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Question about Haunted Mansion
- Thread starter MDAY
- Start date
mousermerf
Account Suspended
Nope, but if you goto WDW the HM there just got an upgrade to new FX, sound, etc with some new show scenes.
The general belief is that WDW keeps its regular HM because it's not a "locals" park like DL. The locals prefer to see new versions of attractions and it lures them in, spice of life so to speak, while at WDW people only go once a year or every few years and thus having HM Holiday would detrimental, as they'd not get to see the regular HM.
The general belief is that WDW keeps its regular HM because it's not a "locals" park like DL. The locals prefer to see new versions of attractions and it lures them in, spice of life so to speak, while at WDW people only go once a year or every few years and thus having HM Holiday would detrimental, as they'd not get to see the regular HM.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Also, to install and then remove the overlay would have the Mansion closed for about 6 weeks every year. Those once-in-a-lifetime Guests would be *really* ticked that they didn't get to see the Mansion at all because of a seasonal closure. Whereas Disneyland being mostly a "locals" parks, can afford to have one of their most popular E-tickets closed for 12% of the year.
-Rob
CThaddeus
New Member
On the whole, I disagree with the "belief" that the locals in So-Cal want to see the attractions changed. We're the ones who fought against removing Lincoln for Muppet-Vision in the 90s and we're the ones who still have the original Tiki Room (and would probably riot if they attempted to change it to Under New Management). Yes, we have had our share of changes over the years, but then so has the Magic Kingdom. You guys even change your fireworks for private parties (MNSSHP, for example).
I'm good with the Haunted Mansion Holiday and It's a Small World Holiday because they are extremely well-done, beautifully detailed, and at the same time during the installation they can and do rehab the attraction. Everyone at Disney World whined so much about the sorry state of Haunted Mansion because they wouldn't close it for a rehab. Personally, I see it as a bonus that not only is the Disneyland attraction getting touch-ups, but we get a cool overlay for a short time. Then, it goes down again for a few weeks, gets more touch-ups, and returns to its original state better and brighter than before. On the other hand, I'm very resistant to change when it comes to stuff like Pirates of the Caribbean. I completely dislike the Depping of the attraction, and keep hoping it, too, will just be temporary.
My real feeling about why the Magic Kingdom hasn't done the overlay is that they have of late been insanely cheap...witness the elimination of the Country Bear Christmas Special and the lack of major rehabs until just recently. They thought they could get away with being cheap and letting things go, and the quality started to suffer. Look how long Haunted Mansion was down for a rehab just recently because they wouldn't take a few weeks each year and tune it up. Now that things appear to be starting to turn around, I wouldn't be at all surprised if in the near future one or both of the Holiday overlays hits WDW. Don't tell me you wouldn't be interested enough to make a special visit just to see what they did. We're the same on this side of the country - if Disney makes a change, we the fans come in droves to check it out. That's a temptation eventually WDW management might not be able to resist. And while it may make a few people unhappy and bitchy because they came while the attraction was down for rehab, that's life. Attractions must be rehabbed. Anyone who doesn't get that can't be reasoned with. The ends justify (and are well worth) the means here, folks, whether you realize it now or not.
NASAMan
Member
Please let's keep this from being a WDW - DLR 'which is better'. The philosophy that a seasonal overlay is cost effective in Disneyland and not in the Magic Kingdom is based on a lot of factors that go beyond the explainations offered here (which are actual factors and not to be dismissed). CThaddeus, your comments are well made for the Disneyphile, but it would be fair to say the majority of west coast visitors to DL are probably not as knowledgeable as you, and are more casual in their visits. DL does what it needs to serve its guests, and WDW uses a differnt approach.
I asked about the old Country Bears Christmas show that WDW put on up until a couple years ago, and was told that nobody missed it. On the whole, a different type of guest is found on either coast, and the Company services those guests.
A few years back I was in LA for a conference and had my wife join me so we could spend a few days at Disneyland and California Adventure (which I enjoyed - the Aladdin show was worth the price of admission - but that's another post!) and we were both disappointed the Mansion was closed to get it's NBC overlay. But earlier this year I got back and was very impressed. So I'm extremely pleased with the upgrades to MK's HM that my wife was finally able to enjoy. So the DL closure wasn't so bad for me, but I knew what to expect.
BTW, Captain Jack Sparrow is now an entrenched character in the Disney universe, I see no problem with him in POTC, although his very human appearance seems out of place with the charactures he is mixed in with. But it does fit in, seems to get a good reception from most park goers, and does weave a story through the ride that most guests missed before.
Would the whole HM overlay become moot if WDW finally builds a 'Nightmare Before Christmas'dark ride of which we hear rumors?
I asked about the old Country Bears Christmas show that WDW put on up until a couple years ago, and was told that nobody missed it. On the whole, a different type of guest is found on either coast, and the Company services those guests.
A few years back I was in LA for a conference and had my wife join me so we could spend a few days at Disneyland and California Adventure (which I enjoyed - the Aladdin show was worth the price of admission - but that's another post!) and we were both disappointed the Mansion was closed to get it's NBC overlay. But earlier this year I got back and was very impressed. So I'm extremely pleased with the upgrades to MK's HM that my wife was finally able to enjoy. So the DL closure wasn't so bad for me, but I knew what to expect.
