Haunted Mantion Refurb

Buried20KLeague

Well-Known Member
Ok, what exactly on the Haunted Mansion is not in good condition? Why is this rehab so desperate? I know the audio is bad and I'm assuming they'll fix that...but what else needs work? Just curious!

(Hard for me to imagine them cleaning up an attraction that's supposed to appear old and dirty is all LOL)

Look one page back. There's a list. There's also one towards the front of the thread. :wave:
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Ok, what exactly on the Haunted Mansion is not in good condition? Why is this rehab so desperate? I know the audio is bad and I'm assuming they'll fix that...but what else needs work? Just curious!

(Hard for me to imagine them cleaning up an attraction that's supposed to appear old and dirty is all LOL)
The ride system is also in a real mess. The Omnimover was the first working attraction ride system handed over from WED to WDWco in April 1971 - and it shows. I can`t go into details, but right now it's like driving your car knowing there`s hardly any oil in the engine.
 

mitchk

Well-Known Member
Well, I'm glad it will be open during my visit. I always seem to get lucky when it ride rehabs (knock on wood). Last year I was there 3 days before they closed Pirates (so I got to ride the original a couple of times before the new additions), and this year I'll be there from May 20 - 27. Mexico will be open, and I'll also have just enough time to get a few rides on Maelstrom when it reopens on the 24th :sohappy: . BTW, I also can't remember the last time the Mansion was down for a long rehab, it was open every time I've been there the last 6 years.
 

hokielutz

Well-Known Member
Looks like I might get lucky to ride it several more times in May before it closes down for the refurb.

My apologies and sympathy go out to all who won't be able to ride it during their summer trip(s) to the MK.
 

darthjohnny

Active Member
According to some Screamscape sources, there is a chance that most of the upgrades will not happen, as there have been major budget cuts meaning: no update of Madame Leota, no new Bride, no new graveyard addition, and no new expansive mausoleum gift shop. Just some technical upgrades.

Now, I don't want to hear that "oh Screamscape is never right" stuff.

These are just some new rumors floating around.

Has anyone heard anything about this? :shrug:

If it is true, I'll be disappointed.
 

mr.flibble

New Member
hi there, im fairly new to the site never posted before but here everyday to read different posts and rumours, love the site, keep up the good work,
i also check screamscape everyday and they report that the HM refurb is not good news, not sure if this has been posted so sorry if it has:

I’ve never understood what always seemed to be a lack of pride from WDW Management over the state of attractions in the Magic Kingdom. Maybe it was just the fact that I grew up in Southern California and watched as attractions at Disneyland grew and evolved over the years. But when I moved to Orlando for five-and-a-half years and made the “other” Magic Kingdom my new home park, I was just disappointed when far too often it seems like the Orlando management was just too arrogant to care about the classic attractions. They felt that every guest coming to WDW would visit the Magic Kingdom regardless of what was done to the park, so they ignored the Magic Kingdom’s problems and failings in favor of focusing on the rest of the resort. I’ve reported on this in the past and it’s been documented here and elsewhere about how WDW management tried to avoid improving Pirates along with Disneyland’s version, but were overturned by the corporate office. In turn, we’ve seen the corporate eye has realized what a sorry state the MK attraction were in, and have begun the many upgrade and refurbishment projects listed here. Unfortunately for the Haunted Mansion, it looks like the cost cutters may have won out again while John Lasseter is busy focusing on Disneyland’s new attractions.
Local spies tell us that while the Haunted Mansion will be closed for virtually the entire summer season, most of the upgrades and rehabs approved in the budget will make this a mostly “technical” upgrade to the attractions audio and lighting systems due to the poor state of the existing systems. Most of the scenic and themed improvements have been cut from the budget including some kind of huge new addition planned for the graveyard. The plans to rebuild a completely new entrance queue and exit area has also been canned in favor of a more budget conscious expansion to just the exit. The good news is that I’m told the ballroom scene will look great when the ride reopens because the plan to refurbish and replace much of the scene did manage to survive the budget cuts. Now if only someone could get Lasseter out of the Sub Lagoon in California long enough to take a look at what’s really going on in Florida, maybe there is still time to add a few more enhancement dollars to the Mansion. Otherwise, you think WDW management could have timed their Mansion rehab to have taken place outside of the busy season (ie: Jan-March) instead.
 

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
If this Screamscape stuff turns out to be true and they seem to be on the money with alot of their rumors I really don't know what to say anymore about WDW management that doesn't involve alot of expletives deleted.
 

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
Very interesting... Even if the improvements are only those listed in that article, they still are needed improvements. Maybe the timing and length of refurbishment isn't the best, but with all those cuts, maybe it will be done early.

Of course, I hope it isn't done early, as I hope they didn't actually make any cuts to the original refurb plan (whatever it actually was).
 

jmvd20

Well-Known Member
......and WDW screws up YET again. Welcome to Six Flags Magic kingdom.

Here we go again, WDW gets bashed for messing something up and yet it hasn't even started yet.

How about we wait and see what really happens before we criticize anything. Even if none of the additions happen the fact remains that the ride needs some TLC, and if that is all it gets it is far from a "screw" up.
 

basas

Well-Known Member
Here we go again, WDW gets bashed for messing something up and yet it hasn't even started yet.

How about we wait and see what really happens before we criticize anything. Even if none of the additions happen the fact remains that the ride needs some TLC, and if that is all it gets it is far from a "screw" up.

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.)
 

basas

Well-Known Member
.......if this is true I will be blown away with disappointment.

That seems to be MK's motto of late, doesn't it? First Stitch, then the POTC refurb (which, while good, should have been much more thorough (aka: like DL’s), then Laugh Floor, and now HM).
 

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