Armchair Imagineering: Proper HM Outdoor Graveyard

[darkfairycthulu]

Those who follow the various reincarnations (heh) of the HM Long Forgotten Effect thread will know much has been said of the old, former graveyard that stood alongside the Mansion in a planter, and then was moved to the ivy-covered hill behind the Mansion. It seems to have vanished, the latest hillside version, for the first year of the Holiday overlay, and never returned, leaving the two pet cemeteries to hold the torch.

My idea is this: bring back the hillside cemetery, but not just the old, imagineer tribute stones and cheesy puns (Here Lies Poor Old Fred, A Great Big Rock Fell on His Head). Instead, make a truly atmospheric and eerie set of tombstones with subtle little touches and occasional bursts of fog from behind some of the tombstones, and eerie, shifting lighting at night, say from blue to green, gradually changing, using new quality show lighting as installed in Small World during the refurb.

The "haunted" Madame Leota tombstone from Florida could make the trek out here, but that would be the only previously designed item in the graveyard. There is some debate of if items outside the Mansion being obviously haunted, but the effects in mind here would be of the subtle, did I really see that variety. Apart from Madame Leota, there could be a few in jokes to residents of the Mansion, such as a stone featuring a bust resembling one of the interior graveyard tea party members, or a replica of one of the staring busts (minus effects) atop a headstone. Other small effects could be an occasional muffled heartbeat from one of the graves nearest the guests (an effect already done in Paris in their Boot Hill), or larger urn that would occasionally slightly shake or shift in the ground, but very subtly and slowly, then cease moving entirely. In addition, the landscaping/planting could be changed, with the dense ivy being trimmed back to a few overgrown spots, atop certain grave patches, and a few skeletal, dead trees with autumn-colored leaves (sculptures perhaps rather than real trees) added in the rear, standing over the graves.

Most prominant among the graves, tying in to the seeming wish of recent years to make Constance the crucial point of the Mansion story, would be a headstone for her with a antique portrait set into the stone in a small circle, in which her features would subtly change to become cruel, eyes darken, and neutral expression change to a wicked, small smile. This again would be a very spaced out and gradual change, so most guests would barely register it, a small hidden aspect to be noticed by the observant. In addition to these main "show" stones (Leota, watching bust, Constance, moving urn), there would be some replicas of the interior graveyard style stones, as well as a few new ones featuring similar motifs, perhaps one using the reoccurring Ezra/HBG head as a small sculpted sketal face, placed way back atop the hill. In addition, the cycle of animation/effects would be spaced over perhaps 25 minutes, with none of the stones going at the same time. A rough order could be Leota first, followed by the muffled heartbeat sound, then the shifting urn, and Constance last, spaced apart by 5 minutes or so each. Small, continual blasts of fog would also be pumped in at the start of each effect, but very small, so as to make a more continuos layer creep down the hill and disspate over the stone lip by the employee walkway/wall tombs.

I think this could be a fun little area full of hidden surprises, and if Disney is determined to make the outdoors of the Mansion give away it's interior with macabre little touches (the hearse and silly invisible horse gag, the main pet cemetery) they may as well go all out and do it in style with a proper, effects-rigged graveyard. Your thoughts?

[hawk671]

sounds great

[techskip]

darkfairycthulu that is extremely well thought out. I appreciate the care in toning down the "haunted" elements to ensure the true surprises still lurk within the Mansion. My only complaint is that after the initial pet cemetery there is really nothing close when you enter the switchbacks. They could add a few New Orleans style crypts but those would mean a loss of queue space. It's not that I don't like the hillside, I do. It's just that the hillside really isn't that close. Even when the grave stones were up there it was sometimes a challenge to read them.

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by techskip

My only complaint is that after the initial pet cemetery there is really nothing close when you enter the switchbacks. They could add a few New Orleans style crypts but those would mean a loss of queue space. It's not that I don't like the hillside, I do. It's just that the hillside really isn't that close.

