Attractions updated

[Karalora]

Re: Attractions updated

The unstealable apple on Snow White is not a hologram, but a reflection. It's the same effect as those party gimmicks that use mirrored dishes to make a coin or other small object appear to float in mid-air.

[kristibaer]

Re: Attractions updated

The unstealable apple on Snow White is not a hologram, but a reflection. It's the same effect as those party gimmicks that use mirrored dishes to make a coin or other small object appear to float in mid-air.

Oops, my bad.

[Madame_Leota]

Re: Attractions updated

The changing portraits in the Haunted Mansion used to change when the lightning struck, then they changed slowly, and now they change when the lightning strikes again. Also, they got rid of April December (my favorite) and put up Master Gracey (my least favorite).

Also, don't forget the new attic scene in the Haunted Mansion. The attic scene has gone through a ton of changes since it opened, but a few years ago they drastically changed it. Instead of the pop-up ghosts taunting the beating heart bride with "I do" it's a bunch of stuff from the new bride's previous marriages, portraits of husbands losing their heads, and the new bride (Constance) with an axe. Very drastic change.

I also miss the Ghost Host introducing Madame Leota. Now the seance doesn't make as much sense. But I heard that even that line wasn't there originally? I don't know. I still miss it.

Also, don't forget when they decided to make PotC more "PC" (in a ride about pirates, what?) and gave everyone food in the scene where the men were chasing the women (and the woman was chasing the man). Not that that make it more PC at all.

Also, I think they have a new announcer for the BTMRR safety spiel when they decided to add Spanish safety spiels. I don't like him as much.

Also, Johnny Depp has been mentioned, but I miss the "no fear have ye of evil curses says you..." part of PotC.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Attractions updated

Yes, now that you mention it, wasn't there a big circular mirror on Alice in Wonderland, when you approached it your reflection went from normal to upside-down, like a fun house mirror? Or was that some other attraction. I remember the mirror but I can't place exactly where it was. If it's gone now I wonder why they take out all the best effects. The teacups that moved out of the way were my favorite scene on the Alice ride.

Personally I like the portraits in the Haunted Mansion hallway changing with the lightning rather than changing slowly. I think it's far more effective. And usually you walked right past them and didn't look at it long enough to notice the slow changing portraits. The lightning ones are better because you can see those in a second or two.

The original attic scene in the Haunted Mansion was actually the only scene in the whole thing I would have called "scary" when I was a kid. You knew that almost every object you passed by had one pop-up waiting behind it, sometimes you could see the blue glow even if it didn't pop up, but depending on the timing, you didn't know whether one in front of you would pop up or not. As I recall all the ones in the attic popped up at the same time, and this happened at roughly 10 or 15 second intervals. There was a collective shriek pre-recorded which played when they all popped up. During your particular trip through the room, you would see one or maybe 2 pop-ups, but exactly which ones you would see was different every time you went on the ride. There was kind of a feeling of anticipation when you went through that room and when one did pop up the element of surprise did give you a small jolt, like being startled more than actually being scared of what it was. That was pretty fun and I guess that room doesn't work like that any more.

[disneyismylife87]

Re: Attractions updated

The original attic scene in the Haunted Mansion was actually the only scene in the whole thing I would have called "scary" when I was a kid. You knew that almost every object you passed by had one pop-up waiting behind it, sometimes you could see the blue glow even if it didn't pop up, but depending on the timing, you didn't know whether one in front of you would pop up or not. As I recall all the ones in the attic popped up at the same time, and this happened at roughly 10 or 15 second intervals. There was a collective shriek pre-recorded which played when they all popped up. During your particular trip through the room, you would see one or maybe 2 pop-ups, but exactly which ones you would see was different every time you went on the ride. There was kind of a feeling of anticipation when you went through that room and when one did pop up the element of surprise did give you a small jolt, like being startled more than actually being scared of what it was. That was pretty fun and I guess that room doesn't work like that any more.

Yeah I remember that room being a lot scarier when I was little too....I think the popping heads still exist in the attic don't they? But now they don't seem as scary to me anymore. I always thought it was just cuz I'm older now, but maybe they toned it down? maybe slowed down how fast they pop up? i really have no idea.

[DarkRider]

Re: Attractions updated

Personally I like the portraits in the Haunted Mansion hallway changing with the lightning rather than changing slowly. I think it's far more effective. And usually you walked right past them and didn't look at it long enough to notice the slow changing portraits. The lightning ones are better because you can see those in a second or two.

That's always been my preference, too. I love subtle scares that are kind of like "did I just see that?" which are in short supply in the HM, much as I adore it.

Other changes off the top of my head:

* The walkway in front of Pirates used to be level ground, rather than a bridge. That was changed for obvious traffic reasons.

* The glowing green thing on the wall in Madame Leota's seance room is new (added when Constance made her appearance).

* The Tiki Room show used to be longer; they removed the "Bacarolle" and a chorus of "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing."

* The restroom area near Space Mountain and around HISTA was open-air until the 2005 revamp.

* There were multiple Autopias - Fantasyland Autopia (formerly Junior Autopia 1956-58) from 1958-99 and Midget Autopia (1957-66) - had to look the dates up for that one

* The HM had some live actors scattered throughout the attraction to add some unexpected scares. This didn't last long - guests frequently "fought back."

