The Secret Behind the Leaping Fountains at the Imagination Pavilion

When Disney’s Imagineers began designing the park that would become EPCOT, they approached it with a different sort of vision that had previously been used in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. Both parks focused on distinct lands, with every one themed uniquely to evoke a specific time or place. EPCOT, however, would be different. Firstly, there would only be two “lands” to speak of, World Showcase and Future World (or EPCOT Center as it was originally called). The emphasis wasn’t so much on creating an imagined world for the entire land but on allowing each pavilion to stand on its own. At the Imagination pavilion, the Imagineers had the opportunity to look beyond the attractions and buildings to create a whimsical playground that would inspire that spark of creativity in all of us. Gardens were transformed into interactive showpieces. Water features were literally turned upside down. Even the shrubbery was given a fanciful makeover – the kind of foliage you would expect to find in Figment’s backyard.

In fact, the pavilion’s landscaping offered so many features that when it opened, it was considered to be the fourth attraction in the pavilion. While some of those features have changed over the years, one that has stayed pretty much the same (not counting a color makeover!) is the famed Leaping Fountains. If you’re anything like us, you’ve likely spent many fun moments trying to catch the glass-like tubes of water as they arced over your head.

This water feature is undoubtedly the highlight of the Garden. This playful display consists of 17 circular beds that send smooth cylinders of water “leaping” over visitors’ heads. The water streams travel from planter to planter, seemingly jumping from one end of the Garden to the other. It is a favorite destination of young and old alike, who stand beneath the leaping jets of water, trying to catch them. A wind sensor controls the jets, shutting off the water if there is too much wind.

These graceful arcs of water playfully leap from one teal-colored pad to another, magically holding shape in flight. How is this effect accomplished? That is the science known as laminar flow. Consider the common garden hose or a kitchen faucet. When turned on, the water flows out in roughly the same direction, but the individual water droplets often stray near and far from the intended path. This is called turbulent flow, and explains why the stream of water quickly breaks apart. On the other hand, consider how water released through a drinking straw held upright will hold its form as gravity takes it downward. This is laminar flow, when all the water molecules are moving in synchronous order.

The Leaping Fountains were the brainchild of former Imagineer Mark Fuller, whose childhood fascination with both water and Disney merged for a brief but creative period. Fuller was obsessed with Disneyland growing up, so much so that he recreated the Jungle Cruise in miniature format in his backyard for his goldfish, using a washing-machine motor to circulate the water. Fuller went on to the University of Utah to study Civil Engineering and was introduced to the concept of laminar water flow while learning about fluid dynamics. The topic so intrigued him that he built his own laminar flow fountain for his senior honors thesis, utilizing multiple drinking straws and progressively smaller mesh screens to create a pure flow of water. Fuller went on to get a Master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University and applied for work with Disney. He was hired by Imagineering, largely on the strength of his prototype fountain. In addition to the Leaping Fountains, Fuller also designed the Upside Down Waterfall.  

Fuller’s wizardry of water earned him high praise within Disney. “The one thing I think we recognized right away was that Mark was willing to take a chance,” recalled Marty Sklar, former president of Walt Disney Imagineering. “He wasn’t afraid of trying something nobody else had done before. Mark [has] made water an attraction in a way that no one else has before.”

Shortly after EPCOT’s opening success, Fuller struck out on his own and formed Water Entertainment Technologies Design, better known simply as WET. Besides EPCOT, Fuller’s greatest accomplishment is probably the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Spectacular nightly fountain shows are performed each evening to standing-room-only crowds.

The Leaping Fountains continue to entrance Guests today, and even if you’ve seen them dozens of times before, you can’t help but feel a tiny spark of childish whimsy as you watch the streams of water dance about the Imagination Pavilion gardens. But that’s not all! Today, you can also see the technique of laminar flow put to use in the new Journey of Water: Inspired by Moana exhibit.

Catch up on Summer Fun in Walt Disney World with the new Summer issue of Celebrations Disney Magazine!

Immerse yourself in the magic of Disney with features and pictorials on:
• Summer Fun at Walt Disney World
• The BoardWalk and BoardWalk Inn Resort
• Disney Parades Throughout the Years
• Percy Jackson
• Wayback Machine: The World of Motion
• Top Ten Facts About the Dreamfinder

• and Much More!!