BTW, Captain Jack Sparrow is now an entrenched character in the Disney universe, I see no problem with him in POTC, although his very human appearance seems out of place with the charactures he is mixed in with. But it does fit in, seems to get a good reception from most park goers, and does weave a story through the ride that most guests missed before.
Would the whole HM overlay become moot if WDW finally builds a 'Nightmare Before Christmas'dark ride of which we hear rumors?
CThaddeus
New Member
There was no attempt at a "which is better" statement. The truth is, both Parks have their plusses and minuses. Up until about three or four years ago, Disneyland, too, was suffering from the inanity of cheap management. HMH and IASWH were both being done during that time, but not a lot of improvements were being made. Decorations and AAs were just swapped out. But since the 50th, Disneyland appears to haved mended its ways (and received better management). Similarly, as of this year, it looks as if the Magic Kingdom might be switching its mindset, too. Right now, though, the MK is still suffering. If they keep up the rehabbing, though, in a few years, they'll be back up to snuff. It all comes down to management...not which is better. If the management is more about the bottom line than Walt's philosophies, then the Park may suffer.
As for Jack Sparrow, it's a personal issue, admittedly. I preferred the old general storyline of pillaging and looting the city. Now it's more about finding Jack than anything else. Storyline changes like that don't thrill me (just as the new bride in Haunted Mansion doesn't). I prefer some things to be left to the imagination. Adding Jack in would have been okay to me if they had just added him in here and there, maybe give him some general lines, and not making him the new focus. For example, a dueling Jack and Will (ala Disneyland Paris) would have been a great addition.
Finally, no, I don't think a Nightmare attraction would end thoughts of an overlay. Think Finding Nemo here. It has two attractions based on the same plot in two different WDW Parks, so it's not too outrageous to assume they could create a Nightmare attraction at Disney-MGM and still do the overlay at Haunted Mansion. Would they? Who knows. I really think visitors to WDW would go nuts for the Haunted Mansion Holiday and a month or so of down time is a small price to pay for both it and the rehabbing the Mansion would get while it's being put in/taken out.
Thanks for the great info
The overlay was really a shock for us when we went. I really thought is was superb.
Thanks for all the great talk about this post. It was great reading.
Hoping to go back to Disneyworld in May of 08 after visiting D'land for the first time just a few weeks ago.
The overlay was really a shock for us when we went. I really thought is was superb.
Thanks for all the great talk about this post. It was great reading.
Hoping to go back to Disneyworld in May of 08 after visiting D'land for the first time just a few weeks ago.
darthjohnny
Active Member
Yeah. That is true. Not saying that Haunted Mansion Holdiay wouldn't be popular at WDW, but sometimes things that are popular on one coast fizzle at the other.
Take the Country Bear Jamboree for example. It was so popular, they wanted to put it in Disneyland too (it was one of the first attractions to originate in WDW and copied in Disneyland) and they had two theaters to manage the high guest flow.
But when it came to Disneyland, it just didn't have the same popularity, and so it was closed, and now Winnie the Pooh has taken its place.
Yeah. I've heard that.
I've also heard that Disneyland desperately needed it during that time of year because Halloween celebrations weren't going over well at the park, and everyone was going to Universal Studios Hollywood for Halloween Horror Nights. So they came up with Haunted Mansion Holiday to draw more people in.
Also, I've heard (though I really don't see it but it could be a possibility) that WDW attracts more people from foreign countries, and are therefore, not as familiar with the Nightmare Before Christmas, and wouldn't get it. So they just leave the Haunted Mansion the way it is.
Jesùs_Carioca
New Member
primetime52
Member
I personally thought that HM Holiday in Disneyland is kind of lame. Maybe that's just because I was never really a fan of the Nightmare Before Christmas.
I understand why they do it though, gives all the locals in SoCal another reason to visit DL during the holiday season.
Matpez
Well-Known Member
Look at it from this perspective.
In past years WDW has run Hallowishes for the regular park guests the days leading up to Halloween.
They stopped doing that, because they got so many complaints from guests that on their only night to see Wishes, they instead saw "some halloween show".
This would be the same issue with an overlay at the Mansion.
Plus, the downtime to apply the overlay and then remove it.
Not a good idea for WDW, IMO.
In past years WDW has run Hallowishes for the regular park guests the days leading up to Halloween.
They stopped doing that, because they got so many complaints from guests that on their only night to see Wishes, they instead saw "some halloween show".
This would be the same issue with an overlay at the Mansion.
Plus, the downtime to apply the overlay and then remove it.
Not a good idea for WDW, IMO.
Jekyll_Baker
Active Member
Look at it from this perspective.
In past years WDW has run Hallowishes for the regular park guests the days leading up to Halloween.
They stopped doing that, because they got so many complaints from guests that on their only night to see Wishes, they instead saw "some halloween show".
This would be the same issue with an overlay at the Mansion.
Plus, the downtime to apply the overlay and then remove it.
Not a good idea for WDW, IMO.
And just for an emphasis on closing MK HM for any amount of time, when it was down for rehab, I saw several guests extremely disappointed, to the point of actually kicking and banging on the gates that were erected in front of it.
Deadmanwalking
Member
I've always wondered why those "refurbs" take so long... I recall my daughter missing the POC at WDW because it was being "refurbed" to tie into the movie... when we did see the "refurbed" version I was amazed that it appears to have amounted to a smoke machine with a projector and a couple of Capt'n Jack animatrons... does something like that really need to take months?