new dragon broke before the first show. (merged threads)

[Bruce Bergman]

Originally Posted by techskip

According to a post above 2 individuals were almost killed due to their proximity to the head. I haven't verified it... others might be able to do so (my F! contacts are limited at best).

What in the Wide Wide World of Sports were two people doing inside the thing while it was running??? That's NUTS!!!

You want to see if something hits, you clamp a video camera in there aimed at what you want to look at. You put a clump of modeling clay on the joint to see how close the two pieces get when it moves. You DO NOT get on top of it! Or even close enough to get hit by it!

That's why they put those big sheets of Lexan around a BattleBot arena and do not let ANYONE inside while the machines are running - they know what's gonna happen in there. Same thing with that big fence in front of the stands at a NASCAR track, and you don't get out in the racing area without a helmet and a fire suit.

--<< Bruce >>--

[Stinker Bell]

I had not seen that particular commercial before. Thank you for sharing it. It was very nice to see and the show looks to be quite exciting.

[Goover]

I personally thought the commercial was painfull. That lady is so confident. Little did she know. XD

[Baloo]

Originally Posted by pineapplewhipaddict

Uh-oh.

Hmm, well I hope they didn't trash the old dragon. She should be their backup for something like this.

Just the way the parks are run now, I can't see Disney putting off re-opening the show Friday. It wasn't always like that...but Fantasmic! is a big draw and Disney would have a hard time trying to put it off.

Here's hoping the new dragon gets fixed ASAP.

you can't just put Bucky back into the pit and remove the new dragon. The new dragon is huge and needs to be airlifted in pieces. there is also not enough room to have both dragons inside the pit.

So no Bucky can not be used as a back-up. Bucky is gone for good unless they cannot get things done in the pit and helicopters are brought in to remove the structure for the new dragon

[Baloo]

Originally Posted by DisneyIPresume

One more thing. I am not a Fantasmic! fan, but every day I see the Summer Nightastic billboard with the dragon on it, advertising that Summer Nightastic begins on June 12.

I find this situation frustrating and embarassing for Disney because the non-AP, infrequent park-goer may see this and want to go to DL to experience this dragon and if it isn't there this may cause even bigger problems than the die-hard fan who sees the show all the time.

Something like this happening can influence these people to go to Knotts or USH instead of going back to Disneyland.

This is a big deal, much bigger than the show itself.

most of the advertising that directly mentions a new advance dragon has been geared towards the annual passholders. The billboards have the dragon but does not mention much aboutit being new.

I am sure that regular visitors will see the new eels and croc and bright digital projections and and enjoy the show just as much even if the dragon does not appear. It would not be the first time it has played without a dragon.

I do not even think the commerical mentions a new dragon or even the new changes to DEP. There main focus is on the overal nightastic event.


Their main concern is the media event because the local news is what will give the new additions the big summer push for locals.

[twobluestripes]

Originally Posted by The Forbidden Eye

And thats where the confusion will be at it's peak. Two different answers from two different CM's in the same department. Mabye Disney would announce a delay for just Fantasmic! and get the rest of Summer Nightastic underway this friday with the other offerings.

I hate to say it, but CM always have such inconsistent information. Some unwittingly perpetuate the most ridiculous rumors onto naive tourists. BUT it seems like the OP has a pretty accurate and discerning source. I applaud you prudent CMs who can separate the Disney fact from fiction, because there aren't a ton of you out there!

Originally Posted by DisneyKid1994

Where is the pit anyway? Is it under the stage? Because I don't really see anywhere on the island where they could put it.

"Under the stage" is darn near the definition of a pit... Yes, though I have never seen it, theatrical technology would dictate that there is a huge chamber under the stage, as well as several lifts and trap doors. You can see the doors to the traps on the ground when you visit TSI... There are side doors on the base of the stage hidden in the landscape of the island as well. Space is at a premium for this show, and they use a lot of technology and old fashioned illusion and misdirection to fit so much STUFF onto so little an area while maintaining a very fast pace in the show!

