News Hatbox Ghost coming to Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion

[celluloid]

Sad thing operationally is that early this morning we already had footage of slow and stops posted in front of the figure.

You think about the odds of that, and frequency that it is happening that a vlogger would be in that exact moment of the 8 minute ride.

ADA happens and crawl or stop loads/unloads happen, but the odds of that are slim to happen to the vloggers going through at that time to stop for one right there.

 

[JohnD]

Sad thing operationally is that early this morning we already had footage of slow and stops posted in front of the figure.

You think about the odds of that, and frequency that it is happening that a vlogger would be in that exact moment of the 8 minute ride.

ADA happens and crawl or stop loads/unloads happen, but the odds of that are slim to happen to the vloggers going through at that time to stop for one right there.

It's a conspiracy! Look, I would like to go all the way through without a stop but every time I offer that opinion, especially in a FB group, I get clobbered with not caring about those in a wheelchair. I get it. It needs to stop for those who couldn't otherwise board from a moving platform. And it happens frequently, even to the point that a vlogger happened to be facing the HBG. That doesn't mean I still would like to ride all the way through without a stop.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I wouldn't be caught dead riding Haunted Mansion today (not without my death certificate lolol). I guarantee it's a sea of Disney vloggers who all rushed out the door this morning to get their exclusive, very important footage so they can talk about how great and amazing the addition is.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Sad thing operationally is that early this morning we already had footage of slow and stops posted in front of the figure.

You think about the odds of that, and frequency that it is happening that a vlogger would be in that exact moment of the 8 minute ride.

ADA happens and crawl or stop loads/unloads happen, but the odds of that are slim to happen to the vloggers going through at that time to stop for one right there.

At Disneyland, you can actually determine where you might be slowed/stopped based on the Doombuggy number. Because they have a limitation on how many ADA parties can be down stairs on the ride (because of evacuation concerns in getting people back off the ride in an emergency), they only load the ADA guests beginning in a certain number Doombuggy (130) and based on that number, you can calculate where in the daisy chain of RVs the stops will be.

I have a list of RV numbers and the corrsesponding show scenes in a note on my phone that I use when my wife, who is disabled, is back in the room and I'm just taking pics. It doesn't always work as there isn't always an ADA group that needs either loaded or unloaded.

At MK, they don't have the evac concerns as the Mansion's emergency exits go to ground level.

 

[doctornick]

Looks great and can't wait to see it.

Now can they get the BTMRR explosions done as well? (Was something else originally planned to have been added long ago)

 

[Minthorne]

I have to say that I liked the MK placement and the set around the Hatbox ghost. Rode it twice today and was impressed both times.

I rode HM in DL in August this year the day before it went down for the nightmare overlay. DL hatbox ghost placement gives a much smaller time to watch it. Overall I felt MK was better executed.

YMMV

I did appreciate the rose on Master Gracey’s grave today.

 

[JenniferS]

So, in a nutshell - those who have seen it firsthand, seem to either like it or love it. Those who are seeing photos and videos only, don’t.

Yeah, that tracks.

 

[HMF]

So, in a nutshell - those who have seen it firsthand, seem to either like it or love it. Those who are seeing photos and videos only, don’t.

Yeah, that tracks.

There is a difference between not liking it and not liking the fact that it is placed in a location where it ruins the attractions storyline. If he was in the same place as his Disneyland counterpart, This would be a non-issue.

 

[Lirael]

So, in a nutshell - those who have seen it firsthand, seem to either like it or love it. Those who are seeing photos and videos only, don’t.

Yeah, that tracks.

The issue isn't the ghost itself, it's where it was placed

Ambience and story matter. HM has a very clear storyline of creepiness that slowly amps up, until thanks to Leona you start outright seeing ghosts.

This is matched by a music score that speeds up and such accordingly

The ghost where he is now breaks the atmosphere of creepy but not in your face

 

[Tony the Tigger]

There is a difference between not liking it and not liking the fact that it is placed in a location where it ruins the attractions storyline. If he was in the same place as his Disneyland counterpart, This would be a non-issue.

