Disaster!
Encyclopedia
Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You! is an attraction at Universal Studios Florida
. Set on a soundstage of a fictitious movie company, Disaster! Studios, Disaster! is a reinvigorated version of the park's former Earthquake: The Big One ride which comically illustrates how special effects are filmed for use in movies. The attraction's climax casts the riders as "extras" for a movie finale scene involving an earthquake in a subway station. Thanks to high-speed editing techniques, the riders get to see their handiwork in the form of a movie trailer that includes film sequences shot throughout the attraction's pre-show and main ride.
famous Backlot Studio Tour, its main inspiration actually came from the 1974 disaster film
epic Earthquake. Over the years, however, fewer and fewer guests knew about the attraction's original heritage, so as part of a major renovation project, Universal Studios decided to detach the attraction from any existing film property and instead craft a completely fictional premise around it by reinventing its storyline entirely.
On November 5, 2007, Universal Orlando officially confirmed the refurbishment of this attraction the day that the original Earthquake attraction was permanently closed.
The attraction reconstruction itself took 1 month and 3 weeks, the fastest turnaround time for a new attraction in Universal Orlando history. Among the changes include a brand new pre-show experience, as well as new technologies never before used in a theme park. Disaster! also features new ride elements that were not in the Earthquake attraction.
The attraction started previews on December 23, 2007 after some technical problems delayed the actual opening. The grand opening took place on January 17, 2008. It was hosted by Universal Orlando Resort
President Bill Davis, with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson making a special guest appearance.
As of January 3, 2010, the Disaster attraction closed for the rehab of the ride section. It reopened on April 1, 2010.
. They have used it to make the following:
Disaster! is an interactive attraction following the storyline of a faux movie studio run by Frank Kincaid (played by Christopher Walken
). The studio is going bankrupt and needs visitors to act as extras for key insert scenes. In helping Frank Kincaid complete his masterpiece, the visitors are then asked to be a part of the big finale sequence involving an earthquake.
Guests are introduced to Lonnie, an Assistant Director who casts guests for scenes that he needs to be shot in the soundstages. Guest are then taken into a screening room where Frank Kincaid describes his particular brand of film-making. Frank Kincaid then pleas to visitors to help him complete his film. After a big speech, guests are ushered into another soundstage where the scenes are shot. Audience members that were pre-picked to be involved in the scenes are trotted out to perform, and the audience becomes part of the action as well, and scenes are filmed where a child jumps from one spot to another, lab workers are pummeled by foam rocks, a man in a pit, and a grandmother hoeing. Frank Kincaid appears on a screen and invites guests to take part in his big finale that is being shot next door.
West Oakland Station
, where they board a subway train. Small plasma screens on the train direct guests on the big reactions needed to successfully shoot the scene. Departing the station, guests travel beneath the bay and soon arrived at the Embarcadero subway station
. Shortly after arriving at the station, the lights in the station start to flicker, the engineer tells the people over the intercom that it's just a slight tremor and that there's no problem and the station suddenly grows dark, then the train is shaken by a violent earthquake. The entire station is seemingly destroyed as large cracks form in the station platforms, sections of the roof collapse, a gasoline truck falls through the ceiling and bursts into flames, another subway train enters the station and derails, and a flash flood of water rushes down the stairs and into the station. These effects and props are recycled from the previous ride that inhabited the space, Earthquake: The Big One, as well as new effects added in. Following the sequence, the train heads back to the West Oakland station, and the TV monitors on the train show the trailer for the faux film "Mutha Nature". The trailer, which spoofs disaster films in general, stars an uncredited Dwayne Johnson as a park ranger who tries to save lives during a series of ecological disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. Green screen
technology allows the trailer to incorporate scenes shot by guests, under the guidance of Universal Orlando staff.
Much like all the attractions at Universal Studios Florida
, the attraction has specific requirements to ensure the safety of guests, including being free of neck, back, or any other health ailments.
There is a small seasonal kiosk across from the exit called Disaster! Studios Gifts which sells T-shirts based on lines from the attraction. It replaced Earthquake: The Big One's Shakin's Souvenirs gift shop.(The seasonal kiosk no longer exists)
technology to bring the Frank Kincaid character to life. This technology uses techniques similar to the Pepper's Ghost
effect that has been used in attractions such as Haunted Mansion
and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
at Walt Disney World Resort as well as Universal's own Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
at Islands of Adventure
. Musion projects a high definition image onto the floor and onto a giant piece of plexiglass, giving it the illusion that it is lifelike. It also gives the ability to interact with objects on stage, as can be seen in many parts of the attraction.
