Home > Pavilion > Ride/Show Technology > Effects Disney Imagineers have long used an impressive array of special effects to convey their stories. In some cases, they perfected or expanded upon existing techniques, such as the "Pepper’s Ghost" effect used in the Haunted Mansion’s Ballroom scene. In many other cases, they invented new special effects technologies. EPCOT Center’s cutting-edge mission would require them to invent even more new and groundbreaking special effects technologies. They would appeal to our senses as never before--such as with the introduction of smell effects--rendering a whole new level of realism. Universe of Energy’s diorama alone contained more new and dramatic special effects than some other entire attractions. Using a combination of visual, auditory, and even smell effects, guests felt as if they had been transported back hundreds of millions of years, to a murky and mysterious primeval swamp. Sadly, many of these effects have fallen into disrepair, been disabled, or were completely removed from the diorama over the years. With each effect that was lost, so went a bit of the realism that made the original diorama so groundbreaking and dramatic. Dollars & Scents First entering the Diorama, guests could barely make out the faint outlines of the Brotonsauruses silhouetted against the backdrop of a dark, stormy sky. Through the dim lighting, the visuals barely hinted at what was to come. Initially, guests were enveloped in the story more by smell than by sight. The musky, earthy odor of "Eau de Swamp" wafted through the air, psychologically peeling back the years, casting us back hundreds of millions of years, to a dark, murky and forbidding swamp. As the diorama wound through millions of years of Earth's history, through the Triassic, Jurassic, and finally Cretaceous periods, the scents helped to carry the story forward. Approaching the Ornithomimus, struggling and slowly sinking into a pit of boiling mud, a similarly musky "Damp Earth" scent filled the air. Moments later, the earth scent would be overtaken by the strong, pungent, "Bouquet of Volcano", accompanying the violent eruption of the volcano before us. Scent effects have made their way into other Disney attractions--and even those of competitors such as Universal Studios--over the decades, but it all began with EPCOT Center. For the first year its operation, only Universe of Energy and Spaceship Earth were outfitted with scent effects. Spaceship Earth used a scent similar (if not identical) to "Bouquet of Volcano"--a sort of liquid smoke, almost barbecue scent--to accompany the burning embers of the fallen Roman empire. The following year, Journey into Imagination would join the roster with a light and refreshing rose scent, then Horizons with its distinctive orange scent in the Desert Farm scene. With three total, Universe of Energy still holds the distinction as the Future World attraction to have used the most scents. The technical term for the devices that produced these wonderful aromas was the "Scent Emitting System." However, Imagineers quickly nicknamed the device the "Smellitzer," which is now the more accepted term for the device. It was originally created by Bob McCarthy for Walt Disney Productions during the development of EPCOT Center. Outside companies manufactured the actual scents, though many were custom blends made especially for Disney. A glass bottle on the device held the liquid scents, which could be atomized into the air through an attached tube, much like an air cannon. As the Traveling Theater approached a scene, the smellitzer could "shoot" the aroma up to 20 feet across the diorama. A powerful exhaust system at the opposite side quickly removed the scent from the scene to prevent it from wafting into other areas of the pavilion or co-mingling with other scents. Unfortunately, during the 1996 rehab, the Smellitzers were deactivated, dismantled and permanently removed from the diorama. Disney management claims this was done after receiving many complaints from guests with allergies to molds, spores and fungi, that the Eau de Swamp and Damp Earth scents caused them to nearly panic, fearing that what they smelled was real and would subsequently cause a serious allergic reaction. Others speculate that this was merely an excuse used by Disney management to perform a cost-cutting measure in the way of maintenance, as well as eliminating the need to purchase the bottled scents. Whatever their reason for discontinuing the use of the scents in the diorama, it is an effect that will be dearly missed by many, taking away a major element of realism that once existed in the diorama. You might however still be able to catch the faintest whiff of some of the scents due to the fact that after many years of use, they are forever saturated into the plants and other show scenery in the diorama. So the next time you visit the Universe of Energy, close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose upon first entering the diorama, and you just may notice the faintest hint of Eau de Swamp. Smoke & Mirrors In its early days, EPCOT Center made extensive use of fog effects, often as a transitional element. In Listen to the Land, "walls" of fog separated show scenes; in Spaceship Earth it helped to render a surreal, dream-like quality as guests traveled back in time through the Vortex Tunnel. Universe of Energy used fog at both the beginning and ending of the Diorama-for somewhat different, but equally compelling effects. When first entering the Diorama, the floor was covered in a thick blanket of low-lying fog. This not only hid the very modern concrete floor, it reinforced the feeling of traveling back in