PDA

View Full Version : Behind the scenes and under the platform of the World of Color



AVP
07-16-2009, 03:00 PM
As I posted in my MousePlanet Blog (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=468) this morning, I was invited to join a hard hat tour behind the scenes and under the platform of the World of Color show. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos, but Disney was ready with a slew of official photos to we can share. There were also some brief video clips, and I'll get those uploaded shortly.

All photos are by Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland unless noted.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87613-2/5_09_DCA_00096.jpg

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87621-2/7_09_DCA_00687.jpg

The show platform is about an acre in size, longer than a football field, and is covered in 1800 fountains. The platform is constructed from structural fiberglass beams (not steel); the decking is structural fiberglass grating. Most sections are 12' x 16', and each have both active and passive floatation tanks to control buoyancy.

The black tanks are the passive floatation tanks, and there are 6 sizes depending on the load or weight of the fountains on that section. These tanks basically create neutral buoyancy, so that section of platform neither sinks nor floats.

The blue tanks as the active floataion tanks, and are used to raise or lower the platform into position. These tanks have an air inlet at the top and a hole at the bottom. To raise the platform, air is forced into the tank, displacing the water through the drain hole. To lower the platform, the tank is allowed to refill with water.

The platform is divided into three pieces that can be raised and lowered independently of the others. Each piece has four scissor-lift devices that are not actually used to raise or lower the platform, but to support ("lock it in place") it at the desired level. It takes about 10 minutes for the pieces to fully raise or lower. The entire system is designed to adapt to changing water levels in the lagoon, for example when it rains.

The platform can lock at three levels:


