Haunted Mantion Refurb

[jmvd20]

There is a difference between making an attraction better and improving it, and fixing it so it’s not falling apart as we speak and a complete embarrassment. Sadly, WDW management seems to think duct tape and early 1970s effects are still OK for today’s WDW guests. I’ll be quite disappointed if all we get is what never should have stopped working in the first place (audio, etc.)

Fact: Other than RUMORS we do not have any solid idea as to what exactly will be going on for this rehab. The entire point of my original statement is that it is pointless to criticize anything or anyone based upon internet rumors.

Therefore - let's not criticize anyone in management for using "duct tape" until such time we actually know what is going to be done.

Things break, speakers go bad, ride systems deteriorate, light bulbs burn out. Repairing these items is hardly a "duct tape" fix.

Also being as the HM is one of the MK most popular attractions as is - why is there a need to spend huge amounts of money upgrading it? From a monetary standpoint why change the ride and add effects when attendance is good. Based upon that I would definitely say that those "1970s" effects are OK with many, many WDW guests.

 

[basas]

Fact: Other than RUMORS we do not have any solid idea as to what exactly will be going on for this rehab. The entire point of my original statement is that it is pointless to criticize anything or anyone based upon internet rumors.

Therefore - let's not criticize anyone in management for using "duct tape" until such time we actually know what is going to be done.

Things break, speakers go bad, ride systems deteriorate, light bulbs burn out. Repairing these items is hardly a "duct tape" fix.

Also being as the HM is one of the MK most popular attractions as is - why is there a need to spend huge amounts of money upgrading it? From a monetary standpoint why change the ride and add effects when attendance is good. Based upon that I would definitely say that those "1970s" effects are OK with many, many WDW guests.

True, these are rumors. But if they are true, it is very disappointing. Not to mention MK management sure doesn't have the best track record of late.

The fact is, Haunted Mansion has been allowed to deteriorate to such a stage that it's an embarrassment to take a first-timer on it. Audio cutting in and out, broken and dated effects, some rides with absolutely NO audio, and general poor upkeep. It simply shouldn't be allowed to happen at the most visited theme park in the world. The thing should have been closed years ago and brought up to date.

 

[Enigma]

True, these are rumors. But if they are true, it is very disappointing. Not to mention MK management sure doesn't have the best track record of late.

The fact is, Haunted Mansion has been allowed to deteriorate to such a stage that it's an embarrassment to take a first-timer on it. Audio cutting in and out, broken and dated effects, some rides with absolutely NO audio, and general poor upkeep. It simply shouldn't be allowed to happen at the most visited theme park in the world. The thing should have been closed years ago and brought up to date.

yea the ride's at Magic Kingdom are an absolute joke. Been on Splash Mountain lately? that's another ride that is totally run down and then there is the laugh floor...the only ride in the world that could potentially be worse than Stitch's great escape (superstar limo not withstanding).

 

[culturenthrills]

Also being as the HM is one of the MK most popular attractions as is - why is there a need to spend huge amounts of money upgrading it? From a monetary standpoint why change the ride and add effects when attendance is good. Based upon that I would definitely say that those "1970s" effects are OK with many, many WDW guests.

Why spend money on anything at any of the parks? As long as it is good enough to get by then that is all that is needed. Is this what you expect from Disney? Just good enough because that isn't the innovative company I know. Why did they bother to upgrade HM, POTC, JC and SM at Disneyland. Because they could. This just good enough to get by attitude has been a problem at WDW for awhile now and it will come back to bite them on the butt eventually.

 

[jmvd20]

Audio cutting in and out, broken and dated effects, some rides with absolutely NO audio, and general poor upkeep. It simply shouldn't be allowed to happen at the most visited theme park in the world. The thing should have been closed years ago and brought up to date.

Agree with that 100%

My only problem is people who criticize WDW for letting attractions deteriorate, and then criticize them when they are repaired.

It is also frustrating that every time WDW announces a refurb people say it will ruin the ride experience, be done poorly or half-hearted, or the ever popular WDW management messed it up big time - fire all the guys responsible for this mess.