Thank you for the kind words, and I agree....the hillside isn't as close as I'd like, either, but logically it's the only free area...even if they take out the pet cemetery (unlikely) there isn't the room there for this to be the subtle, spacious graveyard it deserves, and unlikely they will take out any of the switchbacks in the rear to expand....I think it could work for the hill, but you are right, it would be rather far from guests unless they were right up against the dividing wall in the rear queue, so scale would likely have to go up some of the tombstones, to be properly visible.

[Professortango]

Take out fastpass, but still use the structure and space. Guests snake around through the fastpass area freeing up some room to play with the switchback section. Then let the queue become the aisles created by crypts and iron fences surrounding the grave sites instead of metal railings.

I know that would make the line longer, but rarely does it expand beyond the front gate durring non holiday mode, and personally, I wouldn't mind the wait if it grudually become more and more themed, sucking you into the story. Large open area in front of the house, pet cemetary, overgrown garden path, and then winding through an unattended graveyard up to the house. Currently, the switchbacks are a step back in the progression. Especially with them hidden behind the wall, it almost seems as Disney has created the facade of an interesting line and is treating the switchbacks as almost some sort of hidden extended queue with minimal theming.

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by Professortango

Take out fastpass, but still use the structure and space. Guests snake around through the fastpass area freeing up some room to play with the switchback section. Then let the queue become the aisles created by crypts and iron fences surrounding the grave sites instead of metal railings.

Certainly I'd be interested to see that, kind of like the queue at Florida's Tower of Terror, with landscaped grounds..could be fun. However, it is unlikely, given Disneyland would likely not see the need to rip out most of the current queue and replace it, given the "if it isn't broken..." mentality. You are right about the front being kind of misleading, with the wide path through the grassy areas and paved, then in back, it's very plain. I think though a full on walk through cemetery outside would be a bit much though, overshadowing the ominous but rather plain entry structure of the Mansion. With the hill cemetery returning, even though the placement isn't optimal, it would complement the Mansion rather than overshadowing it.

[Professortango]

^^^ I can see where you can say a full walk through cemetary might be too much too soon, but if handled right it can be more historical graveyard and not Night of the Living Dead.

Or, if the hill were to take on the start of the graveyard that stretches behind the mansion, the one we ride through, you could turn the switchbacks into a garden area with old stone fountains, trees, and ironwork. Something just needs to be done to continue the feeling of walking the grounds and not waiting in a line.

[hurricanecolby !]

woooo! ;D

[whitealexander]

damn that's a great idea.. i think this will be a blast..

[techskip]

Not to sound odd but I always enjoyed walking through old graveyards whenever I traveled. The stone carvings and wrought iron work in some of those places is absolutely amazing. Even in abandoned ghost towns I find myself gravitating to the cemetery. My only concern with a more elaborate cemetery queue would be vandalism... but that is a park wide problem that seems to lack a solution.

[Professortango]

I agree Techskip, I love the feeling of those old cemeteries. Especially if it was executed in a serrious tone, aka no witty grave stones, it would set the mood nicely.

And as for vandalism, crypt walls would be much like the walls of any queue and could be repainted as easily. And wrought iron doesn't show vandalism too well either.

[aashee]

I'm a huge fan of old cemetaries. Good ideas DFC, I'd love to see a little more than just the pet cemetary.

[EmeralineDragon]

Oh, very good ideas! Nothing TOO haunted, just a little creepy to set the mood.

[techskip]

Originally Posted by Professortango

as for vandalism, crypt walls would be much like the walls of any queue and could be repainted as easily. And wrought iron doesn't show vandalism too well either.

I wouldn't be worried about those who use a marker so much as someone trying to carve something into it. I've seen how some have tried to do this on some of the softer bricks in the queue. How others could simply stand by and watch while someone does this (to carve something isn't quick) is beyond me. Indy has the same problem with it's bamboo. As I said it is a problem that doesn't really offer a simple solution.

[Fantasmic4]

I like it. They should also add fog to the pet cemetary.