Spectromagic Question

[chesirechik]

Who controls the things that roll around? Like at the beginning of the parade there are those three motorized balls with people on top? Who controls them?

We were in Frontierland watching the parade and pretty much had the area to ourselves. There was a big "fish" that came down by itself, I was trying to take a picture and I swear it turned to me and just stayed there until I took a picture. After the flash went off it turned and continued down the street. I'm just curious if there is someone inside that controls it.

 

[Joanna71985]

There are drivers inside both the spinning pods and inside the big fish. You have to be trained to drive both.

 

[chesirechik]

Thanks. I figured that, but DH was arguing that they had to be controled by remote control or tracks in the pavement.

 

[rflorek]

There are computer sensors in the "street" to make sure that they stay on track, but I do believe taht many of the floats are "driven"

 

[Joanna71985]

The "computer sensors" in the street are for the music soundtrack and lights. All the floats are manually driven by drivers. They have to go through several days of training- at night obviously. There is different levels of float driving. Certain floats have different levels of difficulty. For example- the pods and the big solo fish for Spectro are "easier" to drive then, say, the Little Mermaid float set.

 

[DebbieB]

I did the Keys to the Kingdom tour once, there are doors where the drivers climb in. I've watched the parade from where it comes out, next to the horse barn and some of the larger floats have to be guided out by cm's with flashlights.

 

[Joanna71985]

All the floats have to be guided out by flashlight during Spectro. Also, during the DCT (Share a Dream Come True) parade, the floats are guided in past the car barn by a flashlight as well.