The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[Macro]

I don't exactly hate the thing but I certainly get tired of it.

They describe it as "Christmas meets Halloween" but to me it's adding Tim Burton brand Christmas stuff to the Mansion. It has a naughty and nice list. It has Sandy Claws. It has presents and snow. It has a gingerbread house.

And it's operating from September to January. Christmas season shouldn't start in September. Okay, I'm old. So I remember when Santa Clause only started appearing after Thanksgiving. And that's just not going to happen anymore. Not enough opportunity for merchandising. But September is just too early. I wish they'd leave the mansion in "regular mode" for Halloween and then convert it to Christmas mode for its fans at the start of November. And yea, that would give them somewhat less than two months of Tim Burton Christmas mode.

When it comes right down to it the only parts of the overlay I actually like are the music they play outside in the queue and the gingerbread house in the Ballroom. The rest of it to me is too brightly lit and very Tim Burtony (which makes sense). I've never been fond of the animated stuff he does. I understand that some people love it and they deserve their fix for part of the year. My complaint is how long it goes on. September to January is just too much.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Can someone explain why HMH is hated on? I don't really understand the hate. I love the ride!

In order to understand the abomination that is Haunted Mansion Holiday, I'd say first you have to familiarize yourself with the history and creation of the mansion, as well as the intricacies of what the ride contains.

The long forgotten blog is a great place to start:

https://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blogspot.com/

As well as Jeff Baham's book The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion. His website Doombuggies.com is another good resource, but he even admits that it hosts a number of inaccuracies.

Haunted Mansion Holiday reduces one of the most intricately detailed, complex, and historically rich attractions to nothing more than a billboard for Nightmare Before Christmas. Many of the gags are hidden or removed, with simple props based on the film taking their place.

Many of the altered scenes don't remain faithful to the premise of the Mansion, and feel like they were just trying to fit as much into the overlay as they could, paying little respect to the subtle lighting and details that the mansion thrives on. Forget hidden ceilings, and sets that fade into darkness giving an illusion of size and depth.

The overlay doesn't add to the Mansion, it doesn't enhance it. It attempts to cover every inch of it in some form of decoration to create an artificial sense of quality.

The music and narration for the overlay are completely forgettable (seriously, the rendition of What's This? that plays in the graveyard isn't at all noteworthy), and worse, they replace the work done by the legendary Paul Frees and Buddy Baker, and X Atencio.

If they overlayed Winnie the Pooh, or Buzz Lightyear- no one would care and it'd likely be an improvement. But Haunted Mansion is a piece of art, one of the most noteworthy and influential attractions ever built. Closing it for a third of the year to promote a mediocre film from the '90s is incredibly disrespectful to the creators and the history of the park.

 

[Kram Sacul]

HMH is fine but not for 4 months out of the year. From November to the end of the year would be fine.

I've never heard someone describe Nightmare Before Christmas as mediocre.

 

[D.Silentu]

I'm among those that do enjoy Haunted Mansion Holiday. That said, I completely agree that it does overstay its welcome annually. However, that is not its greatest sin. Two months of the year are dedicated to setting up and taking down the overlay, usurping time for general maintenance. Instead of keeping the mansion in top shape, now attention is given to only the most egregious issues and much of the wear seen in the mansion is no longer intentional.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Disney officially announced the pirates reboot without Depp/Sparrow today.

Which means the ride will finally be rid of him too, right?

Perhaps in 10 years we'll reminisce on the days of Sparrow as the ride is further modified for the new films.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Can someone explain why HMH is hated on? I don't really understand the hate. I love the ride!

It seems that way, but it's just that a lot of the same members on this board like to whine about it. The true tragedies lie in the park next door.

EDIT: For the record, I love HMH too

 

[Californian Elitist]

Throw HMH away.

 

[Disney Irish]

Throw HMH away.

Let's throw all of DL out and start over....

*I'm joking of course*

 

[Darkbeer1]

Wait, my eyesight is going in my old age.. Can't read fine print anymore...

Or is it getting up way too early this AM.

But the payoff was priceless. Some of the comments I heard....

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Speaking of HM / HMH.. does anyone else notice the flickering orange light swinging in the cupola? I'm not sure if this is a HMH exclusive, but if you look at the very top of the mansion into the windows below the weathervane, you'll see an orange light flickering and moving around at night as if Zero is up there! Thought this was a really neat feature to look at while the music box plays in the background and the candle lights flicker.

