Its not often that we talk about anything that isn’t based with in our comfort zone of Florida or Paris, but Mystic Manor is something else.
Hong Kong Disneyland have just opened their “version” of the haunted mansion. I say that as a quote because it is nothing at all like the traditional Haunted Mansion / Phantom Manor ride that we all know. This is Haunted Mansion meets, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh & is heavily spliced with The Indiana Jones Adventure ride. This is a re-invention of this sort of ride totally.
The story is based upon the finds of an eccentric explorer Lord Henry Mystic. Having recently acquired an enchanted Music Box, he displays it in his Acquisitions and Cataloguing Room in the manor. Warning Albert not to touch it. His Monkey Albert is a little curious and can’t resist. He touched the glowing jewell on the top and the magic is released, transforming the manor in to an enchanted place. Rooms come alive!!
From the Acquisitions and Cataloguing Room you enter a music room where the instruments on display transform and play. On to Mediterranean Antiquities, a corridor lined with enchanted art. A painting of villagers celebrating in Pompeii transforms when Vesuvius erupts lava. An Ancient Greek Urn rock and it’s painted story design comes alive.
From here you enter the Solarium Room, with very hungry carnivorous plants.
On to the Slavic-Nordic Chamber. With a painting / tapestry of a Nordic god that transforms and blows ice across the room.
Next up is the Arms & Armoury. This section starts with Albert hiding in a canon trying to prevent a sword wielding samurai from removing his head!! Down the corridor your greeted with singing suits of armour. Yes when you thought you were safe your carriage passes a cross bow that cocks and takes aim for your head!
You duck and end up at Egyptian Antiquities. A room with an egyptian Mummy who is just waking up. It releases scarab beetles, till the entire room is covered and the lights go out.
You emerge in Tribal Arts. In front of you is a giant Tiki God spewing out hot lava. Next to this is some Tiki statues that blow pipe out some arrows, you turn and find that Albert is pinned to the wall.
Your carriage goes into the Chinese Salon where a huge samurai monkey (sorry if it isn’t supposed to be a monkey) is brandishing a staff. The room spins out of control even the art on the all is violently blowed. The room seems to spin like your in the eye of a hurricane. Until a wall gives way and you see Albert being thrown through the air.
The enchanted sparkled take over teh room and before you know it your back in Acquisitions and Cataloguing Room as it nothing had happened.
The Ride itself is a trackless ride system which gives you a “free” movement. The Carriage appears to have more movement in certain scenes where the traditional linear track ride would be predictable Disney have used their smart projection technology to it’s best here. The final Scene cleverly seems to re use the first scene. as your on teh opposite side of the room.
If it wasn’t so far away I would be there this weekend. Unfortunately I’m saving for my next Florida Break.