Remove Your (Sorcerer's) Hat Before Entering the Theater

Throughout the Disney resorts in the world, there is one icon that identifies each individual park. Disneyland in California has Sleeping Beauty Castle,  the Magic Kingdom in Florida has Cinderella Castle, Epcot has Spaceship Earth, and even Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life. The remaining  Disney park in Florida, Disney's Hollywood Studios, has some conflict regarding its icon. Ever since late 2001, the park's supposed icon has been standing jarringly out of place. That icon is the Sorcerer's Hat. The hat was featured prominently in the movie Fantasia, where it is taken by Mickey Mouse and causes some magical trouble for him.  The hat is located in front the park's Sunset Boulevard area, in a location that ruins the once picturesque view of the street. At the end of the street sits a majestic replica of Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater (which also holds the Great Movie Ride attraction), and the view of it has been obscured by the hat for the majority of Hollywood Studios' existence.

(photo from Orlando Sentinel)

The location of the hat has been loathed since it was put into the park. Most claim it to be the most disjointed aspect of Hollywood Studios. It is, by any means, lacking in cohesiveness with the rest of the Sunset Boulevard area. The architectural styles do not match, nor do the color schemes or, frankly, anything else about the two elements. The hat is colorful and modern while Sunset Boulevard is muted and vintage. Mixing the two simply makes that area of the park feel like a dime-a-dozen collection of amusements. To put it bluntly, it is not up to the Disney standard.

Fortunately for those who dislike the Sorcerer's Hat, it is going to be removed in January of next year. Many have been celebrating its impending closure. There are some families, on the other hand, lamenting the loss of the hat. They feel as if the hat is a necessary part of the park.  The removal of the hat also signifies its replacement with something different and probably better. Some theorize that this is the beginning of a reworking of the area for the upcoming films. No matter the words from either side, Disney's Hollywood Studios is going to lose a highly discussed piece of its history.

Opinion: On the Modernization of Fantasyland

One of the main complaints amongst Disney Parks fans recently has been that the people in charge do a poor job of balancing innovation with meddling with the classics. Often times the management fails to maintain the spirit of the attraction when it is updated. An example cited by these fans of a modernization done right is the refurbishment of the Alice in Wonderland ride in Disneyland. The ride was closed for five months to fix some external safety features, but the interior elements of the attraction itself were changed as well. Visually, it is a far more cohesive, appealing experience. The parts that were merely painted board became cleverly disguised screens that featured animations of the scenes, while the animatronics in front of them made a nice-looking contrast. This change was well-received by practically all who experienced it. The ride felt fresh and new without losing the quaintness it held when it first opened.
An instance of a poorly-done update had occurred around the same time as the reopening of Alice in Wonderland. Club 33, a "secret" area within Disneyland's New Orleans Square had its exterior refurbished in the spring to summer of 2014. The only section of it that was visible without membership, known as the Court of Angels, was closed off for the public. The windows and balconies were changed, making them look bulky and off-kilter, especially in the case of the window as it had been installed slightly off center. Fans were very upset about the changes and blamed Disney's management for the foolish move.
It has been confirmed that other dark rides in Fantasyland are going to receive similar treatment as Alice in Wonderland for Disneyland's 60th anniversary. Amongst the fans, there seems to be a divide in opinions about this occurring. As someone who does not hold decades' worth of memories of Fantasyland, I cannot give that perspective. I can only advocate my perspective as a young person. The way I see it, the editing of Fantasyland could be a hit or miss depending on how it's done. If executed well, the refurbishment could pique the interest of a new generation while keeping afloat the nostalgia from older visitors. However, a misstep could create a divide between Fantasyland and its visitors.
A good way to implement modernization into the dark rides would be to keep the major elements the same. The dark rides are popular the way they are for a reason. Clever use of the screens (the animations on them fits seamlessly into the scene) would be one possible way to keep the theming intact. Overall, the changes should be that of enhancement than that of major alteration. The Fantasyland rides are popular for holding their magical spirit, and I am confident that technology will only improve that wonder.

Haunted Mansion Holiday: A Classic Spooky Ride Given a Seasonal Twist (Part 2)

Welcome back! Today we visit the Holiday edition of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland, California.
We last left off inside the interior queue of the Mansion, in the library. Well, in this post we enter the ride itself. Once the Doom Buggy (the term for the actual ride vehicle) is boarded, visitors are taken up the staircase, away from the library, and into the hallway. Jack Skellington's ghost dog, Zero, floats at the end of it, with a pile of bones with his name on lying at the foot of the hallway.