If all of those feelings came after the re-furb is completed then so be it, everyone is entitled to an opinion. However these criticisms come out everytime a refurb is announced yet prior to any details or work even starting. :brick:

 

[jmvd20]

Why spend money on anything at any of the parks? As long as it is good enough to get by then that is all that is needed. Is this what you expect from Disney? Just good enough because that isn't the innovative company I know. Why did they bother to upgrade HM, POTC, JC and SM at Disneyland. Because they could. This just good enough to get by attitude has been a problem at WDW for awhile now and it will come back to bite them on the butt eventually.

I would have loved to install that innovative kitchen and bathroom in my home last year. Only problem is I could just afford to do one of them and I decided to upgrade the least expensive one - so the kitchen will have to wait.

I am sure WDW would love to put up new rides and re-furb/upgrade everything in their parks. Unfortunately they have the same monetary issues that any other person/company would have. We also need to consider how large their property is and how expensive it is to maintain and upgrade everything that they have.

I expect WDW to do a better job on maintenance than I have seen on my last few trips, but I also understand that they cannot do everything that us fans want or expect all the time.

If WDW is in such bad shape and has a problem with the "good" enough attitude why is attendance up? Why are there numerous construction projects all over property if they do not care about such things?

And above all else - why do people criticize a refurb when they do not even know what it is going to involve?

 

[basas]

Agree with that 100%

My only problem is people who criticize WDW for letting attractions deteriorate, and then criticize them when they are repaired.

It is also frustrating that every time WDW announces a refurb people say it will ruin the ride experience, be done poorly or half-hearted, or the ever popular WDW management messed it up big time - fire all the guys responsible for this mess.

If all of those feelings came after the re-furb is completed then so be it, everyone is entitled to an opinion. However these criticisms come out everytime a refurb is announced yet prior to any details or work even starting. :brick:

Oh trust me, I'm not complaining about it getting repaired...I just want it FULLY repaired and improved and not a 50% job to bring it up to 'mediocre/passable standards'. Of course, these are still rumors, but they do concern me. Heck, I wouldn't even mind if they kept it closed for a few more months if thats what was needed. I just wish MK management cared a little more about their attractions.

 

[jmvd20]

Oh trust me, I'm not complaining about it getting repaired...I just want it FULLY repaired and improved and not a 50% job to bring it up to 'mediocre/passable standards'.

I know you weren't and I feel the same way you do about wanting it fully repaired.

I was just on my soapbox about the "complain if they do, complain if they don't crowd". I really do feel better now though

 

[disney9752]

:brick: i hoped when paul pressler & eisner were gone that things would turn around, but the greedy mouse seems to win out again, or so we hear. i hope hm is fixed appropriately, & even upgraded, not just fixed back to opening state in 1971. it seems wdw is more interested in throwing in cheap attractions, shops 2 rake in $$, & more hotel rooms to get even more $$ than spending $$ on something that will keep repeat or potential repeat guests happy.:hurl:

 

[JikoMarie]

To be fair, I think most repeat guests are pretty darn happy. Why else would they keep coming back?

 

[DarkMeasures]

They keep coming back because it is Disneyworld.

But the ride needs all the rehab it can get. Maybe after Nemo opens Lasseter will look and be like "Oh ****! I forgot completely about Disneyworld."

 

[sillykid]

What do you think the budget was and is for this rehab?
Disney has deep pockets, just they some times seem to deep, that they loose sight of what's in thier pocket. How do they cut out a gift shop possibly, when the returns would be ten fold? Fix the sound system, great. But what about the bride, and graveyard.

 

[SeanC]

For the record...i'm for as many upgrades, expansions, new e-tickets, maintanance standards, refurbs, as they can throw at us...


BUT...

to beat a dead horse, comparing WDW to DL is a little unfair. Their demographic is so much more skewed to the local market they HAVE to constantly tweak everything to keep the attendance numbers up. buzz on minor enhancements can flood the parks with repeat visitors. WDW simply works on a different business model.

Thats no excuse for poor maintanance and sub-standard show...

Regular upkeep and high standards were hallmark to Disneyworld and most agree these have slipped somewhat as the property has grown exponentially and a more "corporate" management structure has taken over.

These things tend to happen on cycles on both coasts and I for one am hoping we're starting to see a shift for the better WDW, but time will tell.

