Will WDW's Haunted Mansion EVER see the light of an overlay?

[Tick Tock]

Don't get me wrong, Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride, but unless they do a much needed refurb or an overlay, it'll start to seem very dry. I LOVE HM, but you get what I mean, it needs more.

No, sorry. I do not get what you mean. HM is a timeless work of art that does not need to change...ever... in order for it to remain special. My attention span hasn't devolved to the point where everything needs to be changed or made new in order for me to appreciate it. Sometimes Disney gets it right, so right that it should always be. HM is just that. Sure, keep it refurbed and in working order, but other than those routine maint. issues, leave it the heck alone.

 

[aladdin2007]

I see the exact opposite when I view Haunted Mansion Holiday. The themes clash. Good design would see the two themes blended more harmonious in an "opposites attract" kind of way. The HMH show is an entirely different experience. An entirely different attraction. Good for some but I find it takes away from the charm or classic effects and props of the mansion. Nightmare before Christmas has it's place and it could fit the Mansion... don't get me wrong. I just don't think Imagineering has done a good job with making the two sympatico over in DL. I'd much prefer an actual NBC ride.

HMH feels cluttered and showy. In short the Haunted Mansion Holiday is neither a tribute to the mansion nor dedicated to Nightmare Before Christmas it's just a demo-reel for Imagineering. Look what we did! How can we top it next year? mentality.

WDW's Haunted Mansion doesn't need cluttered, dizzying overlays. It needs sprucing up. But, Imagineering has already proven themselves incapable of making subtle changes (improvements) without bastardizing it elsewhere. If it's not an enhancement to what's already there or an overlay that's clean and harmonious with the rest of the mansion - it's not needed.

well said.

 

[Maeryk]

I actually believed that for some time. I really thought that they wouldn't want to close HM for the guests sake. Then they charged full price for the studios with 3 rides open so I know they don't care about guest perception or satisfaction. It's about spending the money.

This again. Three rides? RnR, ToT, TSM, ST.. that's four.. and it had only been five before that, along with BatB live, Indiana Jones, Ariel, the star wars show, Disney Junior Live, Muppets, and other shows/attractions I'm forgetting open as well. It's not like there were only three things to do in the park. And it has two of their biggest thrill rides. If people weren't happy with visiting a reduced park, they wouldn't have gone.. yet there were still crowds every time I was there.

 

[erasure fan1]

This again. Three rides? RnR, ToT, TSM, ST.. that's four.. and it had only been five before that, along with BatB live, Indiana Jones, Ariel, the star wars show, Disney Junior Live, Muppets, and other shows/attractions I'm forgetting open as well. It's not like there were only three things to do in the park. And it has two of their biggest thrill rides. If people weren't happy with visiting a reduced park, they wouldn't have gone.. yet there were still crowds every time I was there.

Well before you get all bent out of shape, know your facts. They shut down TSM to move the entrance befor the new land opened. So if my math is correct, thats 3 rides. And of course people will go, you paid for the tickets, you are going to want to get your money out of it. My inlaws were there at that time and they weren't happy. Yes they have some shows too, but to defend the mess that is the studios is just boggling.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They had plans for it..But, they said no..You can imagine what it would have looked like as Tokyo took what MK was going to have..

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

YIKES!

They had plans for it..But, they said no..You can imagine what it would have looked like as Tokyo took what MK was going to have..

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

 

[Maeryk]

Gotta wonder if MK doesn't get a skin simply because of where the HM is situated, which would make putting the decorations on the outside difficult due to the topography. It's not really like the castle where they can just park a crane behind it for a month on either end of the season, is it?

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

@OP

FWIW; I strongly believe a subtle Christmastime overlay for WDW's mansion is attainable using borrowed concepts already realized in HMH. Specifically: GGG Holiday version, Madame Leota 12 days, Christmas Tree, and others. Drop the NBC IP, add more winter/holiday imagery and toss in a few new tricks and Disney could theoretically make a near "quick-change" overlay with little downtime. Would they? Should they? I guess this is the right thread to ask these questions.

 

[nace888]

@OP

FWIW; I strongly believe a subtle Christmastime overlay for WDW's mansion is attainable using borrowed concepts already realized in HMH. Specifically: GGG Holiday version, Madame Leota 12 days, Christmas Tree, and others. Drop the NBC IP, add more winter/holiday imagery and toss in a few new tricks and Disney could theoretically make a near "quick-change" overlay with little downtime. Would they? Should they? I guess this is the right thread to ask these questions.

It's interesting you word it this way. that's what I was aiming to ask, was about the holiday itself, rather than the NBC IP.

 

[Tavernacle12]

I've been on the Disneyland version and it just isn't worth it. You take a nearly perfect, classic ride, and change it up right before the time of year that it fits in most. Imagine not having Haunted Mansion available for Halloween Season, instead having a Christmas-tinged ride that increases the wait time for mansion by 2 or 3 times what it normally is, if not more. The overlay isn't better than the standard version of the ride, and takes the classic version away for a good chunk of the year.

 

[Texas84]

I finally saw the Disneyland overlay and thought it was amazing. They obviously put a lot of work into that. And I didn't really care for the movie. But the original elements, such as the ballroom dancers waltzing through a Christmas tree, made no sense.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

But the original elements, such as the ballroom dancers waltzing through a Christmas tree, made no sense.

Well, you know.. they are ghosts after all

 

[nace888]

See, I'm okay with it NOT being NBC, but I'd love to at least see a Holiday overlay. I could even see Master Gracey introducing a DEEP DEEP red to replace the purple just for the time being, LOL!

All joking aside, an aged holiday décor that doesn't detract from what HM is would be nice.

 

[Texas84]

Well, you know.. they are ghosts after all

Context. They are not from the movie. Neither was hatbox but glad he wasn't themed.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

See, I'm okay with it NOT being NBC, but I'd love to at least see a Holiday overlay. I could even see Master Gracey introducing a DEEP DEEP red to replace the purple just for the time being, LOL!

All joking aside, an aged holiday décor that doesn't detract from what HM is would be nice.

That'd be ok I think. Simple enough to put up. Subtle enough to keep the original premise.

Context. They are not from the movie. Neither was hatbox but glad he wasn't themed.

in HMH? Actually he was. A sprig of holly leaf attached to his top hat. Those kind of subtle additions would be acceptable in WDW's mansion. I just don't think Imagineering is capable of pulling off understated detailing for the entirety of the attraction without turning an original show element into something cheesy and over the top for the sake of making it fit a "Christmastime" theme, especially if they're intent is to make it an NBC attraction.

For what it's worth, I agree about the waltzing thru a Christmas tree treatment, that was done lazily. Having ghosts waltz "around" a Christmas tree would be easy enough to pull off; I just think it was overlooked. Nitpicky, IDK. Clearly Jack, Sally and Oogie are of more concern and why not? It's their show! Which I guess is why I hate the overlay. If an overlay were to come to WDW's mansion, I'd hope it'd be more subtle and respectful of the original ride instead of using it as a warehouse for the Jack and Sally hour.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

An overlay will happen if they think they can make a buck of selling merchandise alongside it. ...should happen any day

 

[the_rich]

I saw HM Holiday for the first time a few weeks ago and it was unbelievable. It adds so much. I rode it 5 times, makes a classic even better.

 

[LUVofDIS]

I think an overlay would be nice. I love The Nightmare Before Christmas and would have no problem with that.

As a side note, Hatbox should be placed in the WDW version, this character is the single coolest character and as a AA I would say second coolest.

 

[Maeryk]

That'd be ok I think. Simple enough to put up. Subtle eno nough to keep the original premise.



in HMH? Actually he was. A sprig of holly leaf attached to his top hat. Those kind of subtle additions would be acceptable in WDW's mansion. I just don't think Imagineering is capable of pulling off understated detailing for the entirety of the attraction without turning an original show element into something cheesy and over the top for the sake of making it fit a "Christmastime" theme, especially if they're intent is to make it an NBC attraction.

For what it's worth, I agree about the waltzing thru a Christmas tree treatment, that was done lazily. Having ghosts waltz "around" a Christmas tree would be easy enough to pull off; I just think it was overlooked. Nitpicky, IDK. Clearly Jack, Sally and Oogie are of more concern and why not? It's their show! Which I guess is why I hate the overlay. If an overlay were to come to WDW's mansion, I'd hope it'd be more subtle and respectful of the original ride instead of using it as a warehouse for the Jack and Sally hour.

There are three NBC references in the WDW hm now. They need to just leave it alone. Give NBC it's own thing if they want, but leave HM as HM and respect the classics.

Overlay the tree house instead.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I actually believed that for some time. I really thought that they wouldn't want to close HM for the guests sake. Then they charged full price for the studios with 3 rides open so I know they don't care about guest perception or satisfaction. It's about spending the money.

There really isn’t much of a point of “plussing” in Orlando...people really wont say “no” no matter what they do or don’t do.