Walking Animatronic Dinosaur At Disney Park

Dan Howland writes "Shades of Jurassic Park: Disney's first walk-around, interactive animatronic character, Lucky the dinosaur, is now strolling around Disney's California Adventure, but will probably move to Disney's Animal Kingdom in the coming weeks. It kinda walks on two legs, just as the rumors promised, but actually pulls a cart for additional balance (and to hide the computers). Videos can be found on the link above. More photos, and a video of Lucky blowing his nose here."

Comments

They walk among us now

[mao che minh]

"Lucky stands about eight feet tall, and his head and neck can lift almost straight up. He walks on his two back legs and pulls a very large cart of silk flowers. Lucky and Chandler interact, but Chandler does not operate the character. Lucky is controlled by two discreet operators on the sidelines. Lucky grunts, groans and whines in reaction to Chandler's comments and events around him. He can blow his nose, wink, smile, and look around."

Basically, it's a big remote controlled Robie Robot Jr that looks like a dinosaur. By the way, does anyone else remember the Radio Shack Robie Robot Jr, or was I the only person to get one as a kid when I was 6?

welcome...

[chochos]

so, um, is anyone going to welcome our new mechasaur overlords?

Hrm

[vigilology]

I don't like how they have introduced it to slavery.

Re:GREAT!!! now for R2D2 and C3PO !

[webster3w]

They actually already made one. As N8F8 mentioned the talking trash can, a very identical robot was made to represent R2D2. He rolled around with one of the parades. Both are fairly ingenious. They look like they are completely self controlled and no one has anything to do with them. However, if you watch the people who are nearby, you will see someone who looks like they have a messanger bag on their back with their hand stuck in it. (Put on hand on the small of your back, and then imagine a messanger bag covering it) Inside that bag are the controls for the robot. The cast member controlling the robot dresses and acts like a tourist, the only giveaway is that he follows the trash can alot, and goes backstage after the robot. I'm not sure how the trashcan talks, cause I didn't see the cast members mouth move (ventriloquism?) but there is very possibly a camera in the trash can, which stream video to another cast member who provides the voice. I'm not sure. The one who walks with R2D2 was dressed like the cast members who simply police the parade route. They are using something similar for Lucky. I'm not sure which article I read that mentioned this, but he has two cast members who control him. (Three cast members for such a small attraction seems high by their current casting levels) I imagine the same thing applies. Look for two people who are following the dinosaur around with their hands hidden behind their back in a messanger bag.

Archaeologists

[So Called Expert]

What will archaeologists of the future think of this when they unearth its remains?

Cart

[Bugmaster]

It's a good thing Disney decided to put the computers in a cart behind the dino. Otherwise, I just know that about half of Slashdot would be out in Disneyland right now, wardriving (war-walking ?) Lucky and hacking the wireless protocol.

Hi, my name is Lucky, and I luuuv yyy-y-y-y L-l-l-ook at you haCker (hacker), huffing and pUfFing as you cr-cr-crawl through my database (base). How can yOu coMpAre to a perperperfect, immmmmmortAl MaChIne ?

That ought to send half the kids looking for cover, and the other half whipping out their trusty PsiAmp and overcharging Projected Pyrokinesis...

Re:I don't think it walks

[NuShrike]

I've seen it in the R&D lab. It really walks on its own two feet. The reason it has the cart behind it is the computers/electronics would add too much weight for the legs to carry.

Quote From Jurassic Park

[Valen0]

John Hammond: All major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked.

Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.

Slashdotted, but here are direct links

[NaDrew]

Hi, I work for MousePlanet. Sorry our bandwidth was unable to withstand a severe slashdotting. While we scrape up the remains of our main server, here are direct links to the photos and videos:

• Lucky peeks out before his show.
• Chandler leads the way to "Dinosaurin' Over California."
• Lucky's basket is filled with flowers?and quite a lot of electronic equipment.
• Between shows, Lucky heads home to the former Hollywood and Dine location.
• Chandler helps Lucky blow his nose.
• Lucky holds a pen between his teeth to sign autographs.
• Chandler holds an authograph book for Lucky.
• Lucky's signature is a four-leaf clover.
• Lucky smiles for the crowd.
• Lucky heads down Hollywood Blvd towards a balloon vendor.
• See-and hear-how Lucky walks (1.3MB MPG, 15 seconds).
• In an amazing show of spontaneity and interactivity, Chandler breaks from the script to point out a flying pteradactyl (a helicopter) to Lucky, who then lifts his head and gazes up into the sky (1.3MB MPG, 15 seconds).
• The gentle dinosaur welcomes a child, who approaches him for a visit (1.3MB MPG, 15 seconds).
• "Now don't eat the balloon, it'll give you gas," Chandler says, as he offers a balloon to Lucky. Lucky shows surprising dexterity as he grasps the string with his mouth, only to cry out in sadness as he loses his grip and the balloon begins to float away (1.3MB MPG, 15 seconds).

Re:It's all fun and games...

[Bueller_007]

Welcome to Itchy & Scratchy Land, where nothing can possibl-eye go wrong... Uh, possibl-ee go wrong. That's the first thing that's ever gone wrong.

Re:Talking Trash Can

[NanoGator]

"Last year I was at Disney and they had this talking trach can that I assume was radio controlled."

Was that over by Star Tours? That was R2-D2 you insensitive clod!