News New Haunted Mansion Grounds Expansion, Retail Shop Coming to Disneyland Resort in 2024

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

Nice deflection. His argument was that the painting it was stylistically wrong for the Mansion. It's okay to ignore it though, because it's a reference we recognize so we can clap to our hearts content?

The painting is corny. It's not an earned callback or sincere. It's just to get brownie points from forums like this one! The whole shop is kitsche of kitsche.

I’m not sure what you’re attacking me for? I was answering a question on who the portrait was supposed to be, and I answered it because it was actually valid and informative to this discussion, as not everyone knew who she was. If you have something against me sharing information in a thread about this topic, we can take it to a private convo.

 

[Misted Compass]

The fact that the base fully connects to the base makes it even less magical as any magician can tell you that the appearance of the magical element being isolated makes it more impactful.

A prime example being on the ride itself (and one of the few positive changes made to it over the years).

 

[Consumer]

A prime example being on the ride itself (and one of the few positive changes made to it over the years).
View attachment 832584

The only issue I take with it is that the lighting is too bright so you can see the wires. Other than that, I agree - the effect is great and I'm sure would have been done in 1969 had they the idea or capabilities to do it. Just makes the scene so more more dynamic.

 

[Chester&Hester Enthusiast]

Nice deflection. His argument was that the painting it was stylistically wrong for the Mansion. It's okay to ignore it though, because it's a reference we recognize so we can clap to our hearts content?

The painting is corny. It's not an earned callback or sincere. It's just to get brownie points from forums like this one! The whole shop is kitsche of kitsche.

Sometimes, someone comes around and says something better than you can. Today that person is you. “Corny” and “unearned.” Nicely put.

....

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the point you guys are trying to make, but are you saying Leota Toombs doesn't deserve to have a tribute in the park? Or didn't earn one?

 

[gerarar]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.
Walking along the river and coming into view, it's nearly the same size as the Mansion, ruining any forced perspective. Also covers near the peak of Tiana's.

Coming from Tiana's and Bayou Country, it (and the nearby tree) nearly obscures the Mansion.

At night, the building it so bright compared to its surroundings.

And then once inside, the shop seems to small in scale. Like a few displays and racks here and there. The sign was also very disappointing and plain.
The other issue that I haven't seemed mentioned is the floor around outside the shop. The themed concrete was ripped up and replaced with laminate hardwood, so it's an abrupt transition when you look down.

 

[mickEblu]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.
Walking along the river and coming into view, it's nearly the same size as the Mansion, ruining any forced perspective. Also covers near the peak of Tiana's.
View attachment 833100

Coming from Tiana's and Bayou Country, it (and the nearby tree) nearly obscures the Mansion.
View attachment 833101

At night, the building it so bright compared to its surroundings.
View attachment 833102

And then once inside, the shop seems to small in scale. Like a few displays and racks here and there. The sign was also very disappointing and plain.
The other issue that I haven't seemed mentioned is the floor around outside the shop. The themed concrete was ripped up and replaced with laminate hardwood, so it's an abrupt transition when you look down.

At some point they just need to admit to themselves that it was a huge failure, knock it down and try again.

 

[chadwpalm]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.
Walking along the river and coming into view, it's nearly the same size as the Mansion, ruining any forced perspective. Also covers near the peak of Tiana's.
View attachment 833100

Coming from Tiana's and Bayou Country, it (and the nearby tree) nearly obscures the Mansion.
View attachment 833101

At night, the building it so bright compared to its surroundings.
View attachment 833102

And then once inside, the shop seems to small in scale. Like a few displays and racks here and there. The sign was also very disappointing and plain.
The other issue that I haven't seemed mentioned is the floor around outside the shop. The themed concrete was ripped up and replaced with laminate hardwood, so it's an abrupt transition when you look down.

Your first picture is worth a thousand words. The forced perspective of the Mansion's facade gives the illusion that it is this large multi-level multi-room building. Then when you enter it and ride the attraction, it subliminally confirms in your mind that it really is a large building with multiple rooms. You're never really taken out of the illusion that you went from a "technically" smaller facade to a larger show building. It all just works.

Then you approach a second building right next to it that is almost the size of the Mansion's facade, but then go inside and see just how small it really is, it completely blows away that illusion you had about the size of the Mansion.

Either Disney doesn't truly comprehend how much they destroyed the Mansion with this shop.....or they really just don't care. Sadly, I think it's the latter.

 

[SuddenStorm]

At some point they just need to admit to themselves that it was a huge failure, knock it down and try again.

Like Tiana, Avenger's Campus, Galaxy's Edge, Pixar Pier?

 

[SuddenStorm]

Either Disney doesn't truly comprehend how much they destroyed the Mansion with this shop.....or they really just don't care. Sadly, I think it's the latter.

Why not both? It's obvious they don't know what they're doing, and it's obvious they don't care.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.
Walking along the river and coming into view, it's nearly the same size as the Mansion, ruining any forced perspective. Also covers near the peak of Tiana's.
View attachment 833100

Coming from Tiana's and Bayou Country, it (and the nearby tree) nearly obscures the Mansion.
View attachment 833101

At night, the building it so bright compared to its surroundings.
View attachment 833102

And then once inside, the shop seems to small in scale. Like a few displays and racks here and there. The sign was also very disappointing and plain.
The other issue that I haven't seemed mentioned is the floor around outside the shop. The themed concrete was ripped up and replaced with laminate hardwood, so it's an abrupt transition when you look down.

