Can someone please spoil Haunted Mansion for me?

[Queenie]

I have read several threads about Haunted Mansion and haven't gotten exactly what I'm looking for. We are taking a 2 and 4 year old and I've read about the "streching rooms" . What are they exactly? What happens? I want to be able to prepare my little ones for the "unexpected" so that they look forward to it and enjoy it instead of being afraid.

I appreciate any help!

Thanks!

 

[bhg469]

you get move into one of the rooms. the roof raises up and theres about 5 seconds of dakness. some lightning and a skeleton hanging up in the celing which you cant really see it too well usually people scream at that point then its over a door opens up on the other site of the room and you get moved to the cue for the doom buggies. there is not movement in the rooms so you dont have to worry about dropping or anything like that.

 

[Erika]

The stretching room is a holding area you go through before continuing on to the actual ride. There are portraits hung high on the walls and as the room stretches, more of each portrait is revealed, showing funny scenarios.

The Haunted Mansion is meant to be humorous, not scary, but If your kids are afraid of the dark or of sudden movement/noises, they'll have a difficult time.

Edit- here's a website with a virtual tour. You can see the stretching room for yourself, as well as everything else: http://www.grimghosts.com/wdw/page2.html

 

[mrtoad]

As Erika mentioned the attraction is not meant to be scary but in that room the lights do go out for a few seconds and that would be the only concern I think. It is not your typical haunted house were someone grabs at you are jump out to scare you.

My daughter had just turned 3 last year when we took her for the first time and she loved it. In fact she talks about it every day, and more than once a day. She is a little brave though as she has been bugging us to do the Tower of Terror as well which we have decided that in January when we go we will take her on it.

I am not sure when you are going but if you still have some time you can try to get the planning DVD from Disney. It is free and they show some footage from the Haunted Mansion. Some is from the other Mansions in the other Disney parks but will give them and you a good idea what you can expect.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[kal1484]

At the end of the room streaching, the room goes dark, and it "lighting and thunders" this could possibly scare the little ones. Just a heads up

 

[PurpleDragon]

As the other said, its just a holding area. You walk into the room the door/wall closes, you see the paintings mentioned above, and there is some narration. At the end of the narration there is a few moments of darkness and a flash of lightning/thunder, and some sound effects. From there a different door/wall opens and you move on into the queing area.

Your kids should be fine, however some kids are scared of the mansion, so just be ready to find the exits. Just prepare them for is the darkness, lightning, and thunder and they should be okay.

 

[ogryn]

Your kids should be fine, however some kids are scared of the mansion, so just be ready to find the exits. Just prepare them for is the darkness, lightning, and thunder and they should be okay.

...and ghosts, skeletons, nasty things, painting that keep looking at you... and the Cast Members (who I have seen make young children cry before)

 

[Captain Hank]

...and ghosts, skeletons, nasty things, painting that keep looking at you... and the Cast Members (who I have seen make young children cry before)

According to an article in Disney Magazine about the HM CM's, most don't try to scare little kids. If they intentionally tried to scare the little ones, they shouldn't be CM's period. In my opinion, the stretch rooms are the scariest part of the entire attraction for a little kid. The last line in the room before the darkness is "There's always my way..." Just prepare them for the fact that it will get dark, lightning will flash, and there will be a scream right after this line. Or, you could ask the CM at the turnstyles if maybe you could skip the stretch rooms and go straight to the doombuggies. I honestly don't know if they do this, but it is possible, and it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[ogryn]

Yeah, they didn't do it intensionally. We were waiting at the front doors, and two kids about 7 and 8 were at the front of the line. The doors quickly swung open to a tall CM who shouts "your time is now!". Both just burst into tears.

I think you just have to know your kids. My little brother is almost 7 and you wouldn't get him anywhere near the thing. There is no point taking your kids on if you know it is going to scare them, as you could risk putting them off this and other attractions for a long long time. It took me years to go on a coaster after being dragged on one when I was younger and hating it (I love them now, but I missed out on a lot because of that experience). When you are smaller, what adults consider tame can be very different.

Personally, I wouldn't take a two year old on, and would be very cautious over a four year old... but that is just me :wave:

 

[mrtoad]

Just another reply. My daughter found Snow White's Scary Adventure to be worse than the HM. The old hag is a little creepy.

 

[mrtoad]

I think you just have to know your kids. My little brother is almost 7 and you wouldn't get him anywhere near the thing. There is no point taking your kids on if you know it is going to scare them, as you could risk putting them off this and other attractions for a long long time. It took me years to go on a coaster after being dragged on one when I was younger and hating it (I love them now, but I missed out on a lot because of that experience). When you are smaller, what adults consider tame can be very different.

I agree. My daughter as I mentioned had just turned 3 when we went in January. She had seen the Tower of Terror on the planning video and wanted to go badly. So badly we had to take her away screaming as she saw it down the street and wanted to go so bad. She was tall enough to do it but we thought that it could scare her to the point where she would never go on again. The only reason she will do it on this next trip is if we don't, we can't go to MGM as she talks about the ToT all the time. I think she is just a little thrill seeker.

 

[Moustronaut]

Personally, I wouldn't take a two year old on, and would be very cautious over a four year old... but that is just me :wave:

Play tag team parents. One of you go ride it by yourself while the other takes the kids to do something more kid friendly. Peter pan, pooh, carousel are all nearby.

Then decide if your kids can handle it.

The only other thing I might be concerned about is the attic and graveyard scenes. Screaming ghosts and ghouls that pop up suddenly behind the boxes in the attic and the gravestones.

 

[bhg469]

The only other thing I might be concerned about is the attic and graveyard scenes. Screaming ghosts and ghouls that pop up suddenly behind the boxes in the attic and the gravestones.

especially if the ride stops when your right in front of them, you know its coming but its still kinda spooky

 

[DisneyMemories]

The only other thing I might be concerned about is the attic and graveyard scenes. Screaming ghosts and ghouls that pop up suddenly behind the boxes in the attic and the gravestones.[/QUOTE]

The poping up ghosts in the attic and graveyard might be the part that the kids may get scared the most,they don't grab at you just pop up like a jack in the box,l think thats the part that will scare kids the most,maybe the hitch hiking ghost reflections in the mirrows after being scared by the pop up ghosts.

 

[AEfx]

Just another reply. My daughter found Snow White's Scary Adventure to be worse than the HM. The old hag is a little creepy.

Ditto for myself.

When I was a kid, Snow White scared the pants off me. HM was no problem. Even though they added Snow White to the ride during the rehab, the first scene where the Queen turns into the Witch is still just as intense.

It all depends on your kids - if they are the type that freak out and spasm when they are scared or it's dark, it may not be such a good idea. If they are the type of kids that putting them on your lap during the ride and talking to them will keep them calm (as you point out all the "fun" ghosts) you should be fine.

Best suggestion is for one of you to ride it first and scope it out yourself - only you know your kids well enough to judge. I can tell you, though a bit of it is spooky, there is no blood letting, real violence, or anything you'd expect out of a traditional haunted attraction elsewhere. There are a few effects pointed at you (i.e. the mirrors you pass in front of and see a "ghost" sitting with you in your buggy in the reflection), but most of it is observational - i.e. watching the ghosts go about their amusing business.

AEfx

 

[marni1971]

Welcome to the WDWMagic board Queenie! You either get one answer or dozens... guess we like to talk about our passion!

 

[ogryn]

A good quote from the link Erika provided:

The lights in the room are quickly blown out by some unfelt wind, and guests can see hanging directly above them the rotting corpse of the Ghost Host... hung by his neck in the previously invisible attic. Thunder and lightning illuminate this scene through broken windows.

photographed by Foxx
http://www.grimghosts.com/wdw/v-myway.jpg
offical Disney publicity

Before too much time has passed, the lightning stops and we hear a woman commit suicide by falling down the room. We hear her scream as she falls, and finally hits the ground with a crash.

The candles in the room are relit. Looking around, guests can see no sign of the corpse, and the ceiling is once again in place. A door slides open, revealing a dank hallway.

GHOST HOST: "Ohh.. I didn't mean to frighten you... prematurely, hmm hm hmmm.... The REAL chills come later. Now, as they say, look alive and we'll continue our little tour. And let's all stay together, please."

 

[rosebud's mom]

I've taken all 4 of my children through the HM at the age of 2, and had no problems at all, but as others here have stated you are the best judge of your children's temperment.

One thing I would suggest is in the stretching rooms it can get a little crowded depending on how many people are squeezed in with you. My little ones always wanted picked up at that point because they couldn't see anything with all the others pressed around them. This meant that they were already up in my arms before the thunder and darkness, which makes that much easier to get through !

 

[nfeagle5]

I dont wanna sound insensitive.....but the way my family did it was.......my 3yr old brother wanted to go on....We brought him on....the worst thing that can happen is they cry and dont wanna go on again.....it wouldnt seem like a big deal to me......but then again im old enough that scaring me isnt a reason i wouldnt ride somethin..

(myu brother thought it was hilarious.......loved the singing busts)