Space Mountain With The Lights On

**Sam I Am** · 01-27-2005, 12:04 PM

There are fiber optics embedded into the sidewalk outside of Innoventions at Epcot. These are like "light pipes" and are glass or plastic fibers that transmit light. If you've had one of those fritzy toys that change color, you've seen fiber optics.

The version in the sidewalk is much more complex, in that the individual points of light are arranged in a specific pattern in front of an "illuminator" - usually a pretty bright light with a glass wheel in front of it. The glass wheel has patterns of both color (or transparent) and black on it. As it spins, it creates the patterns you see in the pavement - cool reveals, spirals, etc. This same effect is used in many places in WDW. One example is the Tower of Terror/Hollywood Tower Hotel sign by the queue entrance. It normally just says "Hollywood Tower Hotel" like a regular sign, but it has fiber optics embedded in it which light up in a pattern to reveal "Tower of Terror" and then have that vanish in a spiraly Twilight-zone pattern. It actually has different settings based on weather/time of day - I believe it's done with two glass wheels. One spins on a motor to provide the effect of the name appearing and disappearing, the other can be manually positioned to adjust the brightness (it doesn't need to be as bright during the nighttime or on a cloudy day than in direct sunlight)

In Epcot, the lights in the pavement aren't actually sensitive to where you touch/step, but because of the relatively high frequency of change, it's easy to think that (and probably intentional. At least it's fun to try and catch the light).

As far as talking drinking fountains, there are three of them at Epcot, and they can give you quite a 'shock' (no not talking electrical safety, just the surprise

**BigDaddyKyle** · 01-27-2005, 12:05 PM

Thanx for the suggestion!!!!

**TrendyMagic** · 01-27-2005, 03:35 PM

Sam has pretty much mentioend it all about hte lights outside Innoventions West. Theses are pretty fun to watch kids catch the light.

Here are where two of the three fountains are that I remember:
Left hand side of the Fountain of Nations (the fountain that plays to the music)
Next to the restorooms halfway between Innoventions West and Imagination.

**Sam I Am** · 01-28-2005, 12:19 AM

Forget the kids. It's fun as a "grown-up" (or somewhere between) to catch the light

**becca0010** · 02-04-2005, 03:37 PM

We recently took the family scavenger hunt tour through the MK. The tour itself was geared towards the kids and was cool for them, but at the end Peter Pan and Wendy came out and hung out with us privately. There was only one other family on the tour with us. We had a private picture taking session and story telling. Then they walked across the park with us and waited in line to see Philharmagic. We all sat in the front row with them and my six year old got to sit in between them for the show. All together we spent 45 minutes with just our two families and the two characters. It was the best money I have ever spent at Disney.

**Rocketeer** · 02-10-2005, 12:18 AM

Just one more word on the center of the world - just there last month and should have taken a picture. BUT from the below satellite image, is easy to see and find. Also located at
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/ima...a%7cflorida%7c
as an interactive database (Center of the World is at lower 'center' of the large satellite view) - just back out the view to get the bigger picture!

**becca0010** · 02-10-2005, 06:54 AM

That is really cool. Also very close up!! I zoomed way out and could see the Mickey in the speedway.:mickey:

**BigDaddyKyle** · 02-10-2005, 09:56 AM

Awesome!!! Thanx for the link!!!!!

**WDW Donna** · 02-13-2005, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by crashbunny

Here's one that may not be a secret but it's often overlooked. Don't just rush by Canada - take the time to walk around to the back of the Pavilion and look at the gardens - they are just beautiful and a great resting and relaxing spot. Someone told us about this a few years ago and we never realized it was there. Worth a peek if you're into flowers and gardening.!!

They actually gradually take out coloured flowers in the fall and put in white ones which last the winter, replacing them with coloured flowers in the spring, simulating our long long long long cold cold cold cold winter.

**Liv2CdWorld** · 02-14-2005, 10:59 AM

Great view! Thanks for the link!

**sadizney** · 02-14-2005, 12:45 PM

Wow! That's awesome Rocketeer!

**angelmaker** · 02-23-2005, 01:36 PM

In 1999 we took our daughters, then 7 to Disney and we got the e-ticket for the Magic Kingdom after hours. It was just before 10:00 p.m. and we hit the line for Space Mountain just as they were closing; we were the last 4 people and the attendant closing the gate told us to let the ride operators know we were the last ones. We loaded up in the car and were launched but it stopped just outside the "tunnel" to a dead stop. We sat there for what seemed like an eternity and I started to get upset, and the girls started crying. I am a bit claustrophobic and of course it's pitch black in there. There was no way to wiggle out of the seats and I started yelling, "hey, we're in here!" Finally after a few minutes the lights came on and someone was walking up the track - someone else said to release the car and we got to ride it in the light. Definitely not as much fun! My husband gave the business the ride operators when we got off - obviously they forgot about us!!! You can be sure of one thing - I will never be the last person in line again.