Is this a real video? Tower or Terror-No Seatbelts

[ShaggyB]

Im inclined to believe it based on the cast member announcement after the ride....

But i think the guy is pushing off as he begins to float, as the amount he floats up is not something that happens on that ride even when it was lap bars only.

So... if hes not pushing him self up via his legs / standing up then Id call fake.

 

[SDSorority]

This thread is making my afternoon just a bit brighter.

LOVE this physics talk. Way to go Robo!

So my two cents...don't flame me, I'm a musician, not a physicist

At min 1:03 it seriously looks legit. The people in the video are the same people in the picture at the end. You can clearly tell that the seatbelts are plugged into the incorrect receptacles, and though I'm not going to ever ever ever try this (I've JUST gotten to the point where I can ride with my arms up... after 4 years...) I wonder how far you WOULD come up if you didn't have the seatbelt tightened all of the way. Now, there's no real way of doing this since they click into place... but I have had my bookbag come up off of the floor many a time on this ride.

I bet he's pushing him self up off of the seat with the help of his feet- like if he were on a trampoline or something. Maybe this was done before the randomization of drops, so he knew what the sequence was and when to push off??

Just a thought.

And no... I know not to believe everything I see or hear... this is why I don't watch the news

 

[SDSorority]

Im inclined to believe it based on the cast member announcement after the ride....

But i think the guy is pushing off as he begins to float, as the amount he floats up is not something that happens on that ride even when it was lap bars only.

So... if hes not pushing him self up via his legs / standing up then Id call fake.

HAHA you typed this right before I did!

 

[SDSorority]

ANNNND then I found these:

http://www.studioscentral.com/column/studios-weekly/mythbusters-hollywood-studios-tower-terror

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd0XhKH_SC8

 

[Robo]

ANNNND then I found these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd0XhKH_SC8

In the "Floating Coins Trick" YouTube (above) the actual "float time" (as I suspected) is less than one second.
(More like one-quarter to one-half a second before the coins return to the hand.)

No leisurely hovering.

And- there is no light available in the elevator during the float-time.

 

[ShaggyB]

I think my problem with believing a total fake is that the cast member makes an announcement. Though i do contend that could be faked. However i am quite certain that without some help that hover is not possible.

Itd be interesting to see the video get more hits and then cause an announcement by disney.

 

[tpettie]

This thread makes me think of a commercial we have here in canada called the North American House Hippo..... the commercial looks read but you know it can't be true a very small rat sized hippo living in peoples houses....

found a video of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLG2JP0P5JE

 

[Alesia]

At min 1:03 it seriously looks legit. The people in the video are the same people in the picture at the end.

That doesn't mean it's legit. They're part of the background.

They filmed the video with the seat empty (and the seat belt fastened) and then they filmed the "floating" guy separately. He's not actually floating, by the way - just sitting. Then they remove the background from the floating guy and insert him into the video with the empty seat. It requires a bit of finesse, but it's a simple concept.

 

[astrostan]

It is my opinion that this video is 100% real. All the components of the video seem completely plausible in a physics sense. Also, I do not believe that the average consumer video editing software can make people magically float.

As it pertains to the physics of the situation, it is entirely plausible for the man in the video to gently "hover" above the seat. I know I feel this same phenomenon when wearing a seat belt. The ride design doesn't make the elevator go faster than the acceleration of gravity (which is exhibited when airplanes do a parabolic flight plan causing the passengers to instantly experience a "zero gravity" environment). It is just a free-fall system which means the passengers "float" due to inertia. Also, the elevator track is completely straight. The passenger wouldn't move off of that designated course when he or she experiences the false feeling of flotation. A combination of inertia and lack of upward force on the elevator creates a simulated float.

In short, it is my opinion that the video is completely real. The audio at the end confirms the video as well.

 

[Robo]

It is my opinion that this video is 100% real. All the components of the video seem completely plausible in a physics sense. Also, I do not believe that the average consumer video editing software can make people magically float.

