A PC Haunted Mansion ?! Now that's scary

[culturenthrills]

Jim Hill writes on his website:

Jim Hill talks about the new script that the Imagineers have written for this attraction's Foyer area. Which is reportedly being added to the stateside versions of this classic attraction because a handful of guests complained about the macabre remarks that a few Disney cast members have made over the years

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/
jim_hill/archive/2008/01/03/a-pc-haunted-mansion-now-that-s-scary.aspx

Well, after the reading the article all I gotta say is how lame is this. Can't WDI stop messing with stuff that is perfectly fine the way it is. So what now we will get the same exact script every single time we get let into the foyer instead of each cast member having there own style. Here is an idea instead of fixing things that don't need to be fixed how bout creating attractions that don't suck and cost a ridiculous amount of money. I shall get off my soapbox now.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Ladies and Gentleman, please walk across the Maroon Carpeting and into the central portion of the octagonal portrait gallery, thank you :lookaroun

 

[Sherrybaby]

Ok so you know what will happen now that you have posted a Jim Hill article here right? Flame, flame, bash, bash (the I'm better than you and Jim Hill scenario for people who don't leave their computer rooms for the real world).

I would get some popcorn and watch the flames, but now that I've said that and everyone is too busy bashing me on another thread I have probably saved you some flames for even dreaming of *reading* Jim Hill.

What's my take on this? If it's true I don't care one way or the other. I think it will hurt the CMs the most since they will lose some of their excitement, freedom, and creativity.

My son was so scared one time by a CM who opened the door he almost refused to ride and my son is really not afraid of anything. It just hit him wrong (pun intended) when the CM hit the door over and over again and then said a few things about entering to meet our deaths or something or other. I realize at night the HM is scarier and I think CMs have the "OK" to make it scarier at night. When we ride during the day we don't encounter such "scary" CMs.

It might be a good thing, it might be a bad thing, but until we see it in action we will not know. I have no plans to go to WDW anytime soon, partly due to treatment on this site ruining some of the magic for me and partly because we are enjoying traveling around the "real" world.

Sherry (the flame queen and proud of it!)

 

[Maerj]

What kind of wimpy guests would actually complain about something that a Haunted Mansion CM would say because its somewhat horror related? Thats really, really dumb. I really can't believe that. Someone is making up a story there, I'm not saying who but someone is.

 

[Texas84]

There are lots of miserable people in this world and they demand you be miserable with them. :shrug:

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Being a big HM fan, I hope this doesn't happen. I like that the Cast Members can be different every time.
WDI is making so many video-based attractions so it will be a different experience everytime you ride.
Why in the world would they get rid of the most simple way of "mixing it up"?

 

[Monty]

In the article Jim Hill indicates that his "sources" say it's in response to complaints, but the only direct quote from a source says it's just changes to improve the guests' experience. I'll take the word of the people prepared to go on record.

 

[duck_daddy]

Ok so you know what will happen now that you have posted a Jim Hill article here right? Flame, flame, bash, bash (the I'm better than you and Jim Hill scenario for people who don't leave their computer rooms for the real world).

I would get some popcorn and watch the flames, but now that I've said that and everyone is too busy bashing me on another thread I have probably saved you some flames for even dreaming of *reading* Jim Hill.

What's my take on this? If it's true I don't care one way or the other. I think it will hurt the CMs the most since they will lose some of their excitement, freedom, and creativity.

My son was so scared one time by a CM who opened the door he almost refused to ride and my son is really not afraid of anything. It just hit him wrong (pun intended) when the CM hit the door over and over again and then said a few things about entering to meet our deaths or something or other. I realize at night the HM is scarier and I think CMs have the "OK" to make it scarier at night. When we ride during the day we don't encounter such "scary" CMs.

It might be a good thing, it might be a bad thing, but until we see it in action we will not know. I have no plans to go to WDW anytime soon, partly due to treatment on this site ruining some of the magic for me and partly because we are enjoying traveling around the "real" world.

Sherry (the flame queen and proud of it!)

Ask and ye shall receive, that is my motto! You made your own bed, time to lay in it!

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Well, this is Jim Hill, so let us wait and see. All the same...

This really stinks. For me, half the fun of HM is going in to see what remark the CM has thought of. I always listen to hear what each CM says or does as we enter the stretch room; it really makes the experience more fun, because it makes it a new experience everytime we go. And as for people being scared-come on! How a person can honestly get queasy about the carpet being described as "blood red, or having to go to the "dead center" of the room?" It's ridiculous! If you are made queasy by creepy things, why are you riding then? It's called The HAUNTED Mansion for a reason! I really do feel sorry for the CM's now, as their creativity will probably be severely limited. Shame, because some are quite good at what they do.

