Halloween at DL

[srauchbauer]

Those things are really cute! I love the snow globe one especially.

Looks like another trip to the Disney Store (like I need an excuse) have to get gift cards for the trip any way.

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Looks like another trip to the Disney Store (like I need an excuse) have to get gift cards for the trip any way.

I am always thinking up excuses to go, but no one ever believes them!

 

[BELLEDOZER]

Andrea, at least you've got a Disney Store where you live, in BC they shut down the Disney Store in Metrotown in Feb, so I've got nowhere to get my Disney fix, except online, which is expensive when it crosses the border (GRUMBLE!). I''ve been looking through the Disney Store online and drooling over things till I can get down there and start shopping and getting my Disney fix. Sydneymom, I've got a friend in Perth that used to do up her house when her kids were younger, with fake body parts dripping in fake blood, and basically turned her rental house into the house of horrors for Halloween. It's funny, as I've got another pen friend heading down to Sydney on business around the time I've visiting the mouse, who also lives in Perth. Small world! Have a great day everyone!

Trish

 

[JaxsonsMom]

Ok, WHERE did these two desserts come from? They look sooooooo yummy!

Edit: other pix from Region Beyond didn't come through, but I want to know about both of them, lol.

They are from the French Market in New Orleans Square. Very yummy and very cute. THey usually always have a fancy treat!

 

[JH87]

Love these things, especially the Vampire Mickey snowglobe and the Peek-a-Boo Mickey sculpture:

http://www.disneystore.com/hallowee...qNo|0||pNewFlag|1||pSortName|0||pLaunchDate|1

ADORABLE!!!
I love the Mickey jack-o-lantern treat bowl!

 

[RegionsBeyond]

Now, I must say, the one thing overall Disney disappoints me with overall is how much Haunted Mansion gets neglected in favor of Nightmare merch and attention. Now don't get me wrong, I love the film Nightmare: saw it the first week it come out in '93 and have liked it ever since, was super-enthusiastic about the old merch when it was still "rare".

But filling the HM store with Nightmare stuff mostly, and making a classic Disney attraction I love not even open during the holiday that suits it best...meh. The Haunted Mansion is hands down my favorite in any theme park anywhere. I still like elements of the overlay (new gingerbread house, the sculpted snow curly hill from Nightmare) but to me the two never really meshed...it's neon/blacklit cartoon characters in a "realistic" spooky old Victorian mansion. I wish it would wait for November, at least, or have no overlay at this point. Probably just me...I wish the focus was on HM as an attraction in it's original format, like the Florida Not So Scary after hours parties, and not Jack Skellington. He can be involved, but I like my classic spooky Disney rather more...

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Andrea, at least you've got a Disney Store where you live, in BC they shut down the Disney Store in Metrotown in Feb, so I've got nowhere to get my Disney fix, except online, which is expensive when it crosses the border (GRUMBLE!). I''ve been looking through the Disney Store online and drooling over things till I can get down there and start shopping and getting my Disney fix. Sydneymom, I've got a friend in Perth that used to do up her house when her kids were younger, with fake body parts dripping in fake blood, and basically turned her rental house into the house of horrors for Halloween. It's funny, as I've got another pen friend heading down to Sydney on business around the time I've visiting the mouse, who also lives in Perth. Small world! Have a great day everyone!

Trish

You are right, I am lucky to have it fairly close. Although, there are a lot more things online that appeal to me, than the stuff in the store these days. The store just doesn't have all the cute things for "older" children like it used to. It has some, but very little. It kind of has a Toys R Us feel to it now, just Disney only.

The online store has a lot more things that I like, I just wish they'd bring them into the stores!

 

[JH87]

Now, I must say, the one thing overall Disney disappoints me with overall is how much Haunted Mansion gets neglected in favor of Nightmare merch and attention. Now don't get me wrong, I love the film Nightmare: saw it the first week it come out in '93 and have liked it ever since, was super-enthusiastic about the old merch when it was still "rare".

But filling the HM store with Nightmare stuff mostly, and making a classic Disney attraction I love not even open during the holiday that suits it best...meh. The Haunted Mansion is hands down my favorite in any theme park anywhere. I still like elements of the overlay (new gingerbread house, the sculpted snow curly hill from Nightmare) but to me the two never really meshed...it's neon/blacklit cartoon characters in a "realistic" spooky old Victorian mansion. I wish it would wait for November, at least, or have no overlay at this point. Probably just me...I wish the focus was on HM as an attraction in it's original format, like the Florida Not So Scary after hours parties, and not Jack Skellington. He can be involved, but I like my classic spooky Disney rather more...

yeah, i can imagine it not 'feeling right' when i go see it for the first time. i also LOVE HM! I think the overlay should be strictly for Christmas time, since its got that Christmas tone to it, and the original HM would fit great with Halloween without any changes. but who knows, maybe i will end up loving it lol.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

we love the overlay, it was how my dd saw the HM for the 1st time... now that I think about it hubby too. He went to dl as a kid, and skipped the HM because he thought it was "a dumb haunted house." He had no idea that it was actually a ride inside!!

We are NBC fans though, the only thing I miss is the hitchhiking ghosts at the end... the presents or whatever don't really have the same effect!

 

[AmyPond]

Now, I must say, the one thing overall Disney disappoints me with overall is how much Haunted Mansion gets neglected in favor of Nightmare merch and attention. Now don't get me wrong, I love the film Nightmare: saw it the first week it come out in '93 and have liked it ever since, was super-enthusiastic about the old merch when it was still "rare".

But filling the HM store with Nightmare stuff mostly, and making a classic Disney attraction I love not even open during the holiday that suits it best...meh. The Haunted Mansion is hands down my favorite in any theme park anywhere. I still like elements of the overlay (new gingerbread house, the sculpted snow curly hill from Nightmare) but to me the two never really meshed...it's neon/blacklit cartoon characters in a "realistic" spooky old Victorian mansion. I wish it would wait for November, at least, or have no overlay at this point. Probably just me...I wish the focus was on HM as an attraction in it's original format, like the Florida Not So Scary after hours parties, and not Jack Skellington. He can be involved, but I like my classic spooky Disney rather more...

Thanks for sharing all of the awesome photos!!

I enjoy the holiday overlay but I prefer the original. I think the overlay is just there way too long too. Basically four months. And then the mansion is closed before and after for a few weeks, at least. It stinks. We like to go to Disneyland in January so on our last couple trips, the Haunted Mansion has been totally closed. And the trip before that is was the holiday overlay. We haven't seen the original since August 2007. (Thankfully we did go on it at WDW in 2008 and earlier this year!)

 

[Sherry E]

we love the overlay, it was how my dd saw the HM for the 1st time... now that I think about it hubby too. He went to dl as a kid, and skipped the HM because he thought it was "a dumb haunted house." He had no idea that it was actually a ride inside!!

We are NBC fans though, the only thing I miss is the hitchhiking ghosts at the end... the presents or whatever don't really have the same effect!

I love it too!! And I grew up going on the original HM, so it's not like I don't love that version as well. As I was saying in my Trip Report last night, what I like and appreciate is that there is a contrast. I like that there are two different versions of one ride in a year, and that both the original HM purists can be happy and the fans of the overlay can be happy. I think it works well and is a great compromise for everyone. I know that many people don't agree with me, though. There are many people who prefer the original version, so I might be in the minority in loving the overlay.

I was also saying in my TR last night that DLR does a fantastic job of maintaining the same essence, integrity and magic that it's always had, while appealing to all age groups, and yet still changing things up and advancing here and there. None of us would want them to change the entire park - because then it wouldn't be the same Disneyland we love. But I don't see any harm in mixing things up in a few areas or on a couple of rides for a few months out of the year.

DLR strikes a good balance between keeping things the same and moving into the future with some of their changes - just enough to appeal to young kids and younger generations who are just now discovering Disneyland, as well as staying true to the longtime fans.

 

[RegionsBeyond]

I love it too!! And I grew up going on the original HM, so it's not like I don't love that version as well. As I was saying in my Trip Report last night, what I like and appreciate is that there is a contrast. I like that there are two different versions of one ride in a year, and that both the original HM purists can be happy and the fans of the overlay can be happy. I think it works well and is a great compromise for everyone. I know that many people don't agree with me, though. There are many people who prefer the original version, so I might be in the minority in loving the overlay.

I was also saying in my TR last night that DLR does a fantastic job of maintaining the same essence, integrity and magic that it's always had, while appealing to all age groups, and yet still changing things up and advancing here and there. None of us would want them to change the entire park - because then it wouldn't be the same Disneyland we love. But I don't see any harm in mixing things up in a few areas or on a couple of rides for a few months in a year.

DLR strikes a good balance between keeping things the same and moving into the future with some of their changes - just enough to appeal to young kids and younger generations who are just not discovering Disneyland, as well as staying true to the longtime fans.

