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

[TP2000]

You guys are all headed in the right direction on this one now.

The only thing I made confusing was my use of the phrase "Exit Crypt". I was referring to the main ride exit at the end of the Speedramp, over on the other side of the house. It's always looked like a crypt to me.

But the walls around the switchbacks and emergency exit door are also crypt-like, so I get it.

I would imagine that current exit stairwell and hallways will all have to remain, or be rerouted a bit but still allow emergency exits out of the buried show building in the case of a fire, etc.

The hallways are all there at that Loading area level. They would just need to extend them a bit, or tunnel out a new one, to lead to the elevator shaft. And the place for that elevator shaft without infringing on the already precious land used for switchbacks would be a bit further south of the switchbacks. Alongside the railroad tracks. You could place it underneath a green canopy for theme, but it would just be a modern elevator that goes about 20 feet below ground to allow wheelchair exit access from the Loading area.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Just walked by and the lightning lane lineup starts at the hungry bear restaurant.

 

[ParkPeeker]

I was curious and started to watch “secret entrance” videos to map it out and came up with this

What’s interesting is that I have seen no blueprints that have this version, in the “old” blueprint below, these spaces must have been rebuilt

Putting the current “secret entrance” path gives us this

So they took all that extra special effects room out and rebuilt the path. Super curious as to when this happened seeing how I can find no version of the blueprint with the “new” secret path (maybe I’m not trying hard enough?)

Before and after

 

[mickEblu]

You guys are all headed in the right direction on this one now.

The only thing I made confusing was my use of the phrase "Exit Crypt". I was referring to the main ride exit at the end of the Speedramp, over on the other side of the house. It's always looked like a crypt to me.

But the walls around the switchbacks and emergency exit door are also crypt-like, so I get it.

I would imagine that current exit stairwell and hallways will all have to remain, or be rerouted a bit but still allow emergency exits out of the buried show building in the case of a fire, etc.

The hallways are all there at that Loading area level. They would just need to extend them a bit, or tunnel out a new one, to lead to the elevator shaft. And the place for that elevator shaft without infringing on the already precious land used for switchbacks would be a bit further south of the switchbacks. Alongside the railroad tracks. You could place it underneath a green canopy for theme, but it would just be a modern elevator that goes about 20 feet below ground to allow wheelchair exit access from the Loading area.

Another perfectly charming planter gone to waste. Ahh, the death of the Disneyland planter. A dying breed. Now it’s just a building awkwardly placed next to a bigger building. No greenery. Are we losing a cypress tree or two as well? Can’t tell? Maybe they think the new Tiana facade is more simpatico with Mansion? You still have log dropping down a hill with people screaming. Or maybe they want to get that new store in and don’t give a damn? I’ll go with the latter.

 

[chadwpalm]

I was curious and started to watch “secret entrance” videos to map it out and came up with this
View attachment 740485

What’s interesting is that I have seen no blueprints that have this version, in the “old” blueprint below, these spaces must have been rebuilt
View attachment 740486

Putting the current “secret entrance” path gives us this
View attachment 740487

So they took all that extra special effects room out and rebuilt the path. Super curious as to when this happened seeing how I can find no version of the blueprint with the “new” secret path (maybe I’m not trying hard enough?)

Before and after
View attachment 740488

Nice. I slapped mine together while I was at work today. You did a much better job.

 

[mickEblu]

Just checked out the new Hey Brickey video. I consider him the best DL vlogger. He pretty much says everything I’ve been saying but somehow I’m more bummed out now after watching the video. Just watching that beautiful space that’s going to be cut up is a downer. There’s some good shots of Magnolia Park and for whatever reason the space was a little wider in my minds eye and I don’t think I realized how large some of those planters were. A perfect transitional green space between NOS proper/ HM, a perfect foreground to the NOS train station and one of the last quiet spots that put the park in the park is being hacked away. It's too bad. We're losing at least 3 cypress trees for the new store too.

 

[ParkPeeker]

So it seems the hallway has been that way since at least 2008 ( though I do find it interesting that the special effects behind the windows are not covered at all). They used to call it the “chicken exit”


It’s weird that I can’t find any blueprint with this configuration of this backstage hallway.

There are videos online that show the other side behind the black curtain. And I mapped it all out very detailed, on my iPad this time. And lo and behold that other side is also completely different than any blueprint searchable online. Can’t find a matching one anywhere. So when did these changes happen?

However there’s a tiny area at the end and no one (general public) has seemed to ever go all the way down to see around that corner, so my map is slightly incomplete and it’s killing me, I want to know, even though it’s just a tiny extra space.

I don’t think the new elevator will come anywhere near that corner, but the incompleteness bothers me, so someone please go all the way down and take footage of it lol.

I’m having trouble guessing where the new elevator will be based on what I’ve seen in that hallway. Unless they just blast an entirely new hallway going underneath the upper ramp and directly towards the portrait corridor door like this? But I dunno

 

[ParkPeeker]

Side note: I love how they just used that door, went to a backstage-like area with the uncovered effects behind the windows, and literally nothing happened, niceee

 

[VicariousCorpse]

However there’s a tiny area at the end and no one (general public) has seemed to ever go all the way down to see around that corner, so my map is slightly incomplete and it’s killing me, I want to know, even though it’s just a tiny extra space.

I'm confused by your wording a little. Are you asking what is at the end of the emergency exit only path in the video you linked?

That is the hallway to the doom buggy load area. You can see the door at the end of the load ramp on the left when you get on. The area around the corner, I believe is for the staring busts. Sorry If I'm misreading your point.

