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At first glance, many guests might think that Walt Disney Imagineers
-- the wizards responsible for envisioning and creating the Walt
Disney World Resort theme park attractions -- are all creative masterminds
with blue-sky ideas that constantly bubble over like nervous energy.
Looking closer, however, one discovers that complex mathematics,
physics and science are a major part of Walt Disney Imagineering
(WDI) projects. And that a slide rule, calculator and computer are
vital tools complementing the out-of-the-box dreaming for which
Disney is famous.
Left Brain, Right Brain
The most recent -- and "terror"fying -- example of this
unique talent blend is the latest incarnation of The Twilight Zone™
Tower of Terror, the 13-story thrill ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios
that features high-speed, fright-filled ascents and descents within
a haunted hotel façade.
When Walt Disney Imagineers suggested the idea of adding more terror
to the Tower, they knew it would require a perfect marriage of creativity
and mathematics.
Enter Theron Skees and Michael Tschanz, the WDI "dream team"
designated to make it reality.
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As the WDI creative show producer for Disney's Hollywood Studios, Skees
works with lighting and interior designers, conceptualists,
writers and architects on every creative aspect of the theme
park. Skees also has an extensive background in sculpting, thematic
painting and design.
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Tschanz, who has a master's degree in electrical engineering,
found his calling in applied mathematics and started his career
at a large technology corporation in Texas where he developed
simulations and performed systems analyses on graphics supercomputers.
Also an accomplished pianist and music director, Tschanz joined
Disney in 1997, working for the Scientific Systems arm of WDI. He's
a self-described hi-tech "geek" who tackles a world of
probabilities, algorithms and software systems. As a principal software
engineer for Scientific Systems, Tschanz works with three-dimensional
simulations, real-time control algorithms and systems modeling.
"Some have called us a two-headed monster," laughs Tschanz,
"but it is a great complement of left brain and right brain
skills."
The combination of those skills produced what Skees and Tschanz
call "Tower of Terror 4," signifying the fourth time (since
its debut in 1994) that the attraction has reopened with a new ride
and drop sequence. Each time, more thrills and special effects were
added.
The Tower is in Control
This time, Skees and Tschanz actually placed the attraction in
control, as the complex computer system randomly chooses which ups
and downs guests will experience. In addition, more special effects
were added, making Tower of Terror one of the most advanced multi-sensory
attractions anywhere in the world.
While Skees and his team brainstormed ways to surprise guests like
never before -- with ghostly apparitions, 3-D sounds, surprising
smells and making the elevator vehicle move in different ways --
Tschanz kept his computer running non-stop, inputting data and meticulously
measuring variables such as ride time, drop time and -- his personal
favorite -- "air time."
Math + Creativity = Terror
Call it "math-magic," but Tschanz's meticulous studies
resulted in the technology and capabilities of Tower of Terror being
pushed farther than ever before. Knowing Skees was busy pumping
more surprises than ever into the attraction's storyline, Tschanz's
mission from the outset was to create an out-of-this-world experience
using digits and denominators to complement the illusion and effects.
"Through analysis, you want to push these systems and get
as much as you possibly can out of them because you're going to
get a better guest experience out of them. Also, creative (Skees'
team) is going to be happier with the final product, and then our
guests will be really happy," Tschanz says. "Everybody's
going to win. It's certainly harder and takes more time to do that,
but you end up with a much better product in the end."
Skees and Tschanz, along with their respective teams, spent approximately
two years on the redesign of Tower of Terror, pouring through multiple
mock-ups, computer models, creative designs and reams of data.
Since the attraction was open to park guests during the day, the
teams had to work around the clock, spending many late nights inside
the dark elevator shafts. Skees and Tschanz often found themselves
strapped inside the elevator cars for up to three hours at a time
as new drop sequences were tested and studied. Tschanz estimates
he rode the attraction nearly 3,000 times during the project.
The result, they agree, exceeded even their lofty expectations.
Like proud parents of a New Year's baby, Tschanz and Skees proudly
watched as their attraction debuted on Dec. 31, 2002.
"With the different ride profiles, this was like having multiple
attractions in one project," says Skees. "We are extremely
fortunate to have a very flexible storyline and a reprogrammable
ride system on this attraction. Those two elements gave us a great
opportunity to reinvent the way we tell that story and gave us a
greater canvas to paint on."
But Can It Predict Lottery Numbers?
As Tower of Terror sends thrills and chills through brave Disney
guests, Tschanz and Skees hear their share of shrieks and screams
coming from the cavernous elevator shafts. And they're also hearing
lots of questions. The number-one question people ask? "Which
ride profile will be next?"
"When we say the Tower is now in control, that is 100 percent
accurate," Tschanz says. "The very moment that the elevator
is entering the shaft, the computer decides what is going to happen.
It decides which experience it picks.
"As far as which one is next, the sequence does not go in
any order and then just start over. The Tower actually has a random
number generator that's based on modulo functions," he says.
"It is a totally random set of numbers. We don't know and even
the ride operators don't know. Really, only the Tower knows."
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