Haunted Mansion has glowing entrance signs now

[HMF]

One more thing while I'm on a roll with my rantings here...

Lets not pretend that this new sign fundamentally changes the entrance area of The Haunted Mansion. The pillars and iron gates/arches have always been there and they have always been the same scale and size. The only difference is that now there is some writing attached to them letting guests know where the different entrances are located.

Before:

After:

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.

If you only had one entrance and one exit all this signage would not be necessary. I agree that under the circumstances this might the best they could possibly do, but when the circumstances run counter to the original design intent it will be decadent regardless of how well it's done.

 

[Lee]

If you only had one entrance and one exit all this signage would not be necessary.

I'm liking that concept more every day.

 

[The Duck]

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.

Agreed. In a perfect world, (without Fast Pass+ and the rest of the Next Gen. nonsense) this sign wouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately, this is part of the Next Gen. package that we've been dealt and the breakdown of our society hasn't helped matters.
Perhaps in 10 or 20 years, future Disney management will correct the mistakes of the past but in the meantime, this is the reality that we have to deal with. I'm not exactly smitten with the sign but it's one more thing that I suppose that I'll get used to.

 

[articos]

One more thing while I'm on a roll with my rantings here...

Lets not pretend that this new sign fundamentally changes the entrance area of The Haunted Mansion. The pillars and iron gates/arches have always been there and they have always been the same scale and size. The only difference is that now there is some writing attached to them letting guests know where the different entrances are located.

Before:

After:

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.

In one, the signage is unobtrusive, yet does the job it is supposed to do - the eye is drawn to the Mansion, not the gates. In the other, the Mansion is subordinate to the sign and the gateway - the eye is drawn to the signs and the large ball finials, whereas before, the lights capping the pillars were not a visual obstruction. There is a difference. You just think the difference is less important, which is a valid consideration. Is it a major change? No. Does it chip away at the "experience" a bit? To me, yes. It's a choice that senior people within WDI or the attractions industry who are considered the top designers would likely not have made. In my opinion, it takes away from the attraction's experience, knowing how Bill Martin, Chuck Myall, Sam McKim and Harper Goff thought about the architecture and design experience of the parks and the attractions. Everything @Lee said are the points I would try to make also. To me, the entries of BTMRR or the DL Jungle Cruise are examples of how to do this in a better way.

I do agree with the points brought up about the entry once inside the gates at Hogwarts, and so do many of the people who were involved in building it. It's a choice that wasn't the best.

 

[scout68]

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.

Congratulations! Your idea has been green-lit.
We expect the project to finish by 2018.

 

[lazyboy97o]

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.

Unfortunately, a lot of Disney fans today don't really get theme. They think sort of looking alike is theme. They think the names of Imagineers in puns are details. No concern for an experience of elsewhere, it's about rides and magic that look pretty.

 

[dadddio]

I think that some people saw that the sign read FP+ and decided that they must, therefore, hate it.

 

[fngoofy]

What happened to the cool plaque that used to be on the second pillar, the one that said "Haunted Mansion" with the demon at the top?

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

If you only had one entrance and one exit all this signage would not be necessary. I agree that under the circumstances this might the best they could possibly do, but when the circumstances run counter to the original design intent it will be decadent regardless of how well it's done.

Yep. Thats why the previous version stilled worked after so many years. The Mansion itself drew you in and, since there was only one entrance and one line, it didn't matter if it wasn't as clearly labeled; eventually you would find it because it was the only one.

But as soon as you bring in another entrance option (Fastpass+, Single Rider, ECV/Wheelchair, etc.) now those entrances have to be clearly labeled so that guests can easily, and with as little assistance as possible, make their way to the proper line. Thus, the subtle entry that was focused almost entirely on design has to give way to one that allows more consideration for wayfinding and functionality.

Its the same with the Jungle Cruise example. Disneyland's JC does not have Fastpass whereas WDW's does. This results in a facade at DL where signage can take a secondary role because there is only one entrnace (it also helps DL's entrance is infinitely nicer than WDW's). But as soon as multiple options are introduced, multiple, easily readable signs are necessary. Unfortunately, this results in a situation where design and efficiency need to be taken into equal consideration and often means that perfect design takes a back seat to increased functionality.

Again, we can quibble on the minutiae, but there are real, practical reasons for this new sign and it is my guess that the majority of guests (and CMs for that matter) will probably appreciate the clear labeling of the different entrance points. And given the theme park reality we live in, perfect design is not always going to be feasible.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

In one, the signage is unobtrusive, yet does the job it is supposed to do - the eye is drawn to the Mansion, not the gates. In the other, the Mansion is subordinate to the sign and the gateway - the eye is drawn to the signs and the large ball finials, whereas before, the lights capping the pillars were not a visual obstruction. There is a difference. You just think the difference is less important, which is a valid consideration. Is it a major change? No. Does it chip away at the "experience" a bit? To me, yes. It's a choice that senior people within WDI or the attractions industry who are considered the top designers would likely not have made. In my opinion, it takes away from the attraction's experience, knowing how Bill Martin, Chuck Myall, Sam McKim and Harper Goff thought about the architecture and design experience of the parks and the attractions. Everything @Lee said are the points I would try to make also. To me, the entries of BTMRR or the DL Jungle Cruise are examples of how to do this in a better way.

I do agree with the points brought up about the entry once inside the gates at Hogwarts, and so do many of the people who were involved in building it. It's a choice that wasn't the best.

