Hong Kong Disneyland's Hidden Speakers

Music is an essential part of any major theme park. While some park guests may not actively pay attention to the background music, if it were to cease, even a bright and colorful area may seem dull and flat with a sense that "something is missing". Audio in theme parks is vital for creating an exciting and immersive atmosphere and is just as important as physical themeing in an attraction. However, while park operators want their soundtracks to be heard around the property, they also don't want big bulky speakers placed everywhere, shattering the immersive atmosphere. Hence why theme parks often choose to hide their speakers in discrete locations such as in windows, behind fake walls, in crates, rocks and under bushes where they can't be easily spotted by the public. In this video, I take a look at the extensive park-wide audio system at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and examine the different ways the loudspeakers have been disguised and what equipment they have chosen to put in place. As you can see, most of the speakers used in the park are from JBL, however there are also a few custom made speakers (such as the bollard and Tomorrowland speakers) that were designed by Disney Imagineering. I'm sorry about the shaky video and poor quality. I was very conscious of how much of an idiot I must have looked like filming these speakers in the middle of a busy park and tried not to attract too much attention to myself! But I hope it was worth it and that it gives you a deeper appreciation for (the often overlooked) art of theme park sound design.