a large grid. Walt then recorded and filmed his movements. Walt then had his men sit and study the movements and measurements were taken. They then took the information they gathered and made a small model of Buddy. The model was perfectly able to reproduce the dance sequence.
Walt now had a way to make figures that could move, but how would he use them. Well when Disneyland opened many movable figures could be seen in rides like Alice in Wonderland, but he needed something where he could truly show off men performing actions. In 1958 Walt Disney planned a new land to the side of Main Street called Liberty Street. Not much is known in detail about the land except that it was to include a version of Hall of Presidents. The plans were shortly cancelled due to budget reasons.
As Audio-Animatronics (AA) continued to improve, Walt's ideas continued to grow. Next he wanted to build a Chinese restaurant with a life-sized figure of Confucius who would be seated in the center of the room. As diners enjoyed their meals, this ancient philosopher would dispense gems of wisdom. The Imagineers were able to create an AA figure that worked, but not well enough. The restaurant idea was not abandoned, though, just its human host. It was decided that the Imagineers could create AA birds and flowers easier than people. In addition, audiences would be less critical of their stilted and limited movement. Instead of a Chinese eatery, a Polynesian restaurant was conceived where diners would be serenaded by birds while they enjoyed their food. But since the average meal would take between 45 and 60 minutes, it was realized that only a limited number of people would be able to see this new wonder and the restaurant concept was dropped. Eventually, the Enchanted Tiki Room was created and opened on June 23, 1963. However, Walt never gave up on his idea of creating a human AA figure and continued to have his Imagineers work on this project.
As a side note, Disney has created a couple of restaurants with AA entertainment. When Disneyland Paris opened, a restaurant called the Explorer's Club could be found in Adventureland. This was an elegant, table service restaurant that featured AA birds and flowers perched throughout the room. Here, diners could enjoy a meal while being entertained by tropical flora and fauna. Eventually this restaurant was converted to a counter service eatery, but the birds still remain overhead in a large tree. And back at the Magic Kingdom in Florida, Sonny Eclipse entertains guests at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland. As Disney often says, no good idea goes unused.
When the 1964-65 New York World's Fair was in the planning stages, developer Robert Moses was in search of attractions that would "wow" his audiences. Seeing the success of Disneyland, Moses arranged for a tour of the park and to meet Walt at his studio in Burbank. For the most part, Moses wasn't impressed with what he saw at the Studio until Walt asked him if he'd like to meet Mr. Lincoln. When Moses agreed, Walt led him into one of his "off limits" areas where Mr. Lincoln stood up and extended his hand for Moses to shake. Moses was blown away and said that he must have Mr. Lincoln for the fair. Walt was hesitant. Even though what he had just shown Moses was impressive, he knew a lot of work still lay ahead before the 16th president would be ready. But Moses was insistent and in very short order, Walt agreed. Soon after, the State of Illinois was brought onboard to sponsor the attraction.
Walt still wanted to create all of the presidents for the fair, but there wasn't time. With just 13 months until opening, it would be all the Imagineers could do to get Lincoln ready, let alone 34 other figures.
Shortly before the attraction opened, Walt previewed the show for the pavilion's sponsors. During the performance, a hydraulic valve broke and red fluid started to visibly stain Lincoln's shirt. One of the guests jokingly commented that Disney was recreating the assassination. Walt was not amused and had the Imagineers substitute clear hydraulic fluid for the red.
When the fair opened, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was an immediate success. Guests were stunned when this lifelike figure actually stood up to deliver his speech (voiced by actor Royal Dano). Some even have memories, although completely inaccurate, that Lincoln walked across the stage. Others remember him delivering the Gettysburg Address, another inaccurate recollection.
During the fair's run, a second Audio-Animatronics figure of Lincoln was being prepared for Disneyland. An identical show opened in California on July 18, 1966. Sponsored by Lincoln Savings and Loan, this was a free attraction in the days of ticket books. In order to encourage children and young adults to see the show, all Child and Junior ticket books had a "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" coupon included in their packet -- although it wasn't needed for admission to the attraction.
When Florida's Magic Kingdom was in the planning stages, it was decided to omit Disneyland's New Orleans Square due to Orlando's proximity to Louisiana and the real New Orleans. As a replacement, Imagineers dusted off the plans for Liberty Street. Eventually, this tiny "street" grew into a full-fledged land -- a land big enough to stage all of the chief executives in a theater-style presentation similar to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Hall of Presidents is housed in a red-brick colonial hall topped with a peaked tower. This architectural style is designed to recall Philadelphia and Boston meeting houses. Above the front door you'll find the date 1787, the year the United States Constitution was ratified.
