In just six weeks following its opening, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, the gift shop at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, has faced difficulties due to a significant design oversight. A mere half-inch of rainfall resulted in flooding, leading Disneyland to temporarily shutter the store and pile sandbags at its entrance – an image more reminiscent of hurricane evacuations rather than a top-tier Disney attraction during light showers.
Approximately a month and a half following the shop’s inauguration on December 23rd, Disneyland has initiated urgent repairs to swap out the eastern part of the building’s concrete as part of an endeavor to enhance its water runoff capabilities.
Starting February 3, teams at Disneyland will commence renovating and upgrading the drainage system on the eastern side of Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond. This work is projected to last a month. The store itself should stay operational during this period; however, some exterior decorative elements or theming might be temporarily removed while the improvements are being made.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 31, 2025
As a dedicated cinema enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that starting February 3rd, teams at Disneyland will embark on an exciting project to enhance the east side of Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond. The primary focus is to boost drainage in this captivating area. Scott Gustin announced this on X. The good news is, the shop is expected to stay open during this transformation, although some exterior elements of the theming might be temporarily taken off as work progresses. Can’t wait to see the improvements when the project wraps up after a month!
People are already pondering over why a newly built structure seems to have a significant oversight, with some attributing it to Disney’s growing preference for budget-friendly, pre-fabricated designs and cost-saving strategies as the potential cause.
Before the flooding incident, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond was already a contentious addition to Disneyland, being quite unlike the intricate, immersive settings that Disney’s Imagineering team was previously renowned for. Instead, it was frequently ridiculed as a mere storage shed hastily constructed to peddle Haunted Mansion merchandise.
Previously employed Imagineer Jim Shull voiced his dissent during its construction, contending that a fundamentally plain and unimaginative design like this one wouldn’t have been sanctioned in previous times.
The narrative lacks certain specifics, while the Haunted Mansion could benefit from more authentic details. For instance, a period-correct carriage house typically has a stone foundation rather than concrete with visible steel. #Disneyland #HauntedMansion #DisneyJourney
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) December 2, 2024
It turned out that the store’s artwork, which Disney fans expected to be traditional, hand-crafted period pieces, were instead created by artificial intelligence. This revelation led to an instant negative response, and Disney swiftly took down the AI art, opting instead for genuine, hand-painted originals.
Kim Irvine, the Disney Imagineer overseeing the project, dismissed fan worries during an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Irvine expressed his frustration when he wondered aloud, “How on earth are they able to pinpoint just one item amidst all this fascinating collection?
She added, “For a temporary measure, they thought it suitable to replace it with something else until they could find another option. They had no malicious intent and it has since been removed. We plan to introduce a new piece, similar to the others, which is hand-painted.
On the other hand, spectators perceived it as another instance where contemporary design seems to be skimping on resources, opting for artificial intelligence-generated art as an expedient solution rather than supporting actual artists with investment.
Tonight, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond at Disneyland was forced to shut down because of flooding caused by a minimal amount of rainfall. It remains uncertain if it can withstand a storm, as tonight’s situation necessitated the use of sandbags.
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) January 27, 2025
It’s a major concern when a newly built structure experiences flooding within a few weeks of starting operations. Despite the heavy rainfall experienced recently in Southern California, the Anaheim region received less than half an inch, yet Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond was still compelled to shut down.
Many fans took to social media to mock the situation.
Matt Desmond mentioned that Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond needed to shut down tonight because of flooding caused by a minimal amount of rainfall,” he stated on X. “I’m curious about its resilience during a storm, as it already necessitated the use of sandbags.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the Haunted Mansion gift shop that was impacted by the rain at Disneyland. A significant part of the western sector experienced power outages, causing several attractions to be temporarily shut down due to electrical failures.
It seems like the recent flooding in the Haunted Mansion gift shop is yet another example of how Disney prioritizes cost-cutting over guest experience, given the ongoing debates about AI art, hastily built structures, and design decisions that lack thoughtfulness.
If such changes occur at an ordinary retail outlet, it leaves us wondering about the possible transformations that could be coming up for the iconic attractions at Disneyland.
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2025-02-03 18:55