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

[Phroobar]

A head on a stick is corny and fits the vibe of the Mansion. I wish there were more popup ghosts in the attic.

 

[duncedoof]

The bride cannot be anything but a massive improvement, given the team has known what Mansionheads think of Constance ever since she was installed. I am really happy to hear that.

The renewed credence in the classic Hitchhikers being gutted is incredibly concerning. Absolutely no one wants that to change. Even people more receptive to changes agree it's too iconic.

 

[duncedoof]

 

[Too Many Hats]

A head on a stick is corny and fits the vibe of the Mansion. I wish there were more popup ghosts in the attic.

Unpopular opinion: the new attic scene is better. Even as an eight year-old, I thought the jump-scares were too corny.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The bride cannot be anything but a massive improvement, given the team has known what Mansionheads think of Constance ever since she was installed. I am really happy to hear that.

The renewed credence in the classic Hitchhikers being gutted is incredibly concerning. Absolutely no one wants that to change. Even people more receptive to changes agree it's too iconic.

I’ll tell you for certain that the original HHG Carousel mechanism was fully removed during this refurb. What’s gone in there since, I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t expect the effect to return as it was.

I *have* had someone assure me the effect won’t be the same as the WDW version, and that it will be in some way more practical than that. And I really, really hope they’re right.

 

[TP2000]

The elevator is going in on the south end of the current 1969 switchbacks, adjacent to the Disneyland Railroad tracks.

An elevator at the Loading area makes it much easier for wheelchair folks, and smooths out and makes the regular line of people going from Entrance Gate to Foyer to Stretching Rooms to Portrait Gallery to Loading Belt far more efficient. More like it was designed to operate in 1969, without anyone swimming upstream or riding the Stretching Rooms up instead of down.

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Quoting myself here, as I've not really kept up with this topic, but is the basic outline of how this rehab and ADA upgrade will work still the same as the basics I laid out last August? Just checking to see if anything has really changed.

 

[JustInTime]

I’ve heard the bride will be in a different location in the attic and that she will levitate.

 

[Gusey]

Interesting

Permit #:	BLD2024-01961	Address:	1313 S Harbor Blvd 3501
Issued:	5/1/2024	Contractor:
Census:	437 Additions, Alterations And Conversions - Nonresidential And Nonhousekeeping	Phone #:
Parcel #:	08219019	Type Of Work:	Tenant Improvement
Valuation:	$50,000.00	Description:	Dlr - Haunted Mansion/Bldg #3501 - Tenant Improvement: Structural Show Set Modifications At Show Level Scene 11.

Modifications to Scene 11

 

[chadwpalm]

I’ll tell you for certain that the original HHG Carousel mechanism was fully removed during this refurb. What’s gone in there since, I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t expect the effect to return as it was.

I *have* had someone assure me the effect won’t be the same as the WDW version, and that it will be in some way more practical than that. And I really, really hope they’re right.

I really do too. Sometimes simpler is better. It's a simple effect, but looks natural and real. As a child I never understood how it worked until well into my adult years. Its analog nature is what makes it feel so natural. When you start doing digital things then our minds are taken out of the experience because we are too familiar with digital projections and CGI being fake.

I'd be okay with giving the animatronic more life, but they should definitely keep the effect itself as-is.

"Yeah yeah, but your imagineers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
- Ian Malcolm....maybe

 

[chadwpalm]

Modifications to Scene 11

....by the way.....which scene is scene 11?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Modifications to Scene 11

According to the CM Manual, scene 11 is The Hitchhikers Crypt.

It is possible, however, that the scenes are not numbered the same way today. But work in that area would certainly make sense.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I really do too. Sometimes simpler is better. It's a simple effect, but looks natural and real. As a child I never understood how it worked until well into my adult years. Its analog nature is what makes it feel so natural. When you start doing digital things then our minds are taken out of the experience because we are too familiar with digital projections and CGI being fake.

I'd be okay with giving the animatronic more life, but they should definitely keep the effect itself as-is.

"Yeah yeah, but your imagineers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
- Ian Malcolm....maybe

It's worth noting that the Imagineers don't just have free reign to do whatever they'd like wherever they'd like - They do sometimes have the opportunity to present ideas of their own volition and attempt to make the case for them, but very often they're tasked with delivering things that someone else has ordered.

Given the operational history of the Hitchhiker Carousel, I wouldn't be shocked to hear that was a case of the latter rather than the former.