The first thing guests encounter upon entering the show's waiting room is the "Great Seal of the United States" crafted out of 100 percent wool carpet. It took an Act of Congress to grant Disney permission to display this seal. Also found in the lobby are a number of presidential portraits. These are reproductions of paintings commissioned by each president during his term in office. The theater holds 700 guests.
Unlike Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents did not have a corporate sponsor. In the early years of the Magic Kingdom, when ticket books were still in use, Hall of Presidents required an E-coupon.
Except for the occasional addition of a president, the original show remained virtually unchanged from 1971 through 1993. In 1993, the movie portion of the show was changed to provide a stronger focus on slavery and its effects on the framing of the constitution. Also, up until this time, Lincoln's speech was almost identical to his California counterpart. Now it would be rewritten to coincide with the revised movie. Pete Renaday would replace Royal Dano as the voice of Lincoln, and Maya Angelou was brought onboard as narrator of the show and to read the president's roll call. But the biggest change was the addition of a second, speaking president to the show. Bill Clinton recorded his own speech and his AA figure delivered it prior to Mr. Lincoln's address. When George W. Bush came to office, he too recorded a speech for the attraction. Also at this time, J.D. Hall took over the role of narrator.
The speaking presidents require more sophisticated Audio-Animatronics than their nonspeaking counterparts. This is because the speaking presidents demonstrate more movement and facial expressions. Also, the audience's focus will be directed primarily at them whereas most of us pay very little attention to James Buchanan after the roll call. When George W. Bush was added to the lineup, Clinton's AA frame was given to him. There was no reason to build an elaborate figure of Bush when a less complicated model could be created for Clinton.
With the exception of Obama, all of the Presidents were sculpted by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson and his staff. Paintings, photographs, and video were all used to create each president's likeness. For Lincoln, an actual life-mask taken in 1860 was used. The crafting of all the opening day presidents took two years to complete. Mr. Gibson's one-time apprentice, Valerie Edwards, was responsible for sculpting Obama, as Blaine is in his 90s and has retired.
The clothing that each president wears is accurate to the time period in which he lived. Even the tailoring techniques and fabric types used are correct for the decade in which the president was in office. Small, unseen details include braces on FDR's legs and Bush's Timex Indiglo watch, which has his first inauguration date inscribed on the back. For Obama, Imagineers recreated his wedding ring, complete with its braided design. Another detail involves Washington's chair. It is a copy of the one he used during the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Each AA figure has at least two sets of clothes so they can occasionally be dry-cleaned. Even though these presidents might not sweat, they do leak oil and get dusty just standing around all day.
One of the goals of Bob Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, is to bring many of the attractions we've loved over the years into the 21st century. It's not his desire to drastically change these rides and shows, but only to make sure they don't become tired and dated. Hall of Presidents is a good example of this directive. Not only has Obama been added to the show using the most sophisticated AA ever built by Disney, but the lighting, sound, and video have all been digitized and improved. Now audiences are treated to a crisp show that seems fresh and alive.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
America Adventure - So from the very get go America was planned for World Showcase. The one major change that did occur was that American Adventure was not meant to be in the very back of the lagoon when plans were first drawn up. Originally it was meant to stand between Future World and World Showcase. It would have stood on giant legs inside a round white building. Then crowd control was feared to be a big issue so they decided why not move it to the back center of the lagoon. At the time only a giant spire was planned to be placed there.
The show itself also went through many forms. At one point the attraction was even going to be a ride. That was before the final version was finalized and made for Epcot Center. The final plans were decided upon in about 1980. At the time this show was going to be the biggest and most challenging show Disney had ever put on.
To be honest there isnt much info on the pavilion really. The pavilion opened without a hitch on October 1st 1982 as the host country. The show itself was a AA marvel with AAs as high tech as they could get. Ben Franklin even walked up steps .well not really but he looked like he did. In 1992 the show went down for major work which included a new finale to the show. They also received new AAs which had a better range of motion.
I want to do a report on what is probably the most overlooked land in any Disney theme park around the world ..Liberty Square. How did this land come to be? And was there more to it then there is now?
