Hatbox Ghost is Disney World?

[Bairstow]

Just some things I want to point out about the differences between the two versions.

The theming at the DL version on the queue is done so much better with the thunder storm visual effects you see out the windows and the paintings of the hallway you see while on line. My favorite difference is the story behind the DL version is that your soul is whisked away onto your doom buggy. In the WDW version, it is obvious that you are waiting on line to ride an omnimover. In the DL version, it is dark and flighty and it actually feels like our souls being whisked away (not that I have any person experience with my soul being whisked away - thank goodness - but I'm just saying...).

The DL version is all dark and eveything is on sync. The WDW has bright and colorful lighting which destroys the mood, in my opinion.

Bright and colorful lighting? We must be riding different Haunted Mansions at WDW.

Yeah, if anything the lighting in the Disneyland version of Mansion is too bright right now, leading to visible ceilings and floors where there shouldn't be.

Not sure about the "souls being whisked away" bit, but the limbo load area of the Disneyland version certainly is interesting, what with its odd contrasting indoor/outdoor elements. I feel like the Florida version is ultimately more thematically successful, though, since the rest of the ride makes clear distinctions between when you are meant to be inside and outside the Mansion.

 

[ght]

I don't think that's a very good example. I rode Buzz at DL just last week and it is FAR preferable to the MK version. I'll take MK's Splash Mountain over DL's all day and I still think that MK's Space Mountain is more fun from a thrill perspective, but that might be it when it comes to the duplicate rides between the two.

It is a better ride, but it was in rough shape in March (and in October) and has been plagued with breakdowns lately. It wasn't a 1-to-1 comparison but an example of how DL has its own issues as far as needed maintenance, though not to the level of WDW.

 

[englanddg]

Here's what is really needed for a discussion about Hatty (unless you can go ride it yourself)

 

[Sage of Time]

I feel a need to mention that this year is a great time to plan a visit to Disneyland in sunny Southern California.

Oh yes.
Just GO....and leave WDW behind.

Forget that. Just go to Tokyo. (If we're talking about upkeep and show quality alone...)

 

[lazyboy97o]

Forget that. Just go to Tokyo. (If we're talking about upkeep and show quality alone...)

I'd also rather explore Tokyo than Southern California.

 

[Bairstow]

Here's what is really needed for a discussion about Hatty (unless you can go ride it yourself)

The sort of low-light video equipment available to amateurs these days is really remarkable.
It's a shame that this sort of technology wasn't in people's hands during the heyday of American dark rides in the middle of the last century.

 

[Sage of Time]

I'd also rather explore Tokyo than Southern California.

An excellent point.

 

[EpcoTim]

You tease more than my wife after three glasses of reisling.

That's when you pour her a 4th glass and pretend you're interested in whatever she's rambling on about.

 

[Progress.City]

Oh my gosh. When did I ever deny money is spent on Disneyland?

MY whole point, from the beginning, was people claim act like the DLR parks are perfect, and they're not.





The anniversary celebrations between the different resorts is inexcusable, for sure. In saying that, it's been a tradition since Walt's era to put on big celebrations every teen years for Disneyland, so there's that. I don't know about WDW, but like I said, there's no excuse.

The problems may seem laughable to you, but they aren't to the fans of the Disneyland community. Sources can say whatever they want, but nothing's official until Disney makes an official announcement and shovels are put in the ground.

Um, the DL Magic Kingdom is near perfect. There is just one glaring imperfection: Splash Mountain. And the layout is too cramped. And the castle is too small. And no Mine Train. But, besides those things, the rides are as perfect as they could possibly be (within reasonable capital outlays).

 

[Californian Elitist]

Um, the DL Magic Kingdom is near perfect. There is just one glaring imperfection: Splash Mountain. And the layout is too cramped. And the castle is too small. And no Mine Train. But, besides those things, the rides are as perfect as they could possibly be (within reasonable capital outlays).

Please stop.

 

[1023]

Um, the DL Magic Kingdom is near perfect. There is just one glaring imperfection: Splash Mountain. And the layout is too cramped. And the castle is too small. And no Mine Train. But, besides those things, the rides are as perfect as they could possibly be (within reasonable capital outlays).

Holy batch of wrongness Batman.... Disneyland is Disneyland, not the DL Magic Kingdom. Disneyland is the original. Splash Mountain is exactly what it was built to be with many of the America Sings characters re-purposed. The size and scale of Disneyland (the Original I remind you) is exactly what (more or less) Walt wanted or could afford (or not) at the time. The castle is built to the scale for the effect and is as designed. The Mine Train folly is yours to keep thank you as it's shortfall from originally intended is on a grand scale. Disneyland Resort as a whole will enjoy it's Marvel expansion while those east of the Mississippi enjoy a limited universe of attractions at best.

*1023*

 

[SpaceMountain75]

You know what's better than all of them? Universal.

(sarcasm)

 

[flyakite]

Hello everyone,

I have enjoyed this discussion and have learned much about the Hatbox Ghost. Out of curiosity I Googled whether or not there is any original film of the original considering that it existed for a brief moment in time. I found this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnERBLhd5ac

If this is common knowledge, I apologize. I just found it an interesting piece of history.

I hope WDW gets its version.

 

[Progress.City]

Please stop.

You're allowed to disagree with me, but that is how I really feel. It's my opinion. We're allowed to have them.

Your opinion is not wrong. We just see the same thing from different angles.

I would like to see Disney put lip stick on its crown jewel for once.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You're allowed to disagree with me, but that is how I really feel. It's my opinion. We're allowed to have them.