As it pertains to the physics of the situation, it is entirely plausible for the man in the video to gently "hover" above the seat. I know I feel this same phenomenon when wearing a seat belt.

1- The ride design doesn't make the elevator go faster than the acceleration of gravity (which is exhibited when airplanes do a parabolic flight plan causing the passengers to instantly experience a "zero gravity" environment).

2- It is just a free-fall system which means

3- the passengers "float" due to inertia.

4- A combination of inertia and lack of upward force on the elevator creates a simulated float.

5- In short, it is my opinion that the video is completely real.

6- The audio at the end confirms the video as well.

1- It most assuredly does drop faster than gravity.

2- It is not a free-fall system, it is a "pull-down" system.

3- Yes, but they wouldn't do that within the very short time (and space) that the elevator has to move down
if it was just "free-fall."

4- That's not the situation of what happens on Tower of Terror.

5- That's fine. It very well might be
(although I have spent a great deal of time trying to explain why not. )

6- Sorry, but that's just silly. Audio is, by far, the easiest thing to edit together.

.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

It's not that the guy could not be lifted from his seat that is in question.
It's for how LONG he is "floating" and in what WAY he is "floating."

Think back to how LONG you can feel the lift happening in the ToT elevator car.

The elevator's maximum travel in the "drop shaft" is about 130 feet.

The entire Hotel tower building is a maximum of 190-some feet, including the roof section.
The outer sliding doors (top-most stopping point of the elevator) are much farther down than that.
The exit floor of the ride (one floor below grade) is actually below the "drop section," so, that's not included in the vertical "drop area" either.

So, let's take the very "best/worst case" of a 13-story (give or take) drop.

To reach "zero G" (weightless, but not "rising") would require the elevator to be moving down at 32 feet per second, and INCREASING that speed by that same rate... every second thereafter

Second 1: 20 feet dropped-acceleration (not quite the full 32 feet that first second)
Second 2: 80 feet dropped -weightless and slight floating is achieved.
Second 3: 120 feet dropped- still floating with no deceleration.
Second 4: Person is dead due to elevator hitting the floor of the shaft.
So, THAT's no good.

Let's try again:

Second 1: 20 feet dropped -acceleration (not quite the full 32 feet that first second)
Second 2: 80 feet dropped -weightless
Second 3: 120 feet dropped- deceleration to stop.
Second 4: We've stopped safely this time.

Let's say I'm wrong... REALLY wrong... 50% wrong...

In the worst/best-case, given the physical limitations of the (relatively) small vertical distance...
guests could likely only experience a light lifting for about 1.5 seconds, or so.

I think that's about right, as I recall from my (literally) dozens and dozens of rides on the attraction.

None of the high in the car freely-floating for 2+ seconds, or so, that we see in the video would be possible.

BTW, where's the LIGHT coming from for those 2 seconds where he is ALREADY floating?

I completely agree with the calculation you have here and doubt that there is even a "free fall" (in which you are in fact being pulled down) for anywhere near 2 seconds. Consider this, however, there are times in the ride where you accelerate up, the car then decelerates (faster than gravity again) then immediately accelerates back down (without holding at the top) this allows a longer "hang time" and would also occur, for an extended period, in an area where the doors may be open.

 

[astrostan]

1- It most assuredly does drop faster than gravity.

2- It is not a free-fall system, it is a "pull-down" system.

3- Yes, but they wouldn't do that within the very short time (and space) that the elevator has to move down
if it was just "free-fall."

4- That's not the situation of what happens on Tower of Terror.

5- That's fine. It very well might be
(although I have spent a great deal of time trying to explain why not. )

6- Sorry, but that's just silly. Audio is, by far, the easiest thing to edit together.

.

