How is Haunted Mansion's ghostly footsteps effect produced in the grand staircase?

[mikeerdas]

Seen lots of great lights-on photos on Micechat of the Haunted Mansion's MC Escher / Grand Staircase room (showing the mirrors, etc). But how is the Haunted Mansion's footprint effect itself achieved? Some say it's not projection (front *or* rear) and that it could be a scrim-type effect. Another says fiber optics (like spelling out words in sand at the Pirates of the Caribbean's entrance). Maybe it's a high-density array of LEDs? My vote was for projection because of the resolution of the footprint dissolves. But each stair does look like a light box...

Can anyone here say for sure how Disney's ghostly footprints effect is done? And if the same effect is used for other attractions, which other attractions and where?

Here is my version of the Haunted Mansion ghostly footprints effect for what it's worth, projected from a second story window onto a concrete walkway. Mine are blue. The HM's are green. And I recall reading on the other Micechat thread that the steps were originally red. Also learned in a link someone posted in the other Long Forgotten MC thread that Haunted Mansion ride operators have the ability to make the footprints larger or smaller. Easy to do with a DVD and projector by changing the zoom factor on the DVD playback.

Anyway, here my Haunted Mansion ghost steps:

[KiMcHeEfOrLiFe]

I think this is a WDW's Haunted Mansion effect. I've never seen this at Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. You might want to have somebody move this thread to the WDW forum; you'll probably have a better discussion over there than on the Disneyland forum since a majority of us have never seen this. Sorry I couldn't be of any help!

[explodingboy]

I'm not sure that this refers to our Haunted Mansion. Is this an effect at WDW's Phantom Manor?

[MSCguy]

Do you have a video of the acutal disney steps? I couldnt find one.

[Disneymike]

This is for the Boundless Realm part of WDW's Haunted Mansion.

[aimster]

I'm not sure that this refers to our Haunted Mansion. Is this an effect at WDW's Phantom Manor?

Phantom Manor is at Disneyland Paris. WDW's version is just called Haunted Mansion like in Anaheim and Tokyo.

As for how the effect is done... I don't really know. Maybe projections.

[Trumpet]

Not sure, but a great effect

[mikeerdas]

I saw a lot of great lights-on photos of the new staircase room on the Disneyland Forum, in one of the Long Forgotten HM threads, so that's why I posted there. Didn't realize the HM there didn't have the footsteps effect.

The best video, hands-down, I've ever seen of the Haunted Mansion is from a guy named Martin. And the footprints effects is around 21 mins and 30 seconds in:

The Haunted Mansion WDW – 2009 tributein HD `Perfect Vision
The Haunted Mansion WDW – 2009 tribute in HD `Perfect Vision` - Martin's Videos

<a href="http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=514" target="_blank">

[mikeerdas]

Based on what I see in the fiber optic Tower of Terror sign, fiber optics could be it. Especially since Disney uses fiber optic effects in so many other places in its theme parks:

[LordVader]

Who said it's a projection?

[mikeerdas]

Based on what I see in the fiber optic Tower of Terror sign, fiber optics could be it. Especially since Disney uses fiber optic effects in so many other places in its theme parks:

Projection is the only way I could duplicate the effect for my Halloween Yard Haunt. But Disney's got a lot more resources than I do. :-)

[aimster]

Martin Smith has the BEST Disney attraction tribute videos out there. This past week I watched his ultimate tributes to the history of WDW's Tomorrowland and Fantasyland and they were just awesome (the Tomorrowland one is nearly 3 hours long!!).

[mikeerdas]

Martin Smith has the BEST Disney attraction tribute videos out there. This past week I watched his ultimate tributes to the history of WDW's Tomorrowland and Fantasyland and they were just awesome (the Tomorrowland one is nearly 3 hours long!!).

Couldn't agree more.

[mikeerdas]

Cross-linking to another MiceChat.com post for anyone interested. A Cast Member says it is a projection effect:

The Long-Forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect Thread 7: Further Realms of Fright

[ABOMIBOT]

It must be projection. No other possibility. Because the registration - or placement - of the footsteps are a little off right now on at least one of the staircases and the rear inch or so of the footprint heels are cut off by the edge of the stair on which they appear... and the last inch of the heel is projected on the next step. So it must be front projection.