time to a murky and mysterious swamp. At the end of the Diorama, a fog wall represented the awesome geothermic forces of the active volcano as the Traveling Theater drove headlong into the volcanic cavern. Here, as with other areas of EPCOT Center, it also acted as a transitional element, visually and psychologically bridging the gap between the late Cretaceous period and present day. Unlike many fog machines, such as the ones used in various night clubs at Pleasure Island, the fog effects at Universe of Energy were actually clouds of frozen Carbon Dioxide (CO2). It was ideally suited to the application, as it's odorless, highly visible, and hangs low to the ground, creating a dense blanket instead of dissipating into the air. This was especially important at the beginning of the Diorama. A few moments before the Traveling Theater was to enter, the show control computers cued the fog machines to switch on. They supplied a continuous stream of fog until it was time for the Traveling Theater to enter. By that time, guests would see only a low, thick blanket of fog covering the floor, enhancing the effect that they're passing from a futuristic theater and into a primeval swamp. Similar fog blanket effects were used in the pond where the Brontosaurus family was standing. For the second major fog effect, the fog wall under the volcano, the fog machines would typically switch on automatically as the vehicles were first entering the diorama after the door to Theater II had been lowered. These machines, which were located in the overhead rockwork beneath the volcano, would spew a continuous blanket of fog downward, filling the entire doorway between the diorama and Theater II, making for a perfect transition back to the present. Smaller fog effects could be seen in and around the volcano as jets of CO2 would shoot out of cracks in the rockwork simulating steam vents. While many of the fog effects still exist within the diorama, they have been modified and are now used to a lesser extent than before. Light fog effects can still be seen in the holding area of the diorama, although it no longer completely blankets the floor as it did before. The fog effects that filled the pond where the Brontosaurus family stands have been deactivated, and the machines most likely have been dismantled or abandoned. The fog wall effect beneath the volcano was drastically changed during the 1996 rehab. Instead of a thick wall of fog, guests now pass beneath small jets of fog that continuously vent from the overhead rockwork as they enter Theater II. Let There Be Light One of the most essential effect elements is also one that guests are often the least aware of--at least not until they get their flash photos back from the photo lab. If you've ever seen or taken such photos, you'll notice that the scenes often look drab and the animatronics and props look plastic. What happened? Well, if you were close enough for your flash to work (within about 10 to 12 feet), it washed out the subtle and very carefully-designed show lighting. Besides being courteous to other guests around you (it's safe to say that no one likes constant flashes disrupting their enjoyment of an attraction), this is why Disney often insists that you not take flash photos indoors. Imagineers put a great deal of effort into setting a mood and hiding imperfections with theatrical lighting. Understandably, they don't want your lasting memories to be of washed-out, plastic dinosaurs. Show lighting is used extensively throughout the Diorama. It helps to render the show scenes in--well, their best light. It also helps to set a mood, and even carries the storyline forward. Cooler lighting of blues and greens first fill the Diorama, giving way to warmer yellows and oranges as the sun rises above the family of Brontosaurus. The subtle blues appear again as we watch Trachodons frolicing at the base of a waterfall. As the story progresses, though, the lighting and the mood change along with the climatic and geologic changes that are taking place in the storyline, culminating with the fiery reds and oranges of the erupting volcano. The Diorama primarily uses theatrical lighting in the form of "can lights". Each of these cylinder-shaped lights feature a "gel", which is a colored, translucent plastic film placed in front of the light, to cast a certain color on the show scene. Usually arranged in banks of a few to many dozens, these lights can be carefully directed at different areas of the show scene, adding just the right splash of light and color, canceling out shadows, even overlapping colors to produce just the right effect. Most of the theatrical lighting is well-hidden from guests' view, within recessed panels in the ceiling, out of a direction where the guest would typically look, or hidden by show scenery. One of the most prominent--and even visible, if you think to look for it--banks of theatrical lights is right above and behind you as you're parked in the Diorama's "holding area" (where the Traveling Theater first enters the Diorama, and settles for a moment in "6-Pack" formation, before breaking into single-file). The next time you visit Universe of Energy, turn around and look behind you in the holding area. Directly behind you, you'll see the rising show door, and well above that, you'll see a long bank of theatrical lights. You might be surprised to see just how many lights it takes to properly illuminate just one scene! One of the more unique lighting effects in use in the diorama is the effect that creates the lightning bolts that streak across the sky during the storm scene in the marsh. Using a technique called "Flash Animation," a sequence of frames, each containing a picture of a lightning bolt in different phases, is thrown up in rapid succession in front of a strobe light, much as motion picture film passes in front of a projector bulb. The image of the lighting bolt is projected onto the painted sky backdrop, simulating a flashing bolt of lightning off in the distance as the storm approaches. All of the show lighting throughout the pavilion is controlled and synchronized to the show by computers. As the Traveling Theater traverses the Diorama, the lighting is cycled on in just the right sequence. As the vehicles pass, the lighting is dimmed and eventually extinguished, saving electricity, and also preserving the expensive bulbs and gels (which deteriorate from continual use). By the time the vehicles have completed their journey through the Diorama, it is nearly pitch-dark. Cast Members who walk through the Diorama between shows or following the Traveling Theater, must carry a flashlight. Surprisingly, none of the lighting equipment or sequencing have been dramatically altered or lost over the years, although some of the sequencing has been changed slightly. New lighting has been added in certain scenes, such as the new lighting to highlight the Ellen Animatronic. Beyond the typical show lighting, there is a need for much brighter lighting so that maintenance can perform their operations after hours, as well to assist in evacuating guests during a downtime. Known simply as "Work Lights", these bright halogen lights are situated throughout the interior of the pavilion. Unlike the computer-controlled show lighting, the work lights are manually switched on and off from the Theater I or Theater II consoles. Water Works Universe of Energy remains one of the few Disney attractions other than boat rides, to make extensive use of water elements. Horizons, World of Motion, Spaceship Earth and The American Adventure simulated water elements--but Energy had the real thing, and quite a bit of it in fact. From ponds, to waterfalls, to waves and even rain, water was used extensively to create the lush and realistic environment of the Primeval Diorama. The most impressive use of water in the diorama was in the marsh scene. Toward the end of the film in Theater 1, a fierce storm had begun. As the scene continued to play out in the diorama, the storm raged on with lighting and actual "rain" over the Brontosuaurus pool. A series of sprinklers located in the ceiling directly above the pool, showered the Brontosauruses with water. The Brontosaurus pool was filled with water, which was recycled back up to the sprinklers. Across the way, a family of Trachodons stand in a shallow pool in front of a waterfall. Like with the water used in the Brontosaurs pool, the water from the pool is recycled back to the top of the falls. The third and final use of a water effect was rather subtle and often never noticed by guests. Behind the Elasmosaurus, which resided in a tidal pool, waves of water crashed against the surrounding rockwork, helping guests to understand that Elasmosaurus was in fact a sea creature. Over the years, many of the water effects were deactivated or fell into disrepair. Sometime prior to the 1996 rehab, the rain effect over the Brontosaurus pool stopped working. During the 1996 rehab, the Brontosaurus pool was completely drained, and remains empty to this day. Also during this time, the wave effects in the Elasmosaurus pool were deactivated (most likely to prevent the nearby Ellen Animatronic from being splashed). However, the Trachodon pool and the accompanying waterfall are still full and in use today. Small water effects were added to several of the Animatronics during the 1996 rehab, including a sneezing effect on the Brontosaurus that cranes its neck over the ride vehicles, as well as a spitting effect that was added to the Ornithomimus that is looking out of the pond at guests. Sounds Dangerous As anyone who's upgraded from a basic TV setup to a "home theater" can tell you, sound can make a tremendous difference in the realism of the movie experience. Even if the size of the television doesn't change, it seems "bigger", as the whole experience is "bigger" and richer than before. Being masters of show, Disney Imagineers realize this as well, and they put a great deal of effort into making everything sound as "larger than life" as it looks. With EPCOT Center, they would seize on digital technologies that were at their infancy during the park's planning and creation. It would be the first theme park to employ 100-percent digital sound. The difference--especially to audiences accustomed to the more common analog audio--was dramatic, further extending the realism of the diorama and enveloping the film experiences in full, rich, crystal clear sound. Disney parks had long used "dimensional" sound effects. Unlike conventional movie theaters and other venues which had to rely on a combination of acoustic and electronic tricks to add a spatial element to sound, Disney attractions had the luxury of employing speaker systems specifically suited to each attraction, and state-of-the-art electronic systems for diverting audio channels to each specific speaker. You might recall for example in Hall of the Presidents, how hecklers seem to clearly speak directly behind you in the audience. While movie theaters have somewhat caught up with Dolby, THX, and similar systems, they're still limited in the number of channels, speakers, and speaker placement, not only due to cost considerations, but also because they must work with many different types of films. It's like the difference between buying a suit that "off the rack" (conventional theater experience) or custom-tailored (a Disney attraction). While the better off-the-rack brands may fit better than ever before, they'll never fit as well as a custom-tailored suit. Within each of Universe of Energy's theaters, a number of large speakers are located behind each screen. The audio tracks are divided into separate channels to allow engineers to dynamically mix each track and have a certain sound take place on a particular screen, or even on a specific part of a screen. During the 1996 rehab, significant changes and upgrades were made to the pavilion's audio system. Within the pre-show theater, new speakers were installed behind each of the new static screens in the space that was once the clearance area for the flip screens in the original pre-show. This allows the sound to be more focused on a particular screen, and can be observed during the pre-show film as Ellen "jumps" from screen to screen and her voice can be heard jumping with her. Without these individual speakers, this sequence would not have been as effective. Another change made to the audio system during this time was in Theater I, when two giant sub woofers were added beneath the screens on either side of the theater. The effects of these speakers can be felt most during the big bang sequence during the film, creating the deep, rumbling sensation that rolls over the audience; as well as at the conclusion of the film when the large, booming footsteps of a large dinosaur are heard as the vehicles enter the diorama. New audio tracks were also added to the diorama, with new dinosaur sound effects, environmental sounds (the thunderstorm, volcano, etc.), a musical underscore, and dialogue tracks. Perhaps most effective effect is how Bill and Ellen "move" through the diorama, with their voices appearing at various points through strategically-placed speakers. Even with only one Ellen animatronic, we feel as though Ellen and Bill are moving through the lush vegetation, and we follow along with them through the Diorama. Besides the normal show audio, Universe of Energy features an extensive Public Address (PA) system. The Theater I and Theater II operator consoles each feature a cluster of individual PA buttons, each keyed to specific show areas within the attraction (such as Theater I, Theater II, Diorama, etc.) as well as buttons for "All Ride" and "All Pavilion". They're used to deliver instructions and spiels during the show--such as when the Theater I operator first invites the guests to "move all the way forward, choose a row and slide all the way down" (although this is now mainly done through an automated spiel), and subsequently welcoming the guests aboard the Traveling Theater and going over the necessary safety information before the film begins. After the finale, the Theater I operator will again press the Theater I button to deliver the exit spiel. While the Theater I button is the most used-as it's used extensively during the show-the other buttons are useful for specific situations, such as downtimes or "101s". For example, if the ride has gone 101 while guests are in the diorama and Theater II respectively, guests will often be allowed to view the remainder of the Theater II film undisturbed. The Theater I operator will spiel directly to the diorama only, alerting the guests that "we're experiencing technical difficulties" and that a host or hostess will arrive shortly to assist them. The "All Ride" PA button covers all onstage and backstage areas within the pavilion. During start-up, the Theater I operator will alert maintenance and other Cast Members of the impending startup over the "All Ride" PA, issuing the warning, "Attention in the Universe of Energy. Please stand clear of all doors, turntables, vehicles and show animation. The ride will begin in (x) minutes." This is delivered starting at 15 minutes, and at several intervals until the final warning of "The Universe of Energy begins NOW." The "All Pavilion" PA button covers not only the ride interior (all onstage and backstage areas), but the external queue area as well. This button is meant to be used only during emergency situations that would require an immediate evacuation of the queue, such as a tornado. It otherwise is never to be used during normal operating hours as it's quite jarring and takes the guest out of the experience when the background music is suddenly muted and a disembodied voice booms across the area! Occasionally though, a Cast Member does press the wrong button by mistake, for example issuing the start-up warning to the queue! Universe of Energy's consoles at one time featured buttons for pre-recorded spiels during 101 situations, but unlike other attractions (such as Spaceship Earth: "Attention Time Travelers…"), these buttons were never used and more than likely never even functional. All of Energy's speils, narrations, and warnings were delivered "live" via the PA. The only exception to this rule is the pre-recorded narration that is heard when guests first enter Theater I, asking them to move to the front of the theater and slide all the way down to the end of the row. This feature was more than likely added when the Load position was permanently dropped from the regular rotation, requiring the Theater I Cast Member to leave the console (and the Theater I PA) to help load wheelchairs onto the vehicles. The Heat is On As if sights, sounds, and even smells weren't enough to create a realistic primeval world, Imagineers wanted to make sure it even felt real. After all, passing an erupting volcano that is supposed to thousands of degrees hot, it wouldn't feel right to be cooled by air conditioning! With that in mind, Imagineers decided to use heaters to help warm up the