Dissapointed w/ HM holiday version

[Chescat]

Usually takes about 3 weeks to put up and 2-3 weeks to take down which puts you into Thanksgiving. The staff is also trying that first week of Nov to take down two parks of Halloween decorations, putting up Christmas decorations and putting the Small World overlay on. Also possibly this castle show we've seen pictures of.

Taking everything down in the month of January is a very slow time in the park. So people don't mind those two rides down for 2-3 weeks. And since the parks close early those weeks, they can do it after hours.

Adding also that they normally film the Christmas Day parade the 2nd weekend in November. So it is a very busy time for staff.

[Disney Babe]

What rides people choose are up to their own preferences and that's cool. I choice not to go on Star Wars because it makes me The Mansion seems to be the most crowded during the overlay period of time. They even have to have a fast pass machine for it (that's even the down times during those months).

Star Wars used to do that to me too, all the time. In fact, I could never ride Space Mt. and Star Wars one right after the other. Then one time I happened to have some chewable Bonine left over from a little harbor cruise that I took. I brought it to DL with me because I knew my sis was going to want to ride Star Tours and I really wanted to do it too. So I chewed a tablet before we got in line and I had no problems at all! It really works for motion sickness.

For some reason Star Wars doesn't make me nauseous anymore, I don't know why. Indy usually gives me a headache though. But I do it anyway and just take some ibroprophen after.

[MNNHFLTX]

Having seen both the original and the overlay, I would say that the overlay is a very special experience. Nightmare Before Christmas is not one of my favorite movies (although I have seen it) and so I was surprised at how wonderfully it dresses up the Haunted Mansion. In fact, the first time I was at the Haunted Mansion with my husband and son was in the middle of summer, so we saw the regular version. When I went back in the Fall with some friends and saw it with the overlay, I was disappointed that my husband and son didn't get to see it that way, because they would have loved it.

[WDWizard]

I've never seen the holiday version of Haunted Mansion, but it looks great! Too bad we dont have that here in Florida, I liked the Disneyland version of the HM better than the (post-refurb) MK mansion.

[Crystal Palace]

I LOVE Haunted Mansion Holiday. It's amazing how colorful and detailed it is. Of course, I'll always love the original the most, but to have it different a few months out of the year is just fine with me!

[Lacy]

I have not yet seen the HMH so I'm not voting but I wanted to add my I think it is a very cool thing that they do at DL. DH & I are visiting DLR in Dec this year and the primary purpose of the trip is to see the holiday version of the HM. I'm glad to hear that it is not just adding a few characters here and there but is like its own attraction. I've purposely tried not to learn too much about the HMH so I will be surprised when I see it in person. DH is a Tim Burton fan so he was excited when I told him about it and even willing to plan an extra Disney trip this year for it!

Interesting discussion....and I can see what people are saying about first time visitors possibly being disappointed but I think it would be cool to say that I got to see something that isn't always there. Plus, there are plenty of attractions in their original form.

[susy the groomer]

I hated the movie but I love the overlay. I really enjoy every aspect of HMH, and HM and love to ride them both. I'm looking forward to seeing it again this year.

[Belle619]

...the first time I was at the Haunted Mansion with my husband and son was in the middle of summer, so we saw the regular version. When I went back in the Fall with some friends and saw it with the overlay, I was disappointed that my husband and son didn't get to see it that way, because they would have loved it.

I actually had the opposite problem. My husband and I went a couple of weeks ago - it was his first time at ANY Disney Park (gasp!) - and the HM was decorated for the season.

Obviously, he hadn't been on the ride before and he had never seen the Nighmare Before Chirstmas movie - so was just very confused by the whole ride. I was so disappointed that he couldn't have seen the regular version of HM first, to be able to understand the theme and concept of it, before seeing it decorated for the holidays.

I personally was neither here nor there on the decorations. I'm not a huge fan of the movie, but I do appreciate all the work that must go into completely transforming the ride every year. It is very well done.

[MegaDisney]

I love HMH and the Original.

I think anyone who judges it without riding it is being silly.

[Disney Babe]

I love HMH and the Original.

I think anyone who judges it without riding it is being silly.

Or maybe they just want to choose to spend time on a ride that they know about! Some people don't have much time at DL and need to judge for themselves what they want to miss. If someone "judges" that they are not interested in riding NBC and may not like it and they would rather spend time on another ride, what is silly about that? It's actually a very smart thing to do, especially for people who don't have the time or money for mulitpule days. Maybe someone who does that will be missing something that they would really love, maybe not, but it is their decision to make. No one has to do something, try something, or has to like everything or keep on open mind. Nothing wrong with not trying the ride if they don't think they would like it. People can have likes and dislikes and it's not a personal thing against something. It's not "judging" the ride. Doesn't make them silly or judgemental.

Thinking that a ride can be "judged" or can have prejudice against it, as a person can, is a little silly, imho. It's nothing personal. It's just a ride. It has no feelings.

It's just like if you want to see one movie over the other, that's all. You don't sample the one you think you might not like just to find out about it before you "judge" it. You choose to not see one you think you might not like and go to see one you think you will.

[MegaDisney]

I guess we were raised differently.

My parents never let us pre-judge anything. I wasn't allowed to skip the Brussel Sprouts by saying "I didn't like them" or "I wouldn't enjoy them" without first trying them.

But that's just me I guess...

[NotaGeek]

Ok, I think we have now come to the conclusion that:

1. You have the right to judge any ride you like, whether or not you ride it. We live in America and although going to Disneyland isn't a legal right, liking or not liking attractions is your personal choice.

2. Some people were raised to believe trying something before judging is the best course of action.

Let's move back to the topic, "Disappointed with Haunted Mansion" please.

[ChipDale]

I've been on the Haunted Mansion Holiday each year that it's appeared, and I still think the 2nd year was the best.

That's one of things that I like about it though, is that each year it's a little different. It's cool to see what changes they've made compared to the previous years.

I have to admit that I really miss Constance the kooky psycho bride in the attic and the floating Leota, but I really enjoy the extremely clever narration of the Holiday version. I'd love to get that on a CD.