WHY oh WHY do they load Haunted Mansion in such a terrible way?

[kareneast]

The problem with the funnel effect (IMHO) is that it is very hard to keep your group/family/party together and since you don't know who or how many people are in other people's group/family/party, you don't who to let go in front of you so that there group/family/party can stay together. It seems like everyone is just pushing and shoving to stay with there group.

 

[savs]

I guess it never occurred to me since that is the way Tower of Terror, Rock N Roller Coaster or any other ride that has a preview 1st does it.

I think you can always tell who has been on the rides before....they are the ones that walk right over to the hidden door and stand there so they are the 1st ones out I have to constantly tell my boys, don't worry everyone will get to ride the ride.

 

[missypie]

But last week whenever we would get out of the room at HM, the funnel was still so crowded from prior guests that we couldn't walk forward...like someone said, we were taking baby steps just to try to move somewhere. Every time we got out of the room at RnR, would could walk briskly to the ride. It's all a matter of how they time when they let folks into the room. I think it's because once the queue area outside the mansion is full, the line goes out into the "street" and would block other traffic. So they let people into the "room" too fast, thus the backup when they are let out of the room.

 

[Suzanne74]

I personally don't mind it and think it is fun. The whole "are we going to get out " atmosphere. I think it would be pretty lame to go straight to the doom buggies on this ride. I though most people rather have the a preview or a show or something to feel like you are now on the ride, esp when it is so hot outside.

Actually we went in Sept last year and it was EMPTY everywhere and there were so many previews they didn't show and I was so bummed. Muppet 3D preview is one of my favs and they didn't have it - just walked right in the theater. I was so bummed.

The previews of all the rides is what makes it the most fun, I have had no problem with getting on/off HM, even in July. I just go with the flow and usually prefer being one of the last people out of the stretching room - more time to look around and take it all in

 

[DisneyCP2002]

Usually though... me and my friends get in front of the 'door', and then after the speech 'TO FInd a WAY out!!! mwhahahaha. Of course... theres always my way.... cue scream... lights come on... doors open ....we run SCREAMING into the next room.

I do this as well. Although it may not be the best way, I think it's cool how you are loaded. Crowded at times yes but also goes along with the themeing.

 

[puffkin]

Part of the Disney Difference is all the preshows. Give me herding into a room in blissful A/C anyday over standing in a long, non-themed line baking in the Florida sun. I don't mind the way the HM loads at all. Even if the part after the stretching room is completely filled, it still only takes a few minutes to get on the ride anyway. I actually think this ride is one of the most efficient loaders on Disney property.

 

[jarestel]

The problem is with members of a group who don't ( or can't ) stay together and the one or two who rushed ahead end up with 10-20 strangers between them and the rest of their group. The ones who just wave the 10-20 people ahead are all right, but those who want the laggards in their group to push and squeeze past the 10-20 people in front of them are the ones who make things really uncomfortable for everyone else.

Mindless chaos, you gotta love it!

 

[lyncruiser]

The problem is Disney is running too many people through the ride at a time. They need to slow the entry of people into the building and keep them waiting outside longer. In low crowd times it works fine -- the group that has just exited the stretching room needs time to get through the line and almost into the doombuggies before the next group is released from the stretching room. I assume that is how it was meant to work. But, when Disney speeds up and runs too many groups of people through the stretching room too quickly, the backup going to the doombuggies gets very bad. I'm among those who don't like it at all when no one can even move. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised Disney allows the backup that often occurs given liabilty concerns if someone trips, others step on that person, etc. And, I'd rmuch rather be in the heat that in the dark with people stepping on my toes, bumping into me, shoving me, etc.

 

[missypie]

Part of the Disney Difference is all the preshows. Give me herding into a room in blissful A/C anyday over standing in a long, non-themed line baking in the Florida sun. I don't mind the way the HM loads at all. Even if the part after the stretching room is completely filled, it still only takes a few minutes to get on the ride anyway. I actually think this ride is one of the most efficient loaders on Disney property.

You are probably over 4 foot tall. I felt sorry for my youngest in the herd. It's one thing to be squished but be able to see over the crowd. But when you're a tiny slip of a thing who can only see the chests or bellies of the people crowding into you, it's a different experience.

I agree about the liability issues. When the funnel is totally backed up, where no movement is possible, I can't help but think that if they had to get everyone out fast, they just couldn't.

 

[taximomfor4]

You are probably over 4 foot tall. I felt sorry for my youngest in the herd. It's one thing to be squished but be able to see over the crowd. But when you're a tiny slip of a thing who can only see the chests or bellies of the people crowding into you, it's a different experience.