As Magic Kingdom was in the planning stages many of the lands that were in Disneyland were being brought to Walt Disney World. One land that didnt make it thought was New Orleans Square. Deemed to close to Walt Disney World Roy didnt want guest to feel like they were seeing something they could visit nearby. So a new land was needed that would provide the transition form Frontierland to Fantasyland. Disney planned for a while to come up with plans when two things stuck out. The first thing was a land that Walt himself had planned for Disneyland had never been built. Liberty Street was meant to be the side extension of Main Street yet Walt never did live to see it come alive. The second thing was America was approaching the bicentennial in less then a decade. This gave them an idea. So a land that celebrated the independent and spirit of America was planned partially. Like I said before Liberty Street was something meant to be in Disneyland that would have had two shows within it.
The first show was to be known as the Hall of the Declaration of Independence and the Hall of Presidents. Both shows would have involved major high tech including projection screens, and animated figures or AAs. The main reason the land was shot down was the technology needed for both shows were not available at the time yet they did come later.
Now move forward five years to the World Fair where Disney created the show Moments with Mr. Lincoln. The show was such a hit that it opened in Disneyland shortly after its display at the fair. It was a big hit so Disney brought back to life the other two shows. The two shows plus the third show caused Disney to come up with the show called One Nation Under God. Disney knew the AAs were getting better so they decided to take the risk. The show didnt make it far into the planning stages when they realized that the show at Disneyland was still way to popular to remove. So the plans were shelved until the Walt Disney World project.
Walt Disney World is being planned and a show is needed for the Liberty Square area they are planning on building. Disney realized they had a partially completed show still available to use. So the plans were dusted off and used for the new land. The show would take place in the building known as the Hall of Presidents. This show would be the biggest show that had ever been seen before in any theme park. The wall would be covered with 5 huge screens and a large auditorium. They also needed 36 realistic looking AAs for the show representing each past president as well as the current one. This would be the most AAs Disney had ever placed in one show.
To continue with the show in Disneyland, Lincoln would get up to talk to the people. When the show opened it would be one of only three attraction that were specific to Disney World. The show would also be the biggest show ever until American Adventure at Epcot Center would take the stage. The show opened with the park and has added a new AA every time a new president takes office. Each president records his voice with the speech that he gives. In 1993 the show received all new AAs, audio and lighting to keep it updated.
(Note people are going to say ive done both rides in Liberty Square yet these are smaller less detailed versions. It would have been wrong to do the land without talking about the rides within it.) So anyway Haunted Mansion was the main ride for the land and was planned from the get go to be in Disney World. They made two of every prop so that both the Disneyland version and Disneyworld version would have the props. The outside was given a gothic mansion look to fit the feel of the land and to represent a manor on the Hudson river .did it work? I think so. The ride like I said before was the same as the Disneyland version minus the elevator in the stretching room. The ride was also the first ride to work in the park since everything was already built. When it first opened there was no canopy in front of the mansion which left people in the hot and rainy weather of Florida. People argue it ruined the original feel but I bet they stop their complaining if they were left in the heat a little bit. Did you know the Haunted Mansion is the only ride NOT to receive major upgrades. Yep no major overhaul been needed for the ride.
Not everything that was planned for the land was built. For example an entire row of buildings were cut from the land. If you look in front of Hall of Presidents and go to where that fruit stand is you might notice these yellow lines in the ground. They cover a large area and a planter once stood there. It is large area that was meant to house a row of buildings with shops and stores. This was to invoke a sense that New Orleans Square gave. Yet they were cancelled. The land also has the Liberty Square Riverboat. This was a way to help relieve crowds as well as show the different types of boats that went down the Hudson River.
The show itself also went through many forms. At one point the attraction was even going to be a ride. That was before the final version was finalized and made for Epcot Center. The final plans were decided upon in about 1980. At the time this show was going to be the biggest and most challenging show Disney had ever put on.
To be honest there isnt much info on the pavilion really. The pavilion opened without a hitch on October 1st 1982 as the host country. The show itself was a AA marvel with AAs as high tech as they could get. Ben Franklin even walked up steps .well not really but he looked like he did. In 1992 the show went down for major work which included a new finale to the show. They also received new AAs which had a better range of motion.
I want to do a report on what is probably the most overlooked land in any Disney theme park around the world ..Liberty Square. How did this land come to be? And was there more to it then there is now?
As Magic Kingdom was in the planning stages many of the lands that were in Disneyland were being brought to Walt Disney World. One land that didnt make it thought was New Orleans Square. Deemed to close to Walt Disney World Roy didnt want guest to feel like they were seeing something they could visit nearby. So a new land was needed that would provide the transition form Frontierland to Fantasyland. Disney planned for a while to come up with plans when two things stuck out. The first thing was a land that Walt himself had planned for Disneyland had never been built. Liberty Street was meant to be the side extension of Main Street yet Walt never did live to see it come alive. The second thing was America was approaching the bicentennial in less then a decade. This gave them an idea. So a land that celebrated the independent and spirit of America was planned partially. Like I said before Liberty Street was something meant to be in Disneyland that would have had two shows within it.