Fair points. I guess my point of view is that, at some point, it was determined new signage was needed (orwould be helpful) in order to clearly direct guests to the proper entrance area. With that determined, renderings were completed that strove to make the new sign "fit in" and match its surroundings as best as possible. In that regard, the designers, I feel, did a pretty good job. They retained the original signs and ironwork, matched the brick and colors of the mansion, and even replicated the detailing of the original gates. Additionally, they used a font that is appropriate and that complements the existing HM signage. The end result is a well themed entrance gate that, for all practical purposes, is the same design as the previous gate with changes made for the entrance signage.

Like I've said before, we can have a lively discussion on whether this downgrades the experience and appearance of the Mansion (I would say the new sign is neither a step forward nor backward, but sideways). But considering the reality, this new sign is a good sign because it works in the reality of theme park crowd control and does attempt to balance design and functionality.

 

[nytimez]

The sign exists because of our "entitlement culture" and because of a "breakdown in society?"

Did I really read that?

 

[flynnibus]

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.

The distance and gates are a large part of the HM's image.

The distance gives a foreboding...
The gates keeping you at bay makes the house seem distant, mysterious and foreboding...
The distance helps the forced perspective...

Removing that setback would be a disaster far more significant than the cemetary you hate so much.

 

[RSoxNo1]

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.

I'll commend them for at least getting the font close to correct. However, I fear the day that Disney's signage all becomes generic like Universals.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

All this hoopla over a fastpass sign...

My first visit, though, wasn't until 2010, so no, I wasn't there during those good ol' days and never experienced Horizons or the original Imagination, but I still love every minute I'm in the current parks. And heck, I love Hollywood Studios but after reading, I must be crazy right?

You're not crazy, but you also are in very different boat than many of us here, who did experience WDW in it's golden era and know full-well how much better it was run, how management cared more, and how much classier it used to be. If you've been to Disneyland or a foreign Disney Park, you'll see the real Disney quality and magic I and so many other fan's feel WDW has lost over the years since the early 2000s.

 

[pumpkin7]

I have a question.

Why, oh why, are all the FP+ entrances getting to use the more impressive entrances into the buildings?
I mean, HM probably isn't so bad, but the FP+ entrance still goes through the central gap inbetween those pillars, and the one directly infront of the HM itself.
I noticed them doing it with the GMR too. Instead of walking through the courtyard and soaking in all of the Chinese Theatre and all the hand prints on the floor, Standby entrance - ees are now pushed around the edge of the courtyard and in through another entrance.
Is this supposed to make FP+ more desirable because they get the best entrances?? I think it's stupid.

 

[tl77]

I have a question.

Why, oh why, are all the FP+ entrances getting to use the more impressive entrances into the buildings?
I mean, HM probably isn't so bad, but the FP+ entrance still goes through the central gap inbetween those pillars, and the one directly infront of the HM itself.
I noticed them doing it with the GMR too. Instead of walking through the courtyard and soaking in all of the Chinese Theatre and all the hand prints on the floor, Standby entrance - ees are now pushed around the edge of the courtyard and in through another entrance.
Is this supposed to make FP+ more desirable because they get the best entrances?? I think it's stupid.

I think since the people who hate the interactive stuff also seem to hate FP+ they've done those people (myself included) a favor by making the stand by line the low key and more original entrance

 

[HMF]

Congratulations! Your idea has been green-lit.
We expect the project to finish by 2018.

I understand sarcasm, but I know for a fact the people who make these decisions read this board so it doesn't hurt to plant the idea. Besides I expect Fastpass+ to work as well for mansion as original Fastpass did.

 

[HMF]

The distance and gates are a large part of the HM's image.

The distance gives a foreboding...
The gates keeping you at bay makes the house seem distant, mysterious and foreboding...
The distance helps the forced perspective...

Removing that setback would be a disaster far more significant than the cemetary you hate so much.

The current gates were not there originally, They were added in 2000-ish because of Fastpass. The gates used to be closer to the Mansion's entrance and the canopy has gotten WAY too big to the point that it obstructs the house from certain angles.

 

[RAXIP]

I noticed them doing it with the GMR too. Instead of walking through the courtyard and soaking in all of the Chinese Theatre and all the hand prints on the floor, Standby entrance - ees are now pushed around the edge of the courtyard and in through another entrance.

Umm… that is the regular entrance for GMR whenever there is a substantial wait. Anyway Disney actually installed a new Stand-By Entrance sign at the main entrance opposite the FastPass+ Entrance (though it's not being used for reasons I don't know)

 

[HMF]

I have a question.

Why, oh why, are all the FP+ entrances getting to use the more impressive entrances into the buildings?
I mean, HM probably isn't so bad, but the FP+ entrance still goes through the central gap inbetween those pillars, and the one directly infront of the HM itself.
I noticed them doing it with the GMR too. Instead of walking through the courtyard and soaking in all of the Chinese Theatre and all the hand prints on the floor, Standby entrance - ees are now pushed around the edge of the courtyard and in through another entrance.
Is this supposed to make FP+ more desirable because they get the best entrances?? I think it's stupid.

I think that Disney might be intentionally making FP+ a more desirable component for guests at the expense of standby guests by making the standby line as grating as possible with noisemakers, water guns etc. Book months in advance or we reserve the right to give you an inferior experience. I just hope that people are smart enough to see this scam for what it is.