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News On-ride PhotoPass comes to the Haunted Mansion
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
larryz
I'm Just A Tourist!
Enjoy Special Experiences at Magic Kingdom Park on April 13 to Celebrate Walt Disney World Resort’s 13th Attraction Photo Location at the Haunted Mansion
As we recently announced, now when you materialize at Magic Kingdom Park’s the Haunted Mansion attraction, a ghost will follow you home…in your attraction photo!
disneyparks.disney.go.com
Oh, wait...
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Castle Cake Apologist
Well-Known Member
Thank you, but I never said that anybody did.
I'm asking what the appeal is to these photos that they are adding, as you asserted that you would be interested in them were it not for the price point. I was just looking for an opinion.
My opinion is that the guests seem to be expressionless in most of these photos and the photos do not communicate anything about the attractions themselves. Other than the backgrounds that are added, you wouldn't even know what attraction some of them were taken on. I understand the appeal of an on-ride photo that is captured in a moment of excitement, and have personally purchased many on-ride photos from attractions like Dinosaur and Everest. I don't personally see the appeal of a vague black and white picture of myself looking bored in a nondescript attraction vehicle with characters Photoshopped into the background.
To myself and many others, this seems like a pointless addition meant to pad out Memory Maker and make the cost seem more justified, because that is likely what these are. It's akin to adding FastPass+ to attractions that do not need it in any way, simply to lenthen the list of attractions that it is available on. The cameras on Pirates, Frozen, Space, and now Mansion are placed in poorly selected spots. All of these attractions have several moments in them that would have made a lot more sense for an on-ride photo, so why not put the camera there? The photos from Space are so bad that it's become a meme for goodness sake.
Castle Cake Apologist
Well-Known Member
I wonder where they got the idea for the guest face in the hatbox...Enjoy Special Experiences at Magic Kingdom Park on April 13 to Celebrate Walt Disney World Resort’s 13th Attraction Photo Location at the Haunted Mansion
As we recently announced, now when you materialize at Magic Kingdom Park’s the Haunted Mansion attraction, a ghost will follow you home…in your attraction photo!disneyparks.disney.go.com
Oh, wait...
View attachment 361890
That article, though...
I'm always so excited when I get to ride "Magic Kingdom Park's the Haunted Mansion attraction."
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Since it's one of my favourite attractions, and since I know at what point the picture is taken, I would make a silly faux-frightened expression and would enjoy looking back on the result. I know not everyone would be into this, but I'm kind of surprised that you and others find it so puzzling that there are people who'd like to have a picture of themselves on an iconic ride.
MattFrees71
Well-Known Member
I rode the Haunted Mansion this past Tuesday and noticed it.. The last 2 pictures on the wall flashed with the lightning EXTREMELY bright. I thought there was some kind of malfunction with the lightning effect. In my opinion it, was too bright.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
That's unfortunate to hear. Yours is the second firsthand report we've had, and it offers a very different perspective from the first. I'm curious to know what others who've been on the revamped ride think.
Kram Sacul
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Why didn’t they put the obligatory photo op at the end of the ride with the cartoon hitchhiking ghosts? At least that scene gets a reaction out of people (good and bad) and it's well lit anyway. Disney, you boneheads.
FigmentForver96
Well-Known Member
I
ill let everyone know in about 5 more minutes
Because the effect of the new digital ghosts has been broken since it was installed with it being too faint to see and not in sync with the buggies.
I know you like to complain about Disney, but, complain about the right broken thing!
My frightened expression is totally legit though!
I rode it yesterday and can confirm that the ‘lightning’ flash is significantly brighter over the last two pictures and the camera seems to be at the base of the Medusa portrait (I was looking between the last two paintings because it appeared to be bright flashes at both, but as you can see I was looking a little off to the right, so I think looking right at Medusa ought to square you to the camera). [Edit: I rode it some more this morning and it appears the camera is in a hole at the bottom of the curtain to the left of Medusa]
All in all, I give it a thumbs up
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LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
My frightened expression is totally legit though!
I rode it yesterday and can confirm that the ‘lightning’ flash is significantly brighter over the last two pictures and the camera seems to be at the base of the Medusa portrait (I was looking between the last two paintings because it appeared to be bright flashes at both, but as you can see I was looking a little off to the right, so I think looking right at Medusa ought to square you to the camera).View attachment 361956. Night blindness is no issue at all, I could still see the ghost piano player in the next scene with the same clarity as anytime I’ve ridden before. I agree that it would have been ideal if they could have figured out a way to let people cheese with the hitchhiking ghosts at the end, but since I have Photopass included in my AP, I’m happy to have another ride in the system!
All in all, I give it a thumbs up
View attachment 361961
Thank you for this very helpful report (and I love that first picture!). I'm glad you like this addition overall.
Would you say the flash is too bright to pass as a lightning effect for those who don't know their picture is being taken?
Anytime! I’d say it is noticeably different (brighter and abrupt instead of the periodic semi-sustained flicker of the lightning) than the lightning effect which you see while passing the first two portraits (and I believe you can still see the regular old lightning still going on while passing the second two when the picture flash isn’t going off).