And as I said I'd like to see as much enhancement and improvement as we can, but I'm also realistic and can live without a floating leota head...for now if thats what it takes to get the ride working better, move on to JC and SM, maybe get new lift off guns on BUZZ, electric cars at the Speedway, an upgrade to the GMR, smoother ride in SSE, a JII reinvention and all the other stuff that also needs to get done....

Slow, steady improvement with reasonable compromise on show vs. budget vs. big picture needs will win out in the end.

I hope.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I would settle for just a revamp of what is ther eto bring it back up to standards. A three-month closing is enough time to really change out the sound and repair many things that are really in need of it. As far as other new effects, they would be great, but unnecessary to really make the ride a more pleasurable experience agian.

 

[Brian Noble]

there is a chance that most of the upgrades will not happen

I've said it before, but I'd be happy if only the audio on my doombuggy actually worked. It sure would be neat to plus the attraction in ways visible to the guests, but, for me, that would be just gravy compared to bringing the attraction back from the dead, so to speak. My last visit in late February was downright disappointing.

Fixing what's broke would be good enough for me, and make me a much happier camper.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I would settle for just a revamp of what is ther eto bring it back up to standards. A three-month closing is enough time to really change out the sound and repair many things that are really in need of it. As far as other new effects, they would be great, but unnecessary to really make the ride a more pleasurable experience agian.

The problem with MK is that it's beginning to feel like a park full of classic but dated attractions. For example, after a few trips to WDW I was beginning to feel that, although I knew the attraction was better at DL, maybe Pirates was just a little overrated and hadn't aged well. Then I returned to DL (during the Pressler years no less) and discovered that it was actually still an amazingly good ride. Everything just looked better at DL, sparkled and it all seemed like it could have opened the day before.

As well as generally better maintenance, it's the little tweaks to the classics at DL which make it such a great and timeless park. MK these days just seems a bit tired to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only visitor who feels that way. Getting everything working again is a start, as is upgrading sound and lighting technologies from those of the 1970s, but it's just a start and really a shameful position for Disney to be in. Running attractions for decades without any updates or improvements for as long as people keep riding them is a recipe for a very stale park and increasingly underwhelmed guests.

 

[marni1971]

So true. It wouldn`t take a lot to make the MK the worlds premiere park in everyones eyes. However, it seems the current mentality of MK management is to carry on regardless and spend enough to just about keep it moving along. So long as the guests still come - which they will - why should they do anymore? That`s how they see it.

What we see is a nighttime show poorly adapted for daytime, an unnessecary rehab, misguided rehabs, endless promotions and `extras`, rehab budget cuts and no new builds for 15 years now. The OLC is famous for it`s attention to its park. Anaheim is still undergoing its `old to new` transformation. Paris is in the midst of a park wide infrasturcture overhaul. Orlando has... a new field, one rehab still not finished since park management deffered it`s completion, another now split in half, and two forthcoming much needed overhauls being savaged. Buildings stand empty, merchandise is pushed at every opportunity (remember when Main St. USA was more than a mall?) but still attendnce is up. That`s the real problem. Joe Public is happy, and so are management.

Corporate wise, if I messed up as much I`d be out of a job.

 

[Grim Grinner]

I'd rather have them refurb the Haunted Mansion than have them tear down Horizo..... nevermind. Too late.

In all seriousness, I haven't been able to hit WDW in 2 years. Missing out on the HM would be kind of sad, but at least I know that if they're putting money into it now- it'll be waiting for me when I come back.

I live in fear of losing some of my favorite rides and memories. If anyone wants to kill the TTA (WEDway People Mover) or COP- they'll have to deal with a blubbering 33-year old man.

 

[JimboJones123]

8 pages and nobody said it yet. It's been teased around "down for THIS LONG???", and I'm going on record as the first to say it in this thread. It's is a surprise that it hasn't been said yet.

Haunted Mansion Holiday!
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Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
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Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!
Haunted Mansion Holiday!


There I said it. I still hate it though at WDW!

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I'm not sure if we ever will see any really new construction at MK. They treat it like a maxed-out park. At lesat they're doing something. It's better than the load of nothing they were doing for years.