Haunted Mansion newly enhanced

[Brian Shepherd]

I know this might be a little old, but in my Guidemap of the Magic Kingdom dated 01/08, it says The Haunted Mansion is Newly Enhanced.

1) What do they mean by this
2) Is it better or worse than DL


This is my first trip to Flordia, and I was a first timer in California last August.

 

[danielle782001]

Two years ago the HM was closed down for several months while they made some really cool upgrades/changes to the ride...We saw the changes in October of 2007...We have not been to DL is I do not know how it compares...But the changes to this one were clear and really cool...They have made use of modern technology to enhance the ride...It is hard to explain...But it is really good.

 

[Lynn5700]

Just have to say the new one is AWESOME!!!! Love it!

 

[CptJackSparrowsGirl]

From the looks of the two rides on YouTube, they look pretty much the same layout with the coolest new effects

 

[bytheblood]

From the looks of the two rides on YouTube, they look pretty much the same

There are changes, but some are subtle. The biggest changes are:

• The lighting is better so that you can see everything.
• The ridiculously large spider in the attic is gone (thank goodness)
• There is a catacomb of staircases with happy haunts footprints made visible
• The haunted bride is no longer a cheesy animatronic, but has taken a whole new life (literally)

 

[CptJackSparrowsGirl]

There are changes, but some are subtle. The biggest changes are:

• The lighting is better so that you can see everything.
• The ridiculously large spider in the attic is gone (thank goodness)
• There is a catacomb of staircases with happy haunts footprints made visible
• The haunted bride is no longer a cheesy animatronic, but has taken a whole new life (literally)

I meant the DL and WDW ride were pretty much alike. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

I know this might be a little old, but in my Guidemap of the Magic Kingdom dated 01/08, it says The Haunted Mansion is Newly Enhanced.

1) What do they mean by this
2) Is it better or worse than DL

1) it means that Imagineering added all-new state-of-the-art show scenes, special effects, and upgrades to the Mansion.
2) Far better.

The ridiculously large spider in the attic is gone (thank goodness)

There was never a giant spider in the attic. There were two giant spiders in the show scene between the Music Room and the Endless Hallway scenes.

The original gag went like this: on the left hand side there was a giant spiderweb containing a skeleton cocooned in webbbing. On the right was a giant spiderweb in the distance containing a giant spider. As the doombuggies rounded the corner, the Guests came face-to-face with a Giant Spider in a web quivering as if ready to pounce. The scene was reportedly so fear-inducing that many guests complained and the skeleton was removed from the first web (and the lights that shone on it were turned off). When the HM was refurbished in 2007, this entire scene was removed and replaced with the Escher Staircases (and the moving eyes immediately before entering the Corridor of Doors / Endless Hallway scene).

I meant the DL and WDW ride were pretty much alike. Sorry for the confusion.

Actually, the WDW HM is roughly 33% longer than DL's (which does not have any of the show scenes from Load all the way up to the Escher staircases).

 

[Sleeping Becca]

The WDW HM is better than DL's.

DL's was refurbed before WDW so for a while DL's was better, now that WDW's is refurbed it is now better than DL's.

I'm soooo glad they got rid of the stupid spiders, the staircases are awesome! They really did a lot to the attraction, new pictures, eye effects on the walls, staircases, Madame Leota, the entire attic! It is awesome!

Buzz Litebeer is correct, the spiders were toward the beginning of the ride. I don't remember ever seeing a skeleton in the web though.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

I don't remember ever seeing a skeleton in the web though.

Not many do. It was removed in late '71 or early '72 (shortly after the park opened).

 

[Sleeping Becca]

My first visit was in "79. I wasn't born yet in '71 or '72, probably why I'm having trouble remembering it! LOL!

 

[HallGirl]

Another enhancement is the audio in the stretching room. It sounds like the ghost host is going around the room and the walls creak as they stretch. Madame Leota in the seance room floats. That's my favorite enhancement.

