
Day 8 - October 26, 2013
After boarding your Doom Buggy, your ride
vehicle will travel into the library. The library is our first
instance where the Imagineers use lighting to trick our mind into
believing something is different than it actually is. Interestingly
enough, one of the effects is done by dim lighting while the other
is by adding lighting.
First let's set up the scene. Once you enter the
Library there are several marble busts found upon the shelves (of
some of the greatest ghost writers the literary world has ever
known). In addition, there is a table, chair, books scattered upon
the floor, and naturally book shelves found throughout the room.
While most of the books sit still, a few of them are being pulled
and placed upon the shelves by an unseen ghost!
So what are the effects? Let's begin by taking a
look at the books themselves. While entering the room you may
realize that this is a library Belle would be more than happy to
visit, however, she would most likely be very disappointed after
closer inspection. While the books that lay on the floor and the
ones that move on and off the shelf are indeed real, the rest of the
ones found upon the shelves are actually a very detailed mural. Due
to lack of lighting guests minds are tricked into thinking they are
all real!
Now for the real star of the show: the busts that
watch your every move! How on earth does this effect work? The bust
is indeed a tricky yet very simple effect to pull off. While the
busts are moldings for busts, we are actually looking at them from
the back side. So while everything appears to be coming out at us,
it is indeed entering the wall instead! This causes guests to look
at different parts of the bust from different angles which in turn,
with the aid of a light behind it, creates the idea that the busts
are following your every move!
After passing the library and going through stairway
room guests enter the endless hallway. A few doors down the hallway
you will find a floating candlestick. The effect of this endless
hallway with a candlestick floating is done by mirrors and scrim
(the same item that helped hide the hanging man in the stretch
room). A few doors behind the candlestick a mirror is placed to give
the illusion that the hallway keeps going when in reality it is just
about three or four doors deep. In addition to that, to help avoid
seeing multiple candlesticks, the back of the candlestick is painted
black so it doesn't appear in the mirror!
Another interesting item to pay attention to while
in this room is the chair on the left hand side. It's been a debate
for quite some time whether or not this face is just a face of if it
belongs to everyone's favorite Duck, Donald! If you look at it, you
can see a sailor hat with two large eyes and a large bill.
Tomorrow we will continue down the hallway and
observe the portraits upon the walls and how it is one of the best
foreshadowing methods ever used in a Disney attraction!
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