PHOTOS - New interactive Haunted Mansion queue opens for guest previews today

[imagineer boy]

I'm still wondering, is the HM ride building still visible?

Also, is Leota's tomb there at all? If not, that would be a major loss it was such a cool subtle effect. IMO, the interactive queue should have been more like that. Subtle effects you trigger.

 

[NMBC1993]

I haven't been a huge fans of these NextGen Queues. My problem is guests are going to stop and mess with everything and hold up the line. I just saw a video on youtube and you can hear a CM telling everyone to keep moving and to fill in the "dead space" which means the line isn't moving. I read that for the soft opening they are offering guests the choice of entering the new queue or sticking with the old one, I hope that option stays because when the slow months come I don't want to be stuck behind a family messing with every button or effect there is and not have a way to get around them which is the case with Space Mountain. I'm all for Disney wanting to plus their parks but why does it have to be only in the queues? Why not take that money and fix some of the effects in Dinosaur which is the actual part of the attraction. I know they are trying to make the wait time go by faster but with everyone on the face of the earth including most children having some kind of 4g phone these days I'm sure they can stay entertained for the 15 minute wait at Haunted Mansion. I guess I'm just sick and tried of Disney trying to add new things that are just unnecessary and not dealing with the things that are (Disco Yeti, Dinosaur, tarps in BTMR, etc.)

 

[JustInTime]

I'm still wondering, is the HM ride building still visible?

Also, is Leota's tomb there at all? If not, that would be a major loss it was such a cool subtle effect. IMO, the interactive queue should have been more like that. Subtle effects you trigger.

Leota's tombstone is still in it's same place.

 

[CTXRover]

I know they are trying to make the wait time go by faster but with everyone on the face of the earth including most children having some kind of 4g phone these days I'm sure they can stay entertained for the 15 minute wait at Haunted Mansion.

I think one could argue that this is actually one of the reasons FOR the interactive queues. Its something to help pull this generation of folks into the story of these attractions while in the queue and get them off their phones and the 'real' world that smartphones can access so easily. I haven't seen a single person in the Pooh queue, the SM queue where the games are or this HM extra queue on their phones, which is a good thing imo.

As for the new queue itself, I haven't made up my mind yet. It seems to be of excellent theming quality throughout. It has a number of great features and I feel that WDI deserves great credit for a very nice product and TDO deserves credit for continuing investment in the parks on what could be seen as non-essential themeing projects (even when some think the investments should be directed elsewhere). I also understand and appreciate the concern of it changing the 'mood' outside of the attraction before entering the pre-show rooms, which I see as well.

That said, I think I like it overall and is a nice new addition.

 

[PirateFrank]

Holy cow!

Blown away! Totally!

They need to do this with other cues. I can see some seriously cool additions added to Pirates, Star Tours, TSM, Splash, BTM, etc....

 

[anonDisney]

What do musical instruments have to do with the Haunted Mansion?

Have you never been on the ride? Instruments are featured in a section of the ride.

 

[Matt and Kelly]

Looks amazing! Can't wait to see it live.

 

[harveyt0206]

I'm not sure how I feel about the new queue yet. I can see both sides of the argument so I suppose I have to hold off final criticism/praise until I see it in person. I am one of those individuals who typically sees any investment in the rides/queues as a positive. I may not always enjoy the additions, but I do appreciate the effort that goes into the project. I think my biggest concern has to do with the potential for someone to deface or disrespect the queue elements. I would hate to see gum or other forms of graffiti on the tombstones. Overall, I like what I have seen and I look forward to seeing it in person.

 

[spectromagic04]

A different Haunted Mansion que video!
http://youtu.be/WRDD4PJH7eU

 

[IWant2GoNow]

I personally never felt any kind of eerie mood waiting in line for HM. Ever. And that includes riding at midnight a few times. The real experience only started for me once I actually got inside the house.

ToT is the queue that gives me the vibe that HM should, but as I said first, that's just my personal feeling.

I honestly wish HM was EXTREMELY eerie but Disney can't go overboard so they have some fun with it. Perhaps some posters on here will be right about the effects breaking, and then you can just have some creepy crypts to walk through and nothing more.

I'm really surprised there is so much negativity on this one. I thought for sure this would be one of the additions that everyone agreed was a great add. Oh well, takes all kinds.

 

[ob1thx1138]

I haven't been a huge fans of these NextGen Queues. My problem is guests are going to stop and mess with everything and hold up the line. I just saw a video on youtube and you can hear a CM telling everyone to keep moving and to fill in the "dead space" which means the line isn't moving. I read that for the soft opening they are offering guests the choice of entering the new queue or sticking with the old one, I hope that option stays because when the slow months come I don't want to be stuck behind a family messing with every button or effect there is and not have a way to get around them which is the case with Space Mountain.

