Does Haunted Mansion need a refurb?

[judyfromkansas]

I'm speaking of the WDW Mansion...when I rode it last April, my doombuggy had a major static problem which interfered with the narrative (not to mention the spooky ambience). On other sites I've read complaints about the Mansion's upkeep, and I think I've read that the DL Mansion recently got a major refurb. Has the WDW Mansion gotten such tender loving care recently, or not?

 

[Doug123]

You could do so much with the Haunted Mansion by putting in a little bit of today's technology. If it needs some work, I say shut it down for a while and fix it up. We'll all be happier in the long run.

Maybe they plan on waiting until the rehab to Small World is finished before they take another of the "major classics" off-line, so to speak.

 

[Lady Cluck]

It sure is dusty in there. At least they could sweep and clean out the cobwebs

 

[Beastlover]

A refurb on the Haunted Mansion worries me....look at the Tiki Birds.....how awfully sad that was. We still can't go in that one, and it was one of our favorites!

 

[DonnaSue]

I totally agree about the Tiki Birds!!! They really messed that one up!!! None of my family have any desire to go back in there!!!

I do agree that the Haunted Mansion could do with some refurbishment, but it sure would be hard on us while it was down!!!

We really missed IASW this past trip (last week), but I am looking forward to seeing what they do with it when they are finished!

Donna

 

[Miniefan]

You know it would be fun to have some things in it different so it wasn't exactly the same thing every time you went on it , but then again I still love it now, and it hasn't changed not one bit from the first time I remember being at Mk and riding it. I do believe it is a Classic, and it probably wouldn't be right to change it. Besides, I don't believe it was Disney's plan to scare the bejesus out of anyone, that's Universal's job, so it's best if it is left alone.
Kim

 

[tassie42]

when were u there, when we went it was fine

 

[Jackie H.]

It was closed for several weeks beginning in September of 2002 - we were there and it was closed. It was closed for rehab. But I suspect most of you mean "change" it. It was fine when we were there this January.

 

[mickeymule]

I think the HM needs the same type of refurbishment Small World is getting. I personally like what they did to the Tiki Room, it updated it while keeping some of the original stuff. If it was the same as before I would still go, but I really like the more upbeat version.

 

[Feelin' Goofy]

We were there late Nov 03 and it had just had rehab.

 

[ProfGoofy]

I've been on both the DL and WDW Haunted Mansion and I like them both because they're slightly different. Therefore, riding either one is not like riding the "same old thing." So you can imagine how I felt when I rode The Nightmare Before Christmas version of the DL Haunted Mansion a year and a half ago. My jaw hit the ground. The ride was 'fresh' with new images, storyline, and music. I think it's great that the Imagineers took a familiar ride and revamped it for a few months at the end returning it to its former glory. I've never been to WDW during the Holiday Season, so I don't know if they do a Holiday makeover like they do for DL's Haunted Mansion and Tis a Small World. Wouldn't it be cool if they could do that for more rides? And by that I mean change them every so slightly for a few months out of the year, so it's a 'new' ride experience.

Oh, and I just rode WDW HM end of May, and it was fine.

 

[Micca]

I want to echo what Profgoofy said: you wouldn't believe how cool and different the haunted mansion holiday version was It was almost a completely different experience, I could not believe it But I wouldn't want to lose the original attraction. They could spruce it up with some modern technology, but it should remain essentially the same(unlike the Tiki room )

 

[trracers]

It definitely does NOT need a refurb during the first week of September

We were there in 2002 when they were refurbing it and it was a major bummer!

 

[HunnyPots]

I think I got the same doom buggy you did! We rode HM three times last week and on one of the rides the speaker was shorting out the whole time. Other than that, I love the ride.
A while back, there was talk of replacing the current Madame Leota image with that of Jennifer Tilly from the HM movie. I think that would be pretty cool. I guess the movie wasn't a big enough hit though. Oh well, HM is still one of my very favorites.

 

[mansionfan]

I vote to keep it the same....just do some minor refurbishing....This is a Disney Classic that should not be changed, although, it would be sweet to have the Haunted Holiday NBC come to WDW! I've heard great things about it!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Y'all are in luck.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is coming to Disney World. It was supposed to be here this year, but the rumor mill says they wanted more money for Stitch's Great Escape. So they took it from the Haunted Mansion Holiday budget. HMH is supposed to come to the World next year.

 

[mansionfan]

Originally posted by SnackyStacky
Y'all are in luck.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is coming to Disney World. It was supposed to be here this year, but the rumor mill says they wanted more money for Stitch's Great Escape. So they took it from the Haunted Mansion Holiday budget. HMH is supposed to come to the World next year.

Can't wait for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HAH]

The first time we took the kids in the early 90's I was so disappointed when I walked up to the Mansion gate and read a sign.."Closed for DEfurbishment" LOL!!!

 

[petula]

Originally posted by ProfGoofy
I think it's great that the Imagineers took a familiar ride and revamped it for a few months at the end returning it to its former glory.

It's that "returning it to its former glory" part that's important! Except for the stretching room, I hated NBC the first time I went through. (NOT happy about the removal of the bride!) The second time I sort of liked it in a stunned way. I was addicted to the music (the Elfman version) for months afterward, and I like the whole thing more in retrospect, but I also felt sort of cheated out of the real thing.

The It's a Small World holiday overlay was much less traumatizing.

By the way, the Country Bears had a couple of show variations that I never saw. Did anyone like those?

 

[judyfromkansas]

Just to clarify, I wouldn't want the Mansion totally redone for anything. I was primarily concerned about the upkeep. That barely-audible, staticky voice coming out of my Doombuggy depressed me more than did the cobwebs and catafalques! But since some here have mentioned it, maybe a bit of new technology wouldn't hurt. Maybe Dis could keep the same basic scenarios in the Mansion, but ugrade them, give them more punch and pizzazz. I'd be all for that.