Uncofortable guests at the Haunted Mansion (MK)

[B.O.B]

During my last visit in June we visited Disney World with our family and another. I had really talked up one of my favorite attractions, The Haunted Mansion . When we got to the cue outside the line was moving very fast. We elected to do the 'scenic route' through the grave yard. The line was flowing behind us as we enjoyed some of the activities and sights on the new cue line path. When we get into the lobby they had multiple 'stretching' rooms open with the doors open while they did that part of the attraction which is also part of the attraction. The doors were open on both sides which dramatically changed this part of the attraction. Next we were pushed into the corral/funnel loading cue. The area was so packed nobody could exit the 'stretching' room for some time. The areas all were hot and stuffy since the doors were not being closed to keep the AC in. Considering the situation the crowd behaved very well. Then we boarded our 'Doom Buggies' to enjoy the main ride.

On my early visits to the Haunted Mansion, you would wait outside, Host or Hostess would say something spooky and invite a certain comfortable number into the parlor and shut the door. You then stayed there until the painting changed from a fleshed out person to a skeleton.
Next a Host or Hostess invited you into a 'stretching' room and usually said something spooky making a show of getting everyone into the room. The 'Ghost Host' would talk the walls stretched then the lights went out with thunder ,lightning and a scream! Then the door would open, your Host or Hostess said something spooky and you had a short,comfortable wait to board a 'Doom Buggy'.
I would prefer to wait outside in the covered waiting line with the new graveyard cue area to see and enjoy where, although it was hot you could breathe and weren't pressed up against another person who hopefully had good hygiene.
Why would Disney World Imagineers design an attraction with themed enhancements which put the Haunted Mansion above and beyond any haunted house ride in the world and then not use them?

[Melanie]

On my early visits to the Haunted Mansion, you would wait outside, Host or Hostess would say something spooky and invite a certain comfortable number into the parlor and shut the door. You then stayed there until the painting changed from a fleshed out person to a skeleton.
Next a Host or Hostess invited you into a 'stretching' room and usually said something spooky making a show of getting everyone into the room. The 'Ghost Host' would talk the walls stretched then the lights went out with thunder ,lightning and a scream! Then the door would open, your Host or Hostess said something spooky and you had a short,comfortable wait to board a 'Doom Buggy'.
I would prefer to wait outside in the covered waiting line with the new graveyard cue area to see and enjoy where, although it was hot you could breathe and weren't pressed up against another person who hopefully had good hygiene.
Why would Disney World Imagineers design an attraction with themed enhancements which put the Haunted Mansion above and beyond any haunted house ride in the world and then not use them?

Maybe you were just there on an off day. I've ridden many times recently, and they still do as you describe above.

[indytraveler]

I was waiting to hear how this queue was going to work. It seems that the whole enjoyment of the attraction will be compromised if loading this way is done. I wouldn't mind being stopped at the door to be first in the "foyer" scene, then I'd be first in the stretching room then into loading area. If you are missing parts or all of these areas then the CM's aren't doing their job properly. This attraction is one of, if not fastest loading rides in the park. There is no need to rush guests into the foyer, and stretching rooms.

My question is, if you do the "new" interactive queue, do you merge with the regular standby queue before you get to the door or are you always separated? Is this like a fastpass line only slower?

[Melanie]

My question is, if you do the "new" interactive queue, do you merge with the regular standby queue before you get to the door or are you always separated? Is this like a fastpass line only slower?

The two lines merge before you get to the doorway, so entering is done as it's always been done.

[B.O.B]

The parks weren't very crowded that day so it must have been a management glitch.

[SandmanGStefani24]

Maybe you were just there on an off day. I've ridden many times recently, and they still do as you describe above.

Nope, last visit we were crammed into the stretch room just like they mentioned. Plus, the intro speil and music was allowed to start with the doors still open and CMs cramming more people into the stretch room. Maybe a crowded park type of move? Hope next visit goes better since I'm going on an off time..