The first show was to be known as the Hall of the Declaration of Independence and the Hall of Presidents. Both shows would have involved major high tech including projection screens, and animated figures or AAs. The main reason the land was shot down was the technology needed for both shows were not available at the time yet they did come later.
Now move forward five years to the World Fair where Disney created the show Moments with Mr. Lincoln. The show was such a hit that it opened in Disneyland shortly after its display at the fair. It was a big hit so Disney brought back to life the other two shows. The two shows plus the third show caused Disney to come up with the show called One Nation Under God. Disney knew the AAs were getting better so they decided to take the risk. The show didnt make it far into the planning stages when they realized that the show at Disneyland was still way to popular to remove. So the plans were shelved until the Walt Disney World project.
Walt Disney World is being planned and a show is needed for the Liberty Square area they are planning on building. Disney realized they had a partially completed show still available to use. So the plans were dusted off and used for the new land. The show would take place in the building known as the Hall of Presidents. This show would be the biggest show that had ever been seen before in any theme park. The wall would be covered with 5 huge screens and a large auditorium. They also needed 36 realistic looking AAs for the show representing each past president as well as the current one. This would be the most AAs Disney had ever placed in one show.
To continue with the show in Disneyland, Lincoln would get up to talk to the people. When the show opened it would be one of only three attraction that were specific to Disney World. The show would also be the biggest show ever until American Adventure at Epcot Center would take the stage. The show opened with the park and has added a new AA every time a new president takes office. Each president records his voice with the speech that he gives. In 1993 the show received all new AAs, audio and lighting to keep it updated.
(Note people are going to say ive done both rides in Liberty Square yet these are smaller less detailed versions. It would have been wrong to do the land without talking about the rides within it.) So anyway Haunted Mansion was the main ride for the land and was planned from the get go to be in Disney World. They made two of every prop so that both the Disneyland version and Disneyworld version would have the props. The outside was given a gothic mansion look to fit the feel of the land and to represent a manor on the Hudson river .did it work? I think so. The ride like I said before was the same as the Disneyland version minus the elevator in the stretching room. The ride was also the first ride to work in the park since everything was already built. When it first opened there was no canopy in front of the mansion which left people in the hot and rainy weather of Florida. People argue it ruined the original feel but I bet they stop their complaining if they were left in the heat a little bit. Did you know the Haunted Mansion is the only ride NOT to receive major upgrades. Yep no major overhaul been needed for the ride.
Not everything that was planned for the land was built. For example an entire row of buildings were cut from the land. If you look in front of Hall of Presidents and go to where that fruit stand is you might notice these yellow lines in the ground. They cover a large area and a planter once stood there. It is large area that was meant to house a row of buildings with shops and stores. This was to invoke a sense that New Orleans Square gave. Yet they were cancelled. The land also has the Liberty Square Riverboat. This was a way to help relieve crowds as well as show the different types of boats that went down the Hudson River.
One additional ride was located at Liberty Square when the park opened, the Mike Fink Keel Boats. Boarding was on the left side as you approached the Haunted Mansion. You could see the attractions on either side of the river much more easily than on the river boat.
Love these back stories, please keep it up!
Love these back stories, please keep it up!
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
I was going to include them but then I figured since they are Tom Saywer related and that's part of Frontierland that I shouldn't mention it. I have some great ones coming up including Kiliminjaro Safari!
Joben
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
When we did the Keys to the Kingdom tour, they told us a neat story about the Liberty Tree. We were told the tree was hand picked by Walt (if memory serves) and that he spent a good deal of time looking for a tree with just the right look. When the time came to plant the tree in Liberty Square (Walt had passed by then) they had to crane the tree in. Well they drooped the tree during instillation and it was damaged, though I don't remember how badly I want to say it was pretty bad. Clearly they nursed the tree back to health and it has flourished in it's new location. Additionally, there is one lantern for each original colony in the tree. That was the story as I remember it being told to us. The tours they offer at WDW can be a pretty cool way to see Disney for those that go more than once in a long while.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Reports coming soon
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Were getting on the wild side today as we head back to Animal Kingdom. This time we are going to the main attraction of the park
..Kilimanjaro Safari.