The New Bride, rather, falls into the former category. WDI had mocked her up, but she wasn't approved for addition to the Mansion until after the ride had already closed for its current refurbishment. And before anyone gets too excited, I understand that the Husband Portraits are staying, so the character will almost certainly still be Constance Hatchaway, just a new (and hopefully much improved!) version.

 

[Phroobar]

It's worth noting that the Imagineers don't just have free reign to do whatever they'd like wherever they'd like - They do sometimes have the opportunity to present ideas of their own volition and attempt to make the case for them, but very often they're tasked with delivering things that someone else has ordered.

Given the operational history of the Hitchhiker Carousel, I wouldn't be shocked to hear that was a case of the latter rather than the former.

The New Bride, rather, falls into the former category. WDI had mocked her up, but she wasn't approved for addition to the Mansion until after the ride had already closed for its current refurbishment. And before anyone gets too excited, I understand that the Husband Portraits are staying, so the character will almost certainly still be Constance Hatchaway, just a new (and hopefully much improved!) version.

I wonder if the Hitchhiker carousel just failed and they couldn't get new parts for it. It might be cheaper and more reliable if they replaced it with projections.

 

[zipadee999]

It's worth noting that the Imagineers don't just have free reign to do whatever they'd like wherever they'd like - They do sometimes have the opportunity to present ideas of their own volition and attempt to make the case for them, but very often they're tasked with delivering things that someone else has ordered.

Given the operational history of the Hitchhiker Carousel, I wouldn't be shocked to hear that was a case of the latter rather than the former.

The New Bride, rather, falls into the former category. WDI had mocked her up, but she wasn't approved for addition to the Mansion until after the ride had already closed for its current refurbishment. And before anyone gets too excited, I understand that the Husband Portraits are staying, so the character will almost certainly still be Constance Hatchaway, just a new (and hopefully much improved!) version.

I don’t care if she’s still Constance rather than Emily (the original), all I ask is that they give her the beating heart, either cut or rewrite the dialogue, and make her at least semi-physical versus the projection on a mannequin we have now

 

[chadwpalm]

I wonder if the Hitchhiker carousel just failed and they couldn't get new parts for it. It might be cheaper and more reliable if they replaced it with projections.

Idk.....I mean.....if they can create these next-gen fluid animatronics I would think they can build a new carousel from scratch, and one with more animated figures, but what do I know. It's not like the IJA chamber of destiny where they would have to do major construction work to replace it.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to imagineers having to justify their jobs by changing things with the newest technology rather than just letting what works work. The two-way mirror effect makes the ghosts look so much more like ghosts than cartoon animations do.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I don’t care if she’s still Constance rather than Emily (the original), all I ask is that they give her the beating heart, either cut or rewrite the dialogue, and make her at least semi-physical versus the projection on a mannequin we have now

I'm at about the same place - while I would much prefer a Bride that throws back significantly to the earlier and (I feel) more successful versions of the character, realistically I'm ready to settle for what will hopefully be an improved version of Constance's that's far less doofy than what Disneyland's been putting up with for years now.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I'm at about the same place - while I would much prefer a Bride that throws back significantly to the earlier and (I feel) more successful versions of the character, realistically I'm ready to settle for what will hopefully be an improved version of Constance's that's far less doofy than what Disneyland's been putting up with for years now.

I never knew there was a difference between what MK has and what DL has. I've seen both, but I don't recall what's different about them.

 

[Phroobar]

Idk.....I mean.....if they can create these next-gen fluid animatronics I would think they can build a new carousel from scratch, and one with more animated figures, but what do I know. It's not like the IJA chamber of destiny where they would have to do major construction work to replace it.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to imagineers having to justify their jobs by changing things with the newest technology rather than just letting what works work. The two-way mirror effect makes the ghosts look so much more like ghosts than cartoon animations do.

It's one thing to make these next-gen fluid animatronics. It is another to maintain them for twenty years. Two completely different sets of people and skills. I bet these next-gen fluid AAs have a life expectancy of about six months before breaking and letting park ops figure out how to fix it.

How many years does it take to build a new Fantastmic dragon or even repair a train water tower building?

 

[zipadee999]

I never knew there was a difference between what MK has and what DL has. I've seen both, but I don't recall what's different about them.

They both have Constance and ‘technically’ the same effect, but Disneyland’s feels a lot cheaper. It also is less successful because of the HMH overlay which removes and reinstalls the bride annually, causing her projection to constantly be misaligned. WDW can find the perfect position for the projector and just leave it there without the need to keep things semi-transportable

 

[mickEblu]

If Constance is improved and the Hitchhiking Ghosts end up looking anything like MK’s I’ll consider this a massive Net Negative.