Disaster! also uses Real-Time Editing to help produce the movie trailer for Mutha Nature that is shown at the end of the ride. Real-Time editing captures shots and wirelessly transmits them onto the Disaster! ride vehicle, which then inserts those shots into the trailer.
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
. Set on a soundstage of a fictitious movie company, Disaster! Studios, Disaster! is a reinvigorated version of the park's former Earthquake: The Big One ride which comically illustrates how special effects are filmed for use in movies. The attraction's climax casts the riders as "extras" for a movie finale scene involving an earthquake in a subway station. Thanks to high-speed editing techniques, the riders get to see their handiwork in the form of a movie trailer that includes film sequences shot throughout the attraction's pre-show and main ride.
Attraction history
Earthquake: The Big One was one of Universal Studios Florida's original attractions, opening with the park on June 7, 1990. While the attraction was principally based on a portion of the original park'sUniversal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
famous Backlot Studio Tour, its main inspiration actually came from the 1974 disaster film
Disaster film
A disaster film is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject...
epic Earthquake. Over the years, however, fewer and fewer guests knew about the attraction's original heritage, so as part of a major renovation project, Universal Studios decided to detach the attraction from any existing film property and instead craft a completely fictional premise around it by reinventing its storyline entirely.
On November 5, 2007, Universal Orlando officially confirmed the refurbishment of this attraction the day that the original Earthquake attraction was permanently closed.
The attraction reconstruction itself took 1 month and 3 weeks, the fastest turnaround time for a new attraction in Universal Orlando history. Among the changes include a brand new pre-show experience, as well as new technologies never before used in a theme park. Disaster! also features new ride elements that were not in the Earthquake attraction.
The attraction started previews on December 23, 2007 after some technical problems delayed the actual opening. The grand opening took place on January 17, 2008. It was hosted by Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
President Bill Davis, with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson making a special guest appearance.
As of January 3, 2010, the Disaster attraction closed for the rehab of the ride section. It reopened on April 1, 2010.
Halloween Horror Nights
The Disaster! queue has been used several years to make a haunted house at Halloween Horror NightsHalloween Horror Nights
Halloween Horror Nights is an annual Halloween event that occurs at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Singapore. Universal Studios remains operational during the day and transitions to Halloween Horror Nights at night...
. They have used it to make the following:
- DoomsdayDoomsday (film)Doomsday is a 2008 British science fiction film written and directed by Neil Marshall. The film takes place in the future. Scotland has been quarantined because of a deadly virus. When the virus is found in London, political leaders send a team led by Major Eden Sinclair to Scotland to find a...
(HHN XVIII) - Leave it to Cleaver (HHN XIX) (Sponsored by FangoriaFangoriaFangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
) - ZombieGeddon (HHN XX)
- H.R. Bloodengutz Presents: Holidays of Horror (HHN XXI)
Story
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
). The studio is going bankrupt and needs visitors to act as extras for key insert scenes. In helping Frank Kincaid complete his masterpiece, the visitors are then asked to be a part of the big finale sequence involving an earthquake.
Queue
Disaster's queue serves as a boneyard for many props from recent faux Disaster Studios films, including a Meteor-Struck House from Apocageddon, a torn apart plane from 300 Knots Landing, a mechanical shark from Das Schurke, and a giant tank being consumed by the tentacles from Super Mega Ultra Atomic Chaos. Guests are also greeted to Disaster Studios with a giant mural of destroyed Los Angeles, introducing Frank Kincaid as the "Master of Mayhem."Pre-Show
Ride
Guests enter a subway station, modeled after BART'sBay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
West Oakland Station
West Oakland (BART station)
West Oakland is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station located in the neighborhood of West Oakland in Oakland. It has two elevated side platforms, and is located near the eastern end of the Transbay Tube...
, where they board a subway train. Small plasma screens on the train direct guests on the big reactions needed to successfully shoot the scene. Departing the station, guests travel beneath the bay and soon arrived at the Embarcadero subway station
Embarcadero Station
Embarcadero is a BART and Muni Metro station in the Financial District of San Francisco. The easternmost stop on the Market Street Subway, Embarcadero acts as a major hub for passenger movement throughout the San Francisco Bay Area...
