Originally Posted By ssWEDguy I see where Siemens is a new corporate sponsor at Disney. They are picking up sponsorship of Spaceship Earth and Illuminations, among other things. My question -- the inferno barge at Illuminations has been 101 for about a month now, after an accident that damaged the equipment. Will this Siemens sponsorship now get the inferno barge back into operation more quickly? In the meantime I see where there have been adjustments to the fireworks themselves to accommodate the lack of the flame effects. Does anyone know when the barge is expected to be back? Any rumors about possible changes for Spaceship Earth?
Originally Posted By CTXRover The damage to the barge was apparently relatively extensive. The barge is not expected to be back by the holidays as much as they were hoping. They do plan to have it back in the future, but no set date has been established. With Siemen's sponsorship or not, it sounds like they were trying their hardest to assess what went wrong, investigate why it happened and fix it as quickly as possible, but these things take time. Nothing has been announced regarding any changes to SSE. My guess is that we'll see some Siemen's signs around the attraction and a new post show area as soon as they finish developing the design for it.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros What exactly happened to the barge? Did something explode that wasn't supposed to? How long ago was it?
Originally Posted By gaston lives I'd assume that Siemens was smart and said they'd take on the show only if it were fixed prior to their sponsorship. Nobody wants to go into a business deal behind the 8 ball. I can see it now...EPCOT is proud to present Siemens in teh sky!
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> What exactly happened to the barge? << My understanding is that about a month ago one of the pressure tanks exploded while the barge was being setup mid-lagoon, mid-afternoon. Didn't happen during a show, and there were no injuries. Just a big noise, and damage to the barge itself. It's been out of commission and the show has been flamebargeless since then.
Originally Posted By CTXRover On the inferno barge was one of the two ALFs or Air Launch Fireworks used in the show. The beginning sequence opens with a lone firework shot off one of the buildings in the UK pavilion which then appears to explode in the center of the lagoon as a large firework. The large firework explosion was actually a well-timed firework set off from the inferno barge to meet the tail end of the first comet-like firework. It was this large firework shell within the Air launch tube that accidently went off during preparation for the show. Luckily no one was hurt, but as you would expect, the inferno barge underwent substantial damage. It apparently wasn't totaled as some have been saying, but there was damage to the barge. Both ALFs have been removed for the time being. Before the barge can be repaired, an investigation into what went wrong and why needed to be done. After that, the barge itself needs to be fixed. It'll be back, its just taking longer than they had originally hoped. Beyond the flames in the chaos sequence, and those first two fireworks, there is no other effects to the show.
Originally Posted By CTXRover I honestly haven't seen the show since the barge went MIA. I've heard though that the comet-like shell is now shot off from the banks of the lagoon and the second large explosion-like shell is shot off from one of the many other firework barges out on the lagoon. I imagine its not nearly as impressive or well timed as it was with the ALFs, but it will do for now. I've also heard they tested some use of lasers and smoke bomb effects to fill in for the barge when they tested the Peace on Earth holiday tag a week or so ago. I haven't heard though of any changes made to the show currently being seen at this time.
Originally Posted By haiderodes i just think it would be wierd during that beginning sequence to not have anything going on where the flame is supposed to be. lots of downtime...just music and then those loud orange blasts.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> The beginning sequence opens with a lone firework shot off one of the buildings in the UK pavilion which then appears to explode in the center of the lagoon as a large firework. The large firework explosion was actually a well-timed firework set off from the inferno barge to meet the tail end of the first comet-like firework. << Is this accurate? I've watched the show closely many times, and I've grown to observe that this first air launched shell seems to come from one of the 8 auxiliary fireworks rafts. (not even from one of the 4 primary fireworks barges) I would have guessed that due to the heat and flames that there would be nothing on the flame barge itself except the flame effects. Although, since this first shell goes off before any of the flames, I suppose it could be.
Originally Posted By CTXRover <<Is this accurate? >> I'm pretty positive its accurate given that the ALF fireworks have been pulled from the show after the damage that occurred on the inferno barge. If anyone knows anything different, please correct me.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> given that the ALF fireworks have been pulled from the show after the damage that occurred on the inferno barge << You know, now that you point that out it certainly makes sense that the ALF's were on the flame barge. Otherwise, why would they not still be part of the show?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> it certainly makes sense that the ALF's were on the flame barge. << I mean the ALF's for the show's opening burst, of course.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy I remember ALF. Had no idea he was living at WDW in his retirement years. Was ALF on ABC?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Just looked it up. ALF was on NBC.<< Thanks, Labuda. What would we do without Google?
Originally Posted By Labuda Use IMDB like I did for that. lol BUtm Google is a TOTAL lifesaver for me almost every day I'm at work when I get some weird-ass probem I've never before run into.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I can see why -- just typed in weird -ass problem and got 6,750,000 hits ( really)
