D&M Innoventions : A New Kind of Haunted Mansion

Here is a new article in my week-end Innoventions series but first a little story about the top picture. When WDI Imagineers created Innoventions at Epcot they were asked to find a Innoventions logo. Several people suggested a design and Hani El Masri - whom my D&M faithful readers know well thanks to my previous articles about his artwork - also did a proposal, and that was the logo you can see in the picture above, re-drawn specially for Disney and more by Hani.

And guess what happened? During the logos presentation to Michael Eisner it was Michael's favourite choice! Due to internal politic reasons another logo was chosen but the final logo that one can see at Epcot is partly inspired by Hani's first concept.

In this new Innoventions article we will have a look to a new kind of "Haunted Mansion" created by Alterface a company specialized in interactive theater and based in Louvain, Belgium. Actually you can ride the first version of "The House" as Alterface call it in a U.S theme park based in Branson, MO where the attraction is named "Castle of Chaos".

Here is the pitch of the attraction storyline: "It’s the 1920s and Carli Winepeg, a young actress and silent movies star who focuses on horror films, has disappeared with all her film crew in a dark medieval castle in Transylvania. The shooting of the movie "Castle of Chao" will not be completed. Eighty years later, the mystery has still not been solved and has in fact given rise to a legend. The inquiry revealed that Carli Winepeg was a rather strange character. She was for example always accompanied by her loyal and mysterious big black dog, which behaved just as aggressively as its mistress. If she is alive now, Winepeg could still terrify many people. But here’s the question: Is she really dead?"



Combining Clostermann Design’s audio-animatronics and themed scenery with Alterface’s expertise in interactivity, this interactive haunted house offer fans of this type of popular attraction thrilling new sensations. The adrenalin flowing in the veins of up to 30 spectators is taken to boiling point thanks to a show that combines in theatre special effects (wind, water, low smoke, smells…) as well as in the seats (neck- and leg-tickler, buttkicker), audio-animatronics, surround sound system and interactive 3D Full HD 3D. In a large room, sitting in themed armchairs fixed to a revolving platform, the players/spectators experience all-round stimulation of their senses and lose their spatial awareness as the platform rotates. Guests also have laser guns and are able to shoot at all ghosts coming out of almost everywhere during the show. This interactive haunted house open doors to astonishing worlds – ones that evolve as the story unfolds and in line with the audience’s interaction.



Alterface did a good trailer video, and here it is below!



This next video will show you the attraction model.



As you've seen, it sounds not bad at all, and if one of my reader did the ride in Branson's Castle of Chaos and can let us know how good it is, he is welcome!

And, as we are talking about Haunted House today, a great news for all Disney's Haunted Mansion fans revealed by the O.C.register yesterday as "a Newport Beach company, Candella LLC, has bought worldwide rights to develop and sell the illusory flickering candles in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.

President Peter Smith promises that these rechargeable, false-flame candles will be on the market by May under the name Dream Candles. The price will be comparable to real candles but last longer.

Disney Imagineer Gary Schnuckle created these LED candles specifically for the Haunted Mansion. But the false flame’s random movement and other details that make it realistic is more difficult than you’d think, which is why the flame illusion has numerous patents." You can read more about it in the O.C Register full article HERE and below the video interview of Peter Smith, President of Candella LLC where you'll see these magic candles!



Looks definitely a great idea to bring this on the market for everyone isn't it?

See you next week-end for a new Innoventions article!


Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

Screen captures and The House Videos: copyright Alterface

Other video: copyright O.C Register

Innoventions logo from Hani El Masri