Changes to Haunted Mansion Library Busts

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
The one with the empty noose is the current one. Another new detail the modern version has is that the Phantom has glowing red lights in his eye sockets. The old one just had empty sockets.
I think implied murder like this would be the best way to remove the suicide without needing to change the dialogue, and it stays sinister. The Ghost Host offers to help us leave the room by murdering us. However, my fear is that they’d take that excuse to “plus” the rest of the rides with story elements suggesting other murders committed by the Ghost Host, which I’d rather avoid since I don’t trust them to do it in a subtle way. None of the additions over the last 20 years have been subtle.
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I think implied murder like this would be the best way to remove the suicide without needing to change the dialogue, and it stays sinister. The Ghost Host offers to help us leave the room by murdering us. However, my fear is that they’d take that excuse to “plus” the rest of the rides with story elements suggesting other murders committed by the Ghost Host, which I’d rather avoid since I don’t trust them to do it in a subtle way. None of the additions over the last 20 years have been subtle.
At this rate, it seems more likely they'd just outright remove any reference to violent death at all in that scene. If they miraculously DO keep a violent edge to the scene, I would venture a guess that it would probably not include a noose specifically. Given certain other reasons that you may be able to figure out.

It'll be interesting to see what they do with Constance though, as she's said to be changing. Wonder if her death threats are going to remain.
 

Cariad

Member
I think implied murder like this would be the best way to remove the suicide without needing to change the dialogue, and it stays sinister. The Ghost Host offers to help us leave the room by murdering us. However, my fear is that they’d take that excuse to “plus” the rest of the rides with story elements suggesting other murders committed by the Ghost Host, which I’d rather avoid since I don’t trust them to do it in a subtle way. None of the additions over the last 20 years have been subtle.
I think people should just grow up. No one ever left a suicide note blaming the Haunted Mansion. I don't mean to sound frivolous, but get a grip people!
 

Magicart87

HOUSE OF MAGIC Member
Premium Member
Going back to the hanging scene, I really like Paris’ version. It’s not suicide, but murder.

View attachment 795686
View attachment 795687

The Phantom is up in the rafters holding a noose where he hung his daughter’s fiancé on their wedding day. Not sure if the current state is the Phantom with just the noose like the top picture or noose with corpse like the bottom. Maybe some of our Paris experts could chime in. I do know that this is the only noose left in Paris. All the other ones that appear later in the ride were removed.

Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say, is that if WDW wants to step away from suicide, they could put the Ghost Host up in the rafters holding a noose with or without a corpse.
How does that work with the "There's always my way" though? And I suspect any stateside revision will undoubtedly remove the noose for a multitude of reasons.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Maybe they can just put Elsa up there. She’s so aloof that I wouldn’t be surprised to see her hiding in the rafters muttering “Into the Unknown” lyrics to herself.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
I never thought about this before - The ghost host jokes that he killed himself "to find a way out" (of the room with no windows and no doors) but it's also a double meaning for suicide being "a way out". Huh.
PSA -- suicide is no joke. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm, there are resources you should access at https://988lifeline.org/

That said, the stretching room is, IMHO, suitably in keeping with the theme of the HM and should not be drastically altered. But eliminating the noose and corpse (sounds like a British pub, doesn't it?) would not drastically alter the scene. Eliminate the "no way out" dialogue, put out the lights and play the scream, then open the door and let the people out.
 

Captain Barbossa

Well-Known Member
Yeah. Do we even know what he looks like. Is he the creepy dude with the noose later in the ride?
IMG_0764.jpeg
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
It appears the rumored new effect in the Haunted Mansion library has materialized. The Aunt Lucretia bust has had its earlier backlighting replaced with a rear projected face. There aren't any high-quality videos readily available yet, but apparently her expression changes just slightly as the doombuggies pass through the room.

Here’s a photo of the new lighting:
View attachment 793606
I am joining this thread late. Why are they making this change?
Are they testing new effects?
The original busts is a passive effect; optical illusion that required NOTHING to make it happen.
 

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
To echo the above, anyone dealing with thoughts of suicide - there is help and people that are very willing to listen. While it doesn't always feel this way, we're in this life together. And people do care about how you are genuinely feeling.

For the ride, it's interesting. I certainly see the suicide angle. When I was a kid, I assumed it was murder. That the Ghost Host's preferred way was someone pushed into an untimely, gruesome death. I never really thought about whether it was physical murder, coercing someone into doing it (i.e. driving them mad), etc. I was well aware of it being a hanged person. But, I always thought the Ghost Host was involved - not the body. (Not to say I don't 100% see that interpretation, too.)

I truly hate that they feel the need to change this, but I do get it. I think a modified version of the Paris version with a skeletal figure dangling the noose would be just fine. Or even a skeletal figure above and one in the noose. I just hope they keep a version that makes sense and has a similar tone. A "Red the pirate" treatment here would go too far IMHO.
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
changing it at this point would be ridiculous. Yes suicide is real and terrible...but like trying to change Pirates into Antiques sellers, it doesn't really work. They need to leave things like the stretchinroom alone.... and honestly you can barely make out what is going on up in the ceiling in that scene....a skeleton hanging...barely visible is hardly an endorsement for suicide. Cayou imagine if now the super violent superhero films we are constantly inundated with had to constantly remind the viewers that these are actors and this is not real and you should not kpeople and you should not blow people up ...lol The Haunted mansion is really the least violent, happiest version of a haunted attraction that exists...
 

Sneakman

Active Member
If it stretching room/bride does change at dl, how long do you reckon it takes for wdw’s mansion to get the update as well? And is there much left to “update” or “add” to the mansion at all space or idea wise?
 

Sneakman

Active Member
Also unpopular opinion, while I would’ve rather had Hatty in a different place other than the hallway (in my opinion he should’ve replaced groundskeeper if he couldn’tve gone in attic) I don’t think it RUINS wdw mansion as much as people say it does
 

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