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

[mickEblu]

Yeah, I figured that was the same wall, which at least says to me we know that is the side facing and or butting up into Magnolia Park.

Now seeing as they already use Magnolia Park for extended queue, it would make sense when they say the grounds are expanding... to absorb some of that space into this new garden area. The question is, how much?

I am not trying to say anyone is right, or wrong, it may only be a tiny chunk, but @TP2000 was suggesting already that it sounds like that extended switchback into the park, around the fountain, is what is being absorbed, which makes me think Magnolia Park will be just the two trees / planters closest to the current bandstand (Tiana's Palace patio), and the rest now behind that wall, part of the HM grounds.


If we think about the current configuration, in this scenario I imagine the new HM wall boundary comes up to the two planters behind the current centre fountain, or maybe up to the fountain. The two front trees remain, with the planters significantly smaller around them, that front area is reworked, opening up the front of the current bandstand, and adding some patio tables dotted about.


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It could also be they are removing the fountain, and putting a new bandstand in the centre, but I don't know if the existing unused FP area is enough space to allow for the loss of the extended queue they already get out of Magnolia Park?

Again this is just my speculation, based on the concept art, MiceChats thoughts, and me assuming Disney wouldn't build a new gazebo stage when they already have one.

Also, I am really just making things up as I go.

My frame of reference to tell me that not a whole of Magnolia park is being swallowed up is the NOS train station building at the back of the picture. Compare where that is to the new brick wall on the right side of the concept art below. I think I’ve matched up the trees circled in yellow on the concept art and picture of Magnolia Park below. The question is if the trees circled in red are the same. It appears that tree circled in red in the concept art may be a new tree. Which if true makes me less excited for “new trees” if/when they re replacing those older giants.

All I know is we re doing all the dirty work for the vloggers.

 

[Disney Analyst]

My frame of reference to tell me that not a whole of Magnolia park is being swallowed up is the NOS train station building at the back of the picture. Compare where that is to the new brick wall on the right side of the concept art below. I think I’ve matched up the trees circled in yellow on the concept art and picture of Magnolia Park below. The question is if the trees circled in red are the same. It appears that tree in the concept art may be a new tree. Which if true makes me less excited for “new trees” if/when they re replacing those older giants.

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All I know is we re doing all the dirty work for the vloggers.

You may be right, at the same time... this image I shared yesterday is the only one I can find with trees that have the hanging down off the branches... moss? leaves?? vines?

And those are all by the existing stage, which also gives a view of the station:

Fun to speculate, but you are right, we should leave this work to the vloggers, and we can sit back and see what they actually end up doing haha.

 

[mickEblu]

You may be right, at the same time... this image I shared yesterday is the only one I can find with trees that have the hanging down off the branches... moss? leaves?? vines?

And those are all by the existing stage, which also gives a view of the station:


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Fun to speculate, but you are right, we should leave this work to the vloggers, and we can sit back and see what they actually end up doing haha.

Hahah right.

Ah I see you what you re saying. I think the only tree that has the moss on it is the one right by French Market but it obviously can’t be that one in the concept art as they have tables all across that area in the concept art so it’s not part of the queue. It would also be WAY more room than they are showing for that extended queue.

 

[mickEblu]

You may be right, at the same time... this image I shared yesterday is the only one I can find with trees that have the hanging down off the branches... moss? leaves?? vines?

And those are all by the existing stage, which also gives a view of the station:


View attachment 740015



Fun to speculate, but you are right, we should leave this work to the vloggers, and we can sit back and see what they actually end up doing haha.

Wait a minute. Son of a bit@h ! You might be right! Lol. That tree looks identical to the one in yellow in the concept art. What the hell?

Ok I just need to walk away from this now. If what you are saying is right they just took 60% of Magnolia Park and we now have our answer on why they didn’t remove the big tree that blocks the Tiana’s Palace Marquee. Wow.

EDIT: I’m upgrading my comment to I think you are right. Not might be right. The whole time I’ve been so focused on the bandstand replacing the fountain and tables being in the concept art that I didn’t stop to give much thought of the bandstand staying in the same location even though that’s what you’ve been trying to say.

But wait that would make that area protrude out so far from the front gates. I dunno man. The more I dig into this the more confused I get. Good Lord. If you’re right Magnolia Park just became 2-3 of the older trees and a couple new ones with all the planters and fountain removed? Yikes.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Wait a minute. Son of a bit@h ! You might be right! Lol. That tree looks identical to the one in yellow in the concept art. What the hell?

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Ok I just need to walk away from this now. If what you are saying is right they just took 60% of Magnolia Park and we now have our answer on why they didn’t remove the big tree that blocks the Tiana’s Palace Marquee. Wow.

EDIT: I’m upgrading my comment to I think you are right. Not might be right. The whole time I’ve been so focused on the bandstand replacing the fountain and tables being in the concept art that I didn’t stop to give much thought of the bandstand staying in the same location even though that’s what you’ve been trying to say.

