Haunted Mansion to Return with New Enhancements and Magic :(

[TP2000]

Wait, did they ever skip the Stretching Room pre-covid at Magic Kingdom? I have never experienced that during any of my visits.

Yes. I have experienced it multiple times on WDW visits in the last 20 years.

The first time was during a visit in November, 1999, which I remember specifically because it was the Millenium Celebration. I was flabbergasted, and wrote about it on another website when I got home. People then confirmed that "yeah, it happens".

I also experienced it on a visit later in the 2000's, I think it was '07 (sometime after the 50th).

It has been reported online that it's a thing they do increasingly because it's too much of a hassle to maintain the mechanisms. They know it's a cheap alternative to regular maintenance out there, or closing the ride until it is fixed. It's a typical WDW tactic unfortunately.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's happened to me a few times as well. I've also seen the door left open several times. The illusion is shattered!

I'm not sure that room stretches much beyond how it is in that photo. It does at DL, which seems to have a...longer shaft.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

I fully understand that this design was forced on them by high water tables in both locations, but still. It's bad.

Magic Kingdom isn't built at ground level. The Utilidors located under MK are, but the park itself isn't.

Passport2Dreams has a great blogpost on why the WDW HM doesn't use an elevator:

https://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2013/10/raising-or-lowering-dead.html

​

 

[PiratesMansion]

Magic Kingdom isn't built at ground level. The Utilidors located under MK are, but the park itself isn't.

Passport2Dreams has a great blogpost on why the WDW HM doesn't use an elevator:

https://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2013/10/raising-or-lowering-dead.html

​

Further expanded upon in her book, which continues the work of this post in asserting that WDW's Mansion was originally intended to use elevators as Disneyland had, but that plan was changed at the last minute. As she points out, part of the reason Haunted Mansion was likely built where it was in Florida was because the higher water table at that location would have allowed the use of elevators.

The facade that was ultimately built was a relatively late addition to the process and was not what was originally intended. Who knows? Had that come to fruition, we might have entered the Mansion through the front of the facade as we do at Disneyland or the front door as at Disneyland Paris.

As shown in this Twitter thread, it was also originally intended for Tokyo's Mansion to have elevators too, before that ride was relocated to Fantasyland and caused a chain reaction of other elements of the park having to relocate as well.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I never understood why you enter the WDW HM from underneath it, but once you know how it works, it makes sense, but still seems weird and confusing. It's like you're entering the Bat Cave.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Magic Kingdom isn't built at ground level. The Utilidors located under MK are, but the park itself isn't.

Passport2Dreams has a great blogpost on why the WDW HM doesn't use an elevator:

https://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2013/10/raising-or-lowering-dead.html

​

That's not what he is saying

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Further expanded upon in her book, which continues the work of this post in asserting that WDW's Mansion was originally intended to use elevators as Disneyland had, but that plan was changed at the last minute. As she points out, part of the reason Haunted Mansion was likely built where it was in Florida was because the higher water table at that location would have allowed the use of elevators.

The facade that was ultimately built was a relatively late addition to the process and was not what was originally intended. Who knows? Had that come to fruition, we might have entered the Mansion through the front of the facade as we do at Disneyland or the front door as as at Disneyland Paris.

As shown in this Twitter thread, it was also originally intended for Tokyo's Mansion to have elevators also, before that ride was relocated to Fantasyland and caused a chain reaction of other elements of the park having to relocate as well.

I really wonder how that version of Storybook Land would've turned out, even though it would've likely been a clone of the DL one unlike the one in Paris.

That's not what he is saying

How so? He directly mentioned the low water table preventing the WDW HM from having the Stretching Room which simply isn't true as I pointed out.

 

[D.Silentu]

I've heard about this and it leaves my head shaking. The stretching room is one of Imagineering's greatest effects and one that manages to be astonishing to this day. Truly timeless. I don't take for granted the fact that such a shortcut is impossible at Disneyland.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It’s funny how there is this perception that you can’t so much as dig a hole in a sandbox in Florida. There are basements in the parks in Central Florida. Universal Orlando Resort‘s two newest attractions each have basements.

 

[BubbaisSleep]

It has been reported online that it's a thing they do increasingly because it's too much of a hassle to maintain the mechanisms. They know it's a cheap alternative to regular maintenance out there, or closing the ride until it is fixed. It's a typical WDW tactic unfortunately.

Yikes, imagine if Disneyland had this attitude. With theirs being an actual working elevator, I would imagine them having way more maintenance issues but their ride always seems open. Maybe DL's being closed twice a year for the HMH conversion goes a long way in maintaining those elevators.

 

[owlsandcoffee]

Just put in an escalator, duh!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I've mentioned this before years ago, but regarding WDW management and cheapening out, I once stood in front of two WDW/TDO management folks who were visiting from Florida in the Indy queue and one of them pointed out something (I don't know exactly what because I was standing in front of them) and referred to whatever it was as proof that Disneyland management spends too much money. He then bragged and even laughed about how WDW is able to get away with things and spends significantly less money. Basically Disneyland management was run by fools who spend too much. It was bizarre and my mouth was open the entire time I eavesdropped on their conversation.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It was a slightly younger Bob Cheapek

 

[owlsandcoffee]

This is your brain on The Profit Motive.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I've mentioned this before years ago, but regarding WDW management and cheapening out, I once stood in front of two WDW/TDO management folks who were visiting from Florida in the Indy queue and one of them pointed out something (I don't know exactly what because I was standing in front of them) and referred to whatever it was as proof that Disneyland management spends too much money. He then bragged and even laughed about how WDW is able to get away with things and spends significantly less money. Basically Disneyland management was run by fools who spend too much. It was bizarre and my mouth was open the entire time I eavesdropped on their conversation.

My goodness I can only imagine overhearing that. Especially since Indy's queue is considered by basically everyone to be among the best, if not the best, ever done.

 

[Californian Elitist]

My goodness I can only imagine overhearing that. Especially since Indy's queue is considered by basically everyone to be among the best, if not the best, ever done.

Exactly what I was thinking at the time. He was making fun of an extensive detail of the queue. Indy’s queue. Really? And then to brag about WDW and insinuate that Disneyland was always doing too much was the cherry on top. I was getting second hand embarrassment. I wanted so badly to turn around but I didn’t want them to stop talking either. The whole thing was very weird.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Exactly what I was thinking at the time. He was making fun of an extensive detail of the queue. Indy’s queue. Really? And then to brag about WDW and insinuate that Disneyland was always doing too much was the cherry on top. I was getting second hand embarrassment. I wanted so badly to turn around but I didn’t want them to stop talking either. The whole thing was very weird.

I wonder how many Disneyland execs feel the same? I doubt that attitude is isolated to just Orlando- and Pixar Pier wasn't exactly the peak of themed design.

Indy's queue is a great example of designing for the long term. That ride will still be relevant for years to come.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I wonder how many Disneyland execs feel the same? I doubt that attitude is isolated to just Orlando- and Pixar Pier wasn't exactly the peak of themed design.

Indy's queue is a great example of designing for the long term. That ride will still be relevant for years to come.

Considering what we've been getting over the past few years, I'd say quite a few of them here feel the same. I should mention this incident happened back in 2011, so ten years ago. A lot has changed in ten years.

 

[TP2000]

It's happened to me a few times as well. I've also seen the door left open several times. The illusion is shattered!

I'm not sure that room stretches much beyond how it is in that photo. It does at DL, which seems to have a...longer shaft.

Yup. It's how they run WDW's Haunted Mansion. Not all the time, but here we've got another Californian who on occasional visits to Florida has also experienced it.

That tells me that it's something that isn't very rare. How often they do this is unknown, but it's obviously happening fairly regularly and my first personal experience with it was in November, 1999.

It's a thing out there. Florida!

 

[TP2000]

Yikes, imagine if Disneyland had this attitude. With theirs being an actual working elevator, I would imagine them having way more maintenance issues but their ride always seems open. Maybe DL's being closed twice a year for the HMH conversion goes a long way in maintaining those elevators.

Perhaps.

I think it would be funny if Disneyland's got a sponsor and became The Haunted Mansion, Presented by Otis Elevator Company.

But for whatever reason, and I personally like to blame Dockers clad managers, they run the WDW version without the stretching room scene more often than WDW fans would like to admit. They just prop open the doors and turn it into part of the queue.

It's a thing out there. Florida!