Ok so it is no surprise to everyone that the safari is the head attraction for the park .sorry Everest. The story behind the ride was that a private company had moved into the Harambe village and owned a safari company. They owned a large piece of reserve and allowed guest to take tours. The ride would be twenty minutes long and would take groups of 32 guest roughly on a trip through the African wildlife. The ride itself was created to make a sense of environmental protection.
Guest ride in old jeeps that are able to go 8 mph when on the track. Special pucks are placed under the road that also allow them to go twenty backstage. Each jeep was made with special bird protection along the bottom to keep birds from becoming to thin as well as GPS, PA systems and more. The vehicles also run on propane which of course is cleaner then regular fuel.
The entire safari like I mentioned before takes place on the Harambe safari. A plain outside the village of Harambe. Dont bother looking up the village, because the village is in fact made up. It is simply made up of multiple African villages. The word Harambe actually means Unity Together in Swahili.
When riding you may notice that some animals get REALLY close to the vehicles. While others, the more dangerous ones, are father from the jeep. This is done on purpose by Disney with some special techniques. Some are done by plain wire fences that are hidden with shrubs and grass, underwater glass barriers, moats, embankments and steep slops. The animals all have special places for them both off and on the safari trail. In fact many of the large boulders I mean the really large boulders on the safari trail have buildings inside of them for the animals. Something else you may notice that Disney made sure to pay attention to was the details of the road. The road looks rough and dirty like a natural dirt trail would. It is in fact concrete with the edges and holes built into it.
The ride on a normal run lasts for twenty minutes roughly give or take. The trail itself is 2.3 miles long meaning guest have plenty to see. Many details went into the ride including countless trips to Africa. Every detail had to be right even to things like the color of the rocks and trees. Many of the rocks and trees are made of concrete yet are given a very realistic look. Just one of the things Disney is good at. The ride opened April 22nd 1998 with the rest of Disneys Animal Kingdom.
When the ride first opened the main story was about poachers invading the reserve and trying to kill an elephant. You listened to a lot of dialect on the intercom between the driver and the owner of the reserve. Originally Little Red the elephant was killed yet that was later changed to kidnapped. That explains the tacky elephant at the end that moves its head back and forth. The ride opened you even saw the dead elephant on the ground near the end .this was removed fast. In 2007 the storyline of Little Red was removed altogether.
Ok so it is no surprise to everyone that the safari is the head attraction for the park .sorry Everest. The story behind the ride was that a private company had moved into the Harambe village and owned a safari company. They owned a large piece of reserve and allowed guest to take tours. The ride would be twenty minutes long and would take groups of 32 guest roughly on a trip through the African wildlife. The ride itself was created to make a sense of environmental protection.
Guest ride in old jeeps that are able to go 8 mph when on the track. Special pucks are placed under the road that also allow them to go twenty backstage. Each jeep was made with special bird protection along the bottom to keep birds from becoming to thin as well as GPS, PA systems and more. The vehicles also run on propane which of course is cleaner then regular fuel.
The entire safari like I mentioned before takes place on the Harambe safari. A plain outside the village of Harambe. Dont bother looking up the village, because the village is in fact made up. It is simply made up of multiple African villages. The word Harambe actually means Unity Together in Swahili.
When riding you may notice that some animals get REALLY close to the vehicles. While others, the more dangerous ones, are father from the jeep. This is done on purpose by Disney with some special techniques. Some are done by plain wire fences that are hidden with shrubs and grass, underwater glass barriers, moats, embankments and steep slops. The animals all have special places for them both off and on the safari trail. In fact many of the large boulders I mean the really large boulders on the safari trail have buildings inside of them for the animals. Something else you may notice that Disney made sure to pay attention to was the details of the road. The road looks rough and dirty like a natural dirt trail would. It is in fact concrete with the edges and holes built into it.
The ride on a normal run lasts for twenty minutes roughly give or take. The trail itself is 2.3 miles long meaning guest have plenty to see. Many details went into the ride including countless trips to Africa. Every detail had to be right even to things like the color of the rocks and trees. Many of the rocks and trees are made of concrete yet are given a very realistic look. Just one of the things Disney is good at. The ride opened April 22nd 1998 with the rest of Disneys Animal Kingdom.
When the ride first opened the main story was about poachers invading the reserve and trying to kill an elephant. You listened to a lot of dialect on the intercom between the driver and the owner of the reserve. Originally Little Red the elephant was killed yet that was later changed to kidnapped. That explains the tacky elephant at the end that moves its head back and forth. The ride opened you even saw the dead elephant on the ground near the end .this was removed fast. In 2007 the storyline of Little Red was removed altogether.
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