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

[mickEblu]

Again YMMV, but to me its not a downgrade given the overall project. I don't look at this as half-empty, I look at it as half-full type of project.

My comment is solely based on aesthetics. Aesthetically the only part we have seen finished from this project (the front yard) is a downgrade from what was there previously.

 

[mickEblu]

I’m coining 2017 to Present Day Disneyland - The Great Concession. Where we had to give up trees, planters, some aesthetic beauty, real grass and beloved E tickets attractions for operational advancement and to address socio political concerns.

I’m coming for your job Leonard!

 

[Disney Irish]

My comment is solely based on aesthetics. Aesthetically the only part we have seen finished from this project (the front yard) is a downgrade from what was there previously.

Agree to disagree, again I say YMMV, but to me its not a downgrade even with just looking at its aesthetics.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I managed to get on the virtual today - hopefully I’ll get called.

I hope they really do increase the table seating with this work - Tianas is a mess right now - they should really reserve those seats for those with food.

 

[Professortango1]

It vey Clearly is. You lost even more real plants for turf, you have an Ill placed or at least not as nicely placed hearse, you lost mature trees, the shape of the front lawn isn’t as appealing and feels more like a planter etc. Downgrade in ambiance.

Some folks can't articulate their reasons, and it can be frustrating given the nature of these boards.

I think the front lawn area is a downgrade, but a minor one. As is the loss of Magnolia Park. I will reserve judgement until it's all done to see if the revamped rear queue makes it a net positive or an overall downgrade. The brickwork and walls look good. Nothing amazing, but nothing cringe-worthy either.

For me, the Mansion was already downgraded when they stopped closing the door on the Foyer scene and just kept pushing guests in.

 

[mickEblu]

Some folks can't articulate their reasons, and it can be frustrating given the nature of these boards.

I think the front lawn area is a downgrade, but a minor one. As is the loss of Magnolia Park. I will reserve judgement until it's all done to see if the revamped rear queue makes it a net positive or an overall downgrade. The brickwork and walls look good. Nothing amazing, but nothing cringe-worthy either.

For me, the Mansion was already downgraded when they stopped closing the door on the Foyer scene and just kept pushing guests in.

Yeah I agree. It’s not a major downgrade but each one of these minor things diminishes that mystique or je ne sais quoi if you will. A downgrade in atmosohere/ placemaking is just not something I can celebrate, no matter how minor. Some changes we get used to. Some, like the Astro turf Mickey planter, for someone with an eye like mine may always illicit a negative response. But yeah it’s not anything I’m losing sleep over it. I think it was more jarring seeing the main lawn astroturf for the first time than it was seeing the new front yard they unveiled at the end of July.

 

[Professortango1]

Yeah I agree. It’s not a major downgrade but each one of these minor things diminishes that mystique or je ne sais quoi if you will. A downgrade in atmosohere/ placemaking is just not something I can celebrate, no matter how minor. Some changes we get used to. Some, like the Astro turf Mickey planter, for someone with an eye like mine may always illicit a negative response. But yeah it’s not anything I’m losing sleep over. It think it was more jarring seeing the main lawn astroturf for the first time than it was seeing the new front yard they unveiled at the end of July.

At the end of the day, if the rear queue is a vast improvement to the unthemed switchbacks, then it will be a net positive. If its essentially the same, just reconfigured, its a net negative.

Given Disney's recent history, I'm expecting another declining by degrees. Disney just hasn't knocked anything out of the park in quite awhile.

 

[mickEblu]

At the end of the day, if the rear queue is a vast improvement to the unthemed switchbacks, then it will be a net positive. If its essentially the same, just reconfigured, its a net negative.

Given Disney's recent history, I'm expecting another declining by degrees. Disney just hasn't knocked anything out of the park in quite awhile.

Declining by degrees is the safe bet these days. I’ll have to see what they do with the rear queue as well as what they do with the berm over the rear queue. And that’s if we want to only view the HM in a vacuum without the effects this project had on Magnolia Park. Probably safe to say that aesthetically/ ambiance wise this project will be a downgrade and operationally it will be an upgrade.

 

[SuddenStorm]

At the end of the day, if the rear queue is a vast improvement to the unthemed switchbacks, then it will be a net positive. If its essentially the same, just reconfigured, its a net negative.

Given Disney's recent history, I'm expecting another declining by degrees. Disney just hasn't knocked anything out of the park in quite awhile.

