Haunted Mansion has glowing entrance signs now

[hpyhnt 1000]

Brick and color do not make for a match. The design of the gates themselves do not fit into the aesthetic of the experience.

You're right. Its not just about color - the design of the gates does matter as well.

Sooo...

Old entrance:

New entrance:

Its the same design on the gates, and the exact same detailing around "The Haunted Mansion" signage. The only change is the eight inch addition for the entrance lettering. So again, what is it that is bad design about these signs, other than the lighting, which we still dont know for sure about as we have yet to have seen a decent nighttime picture.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Wow, never noticed. The lights at the top of the pillars moved down also. This picture makes me wish they kept the plaques in the middle.

Rumor has it they are being moved to the outer pillars. See the "New entrance" pic in my post above for where they are probably going.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Look closely. They are not the same.

 

[jdmdisney99]

Rumor has it they are being moved to the outer pillars. See the "New entrance" pic in my post above for where they are probably going.

I just think they make more sense in the middle, but I'm just happy they'll still be there.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Look closely. They are not the same.

Ummm...they're thinner? And the bars themselves are slightly thicker?

Never said they were EXACTLY the same gates. Just pointing out the new gates have (very) similar design flourishes as the previous gates. All of which, I think, goes to refute your point that the new designs "do not fit into the aesthetic of the experience."

For all practical purposes, the new gates are more or less the same as the old ones.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Ummm...they're thinner? And the bars themselves are slightly thicker?

Never said they were EXACTLY the same gates. Just pointing out the new gates have (very) similar design flourishes as the previous gates. All of which, I think, goes to refute your point that the new designs "do not fit into the aesthetic of the experience."

Bar size and placement are part of a design and how it works. Thicker, more square pieces bring the gates more to the forefront and alter the composition. "God is in the details" as Mies would say.

 

[Tom Morrow]

The color of the bars is I think throwing everyone off. The brighter color makes it appear "newer" or something. That's about the only complaint I have. This change is absolutely nothing compared to the playground graveyard.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Bar size and placement are part of a design and how it works. Thicker, more square pieces bring the gates more to the forefront and alter the composition. "God is in the details" as Mies would say.

Alright, all I am sure very true. Point made and taken.

But I'll let my previous posts and the pictures contained within them speak for themselves. And others can judge my reasoning based on that. I still maintain there is nothing wrong with the new entrance signage, particularly during daylight hours.

 

[Lee]

Practically the SAME entrance design, only now with clear indications of where the entrance actually is. In the normal world, this would be called improvement (dare I say, plussing). But not on WDWMagic.

I see no improvement. The same result could likely have been achieved with smaller, less thematically intrusive signage. Day or night...equally bad to me.

For example, Jungle Cruise.
The MK's boathouse with horribly intrusive signage:

And Eddie Soto's (in my opinion) masterpiece at Disneyland:

Show before efficiency. Station a CM at the gate of the Mansion to direct traffic, and get rid of the theme-killing signs. 'Cause nothing says haunted house in the Hudson River Valley like obnoxious electric signage.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I see no improvement. The same result could likely have been achieved with smaller, less thematically intrusive signage.

For example, Jungle Cruise.
The MK's boathouse with horribly intrusive signage:
View attachment 31889

And Eddie Soto's (in my opinion) masterpiece at Disneyland:
View attachment 31890

Show before efficiency. Station a CM at the gate of the Mansion to direct traffic, and get rid of the theme-killing signs. 'Cause nothing says haunted house in the Hudson River Valley like obnoxious electric signage.

The MK Jungle Cruise signage may be more intrusive, but its infinitely clearer to see, in very short order and from a greater distance, where the different entry points are located. The DL Jungle Cruise entrance is beautiful (much more so than the MK entrance - period) but it takes one more time and to be closer to the attraction to figure out where they need to be.

