Haunted Mansion to scary???

[bcarson]

Its been about 8 years since I have been to Disney and don't remember how this ride really is. I will be going with my dk's 3 and 5. Is this ride to scary for them. I mean we watched the movie last night. By the way I may get flamed. But I thought it was awful. I could have turned it off I know. I thought it was going to be more light hearted and funny. I spent the whole time trying to minimize it like Ha ha that's funny. So the dk's would not be scared. They were not to scathed by it my dd 3 actually wanted to watch it again but we have taken it back. Anyway it just got me to thinking that this ride may be to scary for kids there age. My dk's do take these things fairly well. They actually loved goosebump movies but I stopped letting them watch them. Because of them being scared. They actually seemed to like being scared but I didn't !! So anyway what is the scoop on this ride?

 

[marksor]

The only aspect of the attraction that young children might find scary in my opinion is that it is rather dark throughout most of the "ride"- from being in the first part where the floor seems to move through the actual ride where you are in a pod chair. If the kids are seated with you, they will have you to cling to should they get a little frightened

 

[Clover9990]

I don't find it to be scary at all, and neither do my 5 year old or 3 year old (who've been riding the Haunted Mansion since they were 2 and 1 1/2). If your kids aren't easily scared by movies, I'd say to let them give this ride a try. Just try and prep them for the ghosts that pop up and scream in the graveyard- I think that's one of the "scariest" parts of the ride for the little ones. What I did with each of my kids was to tell them to yell back at the ghosts to "scare" them and make them duck back behind the headstones, and it worked! Have fun!!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

My two also do not find it scarry. They were 3 & 4 last time. We tell them it they do not like something, then just close your eyes and hold our hands. Actually, my D4 (then), thought it was a little silly.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I'm the biggest baby in the world, and I have ridden that ride my whole life and never got scared.

Now to be honest, I really love the doombuggies you ride in, because they have a full back on them and you are "cozy" with the people next to you. Meaning, as a child when I got a little anxious about it, I felt safe being close to mom or dad. Make sense? I knew nothing was going to scare me from beside or behind because of how they're built, and was a bit more at ease because of that.

I don't think they'll have a problem =) Its really an enjoyable ride with great effects, and almost humerous scenes at times! Not really meant to scare you =)

 

[K & D Mickey]

We got back in Feb, 2004 - Our son was 2 in Dec. Our lifesaver on any of the rides that are dark in nature is a little book light.
Just remember to shine down to the floor of the 'cars' so don't bug other passengers or ruin the effect. It is dark when you get into the 'room' before you get on the ride... I turned the light on then since it goes pitch dark for a few seconds which to a toddler seems forever.

 

[mmeb144]

We took my DD, who was 5, in 2000. She was scared to death! It was funny, in a sick sort of way. We slapped a Santa hat on her head, she couldn't see a thing. She survived the ride, and we promised to never take her again until she was ready. She will be trying it again this October. She really enjoyed the Haunted Mansion movie. She kept asking me, "Is that really in the ride?"

Marie

 

[DonnaLeah]

IMO, the movie was much more graphic and the ~ghouls~were much scarier than on the ride. As long as your DK's have an adult to sit by I'm sure they will be fine. We always explained to my DS5 that everything is animatronic, and he has been riding it since he was 2.

 

[Disneyfreaknjw]

I agree i didnt like the movie that much!!!!! THey built it up to be something greated and it flopped!!!!!

 

[TowerOfTerrorFreak]

The movie did not do the ride justice at all....anyway,your kids may be scared if they have a fear of the dark or the are afriad of ghosts..believe me,I was when I was little..but now I'm obsessed!lol

 

[TwingleMum]

My 3 yr old is obsessed wih going on this ride next time we go to Disney. Which won't be till next year. We dodged the bullet this last trip because we had his 1 year old twin brothers and we told him it was not a ride for them. PS I won't let him watch the movie it looks too intense for him.

 

[LisaR]

My kids actually have a VERY hard time with the area in the beginning before you even get on the ride! All the people waiting are making "scary" sounds, talking about how scary it is going to be, etc. My kids get really anxious. The ride doesn't bother them at all. Go figure.

My dd the same way on ToT. The wait to get on the ride, walking through the lobby, watching/listening to the CM and guests waiting to ride made her crazy. She chickened out so many times. Finally, she rode the ride and was fine but she still hates the lobby!