Boo

Hoo.

But mostly…

Boo!

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

So, in a nutshell - those who have seen it firsthand, seem to either like it or love it. Those who are seeing photos and videos only, don’t.

Yeah, that tracks.

I saw it in person. Quite by accident as I was already at the park when I learned he was finally brought online. Cool figure (as it was at Disneyland), terrible location. He ruins the pacing of the attraction's "story progression" and also distracts from and ruins the classic endless hallway scene.

Also, while I did luck out and manage to get a very good look at him, the ride was packed with inconsiderate ***holes ruining the experience by taking flash pictures of him. One person even had their flash permanently on as they passed him.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Also, while I did luck out and manage to get a very good look at him, the ride was packed with inconsiderate ***holes ruining the experience by taking flash pictures of him. One person even had their flash permanently on as they passed him.

Last time I went on HM there was a woman taking flash photos during the whole ride.

It's a problem on dark rides throughout WDW. You can't ride Frozen, Pirates or Little Mermaid without it happening.

 

[Tom Morrow]

So, in a nutshell - those who have seen it firsthand, seem to either like it or love it. Those who are seeing photos and videos only, don’t.

Yeah, that tracks.

You mean a bunch of vloggers filmed it and said it was amazing to keep the perks rolling in? The vast majority of which have never once thought about the attraction's pacing and story progression?

 

[JenniferS]

You mean a bunch of vloggers filmed it and said it was amazing to keep the perks rolling in? The vast majority of which have never once thought about the attraction's pacing and story progression?

And where do you place @wdwmagic in that pack?

 

[Touchdown]

Last time I went on HM there was a woman taking flash photos during the whole ride.

It's a problem on dark rides throughout WDW. You can't ride Frozen, Pirates or Little Mermaid without it happening.

That’s when I throw my polite theatre voice out and loudly request “No Flash Pictures Please!”

 

[gorillaball]

It looks incredible by itself! Next to the endless hallway it looks atrocious.

Atrocious? Did you ride it more than once today to make sure of that opinion?

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

Gotta ask @wdwmagic was the 666 on the URL intentional for the Hatbox Ghost video??
https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/haunted-mansion/video/666.htm

 

[Epcot81Fan]

The good news is nobody will ever be able to tell what was original and what was a ham-fisted, bolted on addition that makes no thematic sense to the story.

That is perfect, seamless integration!

#2023WDI

 

[Tom Morrow]

And where do you place @wdwmagic in that pack?

I'm a little surprised, to be honest. I don't see how any longtime fan, as in not a new lifestyler//vlogger/brand worshipper, could like the way this addition was implemented.

Beyond the obvious pacing and presentation issues, why does all of the lighting around him clash with the rest of the room? Why is he like 4 feet tall? The last positive changes to Haunted Mansion were the 2007 updates and some recent, unannounced lighting and audio upgrades. Everything since (interactive queue, awful hitching ghost projection gag) has detracted from the experience rather than enhanced.

 

[MrPromey]

Those of us who have heard them stated privately understand why they can’t be stated publicly. I assure you that the reasons are quite legitimate. Sorry if that’s not good enough for you.

With the hijinx over at DL’s Small World this past week, it really is valuable to protect this bit of information.

To be clear, you're saying if they lit this area, they'd be exposing the naked man hiding in that part of the ride?

A number of options were looked at for placing The Hatbox Ghost in the ride - both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The decisions were not made lightly.

The location that was ultimately picked for Disneyland was infrastructurally (not structurally) impractical for Walt Disney World. The two ride buildings are not similar in all ways. I wish I could say more about it, because it actually is fascinating. But putting it out there plainly would cause problems.

Okay, the previous comment made it sound like this was some super-secret thing that would bring shame to the organization if revealed.

Is it just that they couldn't find a long enough extension cord?

I daisy chained to get around that problem for Christmas lights one year but I guess with the whole CFTD thing, maybe they're not willing to risk the violation.