WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

re: WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

Jim Hill — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:47:40 GMT

Man, it's about time. I was getting impatient, Jim!

This has honestly been one of the best series I've ever read from you. I am so enjoying this, I really am.

Cool trivia about the Escher staircase coming from JIYI ... I wouldn't have thought ANYTHING good would ever come out of that monstrosity. Here's hoping that some time in the next year or two, you're writing a series of articles about how they fixed up that disaster.

re: WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

Jim Hill — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:59:50 GMT

Very interesting stuff. Thanks for taking the time to post this. It's what you do best.

re: WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

Jim Hill — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:53:38 GMT

Those eyes! For some reason I keep coming back to those eyes! I am just totally impressed that the imagineers would take something that has been sitting (hanging!) around for 40 years and tweaked into something special. As Jim states, you see sets of spectral eyes (ala how many cartoons that use have used this) blinking at you as you roll by. Their placement begins to conform to a pattern where you begin to see the wallpaper emerge from the darkness. Some eyes remain lit and blinking at you as they become part of the wallpaper. This effect is repeated on the other side of the Doombuggy track (first the right, then the left. To me, it just heightens the eerie feeling, as you travel on toward your encounter with Madame Leota, that someone is watching you!

BTW Mr. Hill, you did not mention the ghoulish photos hanging in the hall of doors. I don't remember seeing these before, but have seen them on some websites dedicated to the mansions. Any story on these macabre mugshots?

And one more thing, most, if not all, of the Sinister 11 paintings from the old Portrait Hall are now in the queue section (I was trying to discern in the dark if their eyes were replaced with standard paint eyes or if they were just not glowing, so I didn't count!)

re: WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

Jim Hill — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:01:55 GMT

Great series, Jim! I was at the World this past weekend and indeed, the Mansion is magnificent again. But I do have a question...is the music room supposed to be dark? I mean each time I rolled by (rode the HM 3 times while I was there), the room is almost completely dark, and you can barely see the piano. There's a "window" behind it that casts practically no light at all. Is there supposed to be a lightning effect that I apparently missed (3 times)? Just wondering, because that area of the ride is surprisingly "dead"...and not in a good way. ;)

Anyhoo, it's nice to see an old favorite spruced up. The sound is indeed amazing. Good job, Imagineers!

re: WDI's X-Scream Makeover of WDW's Haunted Mansion: Part 3

Jim Hill — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:57:02 GMT

When I returned from the park last month with news that the Haunted Mansion had been redone, my 14-year-old son immediately asked whether the "stupid" spiders had been replaced. I was happy to report that they had. I am pleased with the renovation.