The Disney Attractions Discussion Series: Haunted Mansion

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blackcauldron85
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

Super Haunted Mansion blog dives deep into attractions origins
http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/08/31/sup ... s-origins/
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blackcauldron85
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

Secrets of Haunted Mansion...
http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/blog/ ... en-it.html
(via disneyreport.com)
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PrincePhillipFan
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

Thanks for the post, Ames! Those are some awesome backstage pictures!
-Tim
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

From Creepy Old Flicks All Over the World
http://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blog ... world.html
(via disneyreport.com)
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Atlantica
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Post by Atlantica »

Wow, I had no idea that films had such a visual influence over the ride; thank you for pointing out the article Amy !

I was just wondering what you guys thought about this; my friend and I were discusssing this ride the other day, (the Paris version), and she said she was annoyed there wasnt an 'official and complete' version of the ride's story and back story. She didnt care for the little titbits here and there, and other people drawing their own conclusions; she wished there was one, official version. I was of the other mind; I like the fact that we have a barebones structure of the story, and we can decide what actually goes on during the ride.

Just wondered about your opinions on this ... ??
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

^ I like that we don't know everything...your imagination can just wander and wonder about what happened, why they're all in the mansion, why the characters do what they do. If that makes sense...it's still early. :p
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Post by blackcauldron85 »

New Interactive Features coming to Haunted Mansion Queue
http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/10/07/new ... ion-queue/
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

I personally come from the Marc Davis school of thought, and that Disney attractions should be storytelling experiences like Mansion and Pirates, and not force a whole complicated story on you.

Phantom Manor does actually have a very involved and linear storyline (it's all written out in Jason Surrell's book The Haunted Mansion: From The Magic Kingdom To The Movies), however I think the execution of it was rather poorly. Marc and his wife Alice always disliked Phantom Manor, and I can see why - it just tries way too hard to shoehorn a complex story into an 8 minute attraction. The storyline for the Haunted Mansion itself is simple - it's an old mansion that has now become a haunting residence for 999 happy haunts from all over the world. You actually experience the story firsthand, rather than sit back and simply watch the events of a plot unfold.

I commend Imagineering putting so much effort into their attractions, but it seems like today they're trying much too hard to shoehorn a linear plot in all the rides. Attractions really work when they're like Mansion, Pirates, Tower of Terror, etc where you briefly outline the plot, and then just go in for experiencing it firsthand.
-Tim
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Post by Atlantica »

I never thought of it that way, experiencing the story first hand. In effect, we are the story, as we create it.

So, do you not care for the storyline of Phantom Manor Phillip ? I love itm yet at the same time I dont. You are given a lot of the plot, yet there are still many gaps. I feel that if you are going to have so much of the plot anyway, you may as well do the whole thing, rather than leave unexplained points.
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

Oh don't get me wrong, I do like Phantom Manor for its own merits, but if I had to pick between the American and Japanese Mansions and Phantom Manor, I'd definitely go with the American and Japanese incarnations any day. To me they seem to be like comparing apples to oranges. Phantom Manor is almost an identical ride layout to Disneyland's Mansion, yet the two are so completely different. Phantom Manor always strives for a much more tragic and melancholy atmosphere, while the Haunted Mansion is more creepy and macabre humor. I always like saying the comparison is like trying to compare Weber's Phantom of the Opera to The Addams Family. Two completely different monsters and tone of what to expect in their attraction.

The main reason why Phantom Manor always falls short to me is I think it just tries way too hard to make a complicated story. I guess I just always stick to Marc's idea in that you have too little of time to tell a complete story in a ride, but you can have the idea of a story through the experience and leave the rest of it to the imagination of why the ghosts are there and their backstories.

Many people always seem to interpret for instance that the Phantom is a lover of Melanie who hung her groom out of vengence jealousy, and now forever taunts her hereafter. However, I was shocked to read in Surrell's book that the Phantom is actually supposed to be the ghost of her father Henry Ravenswood, who has come back to make sure his daughter never leaves Thunder Mesa (Frontierland at Disneyland Paris.) I think this is a good example of why just Phantom Manor falls so short in that many people simply don't get the story, and like the storytelling experiences, they're almost left up to coming up with their own story based on what they see. I just get the feeling that they tried too hard to make a full plot story out of the ride, rather than leave a lot of the scenes up to the audience's imagination and interpretation.
-Tim
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Post by Atlantica »

I do see your point; with the Paris version, I choose my own story to follow, and I do get cross when people are like, "Oh no, I heard it was this way ..." Either pick one 'official' back story for us to follow, or let it be entirely up to us.

Having said that, I have taken what I can from the ride, and from various fansites, and have created my own version of the story. This I then super impose on the ride when I ride it. I suppose I have taken the best of both worlds then; just viewed the ride as it is, and put my own imagined back story onto it.
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

That's how I tend to feel about it as well. :)

I hope you didn't feel like I was hating too much on PM. I do really like the ride, especially for its John Debney musical arrangements and score, the Phantom Canyon scene, the Bride's Boudoir, the skeleton catacombs, and of course Vincent Price's immortal laugh. I just tend to prefer our stateside Mansions over here. :p
-Tim
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

Looks like WDW's Mansion is planned to get even more updates:
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2011/02/f ... ar-ghosts/

I wonder how the new Hitchhikers effect will look when it's finally unveiled. Also a lot of the new tombs look nifty, with tombs depicting the mariner/sea captain and the organist from the attraction, as well as a new ghost called Prudence Pock.

I really hope that a lot of the original tombstones will be transported over as well. So far, what's been confirmed from videos is that the Grandpa Marc, Francis Xavier, Brother Dave, and Good Friend Gordon ones can be seen in the new cemetery. I hope particularly the Master Gracey, Leota, Brother Claude, Wathel R. Bender, Good Old Fred, and Cousin Huet will find homes in the new cemetery too.
-Tim
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Post by WonderlandFever »

Can't wait to experience it! Looks like you got your wish too ;)

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From wdwnewstoday.com
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Post by WonderlandFever »

Btw, I haven't seen a photo of Leota's tomb yet, I am really hoping that has stayed!
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Post by Flanger-Hanger »

More photos and descriptions here, but still no sign of Leota as mentioned. Hopefully she will return.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions/Hau ... ernoon.htm
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Post by Super Aurora »

Flanger-Hanger wrote:More photos and descriptions here, but still no sign of Leota as mentioned. Hopefully she will return.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions/Hau ... ernoon.htm

That look pretty damn cool. The tomb of the sea captain. That wouldn't happen to be the same Mariner as the one from sinister 11 would it? BE pretty neat connection touch if it was.
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Post by WonderlandFever »

New photo report from WDWnewstoday

http://wdwnewstoday.com/archives/6693

Looks great!! Leota is still there, just behind scrims still :D
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Post by Flanger-Hanger »

Super Aurora wrote:The tomb of the sea captain. That wouldn't happen to be the same Mariner as the one from sinister 11 would it? BE pretty neat connection touch if it was.
Hard to tell without a face, but it wouldn't suprise me given the Mansion's history with a Sea Captain and that the other crypts are based on ghosts in the ride (organist, Grand Hall duelers etc.)

Hooray for Leota staying!
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Post by PrincePhillipFan »

What's really made me happy more than anything about this new queue is that now Ken Anderson, Paul Frees, Blaine Gibson, Rolly Crump, and Harriet Burns all get the long overdue tributes they deserve in the cemetery, and the nice nod to Thurl Ravenscroft as well in the organist crypt.
-Tim
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