Haunted Mansion with Kids -- Question

[pixiewings71]

Having read this thread thoroughly, a flood of memories from childhood comes rushing back to me...


Let me begin by saying that the Haunted Mansion is one of my absolute favorite Disney rides and if I could ride it right now I would. However, this was not always the case.

I speak with the experience of being a man who was traumatized by the HM as a child. In fact I held a fear of the ride until about age 13. I was forced to ride the HM with my mother after I made it fully known that I was petrified. In my opinion, this is something that has to be handled very delicately by a parent. Many parents seem to think that once they get on the ride and see that it is not scary, the child will be fine. I don't agree, while in many regards the HM is not very scary by normal haunted attraction standards, it can be absolutely terrifying to an already frightened child.

The stretching room is indeed intense for a young child. I'm a 23 year old man who still gets a little uncomfortable in there. Mostly due to claustrophobia. I'm not big on being stuck in a room with no windows and no doors with 50 other people. IMHO the stretching room is probably the most terrifying for a small child, due to the screaming, the music and the stretching. Another factor could very well be the not knowing what to expect. Unfortunately, to my knowledge there is no alternative entrance to the lower level other than the two elevators. I also do not believe they would offer a private elevator without the soundtrack. I would imagine that would hold up the line significantly.

My suggestion is the same as most. Find things to remind the child that they are safe. Let them know that you are not scared... do not tease them or make scary noises, this is not appropriate. Remind them that things they see may be scary, but they cannot hurt them. (I'm making it sound like the Overlook Hotel.)

I would say if you can, play the soundtrack for them. I would have liked to have heard that before my first time. I love the soundtrack... In fact I'm one of those who likes to follow along with the Ghost Host. I'm sorry if it annoys you. I have no intention of stopping. For many of us HM fans, it is like going to Rocky Horror... except we do not throw rice and toast.

I scream in the stretching room too, but I like to joke about it. Usually right after that moment when everything goes silent and the lights are still off... I usually pipe up with "I'm afraid of the dark" or "I thought this was the Tiki Room" That is usually good for a few laughs from the general public.

Another suggestion that more and more parents are doing is showing their children Youtube videos of the attractions. This is another thing I wish was available when I was a child. You tube has helped me get on roller coasters. I'm pretty sure it will work with a small child.

The only genuinely scary parts in the ride are in the hallway with the conservatory and the bulging doors and in the attic. In these parts I would consider blocking my child's eyes. Other than that, the majority of the ride is so visually appealing if they already made it through the stretching room, they will be fine.

I really hope that my insight as a traumatized child has helped.

Oh that's you!!! LOL I crack up when people say things like that.

I don't like when people have those glow necklaces or flashing lights either, but if it will help calm a frightened child then a few seconds shouldn't trigger a migrane - doesn't loud screaming affect migranes ? Definitely not easy on the ears.

I'm not suggesting for the light to be on the entire time, if it's a small non-blinking flash light it can be turned on an off during key points. Screaming is still a little more annoying than a light.

No, flashing lights can bring a migraine on MUCH faster than screams. And if the screams are that loud I can cover my ears quick enough to counter it. I can't close my eyes fast enough to stop the flashy things from giving me a migraine. We use glow sticks and DBF and DD13 both have the Haunted Mansion black lights and DBF also has a very small LED flash light on his lanyard, BUT they don't flash. For some reason that's the trigger for me, flashing lights. I sort of hate DL at night some days, everyone walking around with the stroby light toys can really bother me. I almost had a migraine from the EP last trip, but it stopped.

Depends on the person. Visual lights can actually have more of an effect on me then sounds. Even on Monsters Inc, I usually will close my eyes at that point where the van comes out and they turn the brights on you! I get migraine with aura (which means I see squiggly stuff for about 15 min.) and weird lighting, even for a few seconds can trigger one. Stinks but true. Frankly I think if this was my only option, I'd probably skip the HM until the child was a bit older. My son was 4 when he first went on it, and LOVED it. Had he reacted badly to the screaming we would have skipped it for a few years.

Frankly I don't like all the screaming people do in there, but I realize that isn't going to change. Would be nice if they provided an alternative entrance. I'd like an alternative exit on Splash, before that big drop too! LOL Dreaming I know!

Me too, stinks doesn't it?

 

[Sally_fan]

That is annoying..all the screaming..but I told all the grandkids that people liked to be silly and make noise and that they would sceam and the lights would go out then come on and then there would be the ride. The did OK after that..especially when they found out the ride really isn't scary..just the people in the elevator are.

I did the same thing (told them that people will most likely act silly & scream really loudly when the lights go out) with my kids on our first trip to DL & they did alright. My DD used to scare easily (especially when people are screaming bloody murder like they do in the stretching room) & she just cuddled into one of our sides, plugged her ears when I told her to & all was well.

As previously mentioned, I also showed them a youtube video of the stretching room before we went so they knew what to expect.

 

[99haunts]

All the talk about how the screaming scares children makes me feel very guily about my trips to DL when I was younger....

 

[mousesweetie]

Also, I agree with those that say the blinking lights hurt people with migranes. It also has a strobe effect which sets off some epileptics seizures. SO as one myself, no blinky lights please. I avoid rides with strobes for that reason, and the parts of the parade routes where I would have to be subjected to the CM's selling those blinky things. Yeah. It stinks.

 

[disneynerd420]

Oh now I get it, the screaming is tradition............. My DH & I hated this ride due to the bratty teens that screamed their heads off, it totally spoiled the experience for us and we didn't have any desire to go back on it.

We arrive this trip on 09/09 and weren't fazed that it would be closing for the make over & anniversary when we arrive. I have a better opinion of the ride now that I understand this is a tradition but I still think it ruined it for us. By the way the girls screamed the entire way through the ride not just the elevator.

Unfortunately that is just teenage girls being teenage girls.

 

[Brady's Mom]

I actually rode the HM for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I have been to DLR many times and only now had the *guts* to ride it. I think it is a horrible ride - no flames please.

I think the stretching room is actually really cool - UNTIL the horrible hanged man at the very end. Totally gross and creepy. My kids have never noticed him before - thank goodness. I don't think my DH had even noticed him before this last trip. When we rode it we didn't have a ton of screamers until the very end, no random screamers who did it just for effect.

I love the way the sidewalk moves and you get on the ride - totally cool. I love the floating heads as you walk down the hallway - great effect. The jumping ghosts don't scare me and the hitchhiking ghosts are really cool. But, really, I hate creepy, scary movies and don't watch them. I don't watch horror movies or slasher movies and soundtracks can really affect me. I will NOT be riding HM again, ever, and if I have anything to say about it (and I do), my little kids won't either.

My DS 13 is totally freaked out by ToT and won't ride it, but thinks the HM is cool and rides it every time. I LOVE ToT and think HM is awful. Guess it takes all kinds.

 

[disneynerd420]

I actually rode the HM for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I have been to DLR many times and only now had the *guts* to ride it. I think it is a horrible ride - no flames please.

I think the stretching room is actually really cool - UNTIL the horrible hanged man at the very end. Totally gross and creepy. My kids have never noticed him before - thank goodness. I don't think my DH had even noticed him before this last trip. When we rode it we didn't have a ton of screamers until the very end, no random screamers who did it just for effect.

I love the way the sidewalk moves and you get on the ride - totally cool. I love the floating heads as you walk down the hallway - great effect. The jumping ghosts don't scare me and the hitchhiking ghosts are really cool. But, really, I hate creepy, scary movies and don't watch them. I don't watch horror movies or slasher movies and soundtracks can really affect me. I will NOT be riding HM again, ever, and if I have anything to say about it (and I do), my little kids won't either.

My DS 13 is totally freaked out by ToT and won't ride it, but thinks the HM is cool and rides it every time. I LOVE ToT and think HM is awful. Guess it takes all kinds.

This is gonna come off as kind of flamey, and let me tell you it's not meant to but... really? Is the HM really that much of a terrifying ride for you? I'm sure the only reason I write this is the fact that I can't even begin to fathom not enjoying the HM. I will admit that it terrified me as a child, but I know that it is all an illusion now. I'm very sorry that you don't enjoy it

ToT is an awesome ride, but imo a very scary atmosphere. Again it could be the fact that I am a twilight zone fan and can point out most of the TZ references and am still a little weirded out by a lot of those episodes. I'm also terrified of small spaces (elevators).

Well to each his own... I do think if your child is mature enough to understand realty from fantasy they would enjoy the HM immensely. But if your child is not at that point then I would definitely avoid it.