what are 3D fireworks?

I checked the events for july 4th and it said this. why can't they just say "fireworks"

made me laugh at work out loud.

Basically it is the same as a 3-D movie vs. a standard movie. The description is vague and I haven't seen anything from the park but I'd imagine they'll have 3-D glasses available for this years display.

Fifteen years ago, they probably would have called this "FireworX" or something similarly lame.

In reality, they're probably talking about prismatic diffraction glasses that you've probably seen recently at Christmas lights displays.

Yes, that is exactly what it is. Google "3D Fireworks" and you will see a lot of glasses for sale, even a Youtube video shot through the glasses to see the effect.

At Magic Kingdom, they use actual 3D fireworks that explode into various volumetric shapes. On New Year's Eve, they actually have exploding numbers counting down. These are the number 6, which were more impressive a half-second before the shutter snapped on the camera.

Disney is on the cutting edge when it comes to pyrotechnics. The product in that picture alone would most likely break the budgets of the shoots I've worked. The colors speak to the quality of the shells they use.

Unfortunately I highly doubt Cedar Point will have these type of shells in their show this year. It'd be great if they did but I'd be willing to be they will use the 3-d glasses with standard old school mortars.

Even Disney uses standard old-school mortars. Well, except for their air-launched stuff, anyway... 8-)

(Their shells, on the other hand.....)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

JUnderhill said:

Disney is on the cutting edge when it comes to pyrotechnics. The product in that picture alone would most likely break the budgets of the shoots I've worked.

What WDW does for pyro really isn't any more cutting edge than most shows that are shot in large cities, even the 4th of July show that Cedar Point brings in from Zambelli. Same type of firing systems, racks, tubes, etc. Those number shells aren't any different in cost or technologiy than other shapes used at the park either. Now Disneyland on the other hand does use "newer" technology with their air launched shells as Dave pointed out.

As others have mentioned, I would guess Cedar Point will sell those 3-D glasses like the ones they used the first couple of seasons for 'Starlight Experience', which I think gave you a snowflake effect.

Yes they are different. I've worked displays for Rozzi, Grucci, Pyrotechnico, and Zambelli. Outside of Disney the best shells I've seen were some hand made at one of Rozzi's training classes. There are also some clubs that make great shells, however you don't see those in even the large city class shows on the 4th of July.

The vast majority of shells at your typical 4th of July show are mass produced Chinese garbage. Pay close attention to the colors of the fireworks, especially the blues. You will see that there are very few shows out there that rival the quality of Disney productions.

Even the so called great Thunder Over Louisville uses cheap shells. I prefer a high quality, well choreographed show using less shells than the typical "sky puke" you see at Thunder, Pops, and 90% of the other fireworks displays on the 4th of July.

The electronic boards that I've used are absolutely nothing like what is used at Illuminations, I guarantee that. While there are indeed large shows that do utilize similar systems today, keep in mind Disney had them a decade ago - thus my statement that they utilize cutting edge technology long before you see anything like it at Cleveland, Boston, etc...

I can also guarantee that there is a substantial cost difference between a 6" shell of the quality Disney uses and the ones you see at a typical 4th of July show.

oh ok... so they'll most likely sell people paper glasses for $10 plus tax at the beach gate. I can see it now.

guess they're doing that vip thing again. Glad I'll be at a better beach july 4th this year (as long as the weather holds out) to see CP's show :)

I would assume that the Disney shows are all tied to some repeatable time code system, like any other show, yes?

I've never seen the Disney fireworks but the best show I've seen are the Rock 'n' Blast shows the Cleveland Indians present. Timed to music, they have ground pyro, scoreboard pyro, low shells, high shells and even firewater. My seats are right by first base and the view from there is spectacular.

Illuminations will always be my favorite show. Original music, a spectacular "arena," and a pretty awesome finale.

There is such a vast range of fireworks displays it is hard to compare them all in a single group. The vast majority, perhaps 90-95% (guessing) of displays utilize no time code or computer control system whatsoever. In fact, the majority of displays on the 4th would be fired by hand. When it comes to e-fired displays there is once again a huge range of options. From boards with posts that fire when you touch them with a contact, to push button systems, and then elaborate computer timed displays like Disney. There are very few displays that would use a similar system that Illuminations or Wishes would use. Thunder Over Louisville does have an elaborate computer control system, and I'm sure the displays in NYC, DC etc... would as well.

I have yet to see a display as well timed and choreographed as Illuminations at Epcot. It was watching Illuminations back in the 80's that started my interest in fireworks. They were utilizing the newest and most cutting edge technology back then just like they do today. There is no doubt that Disney has advantages, such as performing Illuminations every night which allows them to perfect it, but nonetheless - there are very few displays out there that can rival the quality of that production.

so who on here is gonna buy them?

JUnderhill said:

The vast majority of shells at your typical 4th of July show are mass produced Chinese garbage...

...I can also guarantee that there is a substantial cost difference between a 6" shell of the quality Disney uses and the ones you see at a typical 4th of July show.

Not to burst your Disney bubble but all of the 1.3 that Magic Kingdom uses (and pretty much every other park) is all from China and at times is actual garbage. The numbered shells for NYE are from San Tai, while most everything else is from Young Feng and Sunni. There are so many product substitutions in 'Wishes' that its nothing like it was last year or even10 years ago for that matter. The "frowny face" in the evil section was cut permanently in favor of a "Green Firenet" which ended up being changed out yet again for a "Golden Wave to Green Chrysanthemum" because even Disney buys garbage sometimes. Just because they have big budgets doesn't mean they are buying the best of the best, especially with the quantities they are getting.

The electronic boards that I've used are absolutely nothing like what is used at Illuminations, I guarantee that.

They use Pyro Digital...which was probably all the rage in the 80's. However now its the least up to date when compared to the other parks which all use a Fire One type of system. I don't do much freelance pyro work but all of the people I know use an actual firing system, from small private shows to large events like those for Macy's in NYC. The Fire One is the most commonly used firing system now that they have made it so easy to use.

Jeff said:

I would assume that the Disney shows are all tied to some repeatable time code system, like any other show, yes?

The pyro is all timecoded with almost every show, both stage and in the sky. Private event shows will typically be manually shot from a computer. The perimeter firework sites receive an FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) signal from a central antenna rather than timecode from a hardwire when Magic Kingdom uses those.

*99er drops the mic*

Trust me guys. I wouldn't argue with him. ;)

Jeff said:

Illuminations will always be my favorite show. Original music, a spectacular "arena," and a pretty awesome finale.

One thing we learned on our last trip was that, at least for myself, this is best viewed from anywhere but the Fastpass area. At first I thought it would be a wonderful idea, and a cast member had given us a fastpass for it earlier in the day for some unknown reason aside from being (really, she handed it to my daughter as we were doing the FP kiosk thing). It was a little too close (you are in an area directly by the water at the entrance to World Showcase); and we had a much grander experience watching from a distance.

I don't think I want to wear 3d glasses while watching fireworks. I just like...fireworks.

I don't get the point of 3D glasses while watching fireworks. How does that make them any more 3D? With 3D movies, it requires certain technology to be able to do that. How can they do that with fireworks?

99er said:
The perimeter firework sites receive an FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) signal from a central antenna rather than timecode from a hardwire when Magic Kingdom uses those.

Does that involve some kind of compensation for delay? I mean, not only do you have to launch before you want your explosion, but put RF in the mix and that adds latency.