Disney's Haunted Mansion making room for new ghosts

[wbk]

Disney's Haunted Mansion making room for new ghosts

Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writer

June 9, 2007

Horror of horrors! Tourists hoping to experience The Haunted Mansion at Disney's Magic Kingdom are being greeted by a "Closed for renovations" sign tacked to a locked gate.

Disney plans its first major overhaul of the popular Humor-driven attraction this summer, including technology updates and a few new ghosts. The ride closed Wednesday and should reopen by mid-September.

Ride designers are promising revisions consistent with those made recently at other "classic" Magic Kingdom attractions such as the Pirates of the Caribbean ride last year and the It's a Small World ride the year before -- enhancing effects without altering the story or traditional features.

"It's going to be fabulous," said show producer Kathy Rogers of Walt Disney Imagineering.

Yet as with the Pirates and Small World attractions -- considered classics partly because of their roots to legendary Disney designers and even Walt Disney himself -- The Haunted Mansion's loyal following presents both a blessing and a curse.

On Friday, the locked gate at The Haunted Mansion's entrance drew a steady stream of visitors who approached, grumbled and moved on. For the Uhlir family from Lake Zurich, Ill., and the Saar family from Boston, the promise of improvements in three months was little consolation.

"It was a great ride. I really looked forward to it. Now it's closed," said Daniel Uhlir, 12, visiting with his parents, Jeff and Beth, and brother Kevin, 5.

"Why do they have to close it now?" asked Tanya Saar, who arrived with daughter Anastasia, 8.

When it comes to finding a three-month window to close the ride, the logistics are complicated, said Phil Holmes, Disney World vice president for Magic Kingdom.

"Off-season" crowds now are so strong that there is little difference with the summer season, Holmes said. During the summer, virtually all other attractions are open, so this wound up being the best possible time, he said.

Holmes, who was a ride attendant when the Magic Kingdom opened 36 years ago, said he is as fond of The Haunted Mansion as anyone.

He said he understands the consternation of park visitors confronted by the "closed" sign. He said Magic Kingdom got the same reaction when the Pirates and Small World rides were temporarily closed.

"Each time, I think, we came out the other side and people embraced and appreciated the fact that it was refreshed, even improved," Holmes said.

 

[TravelinGal]

"Why do they have to close it now?" asked Tanya Saar

Because it had to close at some time for refurb and they knew you were coming and did it just to be mean to you.
I know it bites when an attraction/show/restaurant is closed, but the "why now" thing is lame.

I love Tusker House (as it IS) and am bummed that it will be closed in Sept/Oct when we are there, but I don't pull a pitty party about it. Same with Spaceship Earth. A classic we enjoy on every trip. But not this year. So I accept it and go on and enjoy everything else they have to offer. (I was there when POTC was closed for refurb too, but didn't whine about that either.)

Oh well....moving on...

 

[disneyreporter]

The construction wall continues to become more detailed. The brown columns next to the door have now received brickwork. And I wonder if the old Mike Finn Keel Boats dock will play apart into the Haunted Mansion refurb. After all, the construction wall there is the same as at the mansion.

I'd post photos, but for some reason it is giving me error messages.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I heard they are including Cap'n Jack/J Depp as a ghost.

 

[disneyreporter]

I heard they are including Cap'n Jack/J Depp as a ghost.

I highly doubt it, however Master Gracey's letter on the construction wall does confirm new ghosts will be appearing. Yeah for new animatronics.

 

[Another^Dimension]

Anyone think the MK HM may be getting the newish Disneyland brides twin sister?

 

[ConcKahuna]

Anyone think the MK HM may be getting the newish Disneyland brides twin sister?

I hope so, that thing looks great.

I also hope they start doing the "Nightmare Before Christmas" themeing for the holidays.

 

[MJMcBride]

I hope its more than just a kiosk where you buy a pic of you and you're hitchhiking ghost, but I'm not hopeful.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

All I know is when you see a man with a sledge hammer at 1:00am going from the old skyway area to the HM area you know it can't be good.

We rode it as much as possible early in the week knowing it was closing or the last few days of our trips.

MJMcBride I agree and if they do I hope they at least link it to Photopass.

 

[plutospup]

I heard they are including Cap'n Jack/J Depp as a ghost.

I also heard they are adding the ghost of Nemo's mother, Coral.

 

[agnes!]

The construction wall continues to become more detailed. The brown columns next to the door have now received brickwork. And I wonder if the old Mike Finn Keel Boats dock will play apart into the Haunted Mansion refurb. After all, the construction wall there is the same as at the mansion.

I'd post photos, but for some reason it is giving me error messages.

That's because you don't have enough posts yet. I think the Post count might have to be 10 to send PMs & to post pics?...

agnes!

 

[manning]

All I know is when you see a man with a sledge hammer at 1:00am going from the old skyway area to the HM area you know it can't be good.

We rode it as much as possible early in the week knowing it was closing or the last few days of our trips.

MJMcBride I agree and if they do I hope they at least link it to Photopass.

That was one of the maintenance men. One of the rides broke and they needed someone with a delicate touch.

 

[adabob]

Doesnt seem kinda wierd that this is around (or earlier than DlR) that DLR starts putting up the X mas decorations ( they probably do it later in the year cause of the experience)

But this would be a good excuse to do the Nightmare b/f xmas theme

That is just my opinion maybe i am wrong
i think it would be cool tohave that theme and it needs refurbishment

Adabob

 

[YoHo]

Nightmare is never going to happen. In fact, there are persistant rumors that DL will stop doing it.

 

[adabob]

Nightmare is never going to happen. In fact, there are persistant rumors that DL will stop doing it.

Well i did not know that thanks for the info

But why might stop the Nightmare in DLR

 

[YoHo]

We need a smilie running his thumb and forefinger together.

the simple answer is $$$. It costs money to put that show on. Tim Burton gets a cut of it and the sets need to be maintained. The question is, does the attraction bring in enough revenue to justify the added costs? (incidently, that's why WDW will probably never get it, Disney doesn't want to give Burton any more money)

If you've ever been to DL between Halloween and New Years, you might think the answer an obvious yes, but Disneyland is overrun with annual passholders. People that sit on the benches and read War and Peace while waiting for the fireworks. Those people don't shop in the stores, they don't eat in the resturants they just clog up the park and stand in line for Haunted.
These people are in Disneyland once or twice a month (guilty as charged) and don't match the spending expectations and they paid less to get in.
So, it's not clear whether Haunted Holiday is worth it.


Over the past couple years, this issue has repeatedly comes up and it seems that it's spared at the last minute every year, but eventually it's going to stop.


Incidently, these same APers make DCA look a lot more busy then it really is.
Nobody buys a Ticket to DCA. They get some sort of ticket to DL and then "Get" DCA for free.

 

[wishuponastarforever]

I hope so, that thing looks great.

I also hope they start doing the "Nightmare Before Christmas" themeing for the holidays.

Wow - that would be perfect - timing would point to that too. I don't buy the "everything else is open in the summer" reason - Your "hope" makes the timing make more sense.

 

[raidermatt]

I know it bites when an attraction/show/restaurant is closed, but the "why now" thing is lame.

Its actually a legit complaint. A tradeoff for dealing with summer heat and crowds is little to no attraction closures, but this year two of the most popular attractions in the resort are closed. That's not normal.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

But you can't close down the Haunted Mansion for MNSSHP.... A better time would have been January through April.

 

[YoHo]

Or, they could revert to their old maintenence policies and avoid having it closed for more then a month at all.