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Reading the Haunting of Hill House and getting a lot of haunted mansion vibes:

In my defense a bunch of people purposefully coming to a haunted house and being sort of automatic besties is true.

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Disney Parks Animatronic Tournament: Bracket B/Tier 2 Round 2

DJ R-3X: Oga's Cantina - Hollywood Studios Disney World and Disneyland

Propaganda:

"He's just a silly little guy who retired from being a space pilot to be a DJ in a bar. Goals."

1900's Patricia: Carousel of Progress - Magic Kingdom Disney World and Disneyland(formerly)

Propaganda:

"She's the only version of the character with dark hair for reasons that are never explained (or acknowledged). I'm sure she'll look great if she ever manages to finish getting ready!"

(go to 5:03 for animatronic )

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Disney Parks Animatronic Tournament: Bracket C/Tier 3 Round 2

Computer engineer woman/Foxy Brown: Spaceship Earth - Epcot Disney World

Propaganda:

"The representation here is fabulous! We love our ladies in STEM. Also she is STUNNING."

( go to 29:45 for animatronic )

Disappearing butterfly: Journey Into Imagination/Journey Into Imagination with Figment - Epcot Disney World

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Disney Parks Animatronic Tournament: Bracket C/Tier 3 Round 2

Figaro: Disneyland

Propaganda:

"Ever take a shortcut through the far corner of Fantasyland and look up? Little cutie Figaro is on a window sill meowing!"

Rover: Carousel of Progress - Magic Kingdom Disney World, Disneyland (formerly)

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Found at the antique. It came home with me

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RIP jaws you were gone before I knew to love you

Got a pressed penny and a shirt that says “what’s up chums” on it because that’s hilarious and I had to.

I know the area is now San Fran instead of Amity (completely different coast but OK) but there was a huge section blocked off and part of the lagoon drained so all I’m saying is “here’s how we can get jaws back”

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Universal is pretty sweet actually

While I’m usually more of a Disney parks fan I was at Universal for part of my spring break and I’ve realized how harsh I’ve been on these parks and how “a bunch of screens” is really reductive. While they’re not filled with dark rides there’s a lot there to love.

I still have my fair share of criticism like for one thing they have stopped giving paper maps (despite supplying tickets) and force you onto the app if you want to know your way around.

Another being just how little there actually is (if there were more stores and restaurants or shows would’ve loved to know like maybe on a map or something) each park has a few rides making the waits INSANE at times. Then they took out a bunch of classics (Jaws, Twister etc) but then there’s just… no replacement, there’s just space and an empty facade as far as I’m aware. They keep closing and taking away like the Poseidon walkthrough was one of my favorite things and it’s gone for no real good reason as far as I know etc.

Goods-

The theming in the parks is insane and I absolutely adored it. Every inch of both parks is so themed and its own little universe (in a world where Disney is stripping the theming from hotels and ruining sight lines, bare minimum queues etc this was refreshing). Every queue was fantastic and filled with detail, so waiting was a little less horrible with so much to observe.

Streetmosphere! MGM (Hollywood studios) and Disney used to similarly have this and have lightly brought back some characters out and about but not really. Alternatively universal had a BUNCH — a guy at the cab just walking in, blues brothers, all the classic cartoons out to meet and greet etc etc. preformance and walk about interaction was abundant— so adding this to their theming I was absolutely losing my mind.

Like the rides may be so so , all are enjoyable but you know what I mean- but what really hits it out of the park for me is how throughly they’ll tell a story. Starting in the queue and even continuing as you exit with details and employee behavior etc

“All screens” but I’ve noticed even screen heavy rides will tend to have a full set piece or two or it will be a healthy mix of both. Kong for example starts and ends in full sets and with animatronics. (They’ve changed it and it’s better than I remember but still the best queue I’ve ever been in)

Also a huge love for far side lmao. Seen a few in at least two lines.

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Found an old lunchbox at the antique store. Too rusted and missing a handle but this felt topical,

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Goodbye to the one and only, original, Country Bear Jamboree. Thanks for bearing with us to the bear end!

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Look, Country bears has needed love for a long time. I’ve accepted that in order to get that they’re adding IP songs.

However, I think they need to keep blood on the saddle. Firstly it’s amazing, secondly it be in character for Al not to change his act.

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Also got this little baby

Technically vintage but it’s from a counting series of pins going through the years before 2000.

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Ever just see pictures of 80s Epcot and have a good cry?

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Huge advocate for going to thrift/antique stores when writing about any time period, usually more modern ones but they’ll be some particularly old things there. What furniture or dishes looked like, what books were read, how homes were decorated etc

Here’s some haunted mansion vibes I got when out:

Haunted twin paintings:

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Thinking about a 15 minute argument I had with my dad about how the final scene of carousel of progress is not in fact at the top of space ship earth. The top of spaceship earth hasn’t really had anything for 20 years. Yes im sure. Yes the scene with the oven and the game glove. No it is not at Epcot.

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I know I haven’t been active on the haunted mansion side of things for a while, but visiting the Biltmore resparked my interest. Specifically the library…

It’s especially reminiscent of the movie version of the library, people think the mansion is so spooky, so mind boggling in it’s construction. Oh the endless hallways, hidden passageways and secret doors and weird staircases to now where are because of the ghosts! No! Have you even been in a old mansion? They’re just like that.

Ghosts just really like using the servants stairs of old mansions (basically a lot of ‘hidden passageways’ were servants halls to avoid guest halls or ways for guests to move about when maybe not dressed properly etc)

I just think it’d be really funny for Ben to come across some of the hallways he was in in the ghost realm and just be super confused that it’s always been there.

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IF YOU IGNORE THE GHOSTS IN THE BACK HE LOOKS LIKE HES SQUINTING HARD AS FUCK AT THE CAKE

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1982 Disney World Epcot - Figment Ceramic Figure