jmvd20
Well-Known Member
Very interesting, I really do not keep up with what is going on at DL and didn't realize they had that many.
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Haunted Mansion Refurb to be dissapointing
- Thread starter MuRkErY
- Start date
Very interesting, I really do not keep up with what is going on at DL and didn't realize they had that many.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I love the haunted mansion as much as the next person. My wife and daughter are upset that when we go its going to be closed. I on the other hand, am not upset. Why? It needs work bad, and after my trip last year I wasnt looking forward to going on it anyway. The thing that bugs me is the fact that if they would spend the time to update on a regular basis, the rides wouldnt get into such bad shape. I will save judgement untill they finish, and I can see what they did.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
I think the above quotes sum up the entire issue beautifully.
It's great that they're finally comitting some time and money to refurbishing these rides, but there really does need to be a change in their entire approach if it's going to mean anything more than just getting these attractions back to square one and then letting them slowly fall back into disrepair. If they're now taking Haunted Mansion down for three months after leaving it untouched for so many years and even then not seeing it as worth their while to install upgraded effects that DL installed after the park closed without even having to take it down, then it really speaks volumes about how uninterested WDW management is in spending any money to keep their older attractions up to scratch. That's also reflected in management's insistance on re-opening Pirates in the middle of the last rehab to satisfy temporary capacity needs while DL continued working away on upgrading their already many times over upgraded version of the attraction.
With the increasing streamlining of the 'Disney Parks' into a single division it would be nice to see the standards of showmanship employed at DL brought over to WDW. From what I've read online, all of which may or may not be accurate, it seems that the reorganisation has tended to see DL executives reporting to WDW executives rather than the other way around, though, which I'm increasingly understanding would not be a positive development, IMO. That's not to say WDW doesn't do some things incredibly well, and I think DL is on a winner importing a version of Epcot's Food & Wine Festival to California Adventure, but in the area of general showmanship I think WDW management would do well spending some time over in Anaheim to see how it's done. As an aside, is it possible that part of the problem is that WDW is located so far away from the executive offices in Burbank and WDI in Glendale that they get a freer hand in how they run the place?
mousermerf
Account Suspended
In the WDW fanbase thanks to folks like Al Lutz and Jim Hill, people have a false belief that DLR is a be-all end-all for Disney theme parks.
There is an awful lot they do horribly wrong, and no DL AP-touting southern Californian will ever tell you otherwise.
I just got back from DLR, and there are many - MANY - rusted handrails in the parks. There is paint missing from several areas. They don't list restaurant hours that vary from the park hours anywhere, not even on signs outfront of the restuarants, and 75% of them close 4-5 hours before the park. They lack ADA accesible ride queues for no apparent reason other then they don't want to re-drill the ground for stantion holes. Burnt out light bulbs abound. The list goes on.
As for the amazing upgrades... the floating head and new bride are the only noticeable changes in Haunted Mansion. And if you really want them to, i'm sure a few letters to management at WDW might convince them to paint the bicycles and other small items in the graveyard scene day-glo neon orange, green, and pink. Yes, there is hot pink DL's HM.
Heck, going back to the general operation there's only a small sign next to the train station to inform you that all of Fantasyland will close for the fireworks show. Not stating the time of closure or anything though. Many things about DLR are very much akimbo contrary to what the internet has been telling WDW patrons for years.
There is an awful lot they do horribly wrong, and no DL AP-touting southern Californian will ever tell you otherwise.
I just got back from DLR, and there are many - MANY - rusted handrails in the parks. There is paint missing from several areas. They don't list restaurant hours that vary from the park hours anywhere, not even on signs outfront of the restuarants, and 75% of them close 4-5 hours before the park. They lack ADA accesible ride queues for no apparent reason other then they don't want to re-drill the ground for stantion holes. Burnt out light bulbs abound. The list goes on.
As for the amazing upgrades... the floating head and new bride are the only noticeable changes in Haunted Mansion. And if you really want them to, i'm sure a few letters to management at WDW might convince them to paint the bicycles and other small items in the graveyard scene day-glo neon orange, green, and pink. Yes, there is hot pink DL's HM.
Heck, going back to the general operation there's only a small sign next to the train station to inform you that all of Fantasyland will close for the fireworks show. Not stating the time of closure or anything though. Many things about DLR are very much akimbo contrary to what the internet has been telling WDW patrons for years.
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
This is what I have been trying to get at, well said Merf.
I just do not understand why some people act as if WDW is falling apart and is being neglected. The amount of new construction/restoration I see going on at WDW every year is amazing. That is why I am just chalking this one up to the fact that you can never make everyone happy. It does also seem like some of the WDW patrons are jealous of anything DL gets. I would bet the amount of spending for both parks is pretty comparable as a percentage of income.
DisneyMusician2
Well-Known Member
Thank you for some perspective on this one! I think (contrary to many beliefs) that they are really trying to improve the parks. I don't agree with some of the ways they are doing it, but you can't seem to argue anymore in light of these posts that one park is so far superior to another. WDW gets what they can, but remember it is HUGE, and they always need to keep improving everything at once. It isn't perfect, but the changes are coming slowly.
hokielutz
Well-Known Member
What everyone has to keep in mind, and I think it was mentioned earlier is the size of WDW's 4 major parks, 2 minor parks and other areas, really dwarf the impact of an addition or refurb project. Now Disney does a great job of hyping the projects in marketing, but when you look at the total number of attractions at WDW vs DL, a change at DL will have a bigger impace because there is less there to begin with. From a per capita perspective, DL gets more. Also, focus of additions and refurbs at WDW could be focused on one particular park alone, while the others have minimal changes. Going to DL, any change in the attractions, affects the one park you are visiting. (I know DL technically has 2 parks, but they are essentially attached at the hip) So you will constantly see change at the DL, but not when visiting Disney Studios since major changes occured at the AK, and Epcot.
