Over the weekend, Disney’s Hollywood Studios got to experience an attraction that only a few have ever enjoyed at . at
Whether because they are forward-thinkers or because they have a magic crystal ball in the back office, seems to think of everything. When Imagineers create, design, and build new attractions and rides, it’s a long, arduous process that’s surely one part creativity, one part problem-solving, and another part delegation (among other important “parts”).
RELATED: Fans of “Fantasmic!” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are in for a disappointment
And then there’s another component to the creating and bringing to fruition new rides and attractions. We’ll call it the “what if” component, arguably the most important part of the responsibilities of at , , and every other around the globe: what if the fails (Guest safety), for example.
And what if the has a rogue animatronic or otherwise uncooperative feature or fixture that simply isn’t working? Imagineers have the answer: B-mode, a slightly different version of the attraction that can go unnoticed by some .
On Saturday, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway . On that particular day, Mickey and Minnie were the rogue animatronics. Maybe they went to grab lunch at a location outside . Perhaps the same all day long, every day of the week got a bit mundane and they took a break. It could be that the pair needed a break from . Or . Or . experienced the rare B-mode version of the popular
Maybe they were unwell. But whatever the reason, one “room” inside the attraction was devoid of the and animatronics.
One , MagicBandManiac, took video of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway operating in B-mode.
I’ve never actually seen them in B mode before pic.twitter.com/R0Yqaxo03m
— MagicbandManiac+ (@MagicbandManiac) April 9, 2022
operators switched to B-mode so that would instead see a projection of the Mouseke-duo, rather than emptiness. B-mode also keeps the from instant shutdown to address the issue.
According to InterPark, “B-mode” allows to “continue enjoying the whole attraction rather than shutting it down completely. With so many other awesome effects to enjoy, there is little reason to cause them to miss out entirely when it is only one animatronic that has gone down.”
In this case, still saw and in their hot air balloon, but they were projections instead of animatronics.
While not every the has a B-mode, several do, especially at Disney’s . Occasionally, the giant animatronic Shaman of Songs inside the Na’vi River Journey attraction at Pandora needs a break from her singing and swaying. at
When this happens, Expedition Everest at , you’ve definitely experienced it in B-mode, as it’s been in operating that way for years. Since the Yeti first malfunctioned, the has been in B-mode, affectionately called “Disco Yeti” since the logistics for repairing the abominable snow monster are complicated. (However, one fan was able to fix the Yeti with no trouble at all; you can read about him here.) operators can switch to B-mode, and can still enjoy the while the shaman gets her rest. And chances are if you’ve EVER ridden
may never experience an attraction in B-mode, but for those who do–especially if they are huge Disney Parks fans–the change is sometimes noticeable, but it usually doesn’t take away from the overall experience.
Here’s hoping and are back at their posts inside that hot air balloon really soon!