 

[Alarose]

Really? I totally missed that they enhanced Haunted Mansion! Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite rides...

lol, the first time I went on it my dad had to almost literally drag me onto the ride...I guess the entire time I was white faced and clutching his hand. He thought I hated it. Finally, 7 times later in a row...I had enough I loved it!


I don't even remember the spider webs??? How long ago did they take out the spiders? Must have been before my time.

I can't wait to see these staircases!

Ug...so you said they changed the bride??? I LOVED the bride...what a pretty doll...lol jk. Yeah, she was pretty outdated. She didn't even move did she? Now, when you say the bride has taken on a whole new life...she isn't being played by a life cm is she??? lol, I am guessing not...would kind of ruin it

I'm going to go look on utube!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Before, the bride was kind of cheesy. I've alwys loved this ride, but the bride was not especially well done, and the story line wasn't clear. the changes in the attic help to make the storyline more clear. The changes alo make it more clear that you are indeed, in an attic. That wasn't especially clear before either, IMO. As much as I gernally don't like old rides being changed, in this case they were needed, and they were especailly well done!!!

 

[Alarose]

Ohhhh I just saw the ride on youtube! The bride is sooo cool!

Mickey, what specifically did they change to let you know you are in the attic? I must have missed that.


I don't think I would want them to change too much, but I think it would have been cool if they would have made a few more changes so the ride more into a story and not just scares. Especially play up the bride and hanging groom (right, that is what I once heard. The man hanging at the beginning is supposed to be the groom?). I mean there was that whole ring in the cement story that people put together so there could be some kind of story...even though tototally unintentual by Disney I know. Could have easily been done.

oh well, still cool

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

I don't even remember the spider webs??? How long ago did they take out the spiders? Must have been before my time.

I can't wait to see these staircases!

Ug...so you said they changed the bride??? I LOVED the bride...what a pretty doll...lol jk. Yeah, she was pretty outdated. She didn't even move did she? Now, when you say the bride has taken on a whole new life...she isn't being played by a life cm is she??? lol, I am guessing not...would kind of ruin it

The spiders were relocated (to the Jungle Cruise) during the Refurbishment of 2007. The Skeleton in the Web was removed in late '71 or '72 -- to the best of my knowledge no photos exist of this effect. If you have one, let me know!

The Bride (or "Constance" as she is now known) is portrayed by veteran voice actress Kat Cressida.

 

[bradk]

the spiders were known as the peace spider and the hidden mickey spider due to markings on their backs. they were pretty much hard to miss.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

Mickey, what specifically did they change to let you know you are in the attic? I must have missed that.


I don't think I would want them to change too much, but I think it would have been cool if they would have made a few more changes so the ride more into a story and not just scares. Especially play up the bride and hanging groom (right, that is what I once heard. The man hanging at the beginning is supposed to be the groom?). I mean there was that whole ring in the cement story that people put together so there could be some kind of story...even though tototally unintentual by Disney I know. Could have easily been done.

They really never changed anything specifically to let you know you were in the Mansion's attic. To me, it was always clear that's where you were.

The hanging man in the Gallery is the Ghost Host ("Of course, there's always my way."). That's also a portrait of him in the Corridor of Doors (holding the hatchet with the noose around his neck).

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

the spiders were known as the peace spider and the hidden mickey spider due to markings on their backs. they were pretty much hard to miss.

I've been actively involved in Haunted Mansion fandom for the past 15 years or so (under the nom de plume "Kronos") and I've never once heard them referred to as the "Peace Spider" or "Hidden Mickey Spider" by either HM fans or HM CMs.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

This was the first web:

The second web (with spider):

The third, closer web (also with spider):

Note: These photos were taken when no other guests were on the attraction.

 

[iheartdisney]

I guess I'm alone in not liking the new bride. Before the Haunted Mansion was silly-scary. I think adding the violent undertones make me think twice about letting my kids ride.
But I LOVE the new staircase. It reminds me of the movie Labrynth.