Back from the mansion...with Pics!

bayoutinkbelle

bayoutinkbelle

Active Member
SGT623 said:
I forgot to mention that there were a few castmembers in Liberty Square trying to direct guests away from the Mansion by yelling "Thunder Mountain & Splash Mountain are to the left" while wildly two finger pointing away from the mansion. These castmembers were given as much attention as invisible mutes and are lucky if they didn't get trampled.
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:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:

THAT'S hilarious!

Thanks for the pics. If I could I would have been in that line first thing this morning. I'm jealous of you all! :lol:
 
CSUFSteve

CSUFSteve

Active Member
sublimesting said:
There is a good reason that DW will never get the overlay: it takes about a month (from what I hear) to set up and then to take down takes some time. DL can do this because DL is mainly local visitors who go all year and see the HM repeatedly. So at DL it draws locals back. At DW, where most people are vacationing from afar you can't close the ride on them every September and November.
Also having the HM closed once for a massive refurb and having opening day crowds clamoring to see it doesn't mean you'll have the same type of crowd for an overlay.
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I used to believe this logic too but seeing the crowd pics makes me reconsider. It's not too difficult to believe those crowds are from people who knew Mansion would be open. Who are those people? Avid Disney fans, Passholders, and CM's. They are probably NOT your average once-in-a-lifetime family visitor. I mean, I'm sure they are components, but they are not the core of that group.

Hence, that would imply a Local/Passholder/CM force that Disney underestimates at WDW. We here at DL are always told that Passholders are too large a component at DL but that Passholders are significantly diluted at WDW. Maybe that's still true but, as I say, those pics imply that there IS a significant 'locals' market that is being overlooked.

That would furthy imply that overlays could indeed be successful, I would think especially at a Park like Magic Kingdom. And I tend to doubt that a family visiting for their 1st time (or once in a long while) is going to cancel their vacation plans b/c HM is down for a month. At worst, maybe they'd reschedule if a) they don't like HMH, or b) they really want Mansion to be open.

And, incidentally, our Holiday overlays have become so popular that some guests schedule their visits to make sure they see them. Holiday crowds for these attractions are consistently huge during the overlay periods. SWH on average has longer wait times than at any other time of the year. I think it's partly the Holiday and just the novelty of something being 'special' during a particular time of year - a new experience.
 
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pheneix

Well-Known Member
not too difficult to believe those crowds are from people who knew Mansion would be open. Who are those people? Avid Disney fans, Passholders, and CM's. They are probably NOT your average once-in-a-lifetime family visitor.
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A real flaw that's in the "we can't do overlays because the average visitor will get mad" argument is that the average guest to WDW IS NOT a once in a lifetime visitor anymore. Between the Vacation Club and the cut-throat discounting and the free dining plans, the vast majority of WDW guests visit at least once a year to once every two years. Many of them come multiple times per year now. Ten years ago it may have been unheard of for a family of four from PA to take a long weekend at WDW, but now its common place.

We've already seen one change in how WDW operates because now they are focusing on refurbishing and enhancing older attractions at the Magic Kingdom. A few years ago only the message board crowd spoke up about the deplorable condition of the Magic Kingdom (though it did not make us any less right). Now with all these "average" guests seeing the Magic Kingdom every year they too are demanding fresh offerings. Combine this with the Florida population boom and a few years down the road we may see some holiday overlays coming to WDW.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
Been reading the reviews and checking the pics and I have to say it can't be more encouraging. Of course the AP folks start showing up in force on Friday so I think we will be getting a more in depth analysis then. But from what I can see the trends at WDW continue to be very positve with a whole bunch of rumblings that some big news is to be announced soon. I can hardly wait for next month. THANKS FOR ALL THE PICS BY THE WAY:D
 
SGT623

SGT623

Member
Original Poster
NIghttime update. The Mansion went 101! Now sure for how long, started before SpectroMagic. The word was it won't reopen till tomorrow.
 
GoofyMom2

GoofyMom2

New Member
We just left WDW on Tuesday and I was so disapointed that I missed HM opening.....but after seeing that crowd maybe I'm glad I missed it!

Great googly moogly! :eek:

Will have to wait till April.....but will get to see HM in DL next month....:sohappy:
 
E

Enigma

Account Suspended
CSUFSteve said:
I used to believe this logic too but seeing the crowd pics makes me reconsider. It's not too difficult to believe those crowds are from people who knew Mansion would be open. Who are those people? Avid Disney fans, Passholders, and CM's. They are probably NOT your average once-in-a-lifetime family visitor. I mean, I'm sure they are components, but they are not the core of that group.