VT GAL
Member
It seems to be a case of almost "sibling" rivalry. They got ______ (insert whatever refurb or whatever here), so why can't we. No park is perfect, but I have to agree with hokielutz on the fact that they have a lot to more keep up with at WDW and changes will always seem to have more of an impact at DL. Could they do better at all of the parks? Yes, but that is what the future hopefully holds.
DisneyMusician2
Well-Known Member
I wish we would stop comparing the parks and finally realize that its OK if things are different and that refurbs and new attractions don't need to match exactly right. Just my two cents.
VT GAL
Member
Exactly!!! :sohappy:
PurpleDragon
Well-Known Member
But when both parks have the same attractions in them (i.e. PoTC, HM, etc...) its hard not to compare them.
But I agree with others, since DL has only 2 parks, any changes over there will have a larger impact than in WDW. However for every update they got on their HM, we got a new attraction, or something similar. Over the last couple years, WDW has gotten a number of new attractions(EE, SGE, Soarin, MS, etc..) while DL has simply gotten a spit shine and some much needed repairs.
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
This has been said many times but it always goes back to an argument that WDW management is dropping the ball and does not care about upgrading their attractions.
The bottom line is the HM at WDW is getting a re-furb and people should be happy with that. Instead people were already complaining that it will be a half hearted hodge podge of a re-furb before the work has even started. This is the basis of my opinion that no matter what you do - people will always complain about something.
To me it does also sound like the jealous borther/sister - but daddy I want my Haunted Mansion to be nicer than his, even though you got me twice as many gifts this year.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I believe they do neglect. Look at the shape of some of the "classic" rides. Minor updates can go a long way to keep an old ride fresh. Why was the audio in the HM not fixed a few years ago? Last year for me, the HM was a joke the audio almost never worked the whole ride. And thats a big part of the ride I think. If they would do a few small things every 5 or so years, they wouldnt have to close such a popular ride for 3 months in prime time.
I too am amazed at what Disney does from year to year. Thats what sometimes get me upset. They can do all this great stuff (and I love the new stuff, EE, MS, Soarn...) but cant fix what seems to be minor stuff in older attractions. Thats kind of frustrating.
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
The audio was working when we were there last May, I guess it is hit and miss. I am not saying WDW is perfect, and I agree that they could do some things better.
From a logistics and cost standpoint I can clearly understand why they would wait to make modifications and major repairs at the same time. Is it better to close the ride once a year for a month, or once every 5 years for 3 months?
It makes perfect sense to me to paint, clean, and say upgrade the lighting, sound etc... all at the same time. It will cost less money and believe it or not, take much less time to complete everything during the same shut down as opposed to closing it multiple times. Main reasons being scaffolding, fall protection, paint prep. etc.... - Project management 101.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Well not really. As I said earlier, unless the additions above and beyond what DL has aren't covering the additional cost then WDW should have plenty of money to keep their standards as high as they do at DL. Even when it's been pointed out that WDW has been getting a lot of new stuff it's also been pointed out that so has DL in recent years.
If the result of taking this approach is putting guests through attractions in which major elements, such as the entire narration of the ride, only work on and off for literally years on end then they should be conducting more regular maintenance on these attractions. People have already described the states into which they let Pirates and Mansion fall before doing anything about it and a company like Disney really shouldn't be allowing their headlining attractions to fall into such disrepair. Then there's also the issue about whether they should leave attractions untouched without any technology upgrades for literally decades on end which will inevitably mean they date. This is all particularly true when you consider that the company's other resort manages to handle both of these issues and offers a superior product for it. Of course DLR isn't perfect and WDW does do some things better, but I defy anyone who has only been to WDW for a few years to go to DL and not be blown away by the difference in the quality between that park and MK.
If it doesn't bother some people that's ok, but I also think people are allowed to complain a little on boards like this!
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
If it doesn't bother some people that's ok, but I also think people are allowed to complain a little on boards like this!
Just so you know my comments about how people just like to complain weren't aimed at people like you who are talking about specific things that bug you, I personally complain about numerous things on a daily basis. I was however referring to those who are already complaining that the WDW HM refurb was a disaster prior to it even strating.
Of course everyone on this board is allowed to discuss things like this - if we weren't I wouldn't have been able to kill a few boring hours of work this afternoon
mousermerf
Account Suspended
Well, again, I'm just back from 4 days at DLR and it didnt blow me away.
I actually took a guest survey, of which one of the first questions was "Is your current visit better or worse then your last?"
I answered "worse" as things had noticeable gotten more lackluster in the past year. Again, rust - not just chipped paint - but actual rust can be found on many things in the park.
I actually took a guest survey, of which one of the first questions was "Is your current visit better or worse then your last?"
I answered "worse" as things had noticeable gotten more lackluster in the past year. Again, rust - not just chipped paint - but actual rust can be found on many things in the park.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Of course everyone on this board is allowed to discuss things like this - if we weren't I wouldn't have been able to kill a few boring hours of work this afternoon
I'm 100% with you there; I'm supposed to be working right now! :lookaroun
mousermerf
Account Suspended
I feel ignored...
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
I directly responded to you a page or 2 back there :wave: