New Crypt Queue in Haunted Mansion-What do you think?

[HBG2]

In the real world its a clichéd dark ride that has some new technology added but ultimately has to cater for the target demographic of the under 8s who are more interested in made in China plastic toys with lights than any fan boy created back story.

As I have said many times, it's a representation of the real world. Like a "realistic" painting or a "realistic" novel. And what I'm talking about has nothing to do with "backstory." Where is "backstory" in anything I've said?

Forgive me for over-simplifying, but isn't that the point of WDW?

I get it - I do. I haven't experienced it myself, so I can't give any final judgement, but yeah, it looks kinda cheesy to me.

That said, it's the queue. I know people get queue-obsessed around here, but...the ride is the same. The experience will be the same once you walk through those doors. I certainly won't let it ruin my HM experience (and HM is one of my very favorite rides in the world). I never sat and thought about it either way - and I think. A lot, LOL. The Haunted Mansion was always fantasy to me, all of WDW is.

I know how you feel, though - my absolute #1 favorite ride is getting demolished. It's going to be replaced by a hopefully better ride in a few years (though I fear it will lack the darkness that makes me love this one so much), but it's going away. Forever. At least the HM is the same on the inside, and still exists.

This is a thoughtful statement, and you'll have to forgive me: I'm sorry, but you don't get what I'm saying. The HM is a representation, like a painting or play. It depicts a world. The fantasy element in the presentation is the ghosts. All kinds of ghosts; even fun-lovin', partying ghosts that no one who actually believes in ghosts has ever believed to exist. (Those come from comic songs and such.) Doesn't matter: in this fantasy, they exist. But that is the only fantasy element. If you take out the ghosts, what is left is a pretty accurate depiction of the plain old reality you and I live in. It's not a fantasy world. It's not populated with kooky characters and cartoon animals. If you put those into a "realistic" painting or play, it's a radical change, isn't it?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

not every comment on a post on here relates to comments made by you.
Though to be fair you talk as much Ertha Kitt as any delusioned fan boy

 

[Disneydreamer23]

very excited for this!

 

[wm49rs]

In the real world its a clichéd dark ride that has some new technology added but ultimately has to cater for the target demographic of the under 8s who are more interested in made in China plastic toys with lights than any fan boy created back story.

Imagine what would happen if this queue wasn't optional.....:lookaroun

 

[Victor Kelly]

Since when did we go to the philosophical side of determining what is right or wrong for Disney to place in their parks? Who cares about what you are asked to do at this point? WDW is supposed to be an escape from reality into a world of fantasy, and many times history.

It is here, it is staying, don't like it, don't participate, or even go. Jeez, just go and have fun for crying out loud.

 

[jakeman]

I am generally apathetic regarding the new queue, especially since I haven't seen it myself but to play along.

Since we are taking this ultra-seriously, I have yet to see a citation for any of the facts in this thread.

 

[unkadug]

As I have said many times, it's a representation of the real world. Like a "realistic" painting or a "realistic" novel. And what I'm talking about has nothing to do with "backstory." Where is "backstory" in anything I've said?

This is a thoughtful statement, and you'll have to forgive me: I'm sorry, but you don't get what I'm saying. The HM is a representation, like a painting or play. It depicts a world. The fantasy element in the presentation is the ghosts. All kinds of ghosts; even fun-lovin', partying ghosts that no one who actually believes in ghosts has ever believed to exist. (Those come from comic songs and such.) Doesn't matter: in this fantasy, they exist. But that is the only fantasy element. If you take out the ghosts, what is left is a pretty accurate depiction of the plain old reality you and I live in. It's not a fantasy world. It's not populated with kooky characters and cartoon animals. If you put those into a "realistic" painting or play, it's a radical change, isn't it?

I think you are reading WAY too much into this.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Perfectly good question. Two things.

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I haven't examined the new queue elements in detail like you have, but I think your point about the stylistic representation of fantasy elements is more relevant than the number of them if we're talking "real world" feel.

Invoking the TV of my childhood, I was thinking about the difference between the world of The Real Ghostbusters — which somehow felt "real" to me despite hosting everything from the Boogeyman to H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos — and the world of Scooby-Doo, which was ostensibly "our" world with just a talking dog added (the ghosts were always fake), but was so stylistically divorced from reality that it always felt like a cartoon.

Forgive me for over-simplifying, but isn't that the point of WDW?

But I also think this is a good point. As much as the intent of the HM might have been to represent our reality, I think that intent is heavily compromised by the fact that it sits pretty much equidistant from a theater where all the U.S. presidents are still alive somehow and a fleet of pirate ships that fly over Neverland.

It's a pretty abrupt psychological 180 to "convince" oneself (even with a willing suspension of disbelief) that all the whimsical things in the HM's neighborhood are really aberrations and that the spooky old house in the distance beacons as an oasis of reality, where nothing out of the ordinary should be expected. Context matters, even if most guests don't think of it in this way. (Heck, I never did until now.) :lol:

Anyway, this is a fascinating discussion. I'm glad it's stayed calm, because it can be fun to "overthink" Disney from time to time.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'm confused about the "reality" aspect of HM before the advent of the queue addition. What about the hearse parked out front attached to an invisible horse? The errie wolf cry? The use of bat imagery (the weather vane, the arch above the gates, the maids' hats), the original cemetery with funny inscirptions, the thunder/lightning effects at night that happen when there is no real rain, the attraction plaque with demon and snakes, or how even the house itself is designed to look like a monster about to pounce on you?

I don't get how the queue is really a stretch after all of this.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I honestly can't wait for the day when Disney stops plussing and updating attractions because they realize that they can't please half of their fans. Sure, the rides might start to suck and get stale, but at least I won't have to hear anybody about every little thing.

Perhaps it would be best if the majority of you just veered to the right and closed your eyes in terror as you walk by the merge points. Then the rest of us can enjoy the nice things that Disney gives us for absolutely no reason and we won't have to listen to you gripe about how awful it is that Disney keeps refreshing their attractions and giving us more value for our money.

I'm confused about the "reality" aspect of HM before the advent of the queue addition. What about the hearse parked out front attached to an invisible horse? The errie wolf cry? The use of bat imagery (the weather vane, the arch above the gates, the maids' hats), the original cemetery with funny inscirptions, the thunder/lightning effects at night that happen when there is no real rain, the attraction plaque with demon and snakes, or how even the house itself is designed to look like a monster about to pounce on you?

I don't get how the queue is really a stretch after all of this.

Shhh! Don't point out the flaws in their logic that show that the Mansion really is just a huge conglomeration of ideas that work perfectly together but don't really have that much nit-picky thought put into them!

 

[thelookingglass]

Shhh! Don't point out the flaws in their logic that show that the Mansion really is just a huge conglomeration of ideas that work perfectly together but don't really have that much nit-picky thought put into them!

I'm well aware of how the HM came to be. But they obviously did put thought into the flow and pacing of the attraction. A lesser, more cliche' dark ride would have ghost animatronics throughout the entire attraction, for example, rather than building up to them.

That sort of pacing is lost in today's dark rides like Forbidden Journey, where you are bombarded nonstop from beginning to end. (Don't get me wrong, I love FJ)

That said, unlike HBG2, this won't affect my enjoyment of the ride or anything, and I don't really understand the philosophical reality argument. I just think that if they wanted to plus the attraction, they could have done something more appropriate for HM than a bunch of silly games.

 

[HMF]

Wrong.

It's a work of art (gasp!) that has been besmirched with a playground designed to keep the attention of impatient and uninterested park guests who need bubbles and squirting water to keep their eyes averted from smart phones. Also, it doesn't serve it's functional purpose of making the wait in the line easier to bear; the bulk of the wait will happen before the playground.

Frankly, I'm amazed this is getting such a positive response on here. What is fun is not always good.

visit Micechat and it's "Long Forgotten" thread to find people who appreciate the attraction's integrity an won't tell you to "get a life" because of it.:animwink:

 

[HBG2]

I think you are reading WAY too much into this.

No, I'm reading out of it what the Imagineers put there. And what's "way too much"? The original HM is a depiction of the real world except that ghosts are real. Gee, that's so philosophical and analytical and complicated.

 

[wayneway]

So fastpass was invented with the thought that guest would spend more time spending money away from attractions, now they want guest to spend more time in queues where there are no money spending opportunities? There must be a catch to this, perhaps more will be revealed as time goes on. Or maybe this is just there to enhance the guest experience...I hope so.

 

[unkadug]

No, I'm reading out of it what the Imagineers put there. And what's "way too much"? The original HM is a depiction of the real world except that ghosts are real. Gee, that's so philosophical and analytical and complicated.

Yeah the portraits in the stretching room are so "real".

This is about entertainment. The whole theme park is about entertainment. It is not a philosophical statement on life.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

No, I'm reading out of it what the Imagineers put there. And what's "way too much"? The original HM is a depiction of the real world except that ghosts are real. Gee, that's so philosophical and analytical and complicated.

No, but it ignores several "non-ghost" visuals in the ride such as the eye wallpaper, Escher staircase, sinister 11 portraits, streching room (as ukadug pointed out), changing portraits, the outside elements I listed earlier etc. You're "real world" argumnet fails because you're ignoring half the stuff presented in the ride.

