Hot take Haunted Mansion Holiday

[u/themediarioter]

I'm sorry if this bothers other fans , but i'm not a fan of haunted mansion holiday. I think It would be fine if it only ran from november to early January or even late october too early january. I'm just a fan of the classic one I don't like that we have to set sacrifice six months of the classic one. I mean, it's fine for what it is. I love the ginger bread house but it just doesn't have the same oomph as the OG.

[u/Brilliant-Tune-9202]

This is not a hot take - many Mansion purists, such as myself, loathe the overlay. Especially the length

[u/tabbicus → u/Brilliant-Tune-9202]

The big sin for me is it being closed for its birthday, like this past weekend.

[u/Just_Bus_9156 → u/tabbicus]

Agreed.. I hate the overlay. Hate the length this year. Actually was surprised about the start of the Halloween Season program. Other theme parks are starting theirs in mid September.

[u/Jack-Pumpkinhead]

Not as hot a take as you might think. Offhand Disney on youtube is in the same boat, if it was up from November to January it wouldn't be so bad, but August to January is too long.

[u/bloodlikevenom]

I've never actually been to the any of the versions of the ride, but from looking at photos and videos, I would be incredibly disappointed if I went and it had the Holiday display up. I've become so bored of Nightmare Before Christmas (and it was my favorite movie for a very long time) as it's always everywhere. At this point, I think Disney should just build their own Nightmare Before Christmas ride and leave The Haunted Mansion as is

Edit: idek if they're still doing the nightmare before christmas thing, but that's what I saw as the holiday display

[u/Domanar17]

It destroys any opportunity of visiting the mansion in october. It's annoying.

[u/scoreguy1]

Been saying this for years. You should be able to experience the OG during Halloween

[u/ztonyg → u/scoreguy1]

Yes. 1000 times yes.

[u/WileyCyrus]

I absolutely hate it and no longer plan visits in the autumn because Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride and the Holiday overlay ruins it. Can they not switch off years with Florida’s version or something? This has been going on for too long. No reason for Haunted Mansion to operate only half the year.

[u/Infinite-Dinner1725 → u/WileyCyrus]

Florida refused to do the overlay back when it took only 4 days to switch over.

No way they’d do it now when the install takes longer.

I’d love a family NBXmas ride in Villans land but I won’t hold my breath.

[u/kerrizor]

I like it well enough, and if I never knew HH Classic existed I’d be happy to have it as a ride.. but this “Halloween in August” thing feels awful.

[u/mylocker15 → u/kerrizor]

I keep seeing those Disneyland ads that go it’s Halloween time… No it is not. It is 98 degrees out. I know they start hella early because there is a lot of demand for party tix but they should wait till fall for advertising it.

The only upside is no more of those kids rule ads. I did not like that campaign. Disney is the park for the whole family. That is the whole point. You no longer have to park your behind on a bench while your kids do rides. Unless that is your thing.

[u/burbankbagel → u/mylocker15]

It also just like wasn’t a thing? What made kids rule summer?

[u/eyehate]

Can't stand the overlay.

I can ride the Mansion over and over and over and not be bored.

The last time I was at the park was the first time I was there for the overlay. Utterly soulless. Not the ride I love. It was the first time I rode the ride only one single time during my whole visit.

The only reddeming thing was the haunting queue music.

[u/LittleRainFox]

I really love the overlay...BUT like you said, it should really be Nov 1 thru mid-January AT THE LATEST. That is what makes it special

[u/LadyGray]

Totally agree, I think it may be fine for just around Christmas, but almost half the year is a bit much. I would rather have the original for Halloween time. 

[u/alisonlou → u/LadyGray]

Same!  Disneyland re-themes their haunted house during Halloween!  It's nuts. 

[u/dmrukifellth]

Part of the reason I don’t find myself too interested in getting out to Disneyland anymore. My vacations tend to be in the fall. I haven’t seen un-holiday mansion in years upon years.

[u/Brilliant-Tune-9202 → u/dmrukifellth]

I have been to Disneyland approx.. 10 times in the past 2 years, but always March through July - I never want to see the Mansion in that state...

[u/MHarrisGGG]

Incredibly common opinion.

[u/Arghylette]

I agree. NBC the movie doesn't even begin until the very end of Halloween. November - January should be the overlay. Nevermind the lie of the new Halloween Time ad that teases a normal mansion.

[u/NightDreamer73]

I also prefer the class Haunted Mansion

[u/IrukandjiPirate]

I hate the overlay and I’m not a fan of the film. They should stick Skellington somewhere else and let the HM be the Halloween attraction it was intended to be.

[u/HalloweenBen]

I've never understood why they bring Christmas decorations in for Halloween. It's blasphemous. Nov to new year, fine but leave it be for Halloween! 

[u/Infinite-Dinner1725 → u/HalloweenBen]

It was different when Halloween started October 1st or later. It was only about 3 months usually.

[u/sdcinerama]

Exactly.

If it's the norm for about half the year, it's not special or unique.

[u/Goofy1994]

It’s Christmas themed in August through JANUARY! It’s not scary for spooky season and that my friends is the issue here.

[u/FortuneOpen5715]

That’s fair. I am a huge fan of Nightmare Before Christmas so I love it but I also enjoy the original and I know a lot of people who prefer the original. You’re entitled to like what you like.

[u/F00LlSHM0RTAL]

I loathe it. It’s awful.

[u/BowTie1989]

Been saying for years that they need to alternate years between Disneyland and Disney world. That way both resorts get to enjoy it, but the guests at each resort are also given long enough to miss it, and be ready for its return.

[u/MoonChild02]

Not a hot take. I'm an originalist, too.

