Originally Posted By karlg Walt "loved" many ideas that he later cut for any of a number of reasons. Famously he cut scenes out of Snow White that were already animated. According to "The Haunted Mansion -- From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies," by Jason Surrell, "Though the Museum of the Weird went to the happy hunting ground in the sky when WED made the final decision to change The Haunted Mansion from a walking tour into a ride-through experience, many of the concepts and designs Rolly created made it into the final attraction." So at least according to this reference, a change to a "ride" from a walk through in part drove the decision. They did incorporate many of Rolly’s concepts into the ride itself (including weird fixtures, chairs, and even the séance room). The HM was being planned since the beginning of the park (a haunted house was in some of the oldest park concepts) There were many changes through the years of the plan. Also it was not "engineers" but rather fellow WED Imagineers that changed it. The two key driving forces of the HM were apparently Marc Davis and Claude Coats and they were both artists and not engineers. As other have said, things change and Walt changed his mind. Even the people that knew Walt best cold not predict what he would do. If anything, the Disney Company was lacking in creative leadership that was able to make new decisions. It is often said that this lack of leadership led to the HM lacking continuity as it started with Claude Coats atmospheric approach and ended with Marc Davis’s comic/character approach.
Originally Posted By mansioncaribbean Well, I admit, sometimes Walt Disney never came up with the best decisions, for example, changing Mickey Mouse's personality, which many people prefer to his new personality, or taking out some scenes from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", though eliminating the restaurant concept of the Enchanted Tiki, Tiki Room attraction was most likely a better move, but sometimes he came up with genuine, superb ideas. One idea is the Museum of the Weird, and I am sorry for saying that repeatedly, but the idea is interesting. I will admit, maybe the idea is not the best idea ever, but I bet some people really loved the idea, I know Walt Disney did, and I know I do. I am not saying they should bring back the entire idea, but a restaurant would seem cool at the least. I way I see it is this. If the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, one of the greatest Disney theme park attractions of all time, has a themed restaurant, a spill area, then why can the Haunted Mansion attraction, another of the greatest Disney theme park attractions of all time, not have one? I also bet if Walt Disney was alive today, some of the disliked Disney cartoons would be a lot better. I know the "House of Mouse" episodes would be probably be more enjoyable, though I love them a lot, and the "House of Villains" would probably have flowed better. I am reportedly disappointed in "Mickey's House of Villains" for many reasons. Anyway, once again, I am not trying to say Walt Disney came up with the best ideas ever, but some should be reconciled. I think anyway. Mansioncaribbean