I agree about the liability issues. When the funnel is totally backed up, where no movement is possible, I can't help but think that if they had to get everyone out fast, they just couldn't.

We only tried it 1x with the kids, although it really is my fave ride. With us 2 adults and 4 kids under 4 1/2 ft (3 under 4 ft) it was very nerve-wracking. We always had one kid or another getting pushed away as people crowded in. We held on tight to each other, but got ripped apart quite often. It was completely jammed with people. Not my idea of fun, and not how I remembered it from my teen years!

Beth

 

[DisneyFan0304]

I find the loading at HM to be bad when I have my mother with me. The first few times we went, she was fine, but as she's getting older, she's getting to be more unsteady on her feet, and gets nervous walking in the dark in such a big crowd. A couple of times I tried hanging back to let most of the crowd in the room with us go out before we went out, but then you have the crowd from the next room pushing out into you.

We use a wheelchair to get around, but she can get out of it and go in the attractions through the regular lines. This year I think I'll make her stay in her wheelchair and ask a castmember if we can go in through the exit so they can stop the doombuggy for her to get in. She's even more unsteady this year, and I just know it would be a disaster to try to enter the regular way. If I have to miss the preshow, that's OK. I'd rather she be able to ride and enjoy it. I can always go on it by myself if I really feel I missed anything by skipping the preshow.

 

[SueM in MN]

This year I think I'll make her stay in her wheelchair and ask a castmember if we can go in through the exit so they can stop the doombuggy for her to get in. She's even more unsteady this year, and I just know it would be a disaster to try to enter the regular way. If I have to miss the preshow, that's OK. I'd rather she be able to ride and enjoy it. I can always go on it by myself if I really feel I missed anything by skipping the preshow.

As you go thru the line, look for the chain with a wheelchair symbol on it. That will be on your right, a little ways before the regular line gets to the buidling. Have your whole party wait there with the wheelchair. A CM will come and open the chain to let you into the courtyard at the ride exit area. They will ask if she can walk - if she can, she has the option of going in the Shrinking Room, so you don't want that. You want to board at the exit. They can either slow down or completely stop the moving walkway; they usually slow it. If you want it completely stopped, you have to ask and may have to wait a bit longer since they only complete stop it so often.

You also have the choice of leaving the wheelchair parked outside the exit area or bring it all the way to where she will board and then the CMs will move it out of the way once you have boarded. (There is a little exit hallway with a "bumped out" area the wheelchair are parked in).

 

[disneyholic family]

we also hate that part of the ride.....in an attempt to at least try to avoid part of it, when we're in the stretching room, we always stand next to the wall that's going to open so that we can be the first out and make a beeline for where you get squished the least.....it usually works, but not always..

 

[kikipug]

I also don't care for all the guest coralling at Disney. I always feel like going "moo" when the squish us all together like that.

Don't fight the urge... go ahead and moo!!!!! (I do it all the time- it makes my kids laugh, and makes them forget that they are getting bored in line... and it almost always gets someone else in the crowd doing it too.)

 

[missypie]

Don't fight the urge... go ahead and moo!!!!! (I do it all the time- it makes my kids laugh, and makes them forget that they are getting bored in line... and it almost always gets someone else in the crowd doing it too.)

DH did...trouble is, he wouldn't stop. I wanted to slap him.

 

[kikipug]

DH did...trouble is, he wouldn't stop. I wanted to slap him.

Sorry- hope I didn't get him started...

 

[Magickndm]

I ride this all the time and do what another poster said, take my time leaving Stretch. We're usually the last ones out of the room then just slowly start making our way to the left wall. Just let everyone go ahead of you, it really makes it easier to get through.

 

[disneyholic family]

but if you do that (wait until the end of the stretched room group) you get squished by the next stretch room group coming out...

at least that's what happens at the height of the summer when we go...

we tried that once and switched back to standing by the moving wall and shooting out of the room as soon as it opens....

i really really really hate that feeling of being squished...
it's worse for me than the rest of my family....my husband is 6'7", my son 6'3" and my daughter 5' 11"....and then there's me...shorty....dying of claustrophia as the crowd closes in......yuck....

 

[Magickndm]

I don't think we've ever had another room unload so quicky that we get squished by them too. Usually we're halfway down the first leg of the line before that happens. But I can relate to being small and getting squished, I'm 4'11", my husband is 6'2". I usually let him go first in crowds and hang on to his shirt.

 

[missypie]

I ride this all the time and do what another poster said, take my time leaving Stretch. We're usually the last ones out of the room then just slowly start making our way to the left wall. Just let everyone go ahead of you, it really makes it easier to get through.

The last time we rode we were the last ones leaving the stretch room...the funnel was so full that there was literally no way to move forward.