Are Halloween overlays child appropriate?

[Dukland]

I am especially worried about Space Mountain. It's my 10 year old's favorite ride. We haven't been there in years and he just remembers that it was a lot of fun. If the Halloween overlay includes lots of creepy monsters jumping out at us, he will likely hate it.

Is HM a child friendly overlay? I know in the original there is the hanging guy in the elevator and some people, mostly teens, like to scream at that point. My kids don't like that. Is it something we still need to be sensitive to, during the last half of September?

Anyone care to share their experiences?

 

[mummabear]

I would suggest checking them out on youtube beforehand.
We will do HM with ours (all under 5) but DD4 will be tall enough for SM this trips and I want her to ride it but not 100% sure with the overlay, we may get there before it closes for the overlay though...

 

[Malcon10t]

I don't consider Space Mountain to be "child friendly" in the overlay. You can watch and decide for yourself. My daughters (adult) ride it, and they decided our nieces (ages 8-11) would not be riding.

Haunted Mansion Holiday on the other hand is even more kid friendly than the original.

 

[94bruin]

My 5&8 year olds went on HM for the first time in April. They were petrified. They both went on HMH last fall and loved it. I did have them watch Nightmare before Christmas before that trip, so they were familiar with all the characters.

My 8yo didn't get to ride Ghost Galaxy, but for some reason, I think she'd be okay. From what I remember, it's projections of ghosts on the walls vs stars on the regular Space Mtn ride. I don't remember anything popping out at you. (but it's been several years since I've ridden it.) Space is my 8yo's 2nd favorite ride, so that may have something to do with it.

 

[letthembelittle]

We have taken a few trips during the overlay season, we love HM when it is Nightmare Before Christmas-y. My kids were 8, 6, 4, and 2 on our trip last fall and they willing rode several times. People do scream in the elevator but we prepped them for that, the rest of the ride is less "creepy" to me then it is normal. I didn't ride SM but I am pretty sure dh took the older two and they were happy after getting off.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ghost Galaxy terrified my kid. I did not help the situation, accidentally. He was sitting with DH, both in front of me. I felt like he might get worried, so I reached forward and put my hand on his shoulder. At the exact moment you first see the space ghoul (which is HUGE and frightening and looms above you).


Haunted Mansion, on the other hand, is great for DS. They put Nightmare Before Christmas overlays outside and inside, it's truly a different ride. DS love NBC and loves the overlay. He HATES the ghosts the rest of the year, and has to be coaxed into riding it (rather than DH and I taking turns).

The first time I rode NBC-HM I disliked it, but I hadn't seen NBC yet. Then I saw the movie, disliked it, still didn't like the ride but saw that it made it "safe" for my son. And then we watched the movie 18,000 more times and I grew accustomed to the movie and the ride.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

My kids have not had a problem with any of the Halloween overlays (ages 6 and 9)

 

[DznyPrnces]

I personally do not like the SM overlay. I think they look less like ghosts and more like inside out people. But nothing jumps out at you, it's just projected on the walls.

 

[figment_jii]

I am especially worried about Space Mountain. It's my 10 year old's favorite ride. We haven't been there in years and he just remembers that it was a lot of fun. If the Halloween overlay includes lots of creepy monsters jumping out at us, he will likely hate it.

Nothing jumps out at your in the SMGG overlay because it's all projections on screens (so it's flat in that way). As the PP said, it looks a lot like "inside out" people. It's not cute or child-friendly in that way. It is much closer to "horror" than HMH. I have found that if you're seated int he back of the car, you "miss" some of the projections because they're timed to the front of the car. Also, it's worth noting that SMGG has some outside elements (basically projections on the building and sound effects), that I've seen cause grown adults to jump when they go off.

Is HM a child friendly overlay? I know in the original there is the hanging guy in the elevator and some people, mostly teens, like to scream at that point. My kids don't like that. Is it something we still need to be sensitive to, during the last half of September?

The hanging man has been replaced by a "video" of Jack Skellington. It still goes dark and people still scream at that point. The rest of the ride is similar in terms of elements, but it's now got a NBC theme. It's brighter in some ways (NBC is very colorful).

As others have said, you can watch YouTube videos of the rides to get a sense of what they are like. I've also posted a bunch of HMH photos on the third Halloween SuperThread.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2959331&page=209

 

[HollyL]

Is it just me? I LOVE the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay SO much, that I really don't like the regular Haunted Mansion anymore.

 

[Aladora]

I am especially worried about Space Mountain. It's my 10 year old's favorite ride. We haven't been there in years and he just remembers that it was a lot of fun. If the Halloween overlay includes lots of creepy monsters jumping out at us, he will likely hate it. Is HM a child friendly overlay? I know in the original there is the hanging guy in the elevator and some people, mostly teens, like to scream at that point. My kids don't like that. Is it something we still need to be sensitive to, during the last half of September? Anyone care to share their experiences?