Not to get too much into it heh, but it's not an issue of change, or not liking the inclusion of "relevant" things...Nightmare, as I said, is a great movie and came out with "my generation". It's that I don't think the overlay is as well thought out as could have been in stylistic matching. That is likely a personal thing, but I think it is the same if they added Captain Hook to Pirates for any amount of time: it's a cartoon character in a 'realistic' designed environment and doesn't match, that's all Change and variety isn't necessarily bad, I liked Ghost Galaxy for SM a good deal, just this particular one doesn't come across favorably to me in addition to taking away my favorite attraction for Halloween, when it is already perfectly themed to that holiday on it's own merits.

 

[Sherry E]

Not to get too much into it heh, but it's not an issue of change, or not liking the inclusion of "relevant" things...Nightmare, as I said, is a great movie and came out with "my generation". It's that I don't think the overlay is as well thought out as could have been in stylistic matching. That is likely a personal thing, but I think it is the same if they added Captain Hook to Pirates for any amount of time: it's a cartoon character in a 'realistic' designed environment and doesn't match, that's all Change and variety isn't necessarily bad, I liked Ghost Galaxy for SM a good deal, just this particular one doesn't come across favorably to me in addition to taking away my favorite attraction for Halloween, when it is already perfectly themed to that holiday on it's own merits.

To you, it's not an issue of change. My viewpoint was that I look at it as DLR making some changes here and there to keep up with the times.

You expressed that you didn't care for it, so I was expressing that I do care for the overlay, in response to Mommy2PrincessAbby's post. It's not meant to be an ongoing debate. There are those of us on both sides of the issue, and that's clear, but I love it and have always loved it! I think the whole thing 'works' wonderfully.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I broke down today and brought out my HM snowglobe. I'm dying to start decorating. I may put up my Halloween tree this weekend!

I can't wait until our trip! I haven't been to DL in almost 20 years. My kids have never been there. Ever since we have moved out to the west coast (2 years ago) we have wanted to go to DL, but chickened out and changed back to a WDW vacation. This long weekend will give us a chance to give DL a try.

 

[RegionsBeyond]

To you, it's not an issue of change. My viewpoint was that I look at it as DLR making some changes here and there to keep up with the times.

You expressed that you didn't care for it, so I was expressing that I do care for the overlay, in response to Mommy2PrincessAbby's post. It's not meant to be an ongoing debate. There are those of us on both sides of the issue, and that's clear, but I love it and have always loved it! I think the whole thing 'works' wonderfully.

Fair enough, and of course nothing personal meant or implied here

The zombie gingerbread men from the past few years were great, I shall admit: rather wish they'd sell those in park bakeries with the other Halloween baked goods.

 

[fhtpdw20]

Just got off the phone with Disney about Happy Haunts Tour. October info is not available yet, however, the tour is suppose to be on the weekends only in September. The first tour is 9/17 at 5pm.

 

[Sherry E]

Fair enough, and of course nothing personal meant or implied here

The zombie gingerbread men from the past few years were great, I shall admit: rather wish they'd sell those in park bakeries with the other Halloween baked goods.

Now that we are in total agreement on! I would love for those scary zombie gingerbread men to be sold - they are quite creepy looking!! In fact, I was really, really hoping that one of these days they would sell small, scaled-down versions of the different gingerbread 'houses' (or coffins or Scary-Go-Rounds or whatever they may be) that they put in the ballroom each year. That would be an awesome collectible to have. It wouldn't even have to be made from real gingerbread. They could use whatever material they used to make their gingerbread line of Christmas sculptures and ornaments a few years ago.

Last year the HMH had the Scary-Go-Round. The year before was the coffin. I don't think we know yet what it will be this year (unless I missed something)? In any case, I bet if they put those on sale, people would snap them up like crazy - even if they aren't fans of HMH. And eventually DLR will probably get rid of HMH - maybe when HalloweenTime really gets to be an even bigger deal (after the DCA changes are complete) and they can get by without HMH. So while HMH is there it would be nice if they sold some of those zombie guys and made some miniature versions of the gingerbread centerpieces!!

Just got off the phone with Disney about Happy Haunts Tour. October info is not available yet, however, the tour is suppose to be on the weekends only in September. The first tour is 9/17 at 5pm.

The Happiest Haunts tour is happening in September after all? That's wonderful for those folks who are going in September!! It was beginning to look like that would only be an October thing as well!

 

[Sherry E]

In exactly 3 weeks, some folks on this thread will be having a spooky ol' time at DLR!!

 

[SueTGGR]

Sherry-I can't believe I had never seen the bear and Donald & company scene until our trip in April. I have an adorable one with my son in it. Maybe I will see if I can post it for you. ;>)

 

[SueTGGR]