I'm also wondering who gets to define the attraction's "integrity"?

 

[HBG2]

I'm confused about the "reality" aspect of HM before the advent of the queue addition. What about the hearse parked out front attached to an invisible horse? The errie wolf cry? The use of bat imagery (the weather vane, the arch above the gates, the maids' hats), the original cemetery with funny inscirptions, the thunder/lightning effects at night that happen when there is no real rain, the attraction plaque with demon and snakes, or how even the house itself is designed to look like a monster about to pounce on you?

Are these supposed to be hard? Point by point.

The hearse parked out front As you discover inside, it's a retirement home for ghosts. Evidently, one of them arrived with his commandeered real-world hearse (poltergeists steal physical objects all the time) and his ghost horse, and he absentmindedly left it parked out front. Incidentally, I hate that thing. Jumps the gun by displaying a ghost before you even get inside. Bad show pacing.

The wolf cry There are no wolf cries in the real world?

The bat imagery Someone who lived there evidently liked bat imagery. So what? Lots of Victorians were into the macabre big time.

The original cemetery with funny inscriptions They don't have witty, macabre epitaphs in the real world?

Thunder/lightning effects at night when there is no real rain It has to rain to have thunder and lightning? Since when?

The plaque This is like safety bars, stroller parking, green EXIT lights, and warnings about flash photography. Necessary evils, accommodations to the fact that this is a make believe world existing in the real world. It's the price you pay for getting to have one of these things. Whenever possible, they try to blend such elements into the background stylistically so they don't stick out so much. So the sign telling people that this is the Haunted Mansion ride is a nicely designed plaque. But that's all it is. You screen it out like the EXIT signs.

The house itself is designed to look like a monster, etc. The house design is based on a real house in Albany, New York, built about 1840. No longer standing, alas.

And before anyone screams AHA!!! about the "make believe world" line, remember that a depiction of something is make believe. Here, you are going to make believe that ghosts of all kinds exist in the real world.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

There must be a catch to this, perhaps more will be revealed as time goes on. Or maybe this is just there to enhance the guest experience...I hope so.

In my "rant" in favor of these new types of queues I suggested the motive is future financial gain in a less direct sense. If you have a positive experience in WDW are you not more likely to go back? If waiting in line is the worst part of a trip to WDW then isn't helping guests with that a good idea? Not everyone can have a Fastpass ticket and there are times of the year when most rides have long, unavoidable waits.

 

[HBG2]

No, but it ignores several "non-ghost" visuals in the ride such as the eye wallpaper, Escher staircase, sinister 11 portraits, streching room (as ukadug pointed out), changing portraits, the outside elements I listed earlier etc. You're "real world" argumnet fails because you're ignoring half the stuff presented in the ride.

I'm also wondering who gets to define the attraction's "integrity"?

As I keep saying, everything is like the real world, except for ghosts and ghostly activity. As the stretchroom demonstrates, the ghosts have the ability to warp your sense of space (and, as you soon discover, time), so that you don't know if some of what you see is really there or distorted by hallucination. This is made explicit in the GH spiel. (As it happens, it's part of ghost lore as well, their ability to disorient you. The ability of ghosts to alter artworks is also well-attested in ghost lore.) All the things you list are ghosts either messing with your head or messing with the fabric of the building.

As for "who gets to define the attraction's integrity," first dibs probably goes to whomever can give the simplest and most complete explanation for everything the Imagineers put there, all the details, all the features.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The hearse parked out front. Incidentally, I hate that thing. Jumps the gun by displaying a ghost before you even get inside. Bad show pacing.

At least you dislike this too.

The wolf cry There are no wolf cries in the real world?

With that frequency? In that spot alone?

The bat imagery Someone who lived there evidently liked bat imagery. So what? Lots of Victorians were into the macabre big time.

Grasping at the straws at best. Can you provide real world examples of Victorians who put bats in their maids' headgear and over their front gate arches?

The original cemetery with funny inscriptions They don't have witty, macabre epitaphs in the real world?

Again, provide examples of period tombs that featured similar rhyming gags.

Thunder/lightning effects at night when there is no real rain It has to rain to have thunder and lightning? Since when?

Again, the effect is exclusive to this ride while not existing anywhere else in the park, regardless of real weather conditions. It's a deliberate "spooky" touch to help make the experience creepier at night.

The house itself is designed to look like a monster, etc. The house design is based on a real house in Albany, New York, built about 1840. No longer standing, alas.

This goes against what is written in The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies where it is stated the house was designed to better refelect the experience inside and the monster connection was made.

As for the plaque, necessairy evel or not, it exists, people see it and it's imagery was chosen deliberately. The could have easily not had snakes on it.