But wait that would make that area protrude out so far from the front gates. I dunno man. The more I dig into this the more confused I get. Good Lord. If you’re right Magnolia Park just became 1-2 of the older trees and 2-3 new ones with all the planters and fountain removed? Yikes.

Right, this is why I am confused. But this could all be artistic liberty. I mean, the Gazebo is clearly a different design in the concept art also. Unless they are going to redo the existing one in some way.

 

[mickEblu]

Right, this is why I am confused. But this could all be artistic liberty. I mean, the Gazebo is clearly a different design in the concept art also. Unless they are going to redo the existing one in some way.

No man between the identical tree I circled, the tree branches with the Moss and the bandstand I think you are right. It’s also less of an assumption to say the bandstand moves and replaces the fountain than to say it stays in place. Wow

Even if true, still doesn’t make sense that Micechat included the whole thing as part of the HM queue in the article instead of leaving the closest 20% to Tiana’s Palace out.

 

[mickEblu]

Bravo Disney. You could have just stopped offering Lightning Lane for HM but let’s mess up one of the most beautiful places in the park instead.

Oh well, what do I care. I’m a Knotts guy now haha.

Knotts sucks.

 

[Dear Prudence]

With construction beginning in January 2024, new updates are coming to the Haunted Mansion area, including an expanded outdoor queue, at the Disneyland Resort. A new retail shop will be added adjacent to the attraction’s exit. Link at the bottom with full details.

Concept art below.

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

The grounds of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland park will expand in 2024, immersing you in enhanced theming, as well as a new retail shop.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

*Edited to update concept art.

At another time and place, I would have been so excited for this. But since they can't even put normal Haunted Mansion back together properly after HMH every year and since so many of the effects on HM don't work, I would rather them just FIX things first, you know?

 

[No Name]

Probably because Destination D23 is generally more Florida focused, so this announcement would go over like a lead balloon out there.

They do announce a number of small things for Disneyland at these, but usually they’re about entertainment offerings or stuff like that. I’m guessing they just decided this would’ve been more awkward to speak about on stage than in a press release although I don’t know.

 

[TP2000]

I suspect the whole goal of the new ADA exit elevator is to have the ADA unloading in the same place as regular guest unloading, this to prevent slowdown as much as possible. So where you have this ADA exit would put ADA unloading in the same place as loading which accomplishes nothing. Plus it would also completely bypass the new gift shop. So doesn't make sense to put it there.

No. How are you going to get a rental ECV or someone's personal and very large electric wheelchair from the Loading area to the Unloading area?

And even if you did enlarge and lengthen the Unloading belt area (by cutting out the Hitchhiking Ghost scene, or moving it earlier into the current Graveyard?) and you could unload a big ECV out of a specially built Doombuggie a la' Mermaid, then you don't need an elevator. The wheelchair would just ride up the Speedramp to the Exit Crypt with everyone else.

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.

 

[Dear Prudence]

RIP to any sort of low key area at Disneyland. Granted, this is an improvement for when the park is slammed and they have the HM queue going around Magnolia Park but it’s a nice dead area at times too when the park is not too busy. The quiet spots away from the hustle and bustle are becoming fewer and fewer. What’s left? Motorboat dock (which isn’t long for this world), Fowlers path and TSI?

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.

 

[mickEblu]

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.

It also looked perfect in the foreground of the train station with the fountain and circular planters.

 

[Disney Irish]

No. How are you going to get a rental ECV or someone's personal and very large electric wheelchair from the Loading area to the Unloading area?

Today all ECVs are left in the front of the mansion off to the side, any person using an ECV that can't walk on their own must transfer to a wheelchair.

I doubt this will change even with the new elevator no matter its location as there isn't enough space for them inside the mansion.

And even if you did enlarge and lengthen the Unloading belt area (by cutting out the Hitchhiking Ghost scene, or moving it earlier into the current Graveyard?) and you could unload a big ECV out of a specially built Doombuggie a la' Mermaid, then you don't need an elevator. The wheelchair would just ride up the Speedramp to the Exit Crypt with everyone else.

You don't need to enlarge the unloading belt area as you wouldn't be unloading big ECV. See above. Even TLM doesn't allow the big ECVs that I'm aware of. All they would need to do is to ensure it slows down enough to unload just like they do in the current loading area upon return.

The speedramp has a steep enough slope that wouldn't be safe for any wheelchair to ride up.

The elevator is going in on the south end of the current 1969 switchbacks, adjacent to the Disneyland Railroad tracks. It's at that location where an elevator shaft would descend directly next to the current wheelchair parking/staging area they've had to set up at the end of the Loading belt area.

You may be right.

But to me it doesn't make much sense for a couple reasons:

1. ADA parties would still have to come back to the retrieve their ECVs from the complete opposite side of the mansion.
2. It has ADA parties bypassing the new gift shop. Something we know Disney isn't likely to do.
3. You identified it as the area with the green canopy. Why would they identify an exit on the concept art for the extended queue and why would an exit for be covered anyways when no one is waiting.