diorama, further advancing the illusion that guests have passed from an air conditioned futuristic theater, into a damp, hot and humid swamp and finally on to a violent, geologically active world where immense amounts of heat were being released from the earth's core. Several heaters, which look like large, black cubes with a circular black piece of glass on the front, were installed and hidden in the foliage throughout the diorama. They help raise the overall temperature of the diorama and play with yet another of the guests' senses. Sadly, these heaters have been deactivated or have fallen into disrepair, but are still in place within the diorama. In fact, in recent years, much of the foliage surrounding some of them has fallen away making them clearly visible to guests and further eroding the realism of the diorama. Hopefully, maintenance will one day rediscover the heaters and help bring back this subtle yet effective element in the diorama. At the very least, perhaps they may eventually remove them completely from the diorama or cover them back up with new foliage. Rock & Roll Two effects that were often overlooked by guests were intended to convey the increasingly violent geologic forces as the Diorama entered the Cretaceous period. One of these effects could be found in the fight scene between the Stegosaurus and the menacing Allosaurus. There, the entire rock upon which they stood teetered back and fourth as if it, along with the quarreling dinosaurs, were going to fall at any moment on top of the vehicles as they passed beneath. Another one of these effects was in the canyon right after the fight scene in which a large boulder seemed as if it was being shaken out of place by an earthquake and was in danger of toppling over onto the vehicles below at any second. An audio track of rumbling and falling rock sound effects accompanied it to help draw guests' attention to it. Unfortunately, these effects have been deactivated or have fallen into disrepair over the years, and haven't shown any signs of coming back to life any time soon. Thar She Blows! One of the largest and most spectacular special effects featured in the diorama is the volcano marking the end of the diorama. It not only helps to convey the violent geologic forces surrounding the dinosaurs' demise, it's also a dramatic conclusion to the astounding 300-million-year journey that guests had just experienced. As guests pass through the volcanic cavern at the base of the mountain, they witness the final scene of the diorama where the dinosaurs' remains are fossilized into the cavern's walls. While the scale of the volcano is somewhat limited, that's more than made up for by the effect of it erupting, spewing forth fiery embers and glowing molten lava. Developing this effect proved to be quite daunting. The "lava" had to be cool to the touch and non-toxic, should the guests ever come in contact with it, yet it had to produce a fiery glow and bubble and congeal just like real lava. Imagineers tested different materials such as Jell-O, as well as a concoction of mineral oil and talc. Finally, after nearly nine months of testing, they were able to develop a material they called "Orange Goo," which was a custom blend of polyacrylic acids--chemicals found in ordinary consumer products including toothpaste and even laxatives. Orange dye and black light pigments were added to the substance, causing it to glow like the real thing when exposed to black lights. Once the lava was created, Imagineers faced a new challenge of finding a suitable pump to cycle the lava up and down the mountain. Conventional pumps quickly seized-up when trying to move the thick, gooey lava. After a great deal of experimentation, they discovered a mechanism that's ideally suited to moving the highly viscous substances-a pump that is used to fill dog food cans! The lava itself flows down the mountain over a textured, translucent plastic panel, which is backlit with red, orange and yellow lights. Combined with the "glow" from the black-light pigments in the lava, the lava appears glowing hot! Air pumps injected bubbles into the flowing stream of lava, further enhancing the effect. At the top of the volcano, another effect simulates lava spewing straight up into the air, where it falls and appears to join the flow cascading down the side of the volcano. It wouldn't have been possible to spew the thick, gooey "lava" mixture in this way, so water is used instead. Out of guests' view, at the top of the volcano, is a shallow of pool of water. A fountain in the center of the pool sprays a single jet straight up. Rapidly flashing red, orange, and yellow lights illuminate the column of erupting water, helping to convey the illusion of spewing lava. Other subtle details, from small fiberoptic effects resembling brightly-glowing orange embers, to jets of "steam" shooting out of various cracks in the rocks, to a dead tree laying in the path of the lava, help to further the illusion. Of course, the crowning touch was the distinctive burning, sulfurous scent, "Bouquet of Volcano" emitted by nearby Smellitzers. Sadly, many of the volcano's special effects have presumably fallen into disrepair over the years. Effects such as the steam jets, bubbling lava and scent are no longer functioning. Even the lava that is used today is much thicker and thus flows much slower than before, making it harder for guests to see that it is actually flowing. The current lava formulation is also much more fluorescent in color giving it an almost "cartoonish" look. But while many of the volcano's special effects can no longer be seen, it still remains a testament to the creative power and know-how of Imagineering.