Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the detailed response!
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Hatbox Ghost is Disney World?
- Thread starter cwoms197
- Start date
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- magic kingdom
Thanks for the detailed response!
Sped2424
Well-Known Member
Yeah he is! He plays a different tune and is located at the beginning of the attraction! We also have the library scene that you guys don't!
DDLand
Well-Known Member
I'd counter that uniqueness for the sake of uniqueness is not something that should be aspired for. If there is a feature that is extremly cool, it should be spread out for as many millions as possible to enjoy.
That's not to say innovation should stagnate. If there's a better way to enhance the attraction, then Disney should pursue that. If they have however reached the pinnacle of design with a certain feature (hatbox is pretty close) I say let them share.
Uniqueness is only helpful for the small few who are able to make it to both coasts. Greater attraction sharing benefits millions who may visit one in their lifetime.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Here's your actor, the Hatbox Ghost.
The storyline is... Hatbox Ghost was dating the lady celebrating the birthday in the ballroom, but ever since she went vegan they quarrel over where to have dinner on date nights, and she met a hipster ghost from Portland who promised to make her a vegan birthday cake with nut butter frosting and soy candles to blow out. Hatbox Ghost was like "Whatever, I wasn't that into you." and went up to the attic to see if that kinda cute widow was still moping around in her wedding dress. (Hatbox Ghost is in full rebound mode here, but we've all been there.) He keeps doing his hatbox trick to try and get her attention, but these big ride vehicles full of tourists keep drifting by and interrupting him. There's a crude term for when Omnimovers do that to a guy, but this is a family park.
Now exit to your left, please.
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Bairstow
Well-Known Member
We can agree to disagree, but neither Mansion nor Pirates in their original forms had "stories" in the conventional sense.
The idea that every attraction must have a narrative story is largely an invention of the Eisner era.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Even more unique things! I love it.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I disagree. Agree to disagree?
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
Basically, the major scenes and "enhancements" missing from the DL version have some sort of equivalent or workaround in the DL experience as far as I'm concerned. Despite modern revisions, AKA "enhancements", or "plussing" or whatever you guys call them, both attractions are still great.
- DL has a silent queue line that doesn't blow bubbles, a walk-through changing portrait hallway and misty limbo area where you board the Doom Buggies
- MK has the extra scenes at the beginning
- DL has the ghost fruit, attic piano shadow man, Hatbox Ghost, blast-up ghoul, a relatively preserved soundtrack and classic Hitchhiking Ghosts
- WDW has...uhh, well, what else does it supposedly do better than DL? The traveling light effect in the windows??
- DL has a silent queue line that doesn't blow bubbles, a walk-through changing portrait hallway and misty limbo area where you board the Doom Buggies
- MK has the extra scenes at the beginning
- DL has the ghost fruit, attic piano shadow man, Hatbox Ghost, blast-up ghoul, a relatively preserved soundtrack and classic Hitchhiking Ghosts
- WDW has...uhh, well, what else does it supposedly do better than DL? The traveling light effect in the windows??
I kinda feel Hatty should stay in Disneyland. But as counter; I think WDW should get something equally unique. I just don't see how Webster would be a suitable replacement.
Victor Kelly
Well-Known Member
First, the new play space outside WDW HM does not detract from the actual physical attraction itself. It is interesting, and I thought I would hate it, but kinda like it.
Second,The 11 portraits being moved to loading is abysmal as they no longer follow you with their eyes. What took their place should have been added to loading instead. I take this as a minus instead of a plus.
Third, the replacement of the spiders was an excellent decision, even though they were never scary but certainly lame. I still miss them though.
Fourth, The attic scene is not one of my favorites. But, I feel it is fairly well done, and it does plus that area of the HM. I would like to see Hatbox instead of Constance, but he may also fit well in the graveyard scene as well.
Fifth, The new ghost trio is fairly nice. I like them being in or on the doom buggies. We were disappointed that that there is no photopass video of them in the doom buggies though.
Now, should hatbox be added to WDW? Yes why not. Only a bunch of self righteous snobs would seek to keep a plus from being added that actually does add rather than subtract. I feel that the detractors are the ones who are able to keep going every single week, while the rest of us need to spend our money more frugally, and only visit once per year or once every few years. Nevermind if it was only installed in DL and never in WDW. What difference does it make in the grand scheme of life on this planet? Seriously, y'all are arguing over a theme park attraction trying to prove who knows more.
Can we not just enjoy what is there? Can we not agree that improvements must be made as technology allows? Can we not agree that everything needs plussing regardless of where it is at?
Instead we have people going whaaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa over a bloody AA, saying only we (DL) should have it. Get a grip.
Second,The 11 portraits being moved to loading is abysmal as they no longer follow you with their eyes. What took their place should have been added to loading instead. I take this as a minus instead of a plus.
Third, the replacement of the spiders was an excellent decision, even though they were never scary but certainly lame. I still miss them though.
Fourth, The attic scene is not one of my favorites. But, I feel it is fairly well done, and it does plus that area of the HM. I would like to see Hatbox instead of Constance, but he may also fit well in the graveyard scene as well.
Fifth, The new ghost trio is fairly nice. I like them being in or on the doom buggies. We were disappointed that that there is no photopass video of them in the doom buggies though.
Now, should hatbox be added to WDW? Yes why not. Only a bunch of self righteous snobs would seek to keep a plus from being added that actually does add rather than subtract. I feel that the detractors are the ones who are able to keep going every single week, while the rest of us need to spend our money more frugally, and only visit once per year or once every few years. Nevermind if it was only installed in DL and never in WDW. What difference does it make in the grand scheme of life on this planet? Seriously, y'all are arguing over a theme park attraction trying to prove who knows more.
Can we not just enjoy what is there? Can we not agree that improvements must be made as technology allows? Can we not agree that everything needs plussing regardless of where it is at?
Instead we have people going whaaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa over a bloody AA, saying only we (DL) should have it. Get a grip.
HMF
Well-Known Member
"We really don't have a story, with a beginning, an end, or a plot. It's more a series of experiences building up to a climax. I call them experience rides."-Marc Davis
orlando678-
Well-Known Member
But I actually thought the ride was getting a story after Constance was added, sorry if I'm wrong. I have to get used to two creepy audio animatronics in the attic.
Trivia - WDWs Haunted Mansion was running in April 1971. It was the first attraction to be completed.
That gave them six months to test and adjust anything they needed to before guests arrived. As far as anyone knows the hatbox ghost wasn't included in this.
That gave them six months to test and adjust anything they needed to before guests arrived. As far as anyone knows the hatbox ghost wasn't included in this.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
The Constance attic fails in many ways for me, one of which is in its attempt to shoehorn a kind of storyline into the ride. There is a clear narrative in the attic now that was never as pronounced back in the day, even if theoretically the Hat man had worked as intended, with his head disappearing and reappearing with each beat of the bride's heart. Hatbox Ghost 2.0 drops this element entirely and I have not noticed any connection between the heartbeat, Constance sayings and his head trick. These days, you have the various portraits of the bride and her husbands' vanishing heads (which I think are kind of stupid and, I guess, not stylized enough), her silly puns and hatchet. I prefer not to think of the Mansion as belonging to any resident. Not the Ghost Host, not "Master Gracey", not the guy in the foyer portrait (which is now in DL's changing portrait hallway) and not Constance. I think of it as Walt did, as it was advertised prior to opening at Disneyland. As a retirement home for ghosts from all over the world. It's what the Ghost Host tells us in the Disneyland version and it's not a stretch for me to consider it something constructed by Disney, but now inhabited by "real" ghosts after they decked it out with wall-to-wall cobwebs and creaking doors and floors, then invited them all.
orlando678-
Well-Known Member
Wait does this now mean that we have a 1000 ghosts in the mansion, but there is room for a 1001?
seahawk7
Well-Known Member
I like your synopsis and thank you for taking the time to do it.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
With the exception of the graveyard scene, the Florida version has better and more dynamic audio, especially in and directly after the stretching room.
Florida has the multi-stage changing portrait in the foyer, added Escher staircase, and music room scenes with audio. Maybe that's what you meant by "extra scenes?
This may be temporary, but currently Florida has better light balance throughout the attraction and a less-visible ceiling.
Skipper Dan
Active Member
Whether you like it or not, the Hatbox Ghost is immortalized (pun intended) as part of "Haunted Mansion" lore, not just Disneyland history. The rides were practically duplicated at the same time, with the exception of Hatty, because his effect didn't work -- not that we all don't know the story, I'm just sayin' -- now it does. So I see no reason not to include him, especially when you consider the fact that he is arguably one of the most famous characters of the Mansion, and in my opinion, that's a feat for a character who hasn't even been in the ride for 46 years.
I agree that individuality is something to be cherished, but only if one plans to visit the multiple parks. But once you do, sometimes what one park has, and the other does not, can make the other seem noticeably lacking. For example... if you've ever been to DL -- which please keep in mind, I grew up going to WDW, and it wasn't until I was 19 that I went to the DLR -- once you go back to WDW's Adventureland, it seems so vacant barren near the entrance, like it's missing something. DL's Adventureland is lively, filled with 1930s music, where the Jungle Cruise meets with the Indiana Jones Adventure to create an immersive, cohesive Adventurers Club vibe.
What would the HM be without the hitchhiking ghosts? Like Everest without the Yeti, it'd still be the HM, but it's that little extra "something" that makes it whole. I believe without the Hatbox Ghost, our Mansion will be seriously lacking.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Why would it have been included? They already ditched the effect back in 1969.