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

[Disney Irish]

How are wheelchairs currently handled? Do they bypass the stretching room fully? Or would new elevator be exit only situation?

They bypass the queue and go right to entrance and enter the stretching room. And then upon exit go back up the stretching room.

So if they use the new elevator for both entrance and exit then they would bypass the stretching room.

However if they just use it for exit then they would use the stretching room as normal and only use the new elevator to exit instead of going back up the stretching room. Thinking about it, this is my guess.

So we'll have to wait and see how it goes when the new queue and ADA elevator open fully.

 

[Disney Analyst]

They bypass the queue and go right to entrance and enter the stretching room. And then upon exit go back up the stretching room.

So if they use the new elevator for both entrance and exit then they would bypass the stretching room.

However if they just use it for exit then they would use the stretching room as normal and only use the new elevator to exit instead of going back up the stretching room. Thinking about it, this is my guess.

So we'll have to wait and see how it goes when the new queue and ADA elevator open fully.

Right, that is actually what I think will happen. Wheelchair users go through full queue / experience, and simply use new elevator to Exit.

 

[Kyle’s Dad Sent Me]

First impression is great, that “this has always been there” feeling. Happy to see nothing cartoonish about it.

 

[DavidDL]

First impression is great, that “this has always been there” feeling. Happy to see nothing cartoonish about it.

Very happy we didn't get the cartoonish caricatures they've got over in the WDW queue.

 

[Nland316]

I’m kinda hoping they shield the berm a bit more with foliage. It’s looking a little bare.. there is still tarp covering it though so I’m assuming they aren’t fully done yet on that front.

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[mickEblu]

I’m kinda hoping they shield the berm a bit more with foliage. It’s looking a little bare.. there is still tarp covering it though so I’m assuming they aren’t fully done yet on that front.

Same here. Ive had my eye on that. I also don’t like that I can see the fence at the top of the berm between the HM and new gift shop.

 

[TP2000]

But I cannot for the life of me figure out why you're so obsessed with how people look.

Because it's Disneyland, and it always had very high standards for aesthetics and showmanship and storytelling.

This roller coaster circa 1955 does almost exactly the same thing that Matterhorn Bobsleds circa 1959 did. One roller coaster doesn't give two craps what it looks like or how it presents itself, and Walt's roller coaster spent a lot of money on the same ride system making it look great and presenting itself very well to its riders and observers.

Which one would you rather go on? And more importantly, which one would you spend more money to go on?

He's there to explain to Guests what the closed building is, part of the Courtesy Key. This has literally always been a thing.

I can't tell if you are joking or not.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I can't tell if you are joking or not.

I'm not. This has always been a position at closed shops and attractions. If the store were open, he'd be inside working.

 

[waltography]

I'm not. This has always been a position at closed shops and attractions. If the store were open, he'd be inside working.

Just to support your point: they've done the same during the most recent closure of the DLRR (I remember chatting to A CM stationed outside Toontown Station) and when the Hungry Bear pass was closed prior to Tiana's opening (CMs were stationed at both endpoints).

 

[Touchdown]

Because it's Disneyland, and it always had very high standards for aesthetics and showmanship and storytelling.

This roller coaster circa 1955 does almost exactly the same thing that Matterhorn Bobsleds circa 1959 did. One roller coaster doesn't give two craps what it looks like or how it presents itself, and Walt's roller coaster spent a lot of money on the same ride system making it look great and presenting itself very well to its riders and observers.

Which one would you rather go on? And more importantly, which one would you spend more money to go on?

I can't tell if you are joking or not.

To put on my coaster nerd hat, that first roller coaster is not criteria 1955. See that’s a tubular steel coaster and when the Matterhorn opened in 1959, it was the worlds first tubular steel roller coaster.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Potentially a go for tomorrow. If visiting the park, I’d still check the virtual queue just in case, so you don’t miss out.

 

[TP2000]

I'm not. This has always been a position at closed shops and attractions. If the store were open, he'd be inside working.

So, you are saying that when a gift shop closes for refurbishment, or is under construction, they staff an extra CM to stand there in the uniform of a nearby attraction (instead of the shop uniform they normally wear) to tell people "Sorry, folks, this gift shop is closed today. The moose out front shoulda told ya!" ???

And they staff this mystery gift shop storyteller dressed like a nearby ride operator to tell passersby of the closed nature of that shop, while actual gift shop CM's wearing the uniforms of shop clerks in that land work 8 feet away at a merchandise kiosk?

