Super Aurora wrote:But if the concept of the library and music parlor (I'm assuming Sinister 11 weren't included due to having changing portraits in DL) were some considerations for DL by Marc, why weren't they included?
And why did they originally scrap changing portraits for Sinister 11 for WDW? Were they actually were considered ideas for DL?
I remember you telling me that Dracula, Beard Man(formally as Rasuptin), The Couple, and The Villager were originally some concept ideas for changing portraits.
I believe December and Medusa are only two that made it in both concept.
The main decision came down basically to logicistics and how differently the workings of the ride are set up. Since New Orleans Square was built in such a confined corner of the park, the show building for the HM had to be placed outside the "berm" (perimeter of the park). At DL, the original intent of the stretch rooms are elevators that lower you down to the lower floor. From there you walk along the changing portrait corridor, which is actually a tunnel that takes you under the Disneyland Railroad tracks and to the show building outside the berm. The main reason why I've heard that the library and music room were cut from DL's version from Marc was a simple matter of space. Since DL is already crowded on space, both inside the park and outside the berm, they only had a certain amount of land for the show building, which meant that the library and music room scenes wouldn't work in the smaller building. So they were decided to be cut and guests simply ascend upwards to the endless hallway and start their trip from there.
At WDW however, space wasn't a problem since the Magic Kingdom was built bigger and they were starting from scratch. WDW's Mansion's show building is completely inside the berm of the park, all at one level. So technically the stretch room isn't needed since it stays on the same level, but everyone deemed it as such an important introduction to the show that they decided to keep it. Similiarly, no need for the changing portrait hallway was needed, so they decided to cut that and have guests walk straight to the loading area. However, they wanted to include a gallery scene in the ride, so they devised the Sinister 11 gallery. Since the Doom Buggies travelled at such a set rate, and since the original changing portraits worked more slowly, they thought the effect wouldn't come as quite convincing in the Doom Buggy. Hence they came up with the idea of a gallery full of portraits with eyes that could follow you based on a simple illusion, which became the Sinister 11. It wasn't until just two years ago as we saw that the Imagineers showed that the changing portraits can work correctly while being seen from the Doom Buggy, with the new fiber optics that they first used on DL's portraits in 2004.
Anyway, jumping back to the original '69 planning of WDW's mansion, since the show building was built inside the park, that meant the Imagineers had a lot more space they could use to add to the actual show. So this more availability of space not at DL lead them to using the stairwell, library, and music parlor scenes they had planned. It also changed the layout of Little Leota. At DL, they needed to get guests to return back up to ground level, so after guests unload from their Doom Buggies, they ascend up an escalator and pass Little Leota on their way. At WDW however, the escalator isn't needed, so the Imagineers also planned for her to be instead seen from the Doom Buggies at the very end of the room before unboarding.
As I said before, I haven't been to any other park but WDW, however from reading and seeing many info, pictures, and videos on Paris' I felt It took too much away of what the Haunted Mansion was aimed to be. It was ment to be a spooky yet fun and entertaining ride. I feel the Phantom Manor is too serious and dark that takes away what HM was originally aim to be. That's just me. SO, I'm with Philip that WDW is a great one.
That pretty much sums how I feel as well. From what I've seen from videos and hearing the soundtracks, Phantom Manor is a terrific ride and I enjoy it on its own merits. However, when compared to WDW, DL, and Tokyo's Mansions, I prefer the originals. I enjoy and appreciate the more dramatic storytelling of Phantom Manor, but I just prefer the original direction that Walt, Marc, and Claude had wanted to go with the mansion. I love it for its moments of eerie atmosphere that Claude worked on, laced with plenty of black humor and grim gags that Marc oversaw and directed. To me the Mansion, and its storyline of being a house that's teeming with spooks from around the world, some funny, some mysterious or frightening looking, just seems more mysterious and enjoyable to me.
dizfan wrote:I actually enjoy Pirates in Paris the best as well. Again, mostly because it's so different. And I love that they take your picture on the drop! The one in Tokyo is actually my third favorite. It's almost indentical to Disneyland's, but it only has one drop instead of two and some scenes vary.
I hope one day to be able to see the Pirates at Disneyland Paris myself. From what I've seen, it looks like the prettiest and most elaborate of the Pirates rides, and I love the new scenes of the burning fort and ship in the beginning of the attraction.
David S wrote:As for the topic of which is better, I've only been on the US versions of the rides in question, but out of those I agree with Tim - I prefer Mansion at WDW and Pirates at DL. And I think Pirates at WDW is a better ride than people generally give it credit for.
I think that WDW's Pirates often gets a bad rap too. It's the shortest Pirates ride, and no bayou and cut caverns, but I think it doesn't make it any less of an enjoyable ride or true to its nature. And, along with Paris' pirates, probably has one of the best and detailed queues for the attraction.
