Haunted Mansion Refurb

[BebopBaloo]

The interactive queue elements were turned off for the outside refurb, since the interactive queue, itself, is closed off. The massing of guests before being let into the foyer with the aging portrait has been around at least as long as the interactive queue (2011.) I thought it was always that way?

I have only been on once (now twice) since the interactive queue was installed. I have a little one that still doesn't care for HM. That's probably why I still think of it as a standard line. I feel like I remember at least a civil sort of line the time before last...maybe people were just less pushy and more respectful of personal space then

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I have only been on once (now twice) since the interactive queue was installed. I have a little one that still doesn't care for HM. That's probably why I still think of it as a standard line. I feel like I remember at least a civil sort of line the time before last...maybe people were just less pushy and more respectful of personal space then

I think it depends on the humidity.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I cannot stand the herding in the que at HM. This year I will have a rollator Walker and am dreading it

 

[serenitynow]

I cannot stand the herding in the que at HM. This year I will have a rollator Walker and am dreading it

I know what you mean, I use a wheelchair or scooter. They ask you to stay against the wall all the way right, but it's still stressful, especially when the herd moves into the dark stretching room. But I will say the CMs have always taken good care of me during the darkened crush of humanity.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I know what you mean, I use a wheelchair or scooter. They ask you to stay against the wall all the way right, but it's still stressful, especially when the herd moves into the dark stretching room. But I will say the CMs have always taken good care of me during the darkened crush of humanity.

They load that stretching room like there's no tomorrow at Magic Kingdom. You never get to see the aging portrait change, and there's always an overcrowded, pushy load area to have to fight through to make it to the doom buggies. It's a good example of how sometimes at Walt Disney World throughput is more important then show or guest experience. I prefer Magic Kingdom's version of the ride, but loading is much less rushed and crowded in Anaheim, and often that outside door actually closes on the foyer before the stretching room door opens to let you in.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Is the FP line any better before going inside?

 

[BrianL]

They load that stretching room like there's no tomorrow at Magic Kingdom. You never get to see the aging portrait change, and there's always an overcrowded, pushy load area to have to fight through to make it to the doom buggies. It's a good example of how sometimes at Walt Disney World throughput is more important then show or guest experience. I prefer Magic Kingdom's version of the ride, but loading is much less rushed and crowded in Anaheim, and often that outside door actually closes on the foyer before the stretching room door opens to let you in.

My experience in Anaheim a couple of weeks ago was that they still kinda rushed you, but they put FAR fewer people into the foyer at a time. They never closed the outer door though. They didn't start the narration until the Stretching room was closed too. I HATE when they do that at MK! Once down to the load area it was much less crowded and boarding went very smoothly. I will say that was not the case for Haunted Mansion Holiday where they seem to pack them in like they do at MK.

 

[BrianL]

Is the FP line any better before going inside?

No, the FP merge point is before the doors to the mansion. You basically just skip the graveyard portion with the interactive stuff. You will still have to fill in all the space leading up to the doors.

 

[BebopBaloo]

No, the FP merge point is before the doors to the mansion. You basically just skip the graveyard portion with the interactive stuff. You will still have to fill in all the space leading up to the doors.

Oh well...

 

[prgal0715]

I read that it was just a paint to the exterior of the building.

There's already some extensive exerior

Is the FP line any better before going inside?

The FP line is especially "squishy" right now and not particularly fast with exterior refurb; you're herded together with the stand-by folks at an earlier point in the line. Everyone walks through the interactive queue together, even thoguh it's not very interactive right now!

 

[dixiegirl]

He'll just disappear again.. (if you don't know the back story, 2 hatbox ghosts were made 1 for each park and it was installed in wdw and the day before wdw opened it just disappeared and nobody knows why or where it went.) Also if you don't know, both haunted mansions were made at exactly the same time, it was the first attraction finished at WDW and just waited for opening day.

I saw a behind the scenes video on youtube somewhere with an Imagineer who explained that when they previewed the Hatbox ghost prior to opening, the effect didn't work as well as expected due to lighting. As you moved past the ghost you were able to see the workings of the effect so they removed him prior to official opening. It's a really good video (but the audio is off) - search for Disney Haunted Mansion Behind the Scenes walking tour. Lots of back story.