Hence, that would imply a Local/Passholder/CM force that Disney underestimates at WDW. We here at DL are always told that Passholders are too large a component at DL but that Passholders are significantly diluted at WDW. Maybe that's still true but, as I say, those pics imply that there IS a significant 'locals' market that is being overlooked.

That would furthy imply that overlays could indeed be successful, I would think especially at a Park like Magic Kingdom. And I tend to doubt that a family visiting for their 1st time (or once in a long while) is going to cancel their vacation plans b/c HM is down for a month. At worst, maybe they'd reschedule if a) they don't like HMH, or b) they really want Mansion to be open.

And, incidentally, our Holiday overlays have become so popular that some guests schedule their visits to make sure they see them. Holiday crowds for these attractions are consistently huge during the overlay periods. SWH on average has longer wait times than at any other time of the year. I think it's partly the Holiday and just the novelty of something being 'special' during a particular time of year - a new experience.
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yea I agree. Orlando really is turning into Anahiem with so many locals hanging out at Disney World over the weekend. It just makes sense for them to get Annual passes and then show up whenever a ride is upgraded or a new attraction debuts or other big events.

Also, Florida has been growing at a rapid pace in terms of people moving down here these past few years and even with the collapse of the housing market and an imminent recession people still keep coming down here. I'm sure a number of those people are disney fans who will get Annual Passes.

So yea a Nightmare overlay would probably work here. Although I think they should just build a real Nightmare dark ride at the studios and then do halloween events there and leave Haunted Mansion as a seperate entity. That would probably be the best of both worlds.
 
SGT623

SGT623

Member
Original Poster
Enigma said:
Although I think they should just build a real Nightmare dark ride at the studios and then do halloween events there and leave Haunted Mansion as a seperate entity. That would probably be the best of both worlds.
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That I agree with. I'm a local and I would be ticked if Jack moved into the mansion. I want to be able to see the original mansion every Halloween instead of, what I felt, was a subpar movie. I equate it to see the Castle cake on your first visit instead of the original castle. But these are my feelings...on with more pics....
 
SGT623

SGT623

Member
Original Poster
CIMG6261.jpg


CIMG6260.jpg


Even some of the Dream Squad was on hand to info guests of the Mansion going 101...I wonder what was in their bags and what I would have had to say to get it...Hmmmmm
 
celestia

celestia

New Member
SGT623 said:
That I agree with. I'm a local and I would be ticked if Jack moved into the mansion. I want to be able to see the original mansion every Halloween instead of, what I felt, was a subpar movie. I equate it to see the Castle cake on your first visit instead of the original castle. But these are my feelings...on with more pics....
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Jack *has* moved into the mansion...

In several "hidden mickeys" throughout the ride. Keep your eye out for them. they are very hard to see, but a fun little tidbit. :wave:
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
pheneix said:
A real flaw that's in the "we can't do overlays because the average visitor will get mad" argument is that the average guest to WDW IS NOT a once in a lifetime visitor anymore. Between the Vacation Club and the cut-throat discounting and the free dining plans, the vast majority of WDW guests visit at least once a year to once every two years. Many of them come multiple times per year now. Ten years ago it may have been unheard of for a family of four from PA to take a long weekend at WDW, but now its common place..
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Erm.... maybe if you`re from PA, but I can assue you for the International visitor, WDW is still a one, two or three times a lifetime trip. Anaheim is for locals, WDW is still the Vacation kingdom of the WORLD.

For example, early this year I did some sums; for two of us to fly from the UK and stay at the CBR for 2 weeks in June, all in, would have been $6-8,000. Take a bit off for a value or I-Drive and it is still not an every year trip for most Western Europeans.
 
brusoe

brusoe

Member
Ill be there 10/01/2007 what do you all think lines will be like for the ride then, and for the rest of the park....I know I know noone has a crystal ball:lol:
 
ImaYoyo

ImaYoyo

Active Member
HA! I was right behind you when you took that picture! I was catching up to my friend Alex who is behind the DSquad member with the glasses and sideburns! you BLINDED me!!!
SGT623 said:
CIMG6260.jpg


Even some of the Dream Squad was on hand to info guests of the Mansion going 101...I wonder what was in their bags and what I would have had to say to get it...Hmmmmm
Click to expand...
 

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