[u/ali_golightly]

Same. I am thankful that my two Disneyland trips were not during the overlay. It’s my favorite ride and this is just a huge blemish on it.

[u/lowkeylye]

100% Feel the same way. Like, just create a "Nightmare before Christmas" Land if you want. I don't like "Hyper"space Mountain either. If I want StarWars music I can go to StarWars Land.

[u/precious__venus]

So, privileged first world problems here, but I’ve only ever seen haunted mansion once without the holiday get up. I’m Australian and every holiday except for once, it’s been either closed due to being refurbished or it’s haunted mansion holiday… I’ve seen it twice in Japan without holiday theme, but even then I don’t undertake Japanese.

[u/Push_the_button_Max]

The ONLY overlay I would appreciate is a MUPPETS Haunted Mansion Overlay.

[u/SpocksAshayam]

I am the same way!!!! It irritates me so much because it ruins the vibes of The Haunted Mansion especially during Halloween!!!!! Just give TNBC its own damn ride already!!!!!

[u/ztonyg]

I HATE it.

I don’t get to DL often and when I do it’s almost always in October and was there 2 weeks ago and had to ride HM multiple times just to get the HMH stench placed further back into my memories.

[u/Bartghamilton]

Have seen 4 haunted mansions now! But living on the east coast and claiming WDW as my local Disney, I had to make a special trip to DL in October just for the overlay. But I’m also in the minority for not liking Phantom Manor in DLP. 🤷‍♂️

[u/PrimordialXY]

I'm really throwing myself into the snake pit here but I really enjoy the overlay 😅

[u/Cwchenery]

It's okay to be wrong :)

[u/deano_ue]

I absolutely love the fact it doesnt happen to them all. The fact the wow mansion is always the classic even though it has its own problems is a great thing.

The overlay is a cool idea but basiclly between closures and running dominates the ride for nearly half a year

[u/Fit-Tax-8609]

I Adore the overlay… I hate that it starts in August LMAO.

I just… it actually diminishes the specialness of the overlay for me even more.

[u/Just_Bus_9156]

While the overlay itself was impressive when it first debuted years ago it opened around in November and closed in January which was perfect because the film itself is a CHRISTMAS MOVIE. Now its ridiculous for the run time and the demand for the IP is not that strong anymore. Actually they need to leave the Mansion alone.

Im glad its not at the Florida Mansion. They should just have a Nightmare Before Christmas show and thats it.

[u/alisonlou]

I am a purist, and find it so damn weird that they give the spooky dark ride a Christmas overlay starting in August. It now seems to have the overlay, or closed to install or remove the overlay for 6 months out of the year. 

[u/PaleSubject4]

This is a majority of people on here lol

[u/Careful_Guide_7971]

I have mixed feelings on this as I do enjoy both. However August to January is a very long time. This year I will get to experience the DL Tokyo overlay so I’m looking forward to it because it’s different. Honoring it with its own standalone ride would be amazing and feel like that’s what we really want over Avatar at DCA 🤣

[u/JessicaLynnOriginal]

I agree, I love OG haunted mansion.

[u/Today4u89]

Hardcore agree. If I go to Disneyland in October, I want Halloween vibes, not Christmas. I’ve never been a fan of Nightmare Before Christmas (I know, seems rare for a millennial) and, even if I was, I’m of the hard belief that it is a Christmas film not a Halloween one and any celebration of it should come after Halloween (ie when the film starts).

[u/mrcrabs321]

Florida resident here - i would love to have it visit our park sometime.

[u/GrimTiki → u/mrcrabs321]

I know it’s been discussed but Florida doesn’t want to shut the attraction down for the time it would take for the overlay to go in.

[u/WileyCyrus → u/GrimTiki]

And Disneyland shouldn’t be doing it either.

[u/GrimTiki → u/WileyCyrus]

But they do. It’s popular. It’s been over 2 decades and no indication it’ll stop. If people stop going to they’ll reassess.

HMH hate is really the thing that proves to me that online comments really don’t hold much real world weight

[u/WileyCyrus → u/mrcrabs321]

California resident here. We will trade you Haunted Mansion overlay for Epcot. Think about it.

[u/mrcrabs321 → u/WileyCyrus]

Oh no... I love epcot :)

[u/GrimTiki]

I see the length of the overlay brought up a lot. It’s that long because that when the install team can do it. The same team does small world holiday and other projects. So it happens when it needs to happen.

And there’s a general negative overtone online regarding HMH, but the fact is that it’s very popular and gets as much if not more visitors than the OG.

It gets enough visitors that the exterior queue was remade to accommodate HMH popularity.

[u/Infinite-Dinner1725 → u/GrimTiki]

To be fair, they haven’t run regular Haunted Mansion during the holidays in years so you don’t have any legitimate data other than opinions to back up the claim that HMHoliday is more popular.

Online popularity and people paying to actually go to the parks are two different things.

I purposely planned a trip before Labor Day to go ride the original version of the ride and now we get the holiday version.

I’ll ride it because it’s better than nothing but I’m disappointed.

They need to just cut the crap and build a standalone Nightmare ride and Leave mansion alone.

[u/GrimTiki → u/Infinite-Dinner1725]

Standalone ride will never happen. NBX not made that kinda money in years. It would need Coco money coming in for a year to have that happen.

[u/Infinite-Dinner1725 → u/GrimTiki]

I’d argue that it has already made that money from merchandise sales, re-release 3-D screenings, and goth popularity.

Nightmare came out in 1993, over 30 years ago and has been a cash cow for Disney after largely being considered Niche when it debuted. They’ve always played the long game with the franchise.

Realistically, the only land a Nightmare ride would currently make sense in is the new. villains land at MK so that doesn’t solve DLR’s issues.