Bumping this post. lol :)
Long time no see everyone, let's see if I can add some details to a few of your questions.
Hey, I know the CM in that pic lol.
Yes the monitors did get replaced with the exact same model that were out there already. They're completely weatherproof without the cases, but the cases make them look a whole lot better and you don't see a whole bunch of ugly SunTronic monitors randomly floating in the air with Walt Disney singing on them.
Most of the theaters did receive new carpet, only theaters 4 and 6 got new seating for the time being...
The reason why both sides of the queue aren't used is if for easier guest control, and so that way guests in wheelchairs or EVCs can take their time loading into the theater on the right side without having to be worried about holding anyone else up. Both sides of the queues can hold 250 guests, so if there's a multi-theater wait, the queues alternate loading.
Example: Queue 1 (Left) if completely filled with 240 guests, next theater comes around and they start loading, while they finish loading into the theater from Queue 1, Queue 2 (Right) fills up with 240 guests, they stop loading. Once queue 1 gets the all clear, Queue 1 can start loading again with 240 guests, Next theater comes around Queue 2 loads into the theater while Queue 1 keeps filling up with guests. Then you basically repeat this all day long until park close if you have that amazing guest count.
Gears hopefully will be a thing of the past, in about a year.
They won't be replaced until the show gets it's refurb, due to the fact the Pre-Show Video still uses the Gear logos and there's no way to change that.
Changes color too, but it won't be changing color till the outside lighting of the building get's programmed as well.
It looks as though there are guests waiting in the holding queue on the right, which would mean that they are loading from both back doors....is this the case? If so, my next question would be, is the velvet rope back (down the center of the theatre)?
Yup, the show still get's loaded through both doors on a daily basis, and sorry the rope down the middle of the theater isn't coming back.
Speaking of the kaleidophonic screen, I imagine it not being to hard to recreate it.
I mean, they built, what I presume to be, a fully working replica for the Tomorrowland movie. They have the patents and blueprints for it:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3241419. They even know what the presentation should look like:
And imagine what it would look like with modern LEDs and computer programming.
When they filmed tomorrowland, they actually used Pixel Panels (Video Wall Panels) but they didn't do anything cool with them.
The problem with using them is the fact that they're so expensive to build (back then and now), and they still aren't that reliable unlike Pixel Panels, but Pixel Panels can't run that long (from what I've been told). They've looked into doing it, but that someone how got changed into some type of holographic projector screen and that turned into Holographic Walt Disney welcoming you to the Carousel Of Progress and giving you a brief history of the show. If you look in between where the two drop ceiling meet on stage 1 (Load), you can see 3 projectors up there peaking out and pointing down at the stage. Imagineering has been playing around with it for a few weeks now after the park closes. Keep in mind, when I tell you guys this, everything they're doing and have set up is temporary and not staying (at the moment at least).
So yeah, I think that about covers it...
Have a great big beautiful day everyone, and remember tomorrow is just a dream away!