[Ron W]

Re: Attractions updated

I remember the submarines used to be gray with military names like "George Washington" and "Thermopylae". At one point they painted them different pastel colors and named them after Disney characters.

[Madame_Leota]

Re: Attractions updated

I think the popping heads still exist in the attic don't they?

No, the attic is completely changed to Constance's story now. I'm pretty sure there are still some pop-ups in the graveyard though.

The pop-ups used to scare me as a kid too. Actually, I went through a phase as a kid where I was too scared to ride the Haunted Mansion. But I do remember the pop-ups being pretty scary back then.

I also like the changing portraits changing with lightning. My only complaint about them is that they had to get rid of April December because she wouldn't work properly. I did see the April December portrait outside of Pirates though. It wasn't April or December though, it was May or June or something. I remember HBG2 talking about in one of the Haunted Mansion Effects thread that she originally had four stages, and they had one of the other stages.


Oh and Darkrider I totally forgot about the other Autopias before the big Chevron sponsorship/remodel/combining everything/whatever happened there. I was never around for the Midget Autopia, but the Fantasyland Autopia was there when I was a kid.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Attractions updated

I met someone once who worked as a live actor in the Haunted Mansion for a while. I don't know the exact dates but I think it was a 2-year period that they had some live actors scaring people.

About the glowing green thing on the wall, that has always been there, but it is different than it first was. I remember staring at that as a kid, when I was "supposed to be" staring at Madame Leota. But originally it was just a fuzzy circular green glowing spot, that moved around slowly and left a trail of green wherever it had been. The effect is created by phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark paint, and a small light moves around to create the glow, and wherever it was continues to glow for a little while before fading out. At some point, and I don't know what year, they modified it so that instead of just a round fuzzy spot, a glowing face appears at the spot the light is at. Otherwise the effect is the same.

Maybe doombuggies.com has the nitty-gritty on that effect and on the actors.

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Attractions updated

One change that occured to the revamped Sleeping Beauty walkthrough was the last book. At first Aurora's dress was just painted blue, then last March it was all of a sudden white. Now, it has lights behind it that change her dress from pink to blue whenever Flora or Merryweather speak (respectively)

I like that effect.

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Attractions updated

* The Tiki Room show used to be longer; they removed the "Bacarolle" and a chorus of "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing."

So I hadn't lost my mind when I thought the show seemed shorter than my memories as a kid!

[Timekeeper]

Re: Attractions updated

No, the attic is completely changed to Constance's story now. I'm pretty sure there are still some pop-ups in the graveyard though.

The pop-ups used to scare me as a kid too. Actually, I went through a phase as a kid where I was too scared to ride the Haunted Mansion. But I do remember the pop-ups being pretty scary back then.

I also like the changing portraits changing with lightning. My only complaint about them is that they had to get rid of April December because she wouldn't work properly. I did see the April December portrait outside of Pirates though. It wasn't April or December though, it was May or June or something. I remember HBG2 talking about in one of the Haunted Mansion Effects thread that she originally had four stages, and they had one of the other stages.


Oh and Darkrider I totally forgot about the other Autopias before the big Chevron sponsorship/remodel/combining everything/whatever happened there. I was never around for the Midget Autopia, but the Fantasyland Autopia was there when I was a kid.

Really?(I remember something like this, but I didn't notice that one of the portraits was changed.) But I now I know, thank you.

Timekeeper

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Attractions updated

Maybe doombuggies.com has the nitty-gritty on that effect and on the actors.

Green orb

CM in armor

[Madame_Leota]

Re: Attractions updated

At some point, and I don't know what year, they modified it so that instead of just a round fuzzy spot, a glowing face appears at the spot the light is at. Otherwise the effect is the same.

Really? Wow I must have missed that on my last trip because I've always remembered the little green light without a face. But then again, last time I went Leota was floating around the room giving me a headache so I didn't really look around the seance room at all because everytime my eyes left Leota, I saw RGB trails of her. I heard she's not floating any more and, as much as I hope she never floats again, I pray that when they do make her float around again, her new projection system will look better.

[kristibaer]

Re: Attractions updated

Really? Wow I must have missed that on my last trip because I've always remembered the little green light without a face. But then again, last time I went Leota was floating around the room giving me a headache so I didn't really look around the seance room at all because everytime my eyes left Leota, I saw RGB trails of her. I heard she's not floating any more and, as much as I hope she never floats again, I pray that when they do make her float around again, her new projection system will look better.

I think she is stationary during the Holiday overlay. She usually resumes floating when the overlay comes down.

[Madame_Leota]

Re: Attractions updated

I think she is stationary during the Holiday overlay. She usually resumes floating when the overlay comes down.

Awww boo. I don't like the floating Leota as much. I just hope they at least change her projection to something that won't give me a headache or cause me to see trippy colorful Leotas next to her. I bet if they switched to WDW's rear-projection it would look much better, but the way it was when I last went (in 2007) made me HATE going into the seance room... which is funny considering my screen name on this forum.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Attractions updated

She usually has one too many eggnogs.

[Timekeeper]

Re: Attractions updated

She usually has one too many eggnogs.

:lol: