What's the deal with the Haunted Mansion?

[michmickey]

I know that the Haunted Mansion is a cult favorite among many Disney fans but, my question is why? I have never understood the appeal and I'm interested to know why people love it so much. I'm not saying it's a bad ride, rather, I find that it just isn't for me. Let me know what ya'll think!

 

[Model3 McQueen]

What's not to love about HM?

 

[The Colonel]

I wouldn't say it's a cult favorite among Disney fans I would say it's close to universally adored. It's one of a handful of classic dark rides that Disney with all their money can't seem to improve upon. I find it hard to believe you are a Disney fan and don't get it.

 

[KikoKea]

It's funny, it's a bit spooky, theme and decor are done well, it has a great theme song, and it's cool and dark, to begin with.

 

[gustaftp]

It's an excellent and immersive ride that allows you to make up your own story and let your imagination run wild in. It is of a nice long length. And it demonstrates that IP infusion isn't necessary to make something that will be largely popular.

It isn't a "cult" favorite - it's a Favorite.

 

[DisneyJoe]

It's funny, it's a bit spooky, theme and decor are done well, it has a great theme song, and it's cool and dark, to begin with.

yet not too spooky

 

[michmickey]

I wouldn't say it's a cult favorite among Disney fans I would say it's close to universally adored. It's one of a handful of classic dark rides that Disney with all their money can't seem to improve upon. I find it hard to believe you are a Disney fan and don't get it.

Rather than coming off snarky, it would make more sense to just leave the explanation as I was just respectfully asking a question. I think the reason I don't particularly like it is because I don't like anything spooky or scary. But, now I understand that there is more than just that which makes people love it.

 

[phillip9698]

Its a lengthy dark ride with so many animatronics and effects to look at that people can ride it 100 times and notice something new each ride. Its pretty much the opposite direction disney has been taking with their rides recently.

 

[The Colonel]

Rather than coming off snarky, it would make more sense to just leave the explanation as I was just respectfully asking a question. I think the reason I don't particularly like it is because I don't like anything spooky or scary. But, now I understand that there is more than just that which makes people love it.

Sorry but it seemed almost like asking what the attraction to Mickey Mouse is. My apologies

 

[michmickey]

It's an excellent and immersive ride that allows you to make up your own story and let your imagination run wild in. It is of a nice long length. And it demonstrates that IP infusion isn't necessary to make something that will be largely popular.

It isn't a "cult" favorite - it's a Favorite.

Ahhhh I see, this definitely helps me understand. Thank you!

 

[RaveOnEd]

It's essentially, like Pirates, one of those rides that Imagineering were able to capture lightning in a bottle. Everything was planned out, written well, staged well, and just works very well.

Like others have mentioned, it has elements of being spooky and scary, but also fun and whimsical. All are balanced perfectly to not make it too much of one part.

Like all classics, it captivates young and old, and never seems to be something you can get enough of, like Pirates.

 

[Stellajack]

............. It's one of a handful of classic dark rides that Disney with all their money can't seem to improve upon. I find it hard to believe you are a Disney fan and don't get it.

Yes, this. If you are taking a visitor to Disney for the first time, this is one of the classics that they should experience. I remember the first time I rode through the Haunted Mansion in 1998. I still love it just as much today.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Seeing it at a very young age and loving it then made me realize that I was into the strange and unusual, because...

 

[Mainahman]

I think for me, its just disney, also Walt himself had say in how the original in Disneyland was to be built, and im sure that was looked at to give us ours. ... its just classic perfect disney.

 

[Touchdown]

Also, the special effects continue to wow people, unless you look it up on the internet the ballroom peppers ghost continues to inspire “how did they do that”

 

[thomas998]

Because it is one of the few long rides in the dark and cool that takes a limited number of people per car so you aren't forced to sit with strangers. not to mention for most of the ride the guest gets the sense that they are the only ones there because the color of the doom buggies makes it seem as if no one else is there to bother you for most of the ride. That is why we enjoy it.

 

[Incomudro]

The Haunted Mansion embodies everything that is Disney to me.
Everything that set Disney apart is in that ride.
I first rode it the year WDW opened - I was in third grade.
I was not the type of kid that liked scary things, and I had been in "spook houses" before riding HM.
Immediately I realized that HM was on a whole 'nother level.
It didn't go for scares.
It operated on another plane.
The outside walk in with the humorous tombstones.
The pre show, the intricacy of the details (so much to see) the humor, that ballroom scene!
The music.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Because not only is it one of the most perfectly themed attractions Disney has ever created, the theme pervades every design detail of the ride. And as others have noted, the details are so numerous, that you notice something new almost everytime.

I mean, just listen to the organ solo during the ballroom scene. They even found the perfect old theater organ to record it.

 

[danlb_2000]

I personally feel it is the perfect ride. I perfectly uses all the things that make Disney rides so good, a great theme, story, characters, music, simple but effective effects, a perfectly suited ride system and it's something everyone can ride.

One of the things that really sunk in for me on my last visit was pure simplicity of the boarding process. Rides like Flight of Passage and Smugglers run are fun, but they can't help but get bogged down in the loading process. The stark simplicity of the omnimover system is such a nice break from this, no need to count guests, or direct them to the correct car, no safety checks needed, the CM's don't even have to put the safety bar down, it's worked into the story of the ride.

 

[danlb_2000]

Because not only is it one of the most perfectly themed attractions Disney has ever created, the theme pervades every design detail of the ride. And as others have noted, the details are so numerous, that you notice something new almost everytime.

I mean, just listen to the organ solo during the ballroom scene. They even found the perfect old theater organ to record it.

I don't think I ever noticed, until my last trip, that in the piano scene at the start of the ride you can see the shadow of the piano player on the floor.