. Shortly after arriving at the station, the lights in the station start to flicker, the engineer tells the people over the intercom that it's just a slight tremor and that there's no problem and the station suddenly grows dark, then the train is shaken by a violent earthquake. The entire station is seemingly destroyed as large cracks form in the station platforms, sections of the roof collapse, a gasoline truck falls through the ceiling and bursts into flames, another subway train enters the station and derails, and a flash flood of water rushes down the stairs and into the station. These effects and props are recycled from the previous ride that inhabited the space, Earthquake: The Big One, as well as new effects added in. Following the sequence, the train heads back to the West Oakland station, and the TV monitors on the train show the trailer for the faux film "Mutha Nature". The trailer, which spoofs disaster films in general, stars an uncredited Dwayne Johnson as a park ranger who tries to save lives during a series of ecological disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. Green screen
Green Screen
The Green Screen international wildlife film festival is held annually in Eckernförde, Germany. The festival shows full-length and short nature documentaries about animals in their natural habitat. It is the only festival of its kind in Germany...
technology allows the trailer to incorporate scenes shot by guests, under the guidance of Universal Orlando staff.
Much like all the attractions at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
, the attraction has specific requirements to ensure the safety of guests, including being free of neck, back, or any other health ailments.
There is a small seasonal kiosk across from the exit called Disaster! Studios Gifts which sells T-shirts based on lines from the attraction. It replaced Earthquake: The Big One's Shakin's Souvenirs gift shop.(The seasonal kiosk no longer exists)
Cast
- Christopher WalkenChristopher WalkenChristopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
as Frank Kincaid The owner, CEO, Head Director, Writer, Producer etc. of Disaster! Studios. When an accident on the set of his newest film Mutha Nature causes its stars to go to rehab, Kincaid casts park guests as his new actors. Alec BaldwinAlec BaldwinAlexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
was originally considered for the role of Frank Kincaid.
- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the Star of Mutha Nature Although given no official character name, Johnson is seen as a lead role in Mutha Nature where he plays a park ranger who must save the world from hordes of disasters caused by an evil corporationEvil corporationAn evil corporation is a staple of science fiction , usually a big multinational company which values profits over ethics....
. - Universal Studios Florida Entertainment Team Member as Lonnie, Kincaid's Assistant DirectorAssistant directorThe role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
. When all of Kincaid's actors get sent to rehab during the filming of Mutha Nature, Lonnie is sent by Kincaid to cast new actors for his film. Lonnie is the main host of the attraction's pre-show. - Universal Studios Florida Operations Team Members as Production Crew Members the employees who work at Disaster! Studios for Kincaid. They are seen in almost every part of the attraction.
- Matthew WalkerMatthew Walker (US actor)Matthew Walker is an American film and television actor and a television director.-Life and career:Walker was born in Santa Monica, California. He has been acting professionally since the age of 17 when he appeared in a Disney Movie of the Week in 1986...
as Mikey Kincaid's assistant director for Mutha Nature. Mikey is seen twice in the entirety of the ride; in the second pre-show room working as a projectioist in a projectionists booth, and throughout the main ride portion. Mikey is the main host of the ride. Walker had previously worked on another Universal Studios-related project, Child's Play 3Child's Play 3Child's Play 3, also known as Child's Play 3: Look Who's Stalking, is a 1991 horror film. It is the third installment in the Child's Play series with Brad Dourif returning as the voice of Chucky...
.
Technology
Disaster! features new technology never before used in a theme park attraction. Disaster! uses Musion EyelinerMusion Eyeliner
The Musion Eyeliner is a modern commercial variation of a stage illusion called Pepper's ghost, using high definition video projection or LED screens to allow moving images to appear within a live stage setting....
technology to bring the Frank Kincaid character to life. This technology uses techniques similar to the Pepper's Ghost
Pepper's ghost
Pepper's ghost is an illusionary technique used in theatre and in some magic tricks. Using a plate glass and special lighting techniques, it can make objects seem to appear or disappear, transparent, or make one object seem to morph into another...
effect that has been used in attractions such as Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, more commonly known as Tower of Terror, is a drop tower thrill ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios , Disney California Adventure Park, Tokyo DisneySea and Walt Disney Studios Park . It is based upon the television show The Twilight Zone...
at Walt Disney World Resort as well as Universal's own Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an attraction at the Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida, United States. It is the signature ride of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of the theme park, and takes riders through scenes and environments in and around Hogwarts Castle...
at Islands of Adventure
Islands of Adventure
Universal's Islands of Adventure is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened May 28, 1999 as part of an expansion that, along with CityWalk Entertainment District, the Portofino Bay Hotel, and Hard Rock hotel, converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort...
. Musion projects a high definition image onto the floor and onto a giant piece of plexiglass, giving it the illusion that it is lifelike. It also gives the ability to interact with objects on stage, as can be seen in many parts of the attraction.
Disaster! also uses Real-Time Editing to help produce the movie trailer for Mutha Nature that is shown at the end of the ride. Real-Time editing captures shots and wirelessly transmits them onto the Disaster! ride vehicle, which then inserts those shots into the trailer.