One other thing I thought about as I read the article, what about other attractions where the CM's are allowed to act and improvised, i.e. Tower of Terror? Will we soon see an official script there as well? I sincerely hope not...

 

[Eeyore]

It might be a good thing, it might be a bad thing, but until we see it in action we will not know. I have no plans to go to WDW anytime soon, partly due to treatment on this site ruining some of the magic for me and partly because we are enjoying traveling around the "real" world.

Sherry (the flame queen and proud of it!)

First off, the site (WDWMagic.com) and this forum are two seperate but related things. I would find it very hard to believe that WDWMagic.com could ruin the magic for anyone. As it exisits to do just the opposite. This site was born from one persons love of WDW and exisits to help share the magic with other fans when they can't be there.

I can't seem to find any reported posts from you. If you have so many problems why haven't we (the moderators) heard anything from you? :shrug:

 

[comics101]

Ok so you know what will happen now that you have posted a Jim Hill article here right? Flame, flame, bash, bash (the I'm better than you and Jim Hill scenario for people who don't leave their computer rooms for the real world).

I would get some popcorn and watch the flames, but now that I've said that and everyone is too busy bashing me on another thread I have probably saved you some flames for even dreaming of *reading* Jim Hill.

What's my take on this? If it's true I don't care one way or the other. I think it will hurt the CMs the most since they will lose some of their excitement, freedom, and creativity.

My son was so scared one time by a CM who opened the door he almost refused to ride and my son is really not afraid of anything. It just hit him wrong (pun intended) when the CM hit the door over and over again and then said a few things about entering to meet our deaths or something or other. I realize at night the HM is scarier and I think CMs have the "OK" to make it scarier at night. When we ride during the day we don't encounter such "scary" CMs.

It might be a good thing, it might be a bad thing, but until we see it in action we will not know. I have no plans to go to WDW anytime soon, partly due to treatment on this site ruining some of the magic for me and partly because we are enjoying traveling around the "real" world.

Sherry (the flame queen and proud of it!)

I agree we should wait and see what happens, but if this is bc of PC crap, then I'm mad... There's no reason anyone should be offended by the lines the CMs recite... It just adds more magic to the experience, and that's not an opinion, it's a fact.

 

[Kristilovesdw]

I also saw something about this on TMZ today, it was quite funny. They were picking apart things like the song from POTC "YO HO YO HO"... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the dwarfs being midgets, I don't remember word for word what was said, but you get the point. I do remember hearing that they were just rumors. The thing is people will complain about anything, so who knows. I personally like those scary sayings, I hope they stay!

 

[Epcot82Guy]

The only disarming thing is that the explanation is almost 100% what WDI said when it officially scripted LwtL. Now we don't have anyone at the helm (not saying that is going to happen - just saying this ridiculous explanation has been used before). This is how you get complacent, bored CM's who, by human nature, lower their input because it is just tough to keep into it when you have a completely restricted character.

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Ok so you know what will happen now that you have posted a Jim Hill article here right? Flame, flame, bash, bash (the I'm better than you and Jim Hill scenario for people who don't leave their computer rooms for the real world).

If you think that's bad, try saying something nice about Al Lutz. :lookaroun

 

[sknydave]

I have no plans to go to WDW anytime soon, partly due to treatment on this site ruining some of the magic for me and partly because we are enjoying traveling around the "real" world.

uhhhh... o....k...

 

[Sumshine 904]

Now, if the little kids are complaining about the remarks, then that's simply understandable. But if adults were to complain? That's kinda..whimpy. More people enjoy the remarks than dislike them. I personally get a laugh everytime I hear the line, "Please move to the DEAD center of the room..."

Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will never hurt you.

 

[Enderikari]

If you think that's bad, try saying something nice about Al Lutz. :lookaroun

There's nothing good about who he is or what he does...

Just figured I would fulfill your prophecy. Doesn't make me wrong though

 

[The Mak]

uhhhh... o....k...

That sure came out of nowhere, eh?

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

There's nothing good about who he is or what he does...

See what I mean? :lol:

 

[Enderikari]

Personally, I don't think this is too harsh of a thing. Cast members in certain areas (*cough cough* Jungle Cruise) have gotten way beyond the restrictions of the operating guidelines and started to approach the bounds of what is permissible. Some of them are even crossing the lines (anytime a HM cast member makes an attempt to outright scare you, thats grounds for a safety reprimand.) Attempts to reign in certain cast members by instructing them that they ARE NOT THE SHOW and are NOT TO DETRACT FROM IT by trying to be the stars have failed.

It seems like an overreaction, for certain, but then the Walt Disney Company is prone to over-reaction. Personally, anything written by Jim Hill is highly suspect in the truth realm, but this is something that makes a certain kind of sense. Instead of having cast members breaking the rules to try and one-up each other until someone jumps over the line, Imagineers look to be trying to deliver a consistent show.