Haunted Mansion closing for refurbishment in December and Yankee Trader refurb extended

[sshindel]

I can't imagine a standard refurb being scheduled during the busy Christmas season. Why not wait until the quieter weeks of January, February?

This is one of the theoretically "low" times of year, right before Christmas. Time when they are offering big discount packages, free dining, etc to entice folks to come. It makes sense to me that if this has to go down, it's a halfway decent time to do it, right before the massive Christmas/New Years crowds.
Believe me though, it's killing me, because it just happens to be right when my family is going to be there. The kids are going to be disappointed. But, all in the name of either an update or a well-needed refurb (except, it looked pretty good to me a couple weeks ago).
Maybe it is some sort of thing that they want done to entice the Christmas crowds. The fact that it opens back up Christmas week says that they want it running when crowds are highest.

 

[MichWolv]

This is one of the theoretically "low" times of year, right before Christmas. Time when they are offering big discount packages, free dining, etc to entice folks to come. It makes sense to me that if this has to go down, it's a halfway decent time to do it, right before the massive Christmas/New Years crowds.
Believe me though, it's killing me, because it just happens to be right when my family is going to be there. The kids are going to be disappointed. But, all in the name of either an update or a well-needed refurb (except, it looked pretty good to me a couple weeks ago).
Maybe it is some sort of thing that they want done to entice the Christmas crowds. The fact that it opens back up Christmas week says that they want it running when crowds are highest.

I think this will be to add the on-ride photo. Which I, of course, will buy if it exists when I arrive just after the scheduled re-opening .

My kids and I will ride HM an extra time or two in your honor!

 

[peter11435]

I can't imagine a standard refurb being scheduled during the busy Christmas season. Why not wait until the quieter weeks of January, February?

The first few weeks of December are one of the slowest times of the year. It is in no way part of the busy Christmas season.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

To all 'those who will miss out in riding Haunted Mansion during the scheduled closure, Do this:

Things you'll need:

Disposable camera or HD smartphone
Friend
Chair
Cellophane

Instructions:

Step 1:
Sit in the chair with your eyes closed shut. Hold cellophane in hands.
(Have your friend get the camera ready to take pictures)

Step 2:
Crinkle the cellophane near your ears while simultaneously humming Grim Grinning Ghosts.
(At random intervals, your friend will probably start taking snapshots with the camera)

Step 3:
Open your eyes approx. 7 minutes later

Congrats! You have successfully recreated the experience of nearly pitch black show scenes, busted speakers and i̶d̶i̶o̶t̶ crafty WDW guests using flash photography to see the Mansion's hidden 999 haunts.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

To ride again, Repeat steps 1-3 in approx 90-120 minutes.

 

[sshindel]

I think this will be to add the on-ride photo. Which I, of course, will buy if it exists when I arrive just after the scheduled re-opening .

My kids and I will ride HM an extra time or two in your honor!

I guess if they went MagicBand / MemoryMaker only on the picture, I could see the on-ride photo. I didn't see anywhere in Memento Mori that was set up to show/purchase ride photos. I guess if they went the route of attaching them directly to the MagicBand and not allowing external purchase, then maybe it could be.

Of course, just because I didn't notice it doesn't mean it's not there. My wife would be happy to tell you how I'm the most unobservant person in the world.

 

[MichWolv]

I guess if they went MagicBand / MemoryMaker only on the picture, I could see the on-ride photo. I didn't see anywhere in Memento Mori that was set up to show/purchase ride photos. I guess if they went the route of attaching them directly to the MagicBand and not allowing external purchase, then maybe it could be.

Of course, just because I didn't notice it doesn't mean it's not there. My wife would be happy to tell you how I'm the most unobservant person in the world.

My wife and my rabbi would both tell you how unobservant I am, although they focus on different things that I fail to observe.

 

[Mr Anderson]

To all 'those who will miss out in riding Haunted Mansion during the scheduled closure, Do this:

Things you'll need:

Disposable camera or HD smartphone
Friend
Chair
Cellophane

Instructions:

Step 1:
Sit in the chair with your eyes closed shut. Hold cellophane in hands.
(Have your friend get the camera ready to take pictures)

Step 2:
Crinkle the cellophane near your ears while simultaneously humming Grim Grinning Ghosts.
(At random intervals, your friend will probably start taking snapshots with the camera)

Step 3:
Open your eyes approx. 7 minutes later

Congrats! You have successfully recreated the experience of nearly pitch black show scenes, busted speakers and i̶d̶i̶o̶t̶ crafty WDW guests using flash photography to see the Mansion's hidden 999 haunts.

