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odnamraortsac
08-14-2004, 11:08 AM
My vote goes to the "Varmints" that pop out of the abandoned train that can be seen from either the Mark Twain or Columbia along the Rivers of America. They are very tacky looking and their up and down movements are stiff. Second place goes to the bear scratching it's back on a tree just up the river frim the "Varmints". It wasn't working for the longest time so at one time it didn't qualify as an animatronic. But now since it is working again, it qualifies. It's only in second place because, while it's movements are as stiff as the "Varmints", a new coat was applied so at least it looks less tacky.

Tigertail777
08-14-2004, 12:16 PM
worst animatronic ever.............................................. .................Michael Eisner. (LOL come on somone had to say it). :D

As for the bears you are talking about... well they are so primitive I am not sure I even consider them true AA's, they are leftovers from the mine train thru natures wonderland ride, which really predated AA's as we know them. All the critters on that old ride had very small single repetitive movements because the true AA's didnt come until the Enchanted Tiki Room in 1963. Also most of the Jungle Cruise is in the same boat: none of the figures are true AA's they are just slight upgraded versions of the original figures they have used almost since the park opened. Only the newer scenes are the ones that have been changed, but still dont have full range of movements a true AA has (such as the ape trashing the camp scene). Jungle Cruise in my opinion sorely needs a huge makeover that is in the spirit of the original ride, but with real moving AA's, and more interactive elements.

Still trying to think of the worst true AA I have seen... thats a tough one. There is a scene in the pinnochio ride that springs to mind, where geppeto hardly moves at all, just barely moving his hands and head. Hmm I will have to think on this, its a intrigueing question. ;)

Fozzie
08-14-2004, 10:47 PM
I agree - the Jungle Cruise creatures could really use some updating. The ride would be much more fun if there was a slightly more realistic element to the movements of the animals.

I thought the Tiki Room animatronics were disappointing - mostly because they had fallen into such disrepair. But also because most of the birds didn't even move in sync with the words or music - they just repeted the same random movements over and over again. I'm hoping this will change....

MrTomMorrow
08-14-2004, 11:58 PM
I'm not a big fan of the rattlesnakes on Big Thunder... it's really obvious that their rattles are not attached to their snake bodies.

Disneyfreak
08-15-2004, 12:00 AM
I would have to say the horse on pirates of the caribbean where the new scene was added. It looks so shiny and unrealistic and has no movement except for its neck.

CoasterChickie
08-15-2004, 08:19 AM
I love the Small World dolls but they either need to turn up the music or grease
those dollies up a little because the last time I went I could hear the sound of all their parts moving more than their singing!!

disneyhound
08-15-2004, 08:42 AM
Turn the music up in ASW... :confused:

I think it would be refreshing to hear some background noise during that ride!

DisneylandForever
08-15-2004, 11:20 AM
I know this is sorts off the topic, but has anybody seen the "audio-animatronics" they have on some of the rides in Knotts Berry Farm? By comparison they are laughable, especially on the log ride. They just sort of flail randomly. LOL!

In DL, my vote is for Great Moments with Mr Lincoln.

Just kidding! I used to think he was a real person when I was younger, even though I knew the guys in Pirates and Haunted were AA's.

splashmtngurl
08-15-2004, 12:19 PM
I would have to say the indian riding the horse on the side of the rivers of america or maybe the abominable snowman in the matterhorn! wait is he even an AA?

DisneylandForever
08-15-2004, 12:31 PM
the abominable snowman in the matterhorn! wait is he even an AA?

Oh yeah, you're right splash.

I think the snowman counts. The "basic" definition is that it moves and makes noise. I'm sure there is a more official definition out there though. lol

splashmtngurl
08-15-2004, 12:38 PM
okay then i think he is even worse then the native american....glowing red eyes a few stiff movements....i wouldnt consider the snowman to be much of an example of AA's

DisneylandForever
08-15-2004, 12:45 PM
Although it is funny going on the ride with first-timers. The part when only his eyes illumintate and he lets out a loud growl always provokes some sort of yelp. And the 2nd time you see him towards the end he seems to scream a lot louder than the 1st time, my friends always scream!

I'm just a dork though, cuz I scream every time. :p

splashmtngurl
08-15-2004, 12:46 PM
ah dont be to hard on urself......it may not be scary but i scream everytime to...mostly cause when i scream everyone else does to!

DisneylandForever
08-15-2004, 01:05 PM
ah dont be to hard on urself......it may not be scary but i scream everytime to...mostly cause when i scream everyone else does to!

