Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!

Coordinates: 28°21′23″N 81°33′29″W / 28.35639°N 81.55806°W / 28.35639; -81.55806
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Indiana Jones
Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Disney's Hollywood Studios
AreaEcho Lake
StatusOperating
Opening dateAugust 25, 1989
Ride statistics
Attraction typeStunt show
Designer
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
ThemeRaiders of the Lost Ark
Music"The Raiders March" and film compositions
by John Williams
Audience capacity2,150 per show
Duration25 minutes
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Available
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible
Assistive listening available

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! is a live amusement show at

Orlando, Florida. Based on the popular and successful Indiana Jones film franchise, it includes various stunts and live reenacted scenes from the series's first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is executive produced by George Lucas and directed by Jerry Rees
, with stunt coordination by Glenn Randall.

History

Indiana Jones stunt double performing at the show

The show opened on August 25, 1989, in the Stunt Theater, as the first Indiana Jones attraction at a Disney park, and was put on a six-month hiatus in 2000 for refurbishing.[1]

In 2004, the Nazi

swastikas on German trucks, aircraft, and actor uniforms were removed and replaced by a Balkenkreuz.[2]

This is the first theme park attraction to use a computer-based show control system in conjunction with a custom made programmable logic controller system to trigger, control and sequence complex live events in real time, controlled by the actors in many cases. All other effects are triggered by a cast member at the booth. The original control system was based on the Amiga computer with software by Richmond Sound Design Ltd. The show is consistently upgrading its electronics and computer elements to keep it up to date. This began a trend in live stunt shows with both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios opening many more similar attractions over the next eight years.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! incorporated audience participation as part of the show's entertainment, until 2020; this part was dropped when the show returned to the theme park after the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers were chosen from the crowd to perform as townspeople in the Cairo street scene, though they did not perform any stunts themselves and were always placed a safe distance away from the real stunt work and special effects. Among the actual audience volunteers was a stunt performer plant who surprised the audience and other volunteers by gradually revealing their skills during a supposed tutorial session between scenes.

Show experience

The finale scene from the show.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! is based on many of the popular stunt scenes from

pyrotechnic devices
which are incorporated into several of the stunts.

The action starts with Indy braving dangers in a recreation of the Peruvian temple scene from the beginning of the movie. Dangerous spikes, false floors and ancient booby traps test the archaeologist's skills before he attempts to make a getaway with the golden idol. The stunt show then moves on to the busy and audience-participant filled streets of

Nazis from flying the Ark to Berlin. The reenactment is complete with a scaled-down version of a German Luftwaffe aircraft with Balkenkreuz
(swastikas were used in the show up until the 2000s). Indy fights a large German mechanic while Marion operates the aircraft's machine gun, blowing away enemies in sight. Indy and Marion are able to make a narrow escape as the airfield is engulfed in flames.

Incidents

On August 17, 2009, 30-year-old stunt performer Anislav Varbanov died from a head injury after rehearsing a gymnastic tumble for the show.[3]

2020 labor dispute

When Walt Disney World reopened in July 2020 following the

Festival of the Lion King, and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! had remained closed due to a dispute between the Actors' Equity Association and Walt Disney World over allowing performers to wear face masks and providing regular testing.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Press Release - Indiana Jones is Back, Better Than Ever". wdwmagic.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  2. ISBN 9780252092633
    . Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  3. ^ Willoughby Mariano (August 18, 2009). "Disney performer dies during rehearsal". Orlando Sentinel.
  4. ^ Carter, Ashley (July 29, 2020). "Disney World, Actors' Union Rift Keeps Shows in the Dark". Spectrum News. Bay News 9. Retrieved August 3, 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!.

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