New Mansion animated Hitchhiking Ghosts in WDW
 

Have you seen this?
Look closely, they're actually interacting the the guests. Check out the head swap.

Thanks for telling me what to look for, I may not have noticed. The head swap thing is way cool! I can't tell what the one with the beard is doing with it.

I have a mixed reaction. It looks clever - but if this spreads to the other mansion incarnations, I'll be sad to see one of the most satisfying and iconic practical effects in history replaced by yet another cartoony projection effect. There's just something more connectable about practical effects that doesn't translate to projections, imo.

As the world's loudest detractor of the b!tch who replaced the ghost bride, I have to point out that projections - when used well - can be great. I'm thinking the Singing Busts in the cemetery. Good stuff, right?


I can't judge the new Hitchhiking Ghosts effect much by the sloppy YouTube video, but it looks a wee bit too cartoony. Without seeing it in person, though, I'll be good enough to leave my mind open.

One of the substantive differences between the attic bride and the signing busts is that the singing busts are actual 3 dimensional busts. There's a big difference, to my eye, between a projection used to add an effect to a dimensional physical object vs. a projection on a flat screen attempting to represent a 3 dimensional object. While it's not impossible for the latter to be great it has a higher mountain to climb.

Good point.

Isn't the new bride projected on some sort of 3-D surface? I think her body is, but - bad mistake - the face is not. Could be wrong. I can't stand to even look at her, so avert my eyes on all ride-thrus.

If her face isn't flat, they did a fine job with the projection of making it look flat.

I kinda like it. I'm not sure if the ghosts have voices or not. I couldn't tell. If they do, then boo. If they don't then that's cool. The switching heads thing is neat.
I bet they're going to do the hatbox ghost like this.

Well, that's a first!

I have heard from many trusted people not to judge this one on the Youtube video version at all.

That being said, I'd rather have this than stiff mannequins awkwardly moving from left to right. They're now truly behaving like wacky spooks.

I know I'm in the minority, but I've always thought the ghosts in the mirror was lame- like all these great effects and gags led up to not much at all.

I'd love to see Disneyland's Mansion get some of the upgrades Florida has gotten - which is really weird, because overall, their Magic Kingdom park is generally one of my least favorite parks in Florida.

I will [almost] always take a stiff manequin wiggling over a projection on a screen.

Like I said, I'm conflicted. Even on the youtube video I recognize that it's a fun and clever effect, but as a general rule I feel more connection and satisfaction from practical effects vs. projections, even stiff plastic practical effects.

I know how you feel. I really miss all the plastic fish on wires. Even underwater, projections are just projections.

I'll be seeing the new Mansion effects tomorrow, so I'll see how they come off for me.

I'm the same.

I'm so glad it's not just me! I was very "meh" on the Nemo thing, because sure it's cool that they can get projections underwater, but it's still a projection on a screen. Boring.

The devil called, he's looking for a parka and wants to borrow your long johns.

I visited the Mansion this morning and saw the animated ghosts in the mirror in person. On the whole, I'm very impressed. They really don't come off as flat media. They move fast enough, and are in high enough definition, that they play as credible "objects." I didn't feel like I was looking at TV. So, nicely done. I'll probably always prefer those old school rod puppets, though.

I don't mind projections in the Haunted Mansion. They are trying to create ghost effects, and it's an effective way to do it - if done right. That's they key to anything, of course. I'm encouraged by flippy's assessment.

It does help that there are still the three hitchhiking ghost figures in all their palpable, physical glory still there in the crypt just ahead of the mirrors, and they are currently looking their best, freshly painted and in good working condition. It's a breath of old school (simple mechanical figures) before the zippy new-tech show begins.

Eww. Hope you took a towel, just in case you got slimed.

Because they're supposed to be ghosts, the projections may not bother me.

I guess when you're going to a park to see "the real version of Nemo" and find out he's still a cartoon, that bugs me.

That's my first instinct as well.

I think the second biggest reason the flat bride sucks is that they changed her demeanor completely. Bringing the playfulness out of something that's supposed to be playful sounds like a step in the right direction. The limitations to the old hitchikers are very apparent and hurt their impact, while the limitations the bride had were actually her strengths.

In any case, no real judging until we see it for ourselves, though Flippy's thumbs up is encouraging.

When's that LoT trip to DisneyWorld?

That's ok we have and we don't really feel the need to make a return trip anytime soon, like for 10 plus years or more.

And I, having just been in September, can't wait to go back.

Y'know, a faaaabulous LoT suite could be obtained at a reasonable cost, if we could agree on a week to be there.