Mystic Manor.

[lashbear]

After having the fireworks cancelled the night before (that will teach us to book into a Park View Room...), We got up on Friday 26th April, and went from Disney's Hollywood Hotel to the park at about 10:30am, and collected our wristbands and souvenir park map for the Sneak Peek from ticket window 1. Then we went and rode some stuff until about 12:30.

Mystic 01.JPG

The lineup started then, so we joined the line, and then at last - the doors opened and we went into Mystic Point. The theming is well done in the area with plenty of attention to detail, and some good gags themed around Mystic Manor's backstory. We didn't waste too much time in the area, as we wanted to get into the Manor.

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On the way through the visually entertaining queue building, we spotted some fun tie-ups with other parks (Lord Henry Mystic and Harrison Hightower were both members of the Explorers Club it seems. We were thrilled to spot Mr Hightower in one of the displayed photos holding a recently acquired Shiriki Utundu)

There are some relics, but mostly photos as you wend your way through the vaulted cellars of the Manor. Just before going into Lord Henry's projection room for the pre-ride briefing, you get a couple of maps of the Explorers Club Dining Rooms, as well as the layout of the Mystic Manor itself - this is essentially the actual order you will experience the manor in, so worth noting.

Once you are ushered into the projection room, Lord Henry explains to you that he's gathered the antiquities for your enjoyment, and invented the electric carriages you will ride as a means of transporting you through the vast collection. Details are revealed that will lead inevitably to the impending Disney Misadventure (it's not as fun unless something goes terribly wrong...)

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As for the ride itself, It's real nice, folks. Shiny too ! I avoided watching the spoiler videos until I had been on it, so many of the effects took me by surprise, and very well done they were, in our opinion.

We noticed several HM homages, and re-rides allowed us to take in many of the details, but certainly not all of them - it's a ride you will want to ride many times to catch all the nuances.

The soundtrack fits in nicely with the proceedings, and enhances it well in places. It's a good thing when you don't overtly notice the soundtrack of a ride, because, well, it's just there, and it belongs.

The ride is a little dark for my 3D video camera, but I got several blurry shots to prove I went in it - the movement of the carriages is at times very whizzy and I tended to shake around a bit, thus preventing a really smooth video.

Speaking of the carriages, they work almost exactly like Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Tokyo, but without the bouncing - however these ones swivel, so get ready for some briefly giddy moments.

Carriages are despatched in groups of 4, and the path is basically through the same rooms for all of the vehicles, but sometimes through different doors depending on which carriage you are in. 1 & 2 go through the left doors, while 3 & 4 go through the right. Inside, you sometimes pass through left/right doors, sometimes lining up to pass single-file through particular show scenes.

The magic of the music box is well animated, and in places mystifying as to how it's done. The secret's there, but it's incredibly hard to spot sometimes. Stoat and I were constantly delighted by it, even after 8-10 re-rides.

Themed Merchandise at the end was limited (at this stage) to T-shirts and Luggage Tags, so we got a pair of leather Mystic Manor Luggage Tags engraved "Bear" & "Stoat" as well as a generic one engraved "Henry". They do the custom engraving for you for free, and ours were ready for collection in about 15 minutes.

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Once outside, the Garden Of Illusion was fun to check out, and we got a photo of Stoat being taller than me !!

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The Explorers Club dining room has none of the animated fun of the Pleasure Island Explorers Club, but is very well themed. It serves a variety of exotic dishes from different cultures.

We left at 3:30 to get some headway to the airport for our flight at 7:30pm, which led us to Sydney, then we drove home, then had dinner, and caught up with mum, so basically I am only just now going to bed since touring the park.

I'll try and get some more pics up for you soon, but in the meantime, Goodnight, it's been a LONG day.....

[Snowflake]

Awesome

[RStar]

That's great, Rob! Can't wait for part two!

[lindyhop]

Love it!

[alphabassettgrrl]

OOohhhh..... you have pictures!!! Can't wait to hear the rest!

[cirquelover]

That sounds like an awesome but very long day!

[Snowflake]

Foot tapping.......

[lashbear]

Oh, you want more?

[lashbear]

Oh, BTW: do you want full spoilers?

[innerSpaceman]

Spoilers be damned. I think anyone who clicks on this thread can reasonably expect information about - oh, ya know, Mystic Manor. Besides, the chances of any of us ever seeing it with our own jealous eyes are pretty slim.