Lisa

 

[Phrank40]

We first took our daughter to MK when she was 4. She would look at Haunted Mansion from a distance- from the entry area or from Tom Sawyer's island- but the howls coming from the building made her nervous. The next couple of times we went we would asked her if she was ready for the Haunted Mansion and she would say no, to scary. Finally when she was around 8 we walked up to the entry area near the riverboat and I kiddingly asked her if she was ready for the Haunted Mansion. I just happened to have, for the only time, a video camera with me that was running when I asked her. To my surprise she said yes, and I have a shot of our walk up to Haunted Mansion for the first time. She loved the ride, wanted to ride it again.

On the other hand, we took her much, much to early to The Great Movie Ride. I had remembered all the pleasant stuff- Wizard of Oz, Busby Berkley- but forgot the gunfights and scary stuff. My wife and I still kid about watching the Alien scene from Movie Ride the first time our daughter rode and thinking "My, they've added some screams" to the part where the Alien comes down from the ceiling. Then we realize the screams where from our daughter as the Alien was coming down right on top of her head. From then on every dark ride we went on our daughter would say "You shouldn't have brought me here!"

Phrank

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

We took our kids (6, 3, 5 mo.) during our March trip. All of the kids had been on ride-through haunted houses before, so we were able to predict how well they would do. None of my kids were too scared on the ride. I was actually surprised that my 3-year-old dd wanted to ride again! She did cuddle up to me during the first ride. We had talked tons about how everything was just pretend, and if she got scared, she could just close her eyes. The only part that was a tad scary was the room when things pop out and scream.

If your kids are excited to go, I'd let them go. If they seem scared or hesitant about the whole idea, however, you may choose to skip it this time.

 

[pacercolt]

I go to DW 4 times a year and my family and I always go on it. My DSister is 5 and she loves it. We loved the movie and we always go on this ride. The only scary part I think is when the heads pop up from the tombstones and scream at you. It only makes you jump. They should love it!

 

[briarvano]

We went with our three year old nephew a couple of years ago. We thought HM was relatively tame, but he was pretty scared. Wouldn't speak afterwards for a little while. He ended up being scared of all the dark rides. I guess I'd suggest you try out a few others first, maybe Winnie the Pooh or Peter Pan. If they are at all scared on those, I'd stay away from HM. I have to say that I went on HM last year for the first time alone and it is a much scarier experience when you are sitting in the dark alone - this from someone who loves the ride and has been on many many times. I have an 18-month old now, so we'll see if I take my own advice when the time comes.

 

[cokegal19]

I have that same question. I love that ride and the last time I was on it was when I was like 5 (I'm 20 now) but it was one of my favorite rides! I now have a 2 year old DS and was wondering if it would be to scarey for him. I didn't think it would be because he's not scared of the dark at all, or anything else like that. I think he'd actually like it! hope you have fun!

 

[Coldpony]

We just rode it two weeks. I have twin daughters that are 5 (Kindergarden) and a son that is 7 (2nd Grade). My daughters had no problem and were actully trying to scare their older brother. My son (who rode RnR 13 times, SpaceM 5 Times, ThunderM 3 times, SplashM 2 Times, ToT 3 Times) totally freaked out at Haunted Mansion. What got him the worst was all the howling and noises before you are even inside the house!

If you have any doubt if your kids will be scared or not, just skip it and save it for next time. In my opinion, you are not missing much. I would suggest watching Mickey's Philharmagic another time or doing the Goofy Dance Show while the others in your party ride.

Have Fun!

 

[blowinbubbles]

Coldpony, your son sounds just like mine! He rode Space Mountain and *loved* it! However, Haunted Mansion was a No-Go!

I was able to get him in there, but when the ceiling raised up, the lights went out, and three teenage girls behind us *screamed* their heads off, that was all he wrote! hehe. . .he saw another mom and little girl head out the "Exit", and practically *dragged* me out the door! Oh well!

Ann

 

[GrammieMame]

It really depends on the child. My 7 year old grandson will do it all: the mountains, mission space, rock & roller coaster. He loves it fast and furious but doesn't like anything psychologically scary. He wanted to go on Haunted Mansion and said it would be OK because he had seen the movie. He did'nt like it at all. For this reason, we didn't let him do TOT on this trip.