As for having a CM stationed out front, in theory this works but in practical terms it begins to fall apart:

- First, you have to either find the CM or be able to hear him or her/make out what is being said, a task that is not so easy to do if there is a crowd milling around the entrance area.
- Second, what if the CM is answering another guest's question? Taking time to help this one guest prevents him/her from being able to make general announcements on where the entrances are located. Or it results in a line of people waiting to ask where the line is, as the CM can only talk to one group at a time.
- Third, there is a language barrier. Considering the high number of foreign visitors who come to WDW, having someone giving directions in English is not going to help a significant number of guests and may just cause more confusion.

As for smaller signs, yes they could be smaller, but the point of these signs is to help people navigate their way from a distance BEFORE they get to the gate. This prevents people crowding around and blocking the entrance while they try to read the signs at the last minute. As for less intrusive signs (like on the pillars perhaps?) if they were located there they could easily be hidden by someone standing in front of them.

As I said in an earlier post, there may be disagreement on some of the details, but the practical reasons for these signs are justified.

 

[nytimez]

The MK Jungle Cruise signage may be more intrusive, but its infinitely clearer to see, in very short order and from a greater distance, where the different entry points are located. The DL Jungle Cruise entrance is beautiful (much more so than the MK entrance - period) but it takes one more time and to be closer to the attraction to figure out where they need to be.

As for having a CM stationed out front, in theory this works but in practical terms it begins to fall apart:

- First, you have to either find the CM or be able to hear him or her/make out what is being said, a task that is not so easy to do if there is a crowd milling around the entrance area.
- Second, what if the CM is answering another guest's question? Taking time to help this one guest prevents him/her from being able to make general announcements on where the entrances are located. Or it results in a line of people waiting to ask where the line is, as the CM can only talk to one group at a time.
- Third, there is a language barrier. Considering the high foreign number of foreign visitors who come to WDW, having someone giving directions in English is not going to help a significant number of guests and may just cause more confusion.

As for smaller signs, yes they could be smaller, but the point of these signs is to help people navigate their way from a distance BEFORE they get to the gate. This prevents people crowding around and blocking the entrance while they try to read the signs at the last minute. As for less intrusive signs (like on the pillars perhaps?) if they were located there they could easily be hidden by someone standing in front of them.

As I said in an earlier post, there may be disagreement on some of the details, but the practical reasons for these signs are justified.

Is this is a really long and indirect way of saying you know it's ugly but you accept it anyway?

 

[tl77]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the signs glowing in the dark, since all the occupants of the mansion also glow in the dark I think it fits with the supernatural theme of the ride. But the fact that lettering of "stand by entrance" and "fast pass entrance" "exit only" is larger, and more prominent, and better illuminated at night, than the name "Haunted Mansion" seem like the poor design choices to me

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Is this is a really long and indirect way of saying you know it's ugly but you accept it anyway?

No. I've stated multiple times I think the new sign is perfectly acceptable and far from the worst thing thats happened to HM. the fact the iron bars are 1.25" as opposed to 7/8", or that the lettering is 6" tall and above the pillars rather than 3" tall and attached to the pillars does not bother me.

No I don't think the sign is ugly.

 

[nytimez]

No. I've stated multiple times I think the new sign is perfectly acceptable and far from the worst thing thats happened to HM. the fact the iron bars are 1.25" as opposed to 7/8", or that the lettering is 6" tall and above the pillars rather than 3" tall and attached to the pillars does not bother me.

No I don't think the sign is ugly.

Is it beautiful? Is it elegant? Does it plus the attraction? Does it add to the experience? Does it lure you in?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no," then I'm against it. And I don't know about you, but I answered "NO!!!" to all of them.

I find "perfectly acceptable" is OK when, say, it's the highway department doing the job. When it's Disney, I guess I'm spoiled by a time when "perfectly acceptable" was considered "just not good enough."

 

[Lee]

Is it beautiful? Is it elegant? Does it plus the attraction? Does it add to the experience? Does it lure you in?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no," then I'm against it. And I don't know about you, but I answered "NO!!!" to all of them.