They've knocked quite a few things out of the park. A third of the ROA, half the planters, Big Thunder Ranch, Walt's Magnolia Park Disney seems to love knocking down portions of Disneyland!

 

[J4546]

I think the new que looks great and will def help having the ada exit and the massive cm basement lounge/bathrooms. New store is a welcome improvement too imo esp if it leads to an extended PotC que.

Also I think alot of things Disney is doing have been very good, not all doom and gloom like some people on here think.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Also I think alot of things Disney is doing have been very good, not all doom and gloom like some people on here think.

Very good doesn't cut it. The stuff Disney used to do is what defined the industry.

Now it feels like they're playing catch up to Universal.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Just rode mansion - not sure if it’s done but the fake grass looks really bad - looks like a putt putt course. Pet Cemetery looks good though so maybe the rest will improve.

The new lighting in the ride is too bright in some places exposing walls / ceilings. I noticed this on Alice too - the LED lighting is more bright and vibrant - it needs to be adjusted on some attractions.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

We stopped in the graveyard so had time to snap a pic of the lighting issue.

 

[mickEblu]

Just rode mansion - not sure if it’s done but the fake grass looks really bad - looks like a putt putt course. Pet Cemetery looks good though so maybe the rest will improve.

The new lighting in the ride is too bright in some places exposing walls / ceilings. I noticed this on Alice too - the LED lighting is more bright and vibrant - it needs to be adjusted on some attractions.

So ridiculous to make that tiny patch of grass turf. Especially now after they ve shrunken it down. They have planters in the hub with nearly the same amount of real grass. I don’t get the decision to go with turf on such a high visibility location and important thematic element like the HM lawn. That goes for the Mickey floral planter too.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

So ridiculous to make that tiny patch of grass turf. Especially now after they ve shrunken it down. They have planters in the hub with nearly the same amount of real grass. I don’t get the decision to go with turf on such a high visibility location and important thematic element like the HM lawn. That goes for the Mickey floral planter too.

Um, because they don't care?

 

[Professortango1]

Um, because they don't care?

More likely some spreadsheet somewhere showed them that they could save $X.00 in watering/landscaping by changing this small parcel of grass to astroturf. Maybe they got a kickback from some water-saving initiative to convert X% of the theme park space to landscaping that doesn't require watering.

 

[mickEblu]

More likely some spreadsheet somewhere showed them that they could save $X.00 in watering/landscaping by changing this small parcel of grass to astroturf. Maybe they got a kickback from some water-saving initiative to convert X% of the theme park space to landscaping that doesn't require watering.

I wonder if there is anyone at imagineering who can go up to the powers that be and say “the lawn is an important part of the queue and should have real grass. It would cost nothing to keep this little patch of grass green.” I feel like WDI used to have these kind of guys. Who fought for this kind of stuff. Is WDI just lacking savvy creatives that have some pull and know how to talk to the suits? Is the greed in corporate America just at a level that leaves these creatives absolutely powerless?

 

[Phroobar]

I wonder if there is anyone at imagineering who can go up to the powers that be and say “the lawn is an important part of the queue and should have real grass. It would cost nothing to keep this little patch of grass green.” I feel like WDI used to have these kind of guys. Who fought for this kind of stuff. Is WDI just lacking savvy creatives that have some pull and know how to talk to the suits? Is the greed in corporate America just at a level that leaves these creatives absolutely powerless?

When you work in a corporation, you have to pick the hill you want to die on. Out of all the work you have are you going to make a crusade to have real grass put in spot in one park? Are you going to go through bureaucratic hell to have that done? Is it something the average imaginer even aware of? There are way too many people at Disney and none of them care about the little things we argue about here.

 

[mickEblu]

When you work in a corporation, you have to pick the hill you want to die on. Out of all the work you have are you going to make a crusade to have real grass put in spot in one park? Are you going to go through bureaucratic hell to have that done? Is it something the average imaginer even aware of? There are way too many people at Disney and none of them care about the little things we argue about here.

Why does it have to be hell to get it done? If they re not even aware of it that’s a problem. Imagineers should definitely care about it. Dropping the ball on all these little things and lack of attention to detail shows me why many of the bigger projects are soulless and lackluster.

 

[JenniferS]

View attachment 817548
We stopped in the graveyard so had time to snap a pic of the lighting issue.

Oof, yeah, that's bad.