If you’re familiar with PhotoPass on nighttime shots at other attractions and know that Haunted Mansion has installed a camera, you’ll see it coming a mile away. Before my trip all I knew was that it was toward the beginning, but when I saw the different flash coming down the hallway, I knew exactly when it was coming on my first time through (the thumbs up pic) because of the telltale PhotoPass flash (coming more at you than from above). If I didn’t know about the photo addition beforehand, I’m sure I would have been thinking “Huh, that’s different” when passing because the flashes change in mid-scene.
For a newbie or infrequent visitor, I don’t think it would be majorly distracting. They might just think it was a stronger strike of lightning or something. It might’ve been less noticeable if they made the strikes brighter by the first portraits.
At the end of the day, it is a lightning effect scene, so it’s not really offputting in my opinion. I’m more concerned about how they ramped up the backlighting on the portraits a few months ago than anything to do with the new flash (which is not very concerned
). As long as they don’t start going full Pirates of the Caribbean changing this ride around (never go full Pirates!), I’m good with it. Now, if we could just convince them to do something about the god awful projection face on the bride before the graveyard scene...
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FigmentForver96
Well-Known Member
So I guess if you know it’s coming you’ll notice it’s a little brighter but nothing that ruins the experience.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Anytime! I’d say it is noticeably different (brighter and abrupt instead of the periodic semi-sustained flicker of the lightning) than the lightning effect which you see while passing the first two portraits (and I believe you can still see the regular old lightning still going on while passing the second two when the picture flash isn’t going off).
If you’re familiar with PhotoPass on nighttime shots at other attractions and know that Haunted Mansion has installed a camera, you’ll see it coming a mile away. Before my trip all I knew was that it was toward the beginning, but when I saw the different flash coming down the hallway, I knew exactly when it was coming on my first time through (the thumbs up pic) because of the telltale PhotoPass flash (coming more at you than from above). If I didn’t know about the photo addition beforehand, I’m sure I would have been thinking “Huh, that’s different” when passing because the flashes change in mid-scene.
For a newbie or infrequent visitor, I don’t think it would be majorly distracting. They might just think it was a stronger strike of lightning or something. It might’ve been less noticeable if they made the strikes brighter by the first portraits.
At the end of the day, it is a lightning effect scene, so it’s not really offputting in my opinion. I’m more concerned about how they ramped up the backlighting on the portraits a few months ago than anything to do with the new flash (which is not very concerned
Thanks for another really helpful and informative post. Alas, it’ll be at least a year before I get to experience this for myself.
And I totally agree about the bride!
Kram Sacul
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
So instead of fixing a botched effect no one asked for they shoved a photo op in a place which really doesn't make any sense. Yeah, keep up the good work defending this garbage.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
My frightened expression is totally legit though!
I rode it yesterday and can confirm that the ‘lightning’ flash is significantly brighter over the last two pictures and the camera seems to be at the base of the Medusa portrait (I was looking between the last two paintings because it appeared to be bright flashes at both, but as you can see I was looking a little off to the right, so I think looking right at Medusa ought to square you to the camera).View attachment 361956. Night blindness is no issue at all, I could still see the ghost piano player in the next scene with the same clarity as anytime I’ve ridden before. I agree that it would have been ideal if they could have figured out a way to let people cheese with the hitchhiking ghosts at the end, but since I have Photopass included in my AP, I’m happy to have another ride in the system!
All in all, I give it a thumbs up
View attachment 361961
Cute!
Here's how I'd polish this turd(IMO). Disney you're more than welcome to take this basic idea and run with it.
Idea borrowed from Mystic Manor. Medusa Portrait takes a picture of doombuggy riders. Flash from Medusa's Eyes = camera flash. Bonus: Startled guests = better on-ride photos.
Mansion/Story integration:
Transitional area recreated to show a statue of a cat seemingly "turned into stone" mid-jump. Audio cues reinforce the idea that the cat has transformed into stone, cursed by Medusa's portrait. Additional stone figures (busts) fill the darkride void as we enter the Library: setting up the next gag where busts follow our gaze... continuity and similar themes = win!
Photo-op: No lame ghosts here... just a kickass photo of our stone-selves jamboree'ng with the Grim Grinning Ghosts barbershop quintet.
Idea borrowed from Mystic Manor. Medusa Portrait takes a picture of doombuggy riders. Flash from Medusa's Eyes = camera flash. Bonus: Startled guests = better on-ride photos.
Mansion/Story integration:
Transitional area recreated to show a statue of a cat seemingly "turned into stone" mid-jump. Audio cues reinforce the idea that the cat has transformed into stone, cursed by Medusa's portrait. Additional stone figures (busts) fill the darkride void as we enter the Library: setting up the next gag where busts follow our gaze... continuity and similar themes = win!
Photo-op: No lame ghosts here... just a kickass photo of our stone-selves jamboree'ng with the Grim Grinning Ghosts barbershop quintet.
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Kman101
Well-Known Member
Not really boneheads in this case. A flash of light at the end of the ride? Did the toy doll bride take your photo? It makes a lot more sense to put a flash picture in you know, flashing lights ... flashing portraits taking yours? No one sees the slight humor in that?