Originally Posted By utahjosh I think the concept is great. Can't wait to try it someday. I do, however, wish they would have gone with a touch more subtlety. It is a little odd that they are only animated ghosts you see. I would have animated them to appear to be AA's - then have them surprise the guests. How much cooler would it have been to have the new CG animated ghost be sitting there, looking exactly like he used to, and slowly he begins to float up, or morph to look like you, or something more creepy and less silly. They could still use this amazing effect but keep it more in line with the attraction.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Maybe if they were to make the initial sighting of the Hitchhiking Ghosts CGI as well the sequence of events might blend together better. The thing is that there are a variety of animated effects used in the HM not just AAs (the singing busts come to mind). To me CGI is yet another trick in the magic bag.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>So no one thinks the Hitch Hiking Ghost trick at the end .. is a little too "LOONEY TOONS" for you? And does not interrupt the "creepy" "spooky" flow of the attraction?<< I don't. Certainly not any more than seeing the portrait of a guy in his boxers in the stretching room. The hitchiking ghosts always seemed like playful guys. They show up after the big graveyard scene, where there are lots of sight gags, the singing busts, etc. Instead, I think it's a great capper -- something surprising and innovative. A great "Hey, did you see THAT?" thing guests will be talking about as they exit. In fact, how cool would it be if some of those stretching room portraits moved, or blinked, or ran around the stretching room when the lights go out?
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""The response from guests in the link suggest that visitors seem to be having fun with the new effects."" Guests at WDW also line up 4hrs for Soarin, 70min for Pooh, and think Monsters Inc is the funniest thing EVER. Not exactly discerning visitors here.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt And people still think the original Tiki bird and Country Bear shows are a hoot and think the both stink. Different strokes for different folks.
Originally Posted By oc_dean The thing though K2oony ... the mansion for 41 years has walked a very fine line between the "looney" and the "creepy" .... Just a careful blend to call it The Haunted Mansion. A little too much "Casper" antics .. and the mansion becomes even more sillier in tone. After watching the video of it in WDW, if imagineering is busting a gut, and in a big hurry to add it here too ... I hope they listen to some long standing fans of the original, and listen to what some of us are saying about it's "toonish" tone .. with blowing bubbles, little "fart" like sounds, and other "toony" dings, and pops. I'm not sure I like the ride ending on that note. If the effect is destined for Anaheim... A slight artistic direction change, different than WDW, would be very helpful. No sounds. (What happened to art of subtly? And a creepier "tone" with less special effect sounds, and leave a bit of room to the imagination? Rather than upping the anty of "Casper" type antics .... take it a bit "creepier". As I said - No special effect sounds, give the Hitchiking clan some movements and facial expressions that take the overall tone just slightly a bit more "creepier" than WDW's. Just a little "creepy" can go a long way. Just as a little more "toony" elements can also go a long way. (In the wrong direction. As I'm trying to explain.) - That, to me, is the better Ending for a ride called The HAUNTED Mansion. It's not called The "Casper Meets Scoobi-Doo, and other Looney Toons Funny House" With Just A Tiny Hint of Creep
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt For whatever it's worth the original guidebook description of the Haunted Mansion described it as "frightfully funny".
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""What happened to art of subtly?"" That doesnt exist at WDW. Just look at the art direction of marquee signs post-1996
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL >>>I am a little leary of using CGI as a replacement for real AA's (no matter how limited their motion<<< OK class, listen up for todays lesson.... the heads on a stick were never AA's, real or otherwise. They were (still are at Disneyland) a simple mechanical effect that moves in sync with the doom buggies. Nothing AA about them. To continue to lament loosing AA's to CGI is ridiculous and uneducated.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Is it uneducated to say, the heads on the sticks behind those mirrors have more 3D "fullness" about them .. than the 2D cgi recreations, created for WDW? It's easy to use a series of television monitors and project something (something I hear Tom Fitzgerald loves, just a bit too much) ..... But what I've found more effective are is the reflection technique Haunted Mansion has used using full 3D figures, projected back threw the perspective of viewers. Or a holographic image can also be quite a convincing "ghost" type of effect. If the new effect being used in WDW can achieve a 3D effect of sorts .. and tone down the "Casper/Looney Toon" aspect .... then we have an effect that can absorb very well into the mansion, as many, other, newer effects of late, have brilliantly enhanced the ride, without messing up it's tone.
Originally Posted By Manfried Okay drove over, saw them, it is cool. Lookout Disneyland, here they come!
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>...So no one thinks the Hitch Hiking Ghost trick at the end .. is a little too "LOONEY TOONS" for you? And does not interrupt the "creepy" "spooky" flow of the attraction?<< The lyric of the classic attraction theme song says, "...a silly spook may sit by your side. Shrouded in a daft disguise, they pretend to terrorize." The new effects illustrate this quite well, I think.
Originally Posted By Kevin Flynn One thing I have learned over the years that I have been going to Disney Parks is, "change isn't necessarily bad."
Originally Posted By phruby I like the new ghosts at MK. They are fun to watch and blend in well with the mirrors. I agree with Kevin. Change isn't necessarily bad.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 """change isn't necessarily bad.""" Come to WDW and see the MASTERPIECES of Journey Into Your Imagination, Tikis UNM, Stitchs Great Escape, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Sounds Dangerous, Grand Fiesta Tour....You'lll sing a different tune....
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Come to WDW and see... You'lll sing a different tune...<< Why would any of these examples change the view that "change isn't necessarily bad?" A lot of us on these boards have seen all these (and more) and don't need to be reminded about them. There's good change and bad change. A lot of people (myself included) find the change to the finale of the HM to be a good change.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub The WDW fans hung in there while you all "suffered" with the new DCA . Now we are having to endure many changes that feel like a slight ripoff. All of those changes (or minor plussing for a resort that keeps adding hotel rooms)...are supposed to make us happy. I think this is part of the reason we might be complaining so much.
