Built our own Soarin Ride

[epcotbob]

Could you post some (still) pictures? Video takes too long to download and show on my computer.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Sorry we didn't do this earlier, here is a photo album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bobrice/Minicot

 

[RllngRckBrw]

This is awsome. Disney fans always seem to amazeme. Keep em comming.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

a bunch of us watched it at work...made the rest of the day SO much nicer!!!

so Im itching to see how you did the illuminations??
were the lights pre programmed to a computer??

you guys are AWESOME!!!!
I hope you continue to do more !!!!!!

 

[dreamersempire]

a bunch of us watched it at work...made the rest of the day SO much nicer!!!

so Im itching to see how you did the illuminations??
were the lights pre programmed to a computer??

you guys are AWESOME!!!!
I hope you continue to do more !!!!!!

Thanks! Thats cool that you were able to enjoy it with some coworkers Epcotbob will chime in I'm sure, and he is about to post a "how we did it" video in the next few days. And yes, its all computerized, I don't know the software he used but it sends the signals to the light-o-rama control units that heat up a lead that is connected to the fireworks. A few posts earlier Bob posted a link to some of the pictures.

 

[izzy]

We're not worthy! We're not worthy!!

That was freakin' unbelievable! Honestly, I think your Soarin' was actually better than Epcot's version. (It certainly seemed longer, which is a good thing!)

So, what's next? Reconstruct Spaceship Earth complete with the original ride? Perhaps a nod to the past with Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?

 

[teruterubouzu]

So, what's next? Reconstruct Spaceship Earth complete with the original ride? Perhaps a nod to the past with Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?

LOL. My vote is Horizons! You can buy blueprints on eBay.

 

[SkyGirl]

You are my favorite kind of people!!!

That was incredible!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Oh. My. Goodness.

That is seriously awesome.

 

[missmun52]

Wow, What can I say.......AMAZING!!

 

[lundve]

totally cool!

 

[Rustysmom]

Wow, that was amazing!!!

 

[epcotbob]

a bunch of us watched it at work...made the rest of the day SO much nicer!!!

so Im itching to see how you did the illuminations??
were the lights pre programmed to a computer??

you guys are AWESOME!!!!
I hope you continue to do more !!!!!!

Thank You!

We will get a behind-the-scenes video up in a few days, but yes we used computerized light controllers made by light-o-rama, the same units used for animated Christmas light displays.

The units allow us to read in a music track and animate the lights to the music. There is a sequence editor and we worked on the show ahead of time, so at showtime all we have to do is hit START.

The fireworks were connected to a seperate computer that controlled a homemade relay board connected to the printer port. I used a software package called Vixen Lights that, like light-o-rama, allowed me to read in a music track and trigger the relays on a timeline. The relays were ultimately connected to some nichrome wire on the fireworks to ignite it.

We just had to hit the START button on both computers at the same time, then sit back and enjoy the show.....the computers ran everything from there. Same automation concept as the real illuminations, just on a much smaller scale.

Here is a picture of the 2 computers used during the show:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bobrice/Minicot/photo#5238894593915224738

Here I am trying to get all of the wires hooked up:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bobrice/Minicot/photo#5238894570253641922

 

[SueM in MN]

LOL. My vote is Horizons! You can buy blueprints on eBay.

I think he'd need a bigger pole barn

Since I now know I am nearby the "Soarin' Constructors", I'd volunteer to help

 

[the_princess]

That was really cool!!!!!!!!!

 

[MissyDVC]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I SO wish you were our neighbors! It is so great to see people who live Disney after they have left the parks. I know I do Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us

 

[jade1]

Wow, that is great. Cant decide if I'm more impressed with you guys, or less impressed with WDW. Cant see much difference compared to Soarin.

 

[amygirl2727]

This is amazing. VERY VERY IMPRESSIVE!

 

[hipchickie]

I can't let my family see this They will want to do it too

 

[schmoopypoo]

I can't let my family see this They will want to do it too

Oh my gosh....I seriously was just going to say the same thing Everything is just truly amazing Great job!

 

[we're all mad here]

I watched it with my DD5, let's just say my DH would if he saw us. DD was on my lap with her arms wrapped around me, and when the castle with the fireworks at the end she got excited and I started to tear up. That was amazing. Definantly my WDW fix for the day!