Do you really think having to wait on that family in the space mountain queue really extends your actual wait time? Most times I am stuck behind that family I don't worry about it because I still end up having to wait in the queue at the load area. I don't think you will ever have an experience where you are waiting so long that it actually causes empty cars to wait for riders. If it gets that bad you should just work your way around them somehow. lol

 

[disneyrcks]

I think the new Q is meant to keep children interested while in line......I get people saying that Disney should not just cater to kids but kids have a short attention span and this will keep them entertained while they are waiting. Like it or not the Magic Kingdom is a family friendly, child oriented place and I think this Q caters to that. If it kills your overall experience well, I will not deny u that but I don't find the Haunted Mansion that creepy, errie or scary. It is an attraction that is also detailed for children to enjoy as well as adults. I do not think it will hold up the line..when someone stops to interact with something it does make some space but it is space that can be filled in rather quickly and will not "hold up the line" it just seems that way for people who can't stand gaps in the line. Once that gap closes u are still in the same spot. I guess it will take some getting used to.........Happy St. Patricks Day Everyone!! :wave:

 

[DiPSU224]

New video from Disney
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...the-new-Haunted-Mansion-interactive-queue.htm

Great video! So sad I missed getting to experience this by 2 weeks. Something else to look forward to on the next trip.

There's awesome little Imagineering tributes hidden EVERYWHERE...

One of my favorite parts of visiting the world is learning about hidden secrets/tributes in attractions. I love the little hidden things like the one eyed cat that never was in the HM.

I am a little concerned about the tombstones of Master Gracey and Marc Davis being so close to some destructive and disrespectful guests. All I would need to see is some jerk vandalizing it and I would lose my mind. I am a bit of a germaphobe when it comes to things like handrails and those greasy hand-printed honey walls in the Pooh queue, but I can't wait to play with those instruments.

To those that don't like it, I'm sorry, but I think WDI is genius for being able to find something to entertain people for the limited amount of time they are passing through a queue. I can't tell you how many times on my last trip we were surrounded by adults and children playing games on their iphones as well as people actually reading a book while waiting in a queue. It was sickening. I don't have children myself and I understand it is hard to keep them entertained all the time, but come on. I don't think these distractions are going to keep the lines backed up anymore than people who aren't paying attention anyway because their faces are buried in their phones.

I can't wait to see this for myself.

 

[Mickey_777]

Is the new Q open daily now?

 

[imagineer boy]

In my mind an interactive queue that has been done right in a realistic setting is the Indy queue at DL. With the activated spike room, the rope pull well, and the eye stones. And they work perfectly, they fit the theme, set the mood, tell the story, and are really clever too. IMHO, the HM queue should be more like that.

 

[NMBC1993]

Do you really think having to wait on that family in the space mountain queue really extends your actual wait time? Most times I am stuck behind that family I don't worry about it because I still end up having to wait in the queue at the load area. I don't think you will ever have an experience where you are waiting so long that it actually causes empty cars to wait for riders. If it gets that bad you should just work your way around them somehow. lol

Ok, I do know that my wait time will not be expended that much but I still find it annoying. I'll give you an example, I hit MK when the park opened and went straight over to Space Mountain, got in the stand by line and was one of the first 15 people in line. As soon as we got to the new game station everyone stopped and started messing with the buttons and the way ahead was completely clear. So I tried to push my way through everyone else, which was almost impossible considering the size of the queue and everyone looked at me like I was the rudest person in the park because I wanted to keep walking to the actual attraction. I think when it comes to these new queues if the line isn't that long they need to either change the queue line to by-pass the interactive stuff or in the case of Space Mountain just turn off the screens until the line gets to a reasonable size.

 

[MUTZIE77]

Has anyone that doesn't like this even seen it in person yet? I went through yesterday and it is more than I ever expected. The detail is amazing. Not only does the pipe organ play, but it has air coming out of the skulls. I was mostly thrilled with the Sea Captain crypt. The water leaking from the cracks is an awesome touch, but the captain sneezes and blows water everywhere as well. I was very impressed and it doesn't ruin the mood of the mansion at all. What sets the mood for the mansion is the changing portrait and the stretching room.

 

[AGentlRose]

A different Haunted Mansion que video!
http://youtu.be/WRDD4PJH7eU

Thanks for posting this. It's a great video.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

To all the Debbie Downers that have posted on this thread so far... SHUT UP AND GO TO H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY STICKS!!! :fork:

 

[marypoppins68]

Is the new Q open daily now?

I went this morning and the new que was NOT open. It was walled off and people were working back there. We had the same old que as always. We did get the black tarps and the projected hitchhiking ghosts at the end. I missed seeing them in the Doombuggy.