I have these exact same shots from my visit a few weeks ago. It is utterly baffling how horribly out of place thos building is.

 

[𝐌𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝐖𝖊𝖇]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.
Walking along the river and coming into view, it's nearly the same size as the Mansion, ruining any forced perspective. Also covers near the peak of Tiana's.
View attachment 833100

Coming from Tiana's and Bayou Country, it (and the nearby tree) nearly obscures the Mansion.
View attachment 833101

At night, the building it so bright compared to its surroundings.
View attachment 833102

And then once inside, the shop seems to small in scale. Like a few displays and racks here and there. The sign was also very disappointing and plain.
The other issue that I haven't seemed mentioned is the floor around outside the shop. The themed concrete was ripped up and replaced with laminate hardwood, so it's an abrupt transition when you look down.

God, do they even try anymore?! So many blunders over the last decade. Hope the New Year brings in some new talent.

 

[mickEblu]

Like Tiana, Avenger's Campus, Galaxy's Edge, Pixar Pier?

As in admit failure or knock them down? Of the above I would only be in favor or knocking down Avengers Campus for a full re-do as that land is garbage. As awful as Tiana is, it still has the bones of Splash so I'd rather it stick around and for TBA to be plussed. Galaxies Edge needs to be reworked a bit but in no way needs to be knocked down. Just needs some kinetic energy, more walk around aliens/ droids, more OT presence and all the rest of the stuff we always talk about. Pixar Pier I think just needs to rework the audio/story on Incredicoaster n get rid of jack jack on sticks, replace the happy meal chicken shaq, repaint those scream tunnels blue and add a dark ride (which should be coming with Coco). Integrating the Paradise Park (the land) would be nice but I cant help but feel like it would probably be a net negative with the gardens being altered/ removed and another Pixar neighborhood moving in. Id say Coco could just become their last neighborhood but Bing Bongs and the Inside Out spinner are in the way.

 

[wityblack]

Had an impromptu Disneyland trip yesterday (am in LA for the weekend). So passed by the new gift shop a couple times.

And this is definitely not it.

It's placement and size is just baffling imo.

I'm not upset with the placement. I think having a transitional building there is fine. It's just the wrong building for that location.

 

[mickEblu]

I'm not upset with the placement. I think having a transitional building there is fine. It's just the wrong building for that location.

A transitional building in that small space in the foreground between two large icons isn’t ideal even at the proper size. And at the proper size it’s hardly worth having a store there at all. Meaning having the store there should have never been considered. They should have put it In Eudoras or elsewhere.

 

[chadwpalm]

They should have put it In Eudoras or elsewhere.

Exactly. Tiana has three stores. They could have easily put the HM merch there as opposed to building this awkward and out of place gift shop building.

 

[𝐌𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝐖𝖊𝖇]

A transitional building in that small space in the foreground between two large icons isn’t ideal even at the proper size. And at the proper size it’s hardly worth having a store there at all. Meaning having the store there should have never been considered. They should have put it In Eudoras or elsewhere.

Tinfoil hat engaged: Have we determined if the construction of this building was solely for the purpose of selling Haunted Mansion merch or is there some other presumably non-nefarious reason this was constructed and they just used the guest facing "gift shop" to explain away an area for needed utilities, maintenance, etc? It's a massive building with little to show for it. Maybe it was built with other purposes in mind?

 

[chadwpalm]

Tinfoil hat engaged: Have we determined if the construction of this building was solely for the purpose of selling Haunted Mansion merch or is there some other presumably non-nefarious reason this was constructed and they just used the guest facing "gift shop" to explain away an area for needed utilities, maintenance, etc? It's a massive building with little to show for it. Maybe it was built with other purposes in mind?

Disney has no truer purpose than to sell merchandise.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Tinfoil hat engaged: Have we determined if the construction of this building was solely for the purpose of selling Haunted Mansion merch or is there some other presumably non-nefarious reason this was constructed and they just used the guest facing "gift shop" to explain away an area for needed utilities, maintenance, etc? It's a massive building with little to show for it. Maybe it was built with other purposes in mind?

Where is this other use hiding? It’d be a lot easier and cheaper to conceal a smaller utilitarian than to build the shop.

 

[mickEblu]

Tinfoil hat engaged: Have we determined if the construction of this building was solely for the purpose of selling Haunted MansionRzESA SA merch or is there some other presumably non-nefarious reason this was constructed and they just used the guest facing "gift shop" to explain away an area for needed utilities, maintenance, etc? It's a massive building with little to show for it. Maybe it was built with other purposes in mind?

Highly doubt it. Seems pretty straight forward. Port Royal is going away for the POTC queue and they re not willing to relocate the store in any place other than a high traffic area. Unfortunately, not only does it “make sense” to have the shop by the HM exit but it might be the only feasible spot in the land that’s high traffic enough for their liking.

 

[waltography]

Went today in person. It's a nice shop; lots of nice witchy/mystical details, love Leota Toombs' portrait, hate the AI art. More annoyed at the fact that the merch is a cut and paste of Memento Mori's; I know that's going away, but if you're gonna open a new storefront at least bring in a new collection or something.

It feels like they could've shrunk it by 25% without impacting much of the merch volume by moving the crystal ball and lamp to behind and above the cash wrap.