Has that always been there?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Let's throw all of DL out and start over....

*I'm joking of course*

I mean, at this point...

 

[SuddenStorm]

Speaking of HM / HMH.. does anyone else notice the flickering orange light swinging in the cupola? I'm not sure if this is a HMH exclusive, but if you look at the very top of the mansion into the windows below the weathervane, you'll see an orange light flickering and moving around at night as if Zero is up there! Thought this was a really neat feature to look at while the music box plays in the background and the candle lights flicker.

Has that always been there?

There's a moving light effect in the normal Mansion. I don't know if they change it for the holiday overlay.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

There's a moving light effect in the normal Mansion. I don't know if they change it for the holiday overlay.

It's probably the same thing than. I thought it was super neat but I'll have to pay closer attention next time I go and it's not HMH

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I think the overlay is okay, but the most damning thing about it is that it lasts about four months. That's a long time to take over one of the best rides in the park. I've seen complaints from people who only visit the park during the holidays, so they haven't seen the original Mansion in years.

I like HMH and hope it continues, but have to agree that it goes on for too long.

 

[shortstop]

HMH is a Christmas overlay through and through. They shouldn’t do it for Halloween.

 

[Rich T]

The problem with HMH is that it takes one of the best, most famous and beautifully designed rides on Earth and turns it into a lesser experience for a third of each year. I enjoyed my two trips through HMH, but-except for possibly the attic-there isn’t a single scene or effect in HMH that’s as good as normal HM. I say get rid of Little Mermaid at DCA and turn THAT ride into a Nightmare B4 Xmas attraction. Permanently. It would be a vast improvement. And then Disney can announce Burton Pier.

 

[VJ]

Disney officially announced the pirates reboot without Depp/Sparrow today.

Which means the ride will finally be rid of him too, right?

Perhaps in 10 years we'll reminisce on the days of Sparrow as the ride is further modified for the new films.

You consider this an official announcement? Interesting.

You've hired Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to work on a possible Pirates of the Caribbean reboot. Can Pirates survive without Johnny Depp?

We want to bring in a new energy and vitality. I love the [Pirates] movies, but part of the reason Paul and Rhett are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants. And that's what I've tasked them with.

 

[Anjin]

I say get rid of Little Mermaid at DCA and turn THAT ride into a Nightmare B4 Xmas attraction. Permanently.

I was with you until this point. Little Mermaid is my favorite non-E ticket ride in DCA. I love that they built an old school dark ride and, I think, they did it well. It made me so happy when I rode it for the first time because it's the kind of ride that I didn't think Disney made anymore.

 

[Rich T]

I was with you until this point. Little Mermaid is my favorite non-E ticket ride in DCA. I love that they built an old school dark ride and, I think, they did it well. It made me so happy when I rode it for the first time because it's the kind of ride that I didn't think Disney made anymore.

Anjin, I’m really glad you made that comment, because it reminded me that there are a lot of fans who really do enjoy that ride and appreciate its good side. Sometimes I’m just an old grouch. My main problem with the ride is that the designers took one of Disney’s best animated films and focused the ride entirely on the musical numbers while leaving out every exciting element (shark, storms, shpwrecks, the entire battle) that could have made it a lot more fun. On the ride, Ariel basically goes out on a date and gets married. The end. You never see her in any kind of danger or conflict, and Ursula—one of Disney’s greatest villains—just sings.

BUT, the ride is fun in its own way, and is certainly DCA’s only major ride based on classic hand drawn Disney animation. And it makes a lot of people happy. Sometimes I get too negative on this forum. Confession: I recently rode it with my family for the first time in years...and I enjoyed it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Anjin, I’m really glad you made that comment, because it reminded me that there are a lot of fans who really do enjoy that ride and appreciate its good side. Sometimes I’m just an old grouch. My main problem with the ride is that the designers took one of Disney’s best animated films and focused the ride entirely on the musical numbers while leaving out every exciting element (shark, storms, shpwrecks, the entire battle) that could have made it a lot more fun. On the ride, Ariel basically goes out on a date and gets married. The end. You never see her in any kind of danger or conflict, and Ursula—one of Disney’s greatest villains—just sings.

BUT, the ride is fun in its own way, and is certainly DCA’s only major ride based on classic hand drawn Disney animation. And it makes a lot of people happy. Sometimes I get too negative on this forum. Confession: I recently rode it with my family for the first time in years...and I enjoyed it.

If it was Oasis you’d never be a grump about it...