[B.O.B]

Not that it would make a huge difference but does anyone know to whom one would write a complaint letter to?

[faline]

I've been there when it's been in "walk-through" mode as you describe. Usually, however, that seems to be when the park is very crowded. Perhaps, there was some sort of technical problem? Or perhaps the queue had exceeded some pre-determined length so they decided to move it through more quickly?

[teambricker04]

My amily was just on this yesterday and we had a totally different experience... There was a decent line (25 minutes at a slow point in the day), and we were in the stretching room with only about 10 other people in the room. I didn't like how you step out onto a crowded space that funnels down... That type of queue makes me nervous & anxious.

Anyway, I felt like it was determined based on how fast people were getting on the buggies.

[Silver_Surfer]

Wow June? We were there also in June! I agree with others who posted here. Bad luck. I'm glade people are still posting from June, it seems so long, long ago.

[PopPhan]

Anyway, I felt like it was determined based on how fast people were getting on the buggies.

I think that that might have been the case for the OP...If there was a problem with loading or unloading due to people needing assistance, or a fall, etc., they may have had to slow or stop the progression of the Doom Buggies to take care of it, but may not have adjusted the timing of the pre-show portion of the ride to account for this.

We'll see how this is working when we visit in a couple weeks.

[disneymom2000]

So if you get a fastpass, do you not get a chance to go through the graveyard? Are there three lines now - regular, extended and fastpass? How do they all merge?

[B.O.B]

I don't know if there was a glitch but the funnel area before boarding was more crowded than I have ever seen at any park. I didn't hear any cast members yelling 'fill in any available space' as there was none!

[LudwigVonDrake]

Anyway, I felt like it was determined based on how fast people were getting on the buggies.

That would be my guess

[crltkcagle]

So if you get a fastpass, do you not get a chance to go through the graveyard? Are there three lines now - regular, extended and fastpass? How do they all merge?

I didn't realize HM had fastpass!

[VWL Mom]

So if you get a fastpass, do you not get a chance to go through the graveyard? Are there three lines now - regular, extended and fastpass? How do they all merge?

HM doesn't have FP. Everyone starts out in one line, then thy split and you can either go to the left which is through the graveyard or to the right which is the entrance. The merge is more like a traffic jam right before the entrance.

[darthmacho]

I didn't like how you step out onto a crowded space that funnels down... That type of queue makes me nervous & anxious.

I don't like it either. There were people pretty much shoving their way past us, which I wouldn't care about except they were shoving my 6&9yoDDs, and a few times I thought I would lose one of them in the crush. I had to hold their hands, which sometimes didn't help because the little one would get squished or smothered by the crowd.

[Melanie]

I don't like it either. There were people pretty much shoving their way past us, which I wouldn't care about except they were shoving my 6&9yoDDs, and a few times I thought I would lose one of them in the crush. I had to hold their hands, which sometimes didn't help because the little one would get squished or smothered by the crowd.

We've talked here about how having a corralled queue in this spot would be a good idea, but then again, the pushing and shoving to get into that queue would just occur in the stretching room instead. Not sure what a good solution would be.

[Stu29573]

Actually the solution is quite simple, and the line is designed to handle this issue. The CMs have absolute control over how many people are in each section (they control how many come in the door, and how many go into a stretching room). With good communication, there should never be a buildup that would result in pushing. However, it seems that recently (as in the past few years) the lines have been pushed beyond capacity. Why is a mystery to me, since the omnimover system is more than adiquate to handle large numbers of guests. Perhaps its because CMs (management?) now view the foyer and stretching rooms as part of the line rather than what they were designed to be; part of the attraction.

[crltkcagle]

I always say I feel like cattle being penned! LOL They throw us all together and squeeze us into a line until we get to our doombuggy. Just like cows do when they are being moved from one pen to another. They start out in a big group and then they squeeze them together and put them in a shoot where they walk single file until then end up in the next pen! LOL!!!