(photo from Flickr)

Past the hallway lies the conservatory, where the moving coffin now is wrapped in menacing flowers that threaten the rides by snapping their sharp-toothed jaws. They are also positioned throughout the corridor, and all lead up to form a wreath with teeth that confronts the riders above their heads. 

(photo from Doom Buggies)

The vehicles turn away from the wreath and towards the Séance room.  In this room, the spirit of Madam Leota still moves in a circle within the room. However, in this version of the Mansion, illuminated, Halloween-themed playing cards surround the Doom Buggies and move throughout the room's darkness. The words spoken by Madam Leota are different as well, reciting a parody of the classic poem, entitled "13 Days of Christmas."

Moving on, the visitors reach what is, in my opinion, the grandest part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday. The ballroom has been transformed into a spooky meal of sorts. In the center of the long table lies a "haunted cake", the theme of which changes each Halloween. The spirits still move throughout the room using the Pepper's Ghost technique. A decrepit Christmas tree lay to the left of the dining table. Other decorations are strewn about the room.

(photo from Disunplugged)

Next is the attic, which no longer holds a morbid bride. Instead, toys lay spread throughout the room. The vehicles move past boxes of all sizes, colors, and patterns to eventually reach Santa's list. The list of children, the riders soon realize as they move along the track, is being eaten by a giant cartoonish serpent. 

The riders leave the attic and venture out onto the balcony. Immediately the changes are noticeable, with Jack-o-Lanterns everywhere and a large ice sculpture in the cemetery. Before they reach it, however, the vehicles descend off of the balcony and onto the graveyard floor. They pass by Jack Skellington and Zero, and soon begin to wander throughout the graves. The singing busts have been replaced with singing Jack-o-Lanterns that harmonize spooky versions of classic Christmas tunes. Ice angels with pumpkin heads play music throughout the cemetery. 

(photo from Disney Photoblography)

Riders pass by Oogie Boogie and his wheel of "Holiday Tricks and Treats." Then they move to the right, across from a set of mirrors that project Christmas-y items into the interior of their Doom Buggies. Exiting the vehicles, a miniature Sally can be seen. Guests step onto a moving walkway that takes them to a turnstile and out of the Mansion. Twenty feet away is (what else?) a Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise stand.

The Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay has been used since 2001, and has been wildly popular since its first season. The changes to the ride made each October through December will be a part of the parks for many holiday generations come. 

Haunted Mansion Holiday: A Classic Spooky Ride Given a Seasonal Twist (Part 1)

Every year during the Halloween season, the beloved Haunted Mansion undergoes a spooky transformation. The traditional ghouls take a rest to be traded out for the characters of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. The classic attraction changes, with each room receiving a ghastly blacklight flair and a switch in AudioAnimatronics.

Similarly, the exterior gets a new look as the seasons change. Jack Skellington's sleigh (which is actually a coffin that was converted into a makeshift sleigh) lands atop the Mansion itself, sending Jack's list and notes about Christmas tumbling over the pillars. Wreaths and jack-o-lanterns alike can be found all over the grounds as the queue winds towards the entrance. 

(photo from Doom Buggies) 

Once inside, the pre-show looks eerily familiar. The decorations within the halls now feature different characters with a shiny look to them. Inside the stretching room, the paintings have been replaced with images that represent scenes from the movie. And yes, the room still makes its slow trudge downward. In fact, the Ghost Host still warns guests of what is to come within the Mansion. But instead of the hanged skeleton swinging from the ceiling, Jack Skellington opens up the roof and greets those inside with a "Happy Holidays, everyone!" This effect is done by having a projection screen on the ceiling that shows the video with synced audio. This feature became a part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday in 2013. A different voice actor was used for the Ghost Host, but he still has the sardonic quality of the original Paul Frees performance.

(photo from Disney Photoblography)

The difference between the original ride and this overlay become quite glaring as you move from the hallway to the Doom Buggies. The whole room is changed with new music, different AudioAnimatronics creating an advent calendar of sorts, and Christmas-y decorations strewn throughout the area. 

You readers will get to journey throughout the rest of the Haunted Mansion Holiday in next week's post.