Muppet Mobile!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Saw them twice today. Very, very smooth. No breakdowns, only one millisecond audio glitch. They rolled all the way to Sunshine Plaza for the morning show. Bunsen was funny and quick with good responses to random questions. Beaker is just so cute, right down to his argyle socks.

Movie and pics

Observations:

• Bunsen is controlled by a puppeteer in a building somewhere. His vision is not perfect and he sometimes gets disoriented. If you're right in front of him however he can see you fine. He did call out things to people as he drove past so he does have side cams. You could see the cams on the vehicle.
  
• By the second show we could tell that Beaker is prerecorded noises/movements that the puppeteer triggers. Same goes for the "experiments", or bits, that they perform. The timing wasn't perfect on some of that but it was close.
  
• Bunsen stalled a few times while obviously searching for the right button to push. I'd say it was something that takes practice and that after a while the filler would go unnoticed.
  
• Bunsen's voice was spot on and even the character seemed well done to me.
  
• The gags written on the vehicle were also Muppet style and continued to elicit giggles as he rotated around.

We really enjoyed it. Quite the good sign of audio-animatronic things to come.

The only downside was an obnoxious person from another message board who stole a moment to advertise his board. Let me say that when Bunsen called it LaughingStock I thought he was right on.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

[*]Bunsen's voice was spot on and even the character seemed well done to me.

That's because David Goelz, the original voice of Dr. Honeydew was there in the park for this experiment doing the voice!

The OC Register had an article in Monday's paper about it.

"Of course I'm real," Honeydew barked at a little girl who asked. Overhearing her response, he said to the audience of about 100 or so people, "That's very cute. She said, 'He's just a puppet isn't he?' "

So it was popular enough to draw all of the park patrons to see it at one time!

Click here for the online article

This online article also includes a video that shows Dr. Honeydew conversing with a reporter (it appears to be her first interview ever, poor girl ) but it's funny to hear his responses. It also has an interview with Bruce Vaughn, Vice President of Imagineering. It sounds like they may implement this type of technology more at the parks.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by RStar

That's because David Goelz, the original voice of Dr. Honeydew was there in the park for this experiment doing the voice!

Oh. My yes, that would explain it.