 

[ParkPeeker]

I'm confused by your wording a little. Are you asking what is at the end of the emergency exit only path in the video you linked?
View attachment 740897
That is the hallway to the doom buggy load area. You can see the door at the end of the load ramp on the left when you get on. The area around the corner, I believe is for the staring busts. Sorry If I'm misreading your point.
View attachment 740898

No it’s my fault I didn’t share my detailed map but what I mean is

Just like how irl that bottom green area is completely different from blueprints, that top red area irl also does not match any blueprint online. After some sleuthing I’ve come to a window that this whole area changed at probably somewhere between 2002 -2008 .

My map is missing a whole area around the X spot because no one ever goes all the way down the hall to look around that little corner where the “emergency exit” is

Ps neat behind the scenes of those busts!

 

[ParkPeeker]

Anyways I might save my iPad maps and share later. I’m also speculating about the new elevator and making an updated map that I might share later too but ppl here made me wary of lurking vloggers who “borrow” stuff here without compensation, much less credit

To summarize, I feel like the easiest way to add an ADA elevator is to replace the ramps with stairs and use the remainder of that space for an elevator. It would go up right to the side of the mansion around the switchback area and they could reroute the queue a bit to make room for the ADA exit path towards the edge of the extended queue (to the edge of that greenhouse perhaps?) And they could disguise the elevator on top with a mausoleum or something? That way they don’t have to blast a whole new path underground

But I’m not an expert. Idk if it would be easier to dig a new underground path, or easier to use up the current underground space but have to redo all those vents and pipes on the ceiling.

 

[truecoat]

The only thing I would add is down in the loading area, for the ability to pull individual Doombuggies completely offline and allow folks in wheelchairs to take all the time they need to board and disembark, while the regular Omnimover just keeps moving along through the Show as it was intended to do. But that would obviously be a HUGE undertaking.

They have the patent.

An assembly for transferring passenger-carrying vehicles to and from an amusement park ride conveying a train of vehicles without stopping for passenger loading.

 

[truecoat]

I am inclined to agree with you on this. They took out the Big Thunder Ranch, and whilst there are places in Batuu to decompress, it's just not the same. People need spaces to decompress in an overwhelming-at-times park. It prevents people from getting burnt out.

And, you're absolutely right, at the very least, maybe this will alleviate the jams that happen when HM gets slammed.

Still.

Toontown has got your back.

 

[celluloid]

They have the patent.

An assembly for transferring passenger-carrying vehicles to and from an amusement park ride conveying a train of vehicles without stopping for passenger loading.

View attachment 741070View attachment 741071

I recall this being created for Little Mermaid for New Fantasyland. I have never seen it in use.

Forbidden Journey's ride system actually utilizes a really neat version of this seamlessly.

 

[ParkPeeker]

I recall this being created for Little Mermaid for New Fantasyland. I have never seen it in use.

Forbidden Journey's ride system actually utilizes a really neat version of this seamlessly.

Yea, the kuka rv system, jedimastermatt had a very good description of it a few pages ago!

 

[TP2000]

They have the patent.

An assembly for transferring passenger-carrying vehicles to and from an amusement park ride conveying a train of vehicles without stopping for passenger loading.

View attachment 741070View attachment 741071

That's fantastic info. Many thanks to you for sharing it with us.

They have the patent. They'll soon have the additional elevator near the Loading area. Now all they'd need to do is dig out some additional space under the berm for this transfer setup near the Loading area and they'll be ready for the 21st century. Heck, they'd even be ready for the 1990's if they finally installed this long overdue operational setup.

 

[drizgirl]

Toontown has got your back.

View attachment 741073

Nothing like an astroturf nap!

 

[lazyboy97o]

I recall this being created for Little Mermaid for New Fantasyland. I have never seen it in use.

Forbidden Journey's ride system actually utilizes a really neat version of this seamlessly.

Forbidden Journey doesn’t have connected ride vehicles. It’s more like the PeopleMover in that the vehicles bunch up and move together through load before moving apart for the ride.

 

[Phroobar]

Nothing like an astroturf nap!

But only in the shade. That stuff is like relaxing on melting plastic in the sun.

 

[TP2000]

They have the patent.

An assembly for transferring passenger-carrying vehicles to and from an amusement park ride conveying a train of vehicles without stopping for passenger loading.

View attachment 741070View attachment 741071

Okay, so using these wonderful patent graphics you provided, here's how I think this could work. Please forgive the amateur-n-dirty version of this schematic, but I never attended art school and never worked for Boeing.

Here's the BEFORE ride schematic for the Haunted Mansion as its existed since 1969, just to get your bearings...

But, luckily in 1969 the built that cavernous loading area with all the unused space behind the Omnimover loading belt. I think it was supposed to look dark and spooky, but it mostly just looks empty and dusty, especially once they had to brighten the lighting levels in the loading area for legal/safety reasons in the 2000's.

If you pushed the Omnimover track further into that empty space behind the loading area, you would open up enough room to extend the cue a bit and install the turntable loading platform for wheelchair folks. You would need to rip out pretty much that whole loading area past the Staring Busts (hey now) and rebuild it, but it can be done. There's a lot of room down there. Here's the AFTER schematic, showing the rerouted Omnimover track that opens up more space in the expanded loading area with room for the wheelchair turntable (the red circle with blue Doombuggies staging on it).

The bright blue arrow and line is the path a person in a wheelchair coming down in a Stretching Room would take to board and then disembark their Doombuggy all in the same Loading area at the wheelchair turntable. After disembarking the ride, they follow the new path down existing underground hallways to the new elevator they are building south of the Mansion closer to the New Orleans train station.

The bright green arrow and line is the path an able bodied person would take from a Stretching Room, basically the same way they've always done it since 1969. But now the Portrait Gallery leads to a reworked and reconfigured Loading area for them. And then exit as normal and go up the existing Speedramp.

Make sense?