That makes no sense.

Please, enlighten us, and make this make sense from both a storytelling and business-operational perspective....

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

So, you are saying that when a gift shop closes for refurbishment, or is under construction, they staff an extra CM to stand there in the uniform of a nearby attraction (instead of the shop uniform they normally wear) to tell people "Sorry, folks, this gift shop is closed today. The moose out front shoulda told ya!" ???

And they staff this mystery gift shop storyteller dressed like a nearby ride operator to tell passersby of the closed nature of that shop, while actual gift shop CM's wearing the uniforms of shop clerks in that land work 8 feet away at a merchandise kiosk?

That makes no sense.

Please, enlighten us, and make this make sense from both a storytelling and business-operational perspective....

View attachment 827605

You really don't see the Courtesy behind staffing somebody to interact with guests and explain to them what the big closed building is? You can't even grasp the business purpose behind having somebody tell curious passersby about the cool new shop that they just HAVE to come back and see in a few weeks?

For what it's worth, your constant hyperbole gets really old. Not to mention your seemingly endless obsession with the appearance of others. He looks fine and he's performing his role. If a Guest walks up to him, he will interact with them. He's also doing what we called the "Disney Lean" as far back even as 2007 when I started with the company. It's allowed.

 

[DCBaker]

Beginning today, Haunted Mansion Holiday will no longer use a Virtual Queue:

Haunted Mansion Holiday also no longer shows operating hours beginning January 7, 2025:

 

[PiratesMansion]

Beginning today, Haunted Mansion Holiday will no longer use a Virtual Queue:

View attachment 827606

Haunted Mansion Holiday also no longer shows operating hours beginning January 7, 2025:

View attachment 827607

YESSSSSS close that overlay on January 7th!!!!!

 

[Phroobar]

So, you are saying that when a gift shop closes for refurbishment, or is under construction, they staff an extra CM to stand there in the uniform of a nearby attraction (instead of the shop uniform they normally wear) to tell people "Sorry, folks, this gift shop is closed today. The moose out front shoulda told ya!" ???

And they staff this mystery gift shop storyteller dressed like a nearby ride operator to tell passersby of the closed nature of that shop, while actual gift shop CM's wearing the uniforms of shop clerks in that land work 8 feet away at a merchandise kiosk?

That makes no sense.

Please, enlighten us, and make this make sense from both a storytelling and business-operational perspective....

Maybe it is too keep people from vandalizing it?

 

[Phroobar]

Because it's Disneyland, and it always had very high standards for aesthetics and showmanship and storytelling.

This roller coaster circa 1955 does almost exactly the same thing that Matterhorn Bobsleds circa 1959 did. One roller coaster doesn't give two craps what it looks like or how it presents itself, and Walt's roller coaster spent a lot of money on the same ride system making it look great and presenting itself very well to its riders and observers.

Which one would you rather go on? And more importantly, which one would you spend more money to go on?

I can't tell if you are joking or not.

Goofy's Sky School vs Matterhorn Mountain? Good thing we spend the same amount get on either one.

 

[Gusey]

New Shop, "Madame Leota's Somewhere Beyond" is opening this Winter.
"Somewhere Beyond is a carriage house that used to store the same ornate carriage that now remains on the mansion’s front yard. It also contains a boudoir on the mezzanine level. At one point, it was home to the mansion’s head caretaker, but later Madame Leota took up residence. It is filled with her eclectic furniture including a crystal ball, feinting couch and the original parlor chandelier that Leota used in séances at the mansion.
When the first floor of the carriage house became a shop, Leota kindly lent her desks, cabinets and chests as antique artifacts to be showcased along with the merchandise. As a powerful medium moving between worlds, Madame Leota comes and goes a lot and is excited to welcome guests to her home, soon." - [Disney Park Blog]

New concept art on the interior:

 

[mickEblu]

I wonder if they ll start on the extended POTC queue during the 70th or wait until after? I guess if the 70th starts in May they have around 4 months to get it done if they start at the beginning of the year after the holidays. Not that there’s a shortage of food options in NOS but would they really just sacrifice Royal Street Verrandah? That’s a lot of consistent revenue. With that said, I have not ordered anything there in YEARS. I don’t see a way for them to expand the queue and keep Royal Street Verandah in its current location.