My 8 year old hated the ghostly galaxy overlay for space and absolutely refuses to even talk about going on it again even though he loves the normal space mountain ride. He was also not a huge fan of the nbc overlay of hm but since he is not find of hm at the best if times, I don't think the overlay made a big difference.

 

[SMD]

I personally do not like the SM overlay. I think they look less like ghosts and more like inside out people. But nothing jumps out at you, it's just projected on the walls.

Do the still have the video screen over the track with the hand that comes down on you? I guess that could be scary, but when you know the ride really well it's easy to see it coming. I don't know, what's an ok amount of scare factor for a 10 year old. If he's adamant about trying it, and he does end up thinking it's scary, the ride doesn't last that long. To me, the main difference is the noise level, not the projections.

 

[starshine514]

I don't consider Space Mountain to be "child friendly" in the overlay. You can watch and decide for yourself. My daughters (adult) ride it, and they decided our nieces (ages 8-11) would not be riding.

Haunted Mansion Holiday on the other hand is even more kid friendly than the original.

Gotta agree with this. Space, not kid friendly. Haunted Mansion, more kid-friendly.

 

[tanyaegangibson]

I agree that Haunted Mansion seems less scary with the NBC overlay. (We go every October--and once went in December--so DD9 and DS5 have, in fact, never seen it without the overlay, and are looking forward to finally seeing the "real" HM when we go this July.)

DS has been riding SM with the Ghost Galaxy overlay since he hit 40 inches at age 4. We just told him in advance that it was a fun roller coaster but that at Halloween time they projected a "weird ghost thing that isn't real, like the bad guys do to fool the Mystery Gang in Scooby Doo" and that he could just not look at it. He wasn't scared. Maybe because I was riding with him and making jokes like "Go away, poopy ghost." So now he thinks the ghost is just silly and weird.

Personally, I think the overlay takes away from the ride. When we went in December '12 and the kids got to ride it the "regular" way, they agreed that it was much cooler without it. Looking forward to riding it in July sans "poopy ghost."

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

HMH still feels jovial, tongue-in-cheek, and Disney-ish. Ghost Galaxy is *none* of those things. It's a malevolent, huge "space ghost" chasing you down the mountain and constantly jumping out and trying to grab your rocket, accompanied by a creepy soundtrack. I'd rate it PG-13. I love it, but it's not very Disney or kid friendly.

 

[alvernon90]

To me, the main difference is the noise level, not the projections.

This is exactly right. The Ghost Galaxy overlay turns a fun ride into a head-splitting endurance challenge. The projections can be easily avoided simply by closing your eyes, but that noise will make the entire experience painful.

 

[etaber5]

This is exactly right. The Ghost Galaxy overlay turns a fun ride into a head-splitting endurance challenge. The projections can be easily avoided simply by closing your eyes, but that noise will make the entire experience painful.

This!!! I can't do ghost galaxy! Makes me sick every time! I have no issues riding space mountain when it is in it's original form.

 

[DznyPrnces]

Do the still have the video screen over the track with the hand that comes down on you? I guess that could be scary, but when you know the ride really well it's easy to see it coming. I don't know, what's an ok amount of scare factor for a 10 year old. If he's adamant about trying it, and he does end up thinking it's scary, the ride doesn't last that long. To me, the main difference is the noise level, not the projections.

I have no idea about the hand. I only rode the ghost galaxy version once, probably 3 years ago. I don't remember the hand or the loud soundtrack everyone else has mentioned.

 

[Dukland]

This is exactly right. The Ghost Galaxy overlay turns a fun ride into a head-splitting endurance challenge. The projections can be easily avoided simply by closing your eyes, but that noise will make the entire experience painful.

I think that will make it a "no go" for my 1 year old. He has Aspergers and loud noise can really bother him. I'd rather him be bummed and not ride it, then to suddenly hate the ride altogether.

I'm kinda bummed that my 8 year old won't get to see Haunted Mansion in it's regular form. He likes the movie that is based on the ride. But we will watch NBC a few times before we go. As long as they don't have Oogie Boogie jumping out at us, I think it will be a big hit.

 

[figment_jii]

I think that will make it a "no go" for my 1 year old. He has Aspergers and loud noise can really bother him. I'd rather him be bummed and not ride it, then to suddenly hate the ride altogether.

Guests must be 40" to ride Space Mountain...my guess is that your 1 year old probably wouldn't be able to ride it anyway. Something to keep in mind, however, is that there is a lightening storm effect on the outside of Space Mountain's building. It can be loud and bit unsettling, especially if you're not expecting it.

I'm kinda bummed that my 8 year old won't get to see Haunted Mansion in it's regular form. He likes the movie that is based on the ride. But we will watch NBC a few times before we go. As long as they don't have Oogie Boogie jumping out at us, I think it will be a big hit.

Oogie Boogie only appears once (well, maybe twice if you count the little music box monkey-style one) and he doesn't jump out. Spoiler (highlight to see): he appears at the very end in the place of the hitchhiking ghosts. He doesn't make any movement towards the ride vehicles. There are some things that kind of pop out/up (like the skeletons in the graveyard that pop up from behind the tombstones).