 

[Oozma_Kappa]

I cannot stand the herding in the que at HM. This year I will have a rollator Walker and am dreading it

Ugh, I always feel like a cow walking to slaughter. Hate the line with a passion!!

 

[jpeden]

My experience in Anaheim a couple of weeks ago was that they still kinda rushed you, but they put FAR fewer people into the foyer at a time. They never closed the outer door though. They didn't start the narration until the Stretching room was closed too. I HATE when they do that at MK! Once down to the load area it was much less crowded and boarding went very smoothly. I will say that was not the case for Haunted Mansion Holiday where they seem to pack them in like they do at MK.

It is my understanding that at DL the stretching room operates on an actual elevator and therefore must be operated with less people where at WDW the ceiling simply raises - thus no weight issues. This may be why they put fewer people in the stretching room at DL.

 

[dreiwhit]

They load that stretching room like there's no tomorrow at Magic Kingdom. You never get to see the aging portrait change, and there's always an overcrowded, pushy load area to have to fight through to make it to the doom buggies. It's a good example of how sometimes at Walt Disney World throughput is more important then show or guest experience.

I didn't mind the stretching room, but what I really hated was the loading area after the stretching room where you get in the doom buggies. Way too many people trying to shrink down into the queues. My daughter and I ended up getting seperated from my wife and son, and I really had to work to keep me and my daughter from getting seperated!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I didn't mind the stretching room, but what I really hated was the loading area after the stretching room where you get in the doom buggies. Way too many people trying to shrink down into the queues. My daughter and I ended up getting seperated from my wife and son, and I really had to work to keep me and my daughter from getting seperated!

Totally agree. It's because they overcrowd that area by running the stretching rooms more frequently and the doom buggies more rapidly than originally intended.

 

[ElsieAstronaut]

This is my least favorite line in all of the parks, i think. I actually started to have an anxiety attack last time. They were having some sort of issue where the buggies kept stopping and starting every few minutes, so the line was very backed up. We were crushed together in the outside, just before the doors into the building area for a while. Then in the room before the stretching room. Couldn't move in the stretching room at all, and as much as I usually enjoy the effects in there I had to turn and bury my head in DB's chest to focus on breathing because I was getting so panicky. Once the door of the stretching room opened....we still couldn't move. The line in the loading area was back up to the door. It kept breaking down, and once we made it into the loading area they still just kept herding more people into it. I almost had to leave before we finally got on.

I'm hesitant to get on again because of this experience, and that was with FP.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

This is my least favorite line in all of the parks, i think. I actually started to have an anxiety attack last time. They were having some sort of issue where the buggies kept stopping and starting every few minutes, so the line was very backed up. We were crushed together in the outside, just before the doors into the building area for a while. Then in the room before the stretching room. Couldn't move in the stretching room at all, and as much as I usually enjoy the effects in there I had to turn and bury my head in DB's chest to focus on breathing because I was getting so panicky. Once the door of the stretching room opened....we still couldn't move. The line in the loading area was back up to the door. It kept breaking down, and once we made it into the loading area they still just kept herding more people into it. I almost had to leave before we finally got on.

I'm hesitant to get on again because of this experience, and that was with FP.

Guest Services takes guest input like that seriously. I'd encourage you to write an email to them detailing your experience.

 

[Accident]

Totally agree. It's because they overcrowd that area by running the stretching rooms more frequently and the doom buggies more rapidly than originally intended.

during after hours events they ran the doom buggies at the designed speed and it was so much better in my mind.. Also when the stretch rooms aren't overcrowded then things like the castmembers moving in the dark to someone else in the room to surprise someone when the lights come back on is possible....

I have actually seen it where they opened both sets of doors and stopped running the stretch rooms making it just a walkway to the ride. (It was a very long time ago though)

 

[DVCcurious]

maybe it takes 4 days to vaccuum up all the ashes.

 

[serenitynow]

maybe it takes 4 days to vaccuum up all the ashes.

Is that considered a "protein spill"?