Maintenance - entire platform is out of the water
~~~~ Water Line ~~~~
Show - fountains are about 12" above water
Hidden - entire platform is submerged
http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87669-2/7_09_DCA_00805-Sized.jpg

This design allows most repair work to take place without requiring the use of swimmers or divers in the water. When the platform is in the Hidden position, it rests on the stantions you see all around the edge. The stantions are topped with an elastomeric rubber pad to cushion the sections.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87625-2/7_09_DCA_00786.jpg

They described two different types of fountains, and demonstrated a third. The grid fountains shown above were described as "lyrical," the chasers are more powerful. The grid fountains each have a 3-color LED, and can completely saturate the water jet with color. Each one is powered by its own water pump. The grid fountains can cycle three times a second.

The tip of the chaser fountains is more bullet-shaped, and these more powerful fountains can shoot up to 85' in the air, and a supplemental pump that connects to five fountains provides an extra boost. The chasers have a 1/8 second cycle time. The "blow pop" fountain can shoot water up to 200' in the air.

The back edge of the platform has fountains and sprayers that form a 50 foot high, 380 foot wide projection surface. The show uses 29 high definition projectors to animate this water wall and the other water elements.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87637-2/7_09_DCA_00972.jpg

Here are some of the images that will be projected on that water wall. (All renderings ©2009 Disney Enterprises, Inc.)

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87649-2/7_09_WDI_90011.JPG

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87653-2/7_09_WDI_90014.JPG

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87657-2/7_09_WDI_9003.JPG

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87661-2/7_09_WDI_9004.JPG

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87665-2/7_09_WDI_9006.JPG

DizneyMommy
07-16-2009, 03:13 PM
Yay Wall-E!

AVP
07-16-2009, 03:23 PM
A few more details and photos.

(All photos are by Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland unless noted.)

Each of the three platform pieces has a SUB (submarine utility box) below the platform. The SUB houses power, air and logic controls for all units in that section of the table. A submarine hatch on the platform service protects the controls, and the hatches can be opened when the platform is at the maintenence level. The three white tents that dot the platform mark the location of the SUB hatches.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87674-2/PP1-071609-AVP.jpg
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

On your next visit, look for dark blue rigid pipes and the clear blue flexible pipes under the platform - those are the air and water lines.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87629-2/7_09_DCA_00910.jpg

Finally, the platform has 36 fire cannons, some mounted on swivels (the fire movers), and a whole host of fountains they did not demonstrate for us: water whips, dual water whips, mist screens, fire balls, a specialty fountain called a "dancer," and Mee fog (http://www.meefog.com/) effects.

The Blue Sky Cellar has reopened with a new exhibit that gives a lot of detailed concept art about the new show.

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87633-2/7_09_DCA_00922.jpg

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87641-2/7_09_DCA_01017.jpg

http://www.mouseplanet.info/gallery/d/87645-2/7_09_DCA_01062.jpg

olegc
07-16-2009, 04:06 PM
very cool

AVP
07-16-2009, 05:45 PM
This video has construction footage from World of Color. From :20 - :28, you can see them lowering the massive SUB controller into the platform.

t7oq60O-Iq4

This video has Imagineer Sayre Wiseman explaining some of the infrastructure:

IKqvq3fWDb0

Some footage from within the Blue Sky Cellar:

b1mdmaWNEn0

A time-lapse video of the transformation of California Screamin' and the Fun Wheel:

2ohFNpYHpLk

And finally, a bit of B-roll for DCA. The opening helicopter flight predates any construction in Timon.

EEqZ1oaZkH0

olegc
07-16-2009, 10:56 PM
and there is always the Blue Sky Cellar online

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/disneyscaliforniaadventure/index?name=DCAPreview&CMP=FY09BSC_DisneysCaliforniaAdventureCom

TowerofTerror
07-17-2009, 05:08 AM
I totally agree I hope to see the blue sky cellar in person in the next month

DisneylandDad
07-17-2009, 05:11 AM
If the actual show looks half as awesome as the renderings, I can't wait to see it.

3Princesses1Prince
07-17-2009, 08:37 AM
Any news on when they are filling up the lagoon again? The update says "after Labor Day" but is it that week or "not until after Labor Day"?

AVP
07-17-2009, 09:06 AM
Any news on when they are filling up the lagoon again? The update says "after Labor Day" but is it that week or "not until after Labor Day"?I think it means, "not before Labor Day, but after that as soon as we're ready." They have 1800 fountains to test and calibrate - they need water!

AVP

Donald Duck Fan68
07-17-2009, 10:23 AM
I think it means, "not before Labor Day, but after that as soon as we're ready." They have 1800 fountains to test and calibrate - they need water!

AVP

What's interesting to note is that they'll be able to elevate the platform above the water to do maintenance and adjustments to the fountains without having to drain the lagoon again. I was thinking that after their tests, they might need to drain it again to do any necessary adjustments, but from the sound of it, once the lagoon is filled again, they shouldn't need to drain it.

ryanvalle
07-17-2009, 10:29 AM
I think it means, "not before Labor Day, but after that as soon as we're ready." They have 1800 fountains to test and calibrate - they need water!

AVP

I thought each fountain has its own source of water and isn't just pumping out from the lagoon. With that said, it is possible for them to run tests even before the lagoon is filled, correct? Or am I missing something here?

pixar
07-17-2009, 10:45 AM
The "blow pop" fountain can shoot water up to 200' in the air.


Awwwww, I was hoping they'd shoot higher than the Fountains of Bellagio (450+'). ;)

AVP
07-17-2009, 06:19 PM
Mark Eades at the Orange County Register managed to compress Steven Davison's energetic (but long) presentation about the show into an under 2 minute video. It's well worth a look:

http://www.ocregister.com:80/video/index.php?bcpid=1127694947&bclid=1334447366&bctid=29780194001

AVP

cstephens
07-20-2009, 04:33 PM
We saw the new info as well as the new bit of footage at the Blue Sky Cellar on Saturday, and the show looks like it could be really good. The only thing that really puzzled us was the configuration of the new amphitheatre, with the water play center right in the middle. We thought that was where really good viewing for the show would be, so putting a play center right there seemed odd.

We also went on the Sunwheel so the geeks could get a better view of all the construction. I just enjoyed the ride. ;)

But, one thought did occur to me - I wonder if they'll be running the sunwheel while World of Color is going on? It says that jets of water will shoot up higher than the sunwheel, so I'm not sure if you'd get wet if you were actually on the sunwheel, but then, I thought, that would be a pretty awesome view, and we wondered if they'd do some kind of special seating package where you get one of the sunwheel carriages to yourself, with a dessert or something, and you get to watch the show that way. The obvious issue would be that you couldn't just get off whenever you wanted if something came up in the middle of the show, but I think it would be cool.

TowerofTerror
07-20-2009, 06:19 PM
I cant wait for the show to come out at DCA. well I try to make it to the first show they have of it

Iceman
07-20-2009, 08:26 PM
How are they going to conceal that platform and all the associated hardware during the day when it's submerged? Even at the bottom of the lagoon, unless they dye the water it's really going to be visible (especially from high angles like the sun wheel) and poor "show". Any thoughts here?

MouseVII
07-21-2009, 05:43 PM
How are they going to conceal that platform and all the associated hardware during the day when it's submerged? Even at the bottom of the lagoon, unless they dye the water it's really going to be visible (especially from high angles like the sun wheel) and poor "show". Any thoughts here?I'm sure they'll do something to make the water dark enough. After all, you can't see anything in Rivers of America.

teafour2
07-21-2009, 06:31 PM
Im so excited!!! I hope they fill it up way sooner so I can see the lagoon filled. maybe they will do testing early !

MermaidHair
07-22-2009, 10:25 PM
AVP - thanks for all of this great info. I read it in the update on Monday and was struck with how cool this all is going to be and how neat it is to know more about what is going on in the great photos I see each week. Now if I could only get there in person!

Thanks!

explodingboy
07-23-2009, 02:08 PM
..remember the good ol days when that was all a parking lot

couchlady
08-03-2009, 06:48 AM
Do we know if construction is on schedule? We're planning a trip for dd's 13th birthday (our first in over a year) in late October and would love to see the lagoon refilled.

mechurchlady
08-03-2009, 12:03 PM
There are many boards and sites dealing with Disney related stuff. Those sites and their members have a lot of experience in a wide variety of things so that the pooled knowledge tends to give a good guess on what is going on. I have seen people discussing in detail what they think will be done and what needs to be done.

Current discussions I have seen are that the project seems on track. October would be a great time to go to DCA as only the Pier will be affected for the most part so your trip to DCA should be a sea of wall, some shops closed, the restaurants closed but they have the carts for emergency noshing, and some rides closed. Overall it has not affected my days in DCA.