I apologize. It appears as though my earlier statements were incorrect. The elevator is pulled down faster than 9.81 m/s^2. I went back and read your previous posts, and I can follow your points. I wish the quality of the video was better so we can get a better view of the individuals movements (maybe that was by design if this video is indeed fake). I have a hard time figuring out how one can alter the video to make the individual float like he does in the video. To understand, is the individuals hang time the only factor to disprove this video or are there more points? (Note: I am not trying to start an argument. I am just very interested in this topic and want to understand the opposing side.)

 

[Robo]

there are times in the ride where you accelerate up, the car then decelerates (faster than gravity again) then immediately accelerates back down (without holding at the top) this allows a longer "hang time" and would also occur, for an extended period, in an area where the doors may be open.

I agree with this.

 

[Dacky619]

Why do so many people think the CM announcement is real?

I also wonder that if they had to stop the ride and kick people off, would the picture have been available for purchase?

 

[princess_ariel_85]

Fake or not it still made me feel sick watching it.

 

[Alesia]

I have a hard time figuring out how one can alter the video to make the individual float like he does in the video.

I expained it in post #48. If you want to see the same effect (but a different subject) check out the link I posted in post #22.

The software required to do this sort of thing is relatively inexpensive and easy to get - Just google "video compositing software." You can but hitfilm for $120. There are probably cheaper options as well.

 

[Callymum]

We rode it with the old lap bar and my husband and son at 10 were put in with a very large passenger, this meant the lap bar shut on the very large man securely but was not secure on my son and husband.
My husband had to hold my son and complained that this was very dangerous to CM after. I presume one of the reasons they changed to personal belts.

 

[Robo]

I expained it in post #48. If you want to see the same effect (but a different subject) check out the link I posted in post #22.

The software required to do this sort of thing is relatively inexpensive and easy to get - Just google "video compositing software." You can but hitfilm for $120. There are probably cheaper options as well.

I really don't think that it's a composite effect.
I think that it's much, much easier.
It's called an "in-camera" effect...
One that is performed 'live" and shot by the camera.
(That's the time-honored way to do mechanical effects, anyway.)

We don't see his feet on the first "float" scene and we don't see his hands in the next two "float" scenes.

Think "standing up" on a box on the floor and then, (using a bar hung above the camera's view) "pull-ups."

Shake the camera as you shoot,
Edit the shots together with black in-between,
Add the audio recorded in various trips.

-Bang-

All that said...
this could be the real deal.

Some folks are just that careless, and have no shame whatsoever.

 

[matt and beth]

A couple of years ago I had my sunglasses looped around the neck of my shirt. First drop and they fall on the floor. I was trying like the dickens to reach them, but the seatbelt prevented me from flexing all the way over to the floor to grab them. We went all the way up and then all the way down and I found them floating at eye level. I snagged those puppies mid air eye level and laughed so hard I had the whole car laughing. It was simply amazing and one of my funniest memories of Disney. Now do I believe someone could float like that... Probably not. I lifted knees and arms up in the air to feel a sense of weightlessness over the holiday season and my 200 lbs. did not lift up. Sad...

 

[SDSorority]

I really don't think that it's a composite effect.
I think that it's much, much easier.
It's called an "in-camera" effect...
One that is performed 'live" and shot by the camera.
(That's the time-honored way to do mechanical effects, anyway.)

We don't see his feet on the first "float" scene and we don't see his hands in the next two "float" scenes.

Think "standing up" on a box on the floor and then, (using a bar hung above the camera's view) "pull-ups."

Shake the camera as you shoot,
Edit the shots together with black in-between,
Add the audio recorded in various trips.

-Bang-

All that said...
this could be the real deal.

Some folks are just that careless, and have no shame whatsoever.

I agree with your last statement HAHA.

I'm not so sure about the hang bar/box concept. The shadows on the seat and behind do not look fabricated, and if there was a hang bar or box involved, you would notice a flex of muscle at some point in the "elevation sequence", which does not happen. And at 1:03 the lighting matches the other two guys behind him in the car...

I really, honest and truly, think that this is real. We need to find a ToT CM! Anyone?? Bueller? Bueller...? I'm good friends with a former Aurora... maybe she knows something about it.