Layin' it on a little thick there, sparky. So you're saying it needs a refurb, we get it. But I've ridden HM several times (last time was in September 2013) and it was nowhere near as bad as you're describing. And perhaps a visit to the eye doctor is in order, as the scenes in Haunted Mansion are not "pitch black". Maybe you forgot to take your shades off?

Or are you just trolling?

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

My guess is they focus less on holiday overlays and more on events and things that can upcharged.

Now days their idea of a holiday overlay consists of breaking out the red and green spotlights....

 

[sshindel]

Layin' it on a little thick there, sparky. So you're saying it needs a refurb, we get it. But I've ridden HM several times (last time was in September 2013) and it was nowhere near as bad as you're describing. And perhaps a visit to the eye doctor is in order, as the scenes in Haunted Mansion are not "pitch black". Maybe you forgot to take your shades off?

Or are you just trolling?

Methinks the latter.

I rode it a few times less than 2 weeks ago and aside from some of the interactive queue elements not working, the ride itself looked in good shape.

 

[dgp602]

The first few weeks of December are one of the slowest times of the year. It is in no way part of the busy Christmas season.

No doubt, those weeks USED to be slow. But unless you have a history of actually going to the parks during the first 15 or so days in December, and not just relying on outdated attendance charts, then you have no idea what the Christmas season has become for the whole month of December. I get that the crowds on Dec 11th are no where near the crowds of Dec 25-31st, but please don't think for a minute the parks are empty. Especially empty enough to warrant closing a ride such as the HM for an ill timed refurb. I have vacationed at WDW for the past 18 plus years during the same week, right around the 11th of Dec. Usually right after Pop warner week. Yup, years ago it was quiet, no doubt. Since 1995, like clockwork, my family goes the same time. From 1995-2005, there were times when we would turn the corner by Peter Pan and head towards Liberty Square and literally there was no one around. My wife and I have a picture of us taken on Main St looking towards the castle. We keep it in the living room. When people see the picture and barely anyone else in the background, they ask if the background it fake. It can't possibly be that empty, right? Wrong! It used to be that empty. Never had to worry about fast passes, dinner reservations, crowded monorails. No pushing or shoving. MVMCP rarely sold out, so we could grab tickets the day of the event. But no more...Last year especially, we were shell shocked to see how crowded the place has become. Rides that we were able to walk on just a few years ago now had 30 plus minute wait times. So, I will say to you that mid-September, mid-January are a lot slower now than any time in December. There is NO slow season at Christmas anymore. It should have, could have closed right after Labor Day for this refurb. Or, postpone it 4 weeks until January....

 

[xdan0920]

To all 'those who will miss out in riding Haunted Mansion during the scheduled closure, Do this:

Things you'll need:

Disposable camera or HD smartphone
Friend
Chair
Cellophane

Instructions:

Step 1:
Sit in the chair with your eyes closed shut. Hold cellophane in hands.
(Have your friend get the camera ready to take pictures)

Step 2:
Crinkle the cellophane near your ears while simultaneously humming Grim Grinning Ghosts.
(At random intervals, your friend will probably start taking snapshots with the camera)

Step 3:
Open your eyes approx. 7 minutes later

Congrats! You have successfully recreated the experience of nearly pitch black show scenes, busted speakers and i̶d̶i̶o̶t̶ crafty WDW guests using flash photography to see the Mansion's hidden 999 haunts.

Dang it. I only have one of those ingredients.

 

[sxeensweet]

No doubt, those weeks USED to be slow. But unless you have a history of actually going to the parks during the first 15 or so days in December, and not just relying on outdated attendance charts, then you have no idea what the Christmas season has become for the whole month of December. I get that the crowds on Dec 11th are no where near the crowds of Dec 25-31st, but please don't think for a minute the parks are empty. Especially empty enough to warrant closing a ride such as the HM for an ill timed refurb. I have vacationed at WDW for the past 18 plus years during the same week, right around the 11th of Dec. Usually right after Pop warner week. Yup, years ago it was quiet, no doubt. Since 1995, like clockwork, my family goes the same time. From 1995-2005, there were times when we would turn the corner by Peter Pan and head towards Liberty Square and literally there was no one around. My wife and I have a picture of us taken on Main St looking towards the castle. We keep it in the living room. When people see the picture and barely anyone else in the background, they ask if the background it fake. It can't possibly be that empty, right? Wrong! It used to be that empty. Never had to worry about fast passes, dinner reservations, crowded monorails. No pushing or shoving. MVMCP rarely sold out, so we could grab tickets the day of the event. But no more...Last year especially, we were shell shocked to see how crowded the place has become. Rides that we were able to walk on just a few years ago now had 30 plus minute wait times. So, I will say to you that mid-September, mid-January are a lot slower now than any time in December. There is NO slow season at Christmas anymore. It should have, could have closed right after Labor Day for this refurb. Or, postpone it 4 weeks until January....

