Does anyone wish HM was scarier during Halloweentime?

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I like both and am very happy that it is not scarier. Disney is for fun Halloween... Universal is for scary halloween.

 

[DisneyloverinWA]

no!!! I love haunted mansion just how it is. I love that children of all ages can enjoy it. There are enough other places people can go if they want to be scared. Disneyland is for fun memories!!!

 

[Grim_Grinning_Girl]

It was alarming back when there used to be an actual person jumping out at people riding in the Doom Buggies in the HM many years ago. I didn't like that at all. It made it too unnerving. I don't think it went over very well with the public in general because it took it to a level beyond 'happy scary.'

I knew it! I was going to ask about this soon on Doombuggies because I have a very fuzzy memory of this happening during one of my visits, but wasn't sure if it really happened or not - or if it was experienced at DL or WDW. I remember a person wearing a white sheet gently touch my hand while on the handle bar, I was more confused than scared because it was unexpected and not common for that ride .

I understand a parent's point of view, but personally I don't like having the overlay during October. I think the overlay should start with the Christmas season and during October they should leave the Mansion as-is but include some not so horrific enhancements - nothing like Universal Studios, just a few more boos, spooks, and eerie lights here and there.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Can you remember for how long the knight was in there?

I absolutely remember the knight. He really scared me too. I found this article:

http://www.doombuggies.com/myths3.php

Here is an interview with someone that actually WAS the knight for a summer:

http://www.doombuggies.com/insiders_clark.php

I couldn't find what year this all happened, but I am thinking in the mid to late 80's, maybe? I moved to AZ in '92 so I know it was before that!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Just found another site that says it was 1984 when the knight was there....

 

[Sherry E]

Just found another site that says it was 1984 when the knight was there....

I like how the guy who played the knight says he witnessed the best and worst of human behavior! That's funny! I would think that in that dark hallway, with his face covered, and the Doom Buggies coasting by, there wouldn't have been enough time or light to witness all that was happening in the Buggies, but I guess he did!

I will buy that 1984 was one of the years where there was a knight, but I am almost positive they brought the knight back one other year after that. I remember seeing the knight about 3 times (but I could have gone on HM twice in one trip). One time he had a weapon or something that he lowered down in the direction of whoever was riding. I think the other two times he was lunging forward and grabbing 'at' people, but I did witness one time where the knight actually touched someone in the vehicle. That didn't seem right to me. I know we were always hoping we were not going to be the ones he jumped at. But I almost tend to think that they did it once in 1984 and then brought him back again in another year. In any case, I know I saw him 3 times.

I never thought it was a good idea to have an actual person in there coming so close to the guests because it distracted me too much from the theming and 'story' of the ride, and it put me on edge because my friends I were afraid someone else was going to be jumping out at some other point in the ride, so we couldn't relax. I mean, if he had stayed put, against a wall, and moved a bit as we rode past or something, that might have been okay, but for a Disney ride, I didn't think it was right to add the extra 'scare' to the ride of not knowing if some man in armor is going to jump out at you. I thought it was a bad idea!

 

[Sherry E]

I knew it! I was going to ask about this soon on Doombuggies because I have a very fuzzy memory of this happening during one of my visits, but wasn't sure if it really happened or not - or if it was experienced at DL or WDW. I remember a person wearing a white sheet gently touch my hand while on the handle bar, I was more confused than scared because it was unexpected and not common for that ride .

I understand a parent's point of view, but personally I don't like having the overlay during October. I think the overlay should start with the Christmas season and during October they should leave the Mansion as-is but include some not so horrific enhancements - nothing like Universal Studios, just a few more boos, spooks, and eerie lights here and there.

For a while, I wasn't sure if I had imagined the Knight myself! But then I recalled seeing him more than one time and I figured I couldn't possibly have lost my mind all of those times!! Once, maybe, but not 3 times! And one of my friends also remembers being in the Buggy and worrying that someone was going to jump out at us for the whole ride, so she couldn't possibly be imagining it too!

So, yes, those of us here who remember the knight but thought it may have been a weird figment of our imagination have nothing to worry about. We can rest easy and call off that trip to the sanitarium - we all saw him!

 

[Gisele]

To wish the Haunted Mansion be scarier for the month of October, first one would have to define just that, scarier. If it was to be Texas Chain Saw type horror, then no thank you please and next idea. If it was to be a bit more in the way of the HM film, obviously minus an E M animatronic, then yes. Or just simply decorate it for Halloween, that has always been my vote. Or perhaps a combination.