Nice to know I'm not alone! :D


Although I still refuse to scream in the elevator room of HM.

splashmtngurl
08-15-2004, 01:20 PM
okay so when i went to DL for my first time in third grade i was clutching the handle of my brother's stroller so hard the my hand turned white and i screamed and jumped far more then anyone else when the lights went off but now that i know whats going to happen i dont scream but instead i act like i'm filled with dread cause its so funny to watch first timers flip out!

Tigertail777
08-15-2004, 05:42 PM
OK I could be wrong on the official definition (hey its happened before), but in my experience, a mechanical show device that has 3 seperate movements or less is considered a "automaton". Now there are exceptions to this; in the 1700's and 1800's there were some very complicated human automatons that were created, that in many ways are comparable to Walt's AA's, particularly in Germany (the movie Hallloween 3 actually shows one of these museum pieces breifly; the knitting grandmother in the chair... then carries the automaton idea to extremes LOL). There were even automaton dolls with complicated primitive computer devices that allowed these dolls to write preprogrammed sentances and paragraphs: they would actually dip a pen in ink and write out letters: amazing stuff.
But by and large I think most people stick to the 3 seperate movements or less rule, I beleive this is why Disney themselves state that true audio animatronics didnt come about until Enchanted Tiki Room, then closely followed by Great moments with Mr Lincoln, and Carousel of Progress (and small world) for the 64-65 Worlds fair. Disneyland DID have moving figures on rides pre-tiki room, however they were more akin to automatons; the submarine voyage, mine train thru natures wonderland,the Jungle Cruise, and pretty much all of the Fantasyland rides come to mind.
In addittion, automatons dont have their movements programmed through the audio tracks the way audio animatronics do. The true distinction is that AA's originally had their movements programmed on the same tape as the audio so that it had nearly flawless synching up. Of course this has changed now, with the same idea but using something more like computer chips. The new versions last longer than the old magnetic tape, but I think the trade off is that the sound and movements can get out of synch now (at least thats what I perceive from talking to people who work with this stuff, but my perception in this matter could be off.)

To be clear: the native american on the horse really has one movement that I can recall: raising his hand up and down, and doesnt speak or has any audio that its synched up to therefore its a automaton. Same goes for the others in the village by the teepee: the lady stirring the bowl is really one, possibly two movements, and no audio synched up. There is actually quite a fair amount of automatons left from the older Disneyland days, most especially seen from the Mark Twain. I think their thinking on this is probably : you are moving on a vehicle so wont be able to catch subtle movments that true AA's would present so it wouldnt be worth the money to upgrade them. There is SOME sense in that since you see the figures from a distance, however I think you can still sense that its just not real from the short repetitive movements.

oops I did almost forget the native american's horse flicks its tail a bit, so thats 2 movements. My bad. Also automatons are much harder to have simultanious movements happen all at once, there is generally some small pause between movements, as seperate machines for each movement activate in sequence. Automatons CAN have simultanious movements, but its more the exception to the rule. due to (originally) the expense of fixing a more complicated machine that was "all in one"; if one part of the whole broke down it was harder to fix or replace, then having seperate machines for each movement.

umm wow.. I just typed a small book.. sorry about that. :rolleyes:

Opus1guy
08-16-2004, 08:23 AM
The Walt AA in the Hub.

I stand there for hours waiting for it to work, but the darn thing is always down!

:)

splashmtngurl
08-16-2004, 09:13 AM
huh? isnt that a statue or did i miss something?

DCACM
08-16-2004, 09:40 AM
My vote is the obviously plastic bird in the rafters over the stairs in the Jungle Cruise queue.

Opus1guy
08-16-2004, 09:52 AM
splashmtngurl writes missing the joke:


huh? isnt that a statue or did i miss something?

Oh! Maybe that explains it!

;)

soccerlady16
08-16-2004, 10:14 AM
OK these may not be AA but the skeletons/ghosts that pop up in the attic in HM or in the grave yard, they're really cheesy

3894
08-16-2004, 10:21 AM
Pssst ... don't tell but the lips of the barefoot pirate with the jug really bother me.

Ew.

stan4d_steph
08-16-2004, 10:22 AM
Pssst ... don't tell but the lips of the barefoot pirate with the jug really bother me.

Ew. I don't like his grody leg hair.

3894
08-16-2004, 10:23 AM
I don't like his grody leg hair.

Great minds, Steph.

youcancallmechris
08-17-2004, 09:59 PM
The dog that just spins in the boat in the "Laughing Place" scene. I recall it having more motion than what it does now. It's in such a dim lit place, and it doesn't do jack but spin around!