This new elevator at that Loading area will prevent them from having to send wheelchair folks back upstream against the wall of the Portrait Gallery to wait for a ride up in the Stretching Rooms, and then to fight their way out of the entrance path.

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.

The whole purpose is so they don't have to have ADA folks ride up the stretching room elevator no matter the location of the new elevator.

 

[TP2000]

But to me it doesn't make much sense for a couple reasons:

1. ADA parties would still have to come back to the retrieve their ECVs from the complete opposite side of the mansion.

Not once they are done redoing the narrow 1969 switchback area.

Along with the new trellises, they are likely going to rip out the metal handrails and widen the 1969 lanes to allow for a wheelchair to flow through the entire line from the front entrance gate to the foyer doors, like wheelchairs now do at all other modern rides.

So no more parking and staging wheelchairs and ECV's near the Hearse in front of the porch. That was always so messy.

2. It has ADA parties bypassing the new gift shop. Something we know Disney isn't likely to do.

I think you over-estimate the 5% or fewer people riding Haunted Mansion in a wheelchair. The Haunted Mansion has an hourly capacity of 2,100 riders per hour. If the 100 or so of them who are in a wheelchair want the Hitchhiking Ghost tea towel set, they can go buy it after they take the elevator back upstairs from the loading area.

3. You identified it as the area with the green canopy. Why would they identify an exit on the concept art for the extended queue and why would an exit for be covered anyways when no one is waiting.

Because the green canopy is covering/decorating an elevator shaft. That's the structure that contains and covers the elevator shaft that sinks below ground to the loading area that is almost directly beneath it in that location.

The whole purpose is so they don't have to have ADA folks ride up the stretching room elevator no matter the location of the new elevator.

Yes. And the only location where an elevator shaft works with the ride facility buried underground is in the area just south of the existing switchbacks, adjacent to the Disneyland Railroad tracks. Where this green canopy structure is noted on the WDI concept art.

 

[Disney Analyst]

And on cue, we have some vlogger speculation.

 

[Disney Irish]

Not once they are done redoing the narrow 1969 switchback area.

Along with the new trellises, they are likely going to rip out the metal handrails and widen the 1969 lanes to allow for a wheelchair to flow through the entire line from the front entrance gate to the foyer doors, like wheelchairs now do at all other modern rides.

So no more parking and staging wheelchairs and ECV's near the Hearse in front of the porch. That was always so messy.



I think you over-estimate the 5% of fewer people riding Haunted Mansion in a wheelchair.



Because the green canopy is covering/decorating an elevator shaft. That's the structure that contains and covers the elevator shaft that sinks below ground to the loading area that is almost directly beneath it in that location.



Yes. And the only location where an elevator shaft works with the ride facility buried underground is in the area just south of the existing switchbacks, adjacent to the Disneyland Railroad tracks. Where this green canopy structure is noted on the WDI concept art.

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You're making a lot of assumptions there my friend.

Specifically with the green canopy, if you notice there is a break in the brick wall. That to me doesn't indicate a covering for an elevator, it indicates more queue area like for LL. Also it doesn't make much sense again for a canopy to cover an elevator, especially if its going to be off to the side already obscured and hidden by the new extended queue area.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like you're thinking the elevator is going to just be some lift that comes out of the ground like some delivery lift on a busy public street. That to me doesn't seem like something Disney would do for guests, heck I don't even know if that type of lift is even ADA compliant.

 

[Disney Analyst]

And on cue, we have some vlogger speculation.

Okay I actually think what he says makes sense, and lines up with my earlier speculation. The new expanded areas wall, with the fountain in the centre of the wall, lines up with where the existing fountain is.

Also makes sense why they included a fountain the wall, can reuse the existing plumbing.

The rest of the park is reworked into two smaller planters with the existing trees, and tables for sitting in the shade.

 

[mickEblu]

Okay I actually think what he says makes sense, and lines up with my earlier speculation. The new expanded areas wall, with the fountain in the centre of the wall, lines up with where the existing fountain is.

Also makes sense why they included a fountain the wall, can reuse the existing plumbing.

The rest of the park is reworked into two smaller planters with the existing trees, and tables for sitting in the shade.

Of course it makes sense. He got it from here. With that said I haven’t watched the video yet.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Of course it makes sense. He got it from here.

Where is my commission? I clocked this yesterday.

 

[TP2000]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like you're thinking the elevator is going to just be some lift that comes out of the ground like some delivery lift on a busy public street. That to me doesn't seem like something Disney would do for guests, heck I don't even know if that type of lift is even ADA compliant.

It's an elevator that comes up from underground to the street level. It's not rocket science. Every subway system in the world has them now. But instead of a modern aesthetic, they'll surround this basic concept with a green wrought iron canopy that looks like an old-timey "greenhouse".

But underneath the greenhouse theme, there's basically this modern elevator infrastructure that leads directly down to the Doombuggy loading area below ground. Elevators are perfectly safe and legal for wheelchair use.