But, I find "perfectly acceptable" is OK when, say, it's the highway department doing the job. When it's Disney, I guess I'm spoiled by a time when "perfectly acceptable" was considered "just not good enough."

That.

I don't care about the practical reasons for the sign. Not at all. If getting on a ride has reached the point where it is so difficult to figure out that it has become "perfectly acceptable" to kill the mood, ambience and theme of the ride.....I think it's time to step back and rethink the whole thing.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Is it beautiful? Is it elegant? Does it plus the attraction? Does it add to the experience? Does it lure you in?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no," then I'm against it. And I don't know about you, but I answered "NO!!!" to all of them.

But, I find "perfectly acceptable" is OK when, say, it's the highway department doing the job. When it's Disney, I guess I'm spoiled by a time when "perfectly acceptable" was considered "just not good enough."

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so we may never agree there. But the new sign is informative, legible, accurate, I believe well themed, and I also feel it could help lure people into the HM because it clearly shows where the entrance is located. For me, it does everything the entrance signage of an attraction should do.

If THIS is an example of the worst Disney can come up with (as some of the remarks on here seem to be suggesting) I say bring it on because I'm perfectly happy with it, and I'm a far, far cry from a totally enamored, magic snorting, pixie dusting fanboi.

 

[allisonwonderland0912]

As a huge fan of the Haunted Mansion(it's one of my top favorite rides), I personally like the way it looks. IMO, it just makes it look cleaner. Especially if it helps people find the entrance and I agree, if this is really the worst Disney can do to you all, adding neon signs that actually seem to look decent even in a cell phone photo, then I think everyone will be just fine. Nobody is twisting your arms to go to the parks. Really, compared to the thoughts of Avatarland, this is tame.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

That.

I don't care about the practical reasons for the sign. Not at all. If getting on a ride has reached the point where it is so difficult to figure out that it has become "perfectly acceptable" to kill the mood, ambience and theme of the ride.....I think it's time to step back and rethink the whole thing.

Ahhhh, now THAT I agree with. Completely. Unequivocally. 228%. With you all the way.

I think the new sign is a good sign because it fits its reality well (i.e.: a reality of Fastpass+, strollers, ECVs, out of control kids, and un-informed and entitled park guests). But you are absolutely right with you're remark about "getting on a ride has reached the point where its...difficult" and we need to rethink the whole think.

I think FP+ is a colossal mistake and a gross waste of resources. I think many guests who visit exhibit behavior that is abhorrent and beyond rude. I loathe the blemish that traffic jams and parking lots of strollers have caused.

BUT that is the reality of the situation and this new sign has to work in that reality. Before, in the days of no Fastpass and fewer strollers and more amicable guests, greater effort could be spent on show and design at the expense of efficiency. You could have entrances that weren't in your face. But todays entitlement culture has no place for that. I don't like it, and I do what I can to not be apart of that. But having a theoretical debate over the proper design elements of an entrance sign begins to miss the point that it needs to be clear, legible, and noticeable - because today's park guests dictates it must be that way. Like it or not, thats the way it is.

I like the sign because it tries to balance the design and detail of yesteryear with the practical demands of today. I like the sign; I don't like the reality it is placed in though.

 

[NearTheEars]

Man, I'm learning so much about design. Who knew that when two designs use roughly the same theme, style of brick and ironwork that they are in reality completely different and ruin everything no ifs ands or buts.

Good thing, though, is that the HM lines will be much shorter now since everyone hates the gate so much they won't ride. So that's a PLUS for this AP.

 

[HMF]

The entrance is too far away from the Mansion in my opinion. They need to cut back on the length of the canopy. demolish the current entrance. Ditch FP- Remove the interactive crap and use that area for handicapped guests. Get rid of the 2 trees on the lawn and change the exit canopy from red to green.