Most of us are not saying it is "empty" but we do agree it's pretty slow this time of year.
We are ones that go almost every single trip the first several weeks-mid Dec as recent as 12/08, 12/09, 12/12 and 12/13 and to us it is Slow! Some crowds here and there but for the most part it is not busy like many other times of year! This is why we prefer this time of year besides loving all the wonderful decorations and activities before Christmas. So some of us saying it's slow do go this time often! Also I NEVER have used an attendance chart I go by our personal experiences with being in the actual parks this particular time of year.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I'm a stickler for show quality, and Haunted Mansion generally looks and sounds very good and has ever since the 2007 refurb.

 

[DMC-12]

I think this will be to add the on-ride photo. Which I, of course, will buy if it exists when I arrive just after the scheduled re-opening .

My kids and I will ride HM an extra time or two in your honor!

Likewise! I am going to the MK on the 20th... pretty much to do HM, since it will be down the rest of my trip earlier in the week.

 

[dgp602]

Most of us are not saying it is "empty" but we do agree it's pretty slow this time of year.
We are ones that go almost every single trip the first several weeks-mid Dec as recent as 12/08, 12/09, 12/12 and 12/13 and to us it is Slow! Some crowds here and there but for the most part it is not busy like many other times of year! This is why we prefer this time of year besides loving all the wonderful decorations and activities before Christmas. So some of us saying it's slow do go this time often! Also I NEVER have used an attendance chart I go by our personal experiences with being in the actual parks this particular time of year.

I think we are both saying the same thing, just in different ways! I agreed that December is "slower" than some other weeks ( and in my post, I point out that I have gone to WDW for 18 straight years during the first couple of weeks in Dec so I am drawing on first hand experience as well ). My point was that December is becoming an increasingly more popular time to go, therefore to close an iconic ride as popular as HM during this time when theoretically there were "better" times to do it wasn't the smartest decision. I was arguing that it is my belief that Mid-January and Mid-September are actually slower now than December and were better times for the HM to go down. Disclaimer: I have never gone to WDW during Sept or Jan because I like the Christmas atmosphere as well! So I am making assumptions ( I know, "when you assume, you are making an a@# out of you an me! LOL) on what I see and read here....

 

[Gomer]

I think we are both saying the same thing, just in different ways! I agreed that December is "slower" than some other weeks ( and in my post, I point out that I have gone to WDW for 18 straight years during the first couple of weeks in Dec so I am drawing on first hand experience as well ). My point was that December is becoming an increasingly more popular time to go, therefore to close an iconic ride as popular as HM during this time when theoretically there were "better" times to do it wasn't the smartest decision. I was arguing that it is my belief that Mid-January and Mid-September are actually slower now than December and were better times for the HM to go down. Disclaimer: I have never gone to WDW during Sept or Jan because I like the Christmas atmosphere as well! So I am making assumptions ( I know, "when you assume, you are making an a@# out of you an me! LOL) on what I see and read here....

The thing is, you are right that December has gotten busier...but its all relative. January and September have gotten busier in equal proportions.

Earlier this year Touring Plans had a great little graphic that they released showing crowd patters over the last 3-4 years. (I can't find it now, but if anyone has it and can post that would be great.) The graphic clearly showed the traditionally slow months increasing significantly, while traditionally insane times like July were decreasing. Basically Disney, with their events and marathons, has succeeded in balancing crowds out. Its too bad for those of us who usually travel in less busy months, but I can see why they would want to do that.

If I remember correctly, according to that chart January is still busier than December. And, they already have things like their yearly Water Ride/Park refurbs during that month. So, December seems to make sense for a HM refurb.

 

[Mr Anderson]

Regardless of how much sense it makes to do this "refurb" in early December, I'm not going to get to ride it at any point during my upcoming trip, therefore, I say...

 

[gmajew]

My favorite ride in the park! Glad it is getting a refurb to continue to keep it a true Disney Classic!

 

[Sped2424]

It was just reported by micechat that disneyland's version shall be receiving the hat box ghost in an all new way by may of 2015. SO what are the chances that he might come to disneyworld during this refurb or after?