Your opinion is not wrong. We just see the same thing from different angles.

I would like to see Disney put lip stick on its crown jewel for once.

You're saying things that just aren't true. There's a difference between opinion and fact.

 

[TP2000]

Oh, and did I mention we pay more to get into our MK with several fewer E Tickets? Salt on the wound...

There's over a dozen missing rides from WDW's Magic Kingdom, compared to Disneyland. Four of them are E Tickets, although one could easily argue that Star Tours being in Disneyland doesn't count because it's available across WDW property at DHS. Similarly, having Little Mermaid in DCA a 5 minute walk from Main Street USA makes it a wash. But here are the rides/attractions that exist in Disneyland that are missing from Magic Kingdom Park:

E Tickets - 4
Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours

D Tickets - 3
Storybook Land Canal Boats, Sailing Ship Columbia, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

C Tickets - 6
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Snow White's Scary Adventure, Alice In Wonderland, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Casey Jr. Circus Train

A Ticket - 2
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Thru, Main Street Cinema

Versus the list of rides that exist in WDW's Magic Kingdom Park that aren't available in Disneyland

D Tickets - 4
Country Bear Jamboree, Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Carousel of Progress, Stich's Great Escape

B Tickets - 1
Aladdin's Flying Carpets

 

[doctornick]

There's over a dozen missing rides from WDW's Magic Kingdom, compared to Disneyland. Four of them are E Tickets, although one could easily argue that Star Tours being in Disneyland doesn't count because it's available across WDW property at DHS. Similarly, having Little Mermaid in DCA a 5 minute walk from Main Street USA makes it a wash. But here are the rides/attractions that exist in Disneyland that are missing from Magic Kingdom Park:

E Tickets - 4
Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours

D Tickets - 3
Storybook Land Canal Boats, Sailing Ship Columbia, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

C Tickets - 6
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Snow White's Scary Adventure, Alice In Wonderland, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Casey Jr. Circus Train

A Ticket - 2
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Thru, Main Street Cinema

Versus the list of rides that exist in WDW's Magic Kingdom Park that aren't available in Disneyland

D Tickets - 4
Country Bear Jamboree, Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Carousel of Progress, Stich's Great Escape

B Tickets - 1
Aladdin's Flying Carpets

I appreciate what you are saying and think it is mostly accurate, but there are more you could be adding to the MK side: PhilharMagic, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, Tomorrowland Transit Authority. You could also consider Enchanted Tales with Belle -- I can understand leaving it off, but it seems on par with the DL A-tickets you have listed above and without anything analogous at DL.

I do give you credit that you did not put the Monorail on the DL side (since you can get a similar experience at MK). It's clear that DL has more experiences than MK, however, and the list does illustrate that well.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Interesting last few pages. The East Coast/West Coast debate is always an entertaining read; but, for me there are some important things that need to be taken into consideration.

The most important is the attraction density issue. There is no debate that there is more "stuff" per square inch in Anaheim than there is in Orlando. When you start discussing this topic, it's important to realize this is a byproduct of the past histories and it's not the same subject as discussing the present day or even the future (unless you want to make a valid argument that the past is the good indicator of future behavior). There is no doubt that Disneyland Resort has accumulated more "stuff" over its history than WDW has. When you lay the hard numbers (the attraction tally) on the table, it's not even an argument that there is more "stuff" per inch on the West Coast, so don't even bother debating the numbers. The real debate is why does DLR have 60 years of stuff that adds up to X in two parks and WDW has 44 years and 4 parks and it doesn't add up to the same total. The debate should be centered around why? Is it just natural accumulation of attractions over the years or is there something else that should be factored in? You could also debate if WDW's accumulation is "enough" for where that resort stands in present day.

Another tangent to debate is the way the two resorts are operated. This can get into the very subjective; but, you can always bring objective things into the discussion. Compare similar attractions and their upkeep (Pirates v Pirates or small world v small world). Compare those same attractions and any enhancements they may or may not have received. Compare their entertainment offerings and any changes or enhancements they receive or don't. Compare the number of characters you encounter in the streets in one place or another. Compare the service the Cast Members provide in one location versus the other. The list can go on and on for the operational side of the coin.

So, whenever I want to discuss DLR v WDW - I try to leave the attraction density off the books as it's a no win situation for Orlando unless you want to discuss why there is such a huge difference and that ties into the much bigger "operational" differences between the two.

In my mind, there is no comparison to the present WDW experience to the current DLR experience. DLR still comes closest to the level of quality that WDW use to hold. That is the real salient point of discussion... WDW of today is not WDW of our memories.

@raven24, I'm not saying DLR is perfect. I can make a list of things that aren't. It's just significantly closer in realization to the Disney Parks standard that is still in my heart from when I fell in love with what that meant years ago at WDW.

That said... it will be nice for one of WDW's few remaining shinning stars to get the Hatbox Ghost. A great attraction deserves to be made greater. Isn't that what that guy in that former orange grove wanted all those years ago when he coined "plussing"? Unfortunately, in Orlando its far too often when we discuss "minusing" for it's attraction rosters.

 

[Progress.City]

You're saying things that just aren't true. There's a difference between opinion and fact.

What did I say that wasn't true?

Fact: Every single ride is better at DL (with the lone exception of Splash Mountain) and the castle (but that's not a ride) than its WDW counterparts.

 

[Flippin'Flounder]

What did I say that wasn't true?

Fact: Every single ride is better at DL (with the lone exception of Splash Mountain) than its WDW counterparts and the castle (but that's not a ride).

Actually WDW's PM is better, because you know, it actually gets turned on.