Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Tot is so dang fun! STILL haven't gotten to ride with my kids yet. On our DCA day last time, it kept breaking down when we tried to get fastpasses.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt That's too bad. One of the most immersive Disney attractions of all times. The elevator attendant we had on my last DCA visit was hoot and picked me out of the crowd for some improvised antics before boarding. Basically the elevator "malfunctioned" because I didn't follow his instructions. It was awesome.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <To me story is king> To me... sorta. An attraction with a story is certainly preferable to a simple kinetic attraction (spinner, etc.), no matter how nicely dressed up. But I certainly prefer open-ended stories like HM where your own imagination fills in the blanks to ones where every line is filled in for you. In the latter case, every ride is (essentially) the same, whereas with the former your own brain is making it different. Even something like TOT is open-ended enough so that it's more like the former than the latter to me (plus it does have the great kinetic element). The attractions where every i is dotted work less well for me.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt The attraction has always had a loose storyline, and I like the HM, but I think that some newer attractions that do it better.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I'm a sucker for creepy/haunted themed things. Especially ones that are fun in nature and won't keep me up for nights on end with fear like the first Paranormal Activity did. I used to consider myself a horror movie fan, but I think that movie literally scared me off of horror movies forever. Sometimes I still think about it in the dark at night and have to make sure my legs are completely covered by blankets.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I really enjoy the Haunted Mansion finding it funny/scary. My wife finds it scary/scary and has never gone on it with me. She went to the one at DL with her sister about 15 years ago and decided no more. Is the DL version scarier than the WDW version? I've never seen the DL version... I've always managed to be there when it was closed for the overlay.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 The two are very similar, even with the recent changes to each. DL's is no scarier than WDW's.
Originally Posted By tashajilek I find the WDW's HM to be creepier. Just the look of the Mansion and the extra library scene make it creepier to me. RT, you should visit when DL's mansion is turned into HMH. The ride is more on the fun side.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>To me story is king<< For me, it's all about atmosphere. The most memorable theme park experiences (whether it's TDS's Mysterious Island, WDW's Tower of Terror, or the Haunted Mansion) all have incredible atmosphere that transport you to a very specific environment, yet leave plenty of details open to the imagination. Some of the more recent hyper-themed areas like Harry Potter and Carsland have fallen a little flat to me because there's such a specific story that's set in place that there's no room for me to fill in the details myself Bob Iger is all about creating interactivity and pushing franchises in the parks. To me that seems a little ironic, since the most engaging experiences are the ones that you discover along the way. Much like in movies and literature, the audience doesn't realize that they want to work a little to find out what's going on; the best attractions give you something to ponder and keep you engaged >>RT, you should visit when DL's mansion is turned into HMH. The ride is more on the fun side.<< The ride itself is definitely less scary during HMH, but I think that the pre-show elements are scarier then. I guess it's been toned down some with the stretching room projections, but it still gives me an uneasy feeling when I'm entering the building. I'd definitely recommend it, since it's always possible to take the "chicken exit" from the portrait gallery, but you're through the worst of it by that point.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I don't mind scary, and in fact think Snow White was far scarier than the Haunted Mansion. I was just trying to figure out why my wife would have found DL's Haunted Mansion so scary that she won't even try the one at WDW with me. I guess different stuff scares different people. Now if they ever put a freaking clown in the HM, I'm OUT OF THERE.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros ^^I take it that you were very happy to see the façade rebuilds on Paradise Pier a few years ago? <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.laughingplace.com/lp/dynamic/D--lp-gen-Media-guide-shopping-216--1457_400_300.jpg">http://www.laughingplace.com/l..._300.jpg</a> And lucky for you, the Giggle Gang and Wowzer were quietly retired shortly after the Storybook Circus relaunch at MK <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://allears.net/tp/mk/fantasyexpansion/giggle-gang-1.JPG">http://allears.net/tp/mk/fanta...ng-1.JPG</a> <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.kennythepirate.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wowzer-15.jpg">http://www.kennythepirate.com/...r-15.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt >>To me story is king<< "For me, it's all about atmosphere." Yep, that too. One of the things I LOVE most about ToT is how wonderfully done the entire setting is leading up to the elevators.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I take it that you were very happy to see the façade rebuilds on Paradise Pier a few years ago?" CLARENCE! *sobs*
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Yep, that too. One of the things I LOVE most about ToT is how wonderfully done the entire setting is leading up to the elevators.>> So can we all finally agree on something? WDW's ToT is the absolute finest single attraction in the Disney Universe!!
Originally Posted By drefman There is no overall backstory. It's a retirement home for ghosts and spirits of any and all kinds and the Ghost Host takes us mortals on a "little tour" of the place. Some of the spirits do have bits and pieces of character history both official and unofficial to add some extra interest here and there, but none of those are part of some larger elaborate story. As for backstories in general, I enjoy rides with large backstories and those with little or none. Each offers something different the other can't have. So I prefer a mixture of attraction types, and don't demand that the parks have to be filled with random groundbreaking "E-ticket" rides just for the sake of it like far too many folks these days. P.S. Even the old LP's story was about a visit to the mansion, rather than a backstory *for* the Mansion, so that does not count. P.S.S. I think the Monsters Inc. ride actually does a good job of summarizing the story so that even those who have not seen the movie can pretty much get the basic idea.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Someone who's seen the movie can't "unsee" it and put himself in that ignorant space.... but FWIW, when I rode it with someone who hadn't seen Monsters Inc., her reaction was "Um.... okay... I didn't really get it... I guess I should have seen the movie." "WDW's ToT is the absolute finest single attraction in the Disney Universe!!" I wouldn't go that far, and I actually like DCA's version better without the clunky slotting into the 2nd shaft, but it is a great one. I still prefer the longer, more evocative (to me) POTC, and even at DCA I prefer the simultaneously relaxing-and-exhilarating Soarin', but to each his own.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip ^^^ I kind of agree. Although Pirates is not high on my list (wouldn't be on yours either if WDW was your usual park), I consider Soarin' Disney's most "fun" ride and ToT the "best"... if that makes any sense whatsoever.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 If that's the way they "hit" you, that's valid. No question that DL's (and DLP's) POTC are way better than WDW's. It's not just the shorter length - there's something just "off" about WDW's.