Originally Posted by FantasyWatersDude

Sit in the head? As in the head of the dragon?

I was pretty sure that this thing was fully automatic.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was an operator... I always though Bucky had one. The giant snake and Jafar illusion in the Aladdin show uses one too. As has been said in the articles concerning the design of the F&J skis and the Dumbo puppet, having a person operate it instead of automatically programing it brings a certain aspect of life and magic. Puppetry as opposed to robots. AAs are wonderful (amazing!) when you use them en masse in things like Tiki Room, POTC, HM, small world, but in theatrical events, I feel a human operator makes a better impact.
Of course I don't know one way or the other if Bucky II (now Murphy, I like it! Haha) is preprogrammed, controlled by a human but remotely, or has a puppeteer inside.



And at any rate, it looks like I'm not going to get to see it before I leave town for a month this summer. Hopefully the show will be complete and glitch free on my return mid-July! I might wait until then to get hte full effect. I'm excited for F&J (like, really excited), but I think I don't want to spoil by seeing the new stuff one piece at a time.

[k_peek_2000]

They're used to be large projection rooms under there, which required a lot of space for the film. But when they went digital that freed up a lot of room which is why they are upgrading the dragon because they pretty much used the same space.

[Rocketeer88]

Was at the park Monday the 8th and they were setting up for a full dress rehearsal at closing. Looks like things will go off as planned just minus the dragon.

[TheGrimGrinner]

Remember awhile back when the Getty Center reopened and it was flooded with so many people that Getty launched an advertising campaign asking people NOT to visit? Now, let's say that Disney knows that there has been a lot of hype about this new show and thousands upon thousands of people were planning on flocking out on the first night to go see it... Guest Control / City Hall Nightastic Nightmare! Well now, Disney can't exactly ask people not to visit the parks on a certain day, that just wouldn't work. BUT, say they "leak" out a rumor that the star performer won't be appearing on the first night... think it might keep a few people away from the parks?

Just a thought....

[aaronpaulcustoms]

Originally Posted by TheGrimGrinner

Remember awhile back when the Getty Center reopened and it was flooded with so many people that Getty launched an advertising campaign asking people NOT to visit? Now, let's say that Disney knows that there has been a lot of hype about this new show and thousands upon thousands of people were planning on flocking out on the first night to go see it... Guest Control / City Hall Nightastic Nightmare! Well now, Disney can't exactly ask people not to visit the parks on a certain day, that just wouldn't work. BUT, say they "leak" out a rumor that the star performer won't be appearing on the first night... think it might keep a few people away from the parks?

Just a thought....

A diabolically brilliant plan...if in fact thats what is going on here.

[Jackmunch]

First of all, am I the only one that noticed the amount of grammatical errors in this?
Two, if the dragon truly is as broken as they say it is, they would have to delay the show to a later date.
Third, they have at least two days to fix it and knowing the folks at Disney, They are gonna be burning the midnight oil to make sure it's done by tomorrow.

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by Jackmunch

Two, if the dragon truly is as broken as they say it is, they would have to delay the show to a later date.

Why? The show is designed with 'alternatives' all the way through. Such a massively complex show would never run if it required full, 100% 'ready' all the time. The show has alternative versions for most elements to allow the show to continue without disruption in case of an element in-op.

[The Mouse]

As an engineer there was a major disconnect somewhere. The steel should have been tested at the the point where it was made. Then the company that shaped and molded the steel for Disney should have tested the properties as well. Depended on how it snapped you just can't weld it back together that opens up a whole new can of worms in terms of the specs on the steel. Sucks for the people who are coming down for opening night if all this is true.

[Goover]

Who doesn't like a nice toasted maleficent on a stick once in a while?

Think on the bright side.

[Skipper S]

Originally Posted by Jackmunch

First of all, am I the only one that noticed the amount of grammatical errors in this?

So because I cant spell or write very well my story cant be true. Thats just stupid.