Just how scary is the Haunted Mansion

[Belle1111]

Can anyone tell me how scary the Haunted Mansion is? Is it campy or really scary or what? My kids want to ride it, but are hesitant. In the past they've not wanted to (ages 10, 8, 6) but this year they do. Thanks!

 

[SplashLover93]

its not that scary liken horrifing scary its more have a good time scary and you get a few laughs from it when the ghost hitch hike on your buggie and such im twelve and have been going on it since i was like 5 and am not afraid of it but am afraid of ghost and stuff like that so let them go on it its a good ride to go on my brother goes on it and he was 3 and he loves it

 

[AJKMOM]

Even from an early age, my kids were never scared. Depending on the kid, I would consider it more "campy" than scary, as long as you remind them it's only a ride.

 

[Robo]

Everything depends on the kids' personalities.

The HM is NOT a "horror-fest"... it is a Walt Disney Classic.

Its all in fun, with more than a few "jumps".

Why not ride it yourself first and then decide if the younger child would be unduly frightened?

There are many (thousands) of us who rode that ride as youngsters and love it to this day!

 

[disneysnowflake]

I don't believe it's scary at all.
And that's coming from a mom whose child was terrified of It's Tough to Be a Bug and begged me to leave.

 

[scrappinstevie]

The Haunted Mansion hasn't been too scary for my son and he is a very timid little guy. When you go into the mansion there is a brief period where you are escorted into a room where a shakey voice talks and asks if the walls are moving-lights go out and there is a scream-its a little scary but not horrifying. There are also various skeletons and things that jump out at you on the ride which could scare you-but its really not awfully scary-it is dark so watch your step getting into the doom buggy-I always feel like I'm going to fall getting in and out of those things!

 

[mill4023]

I can't see any 8 and 10 yr olds being scared by it. And the 6 yr old should be fine as well unless he/she is scared very easily. My 7 and 10 yr olds have enjoyed the DL version since they were 4 or 5. My DD4 is very easily scared so we didn't take her on it this time, but I think in a year or two, she'd do fine also. I wouldn't hesitate taking your kids on it.

 

[foolishmortal]

it's about as scary as a daddy long legs.....not very!!!!!!

 

[kirbsam]

if you have to ask, it is too scary.

 

[Belle1111]

Thanks for the reply's. That's what I figured- our plan is to have dad and the oldest ride it first just to be sure.


On a side note, is the Haunted Mansion Movie anything at all like the ride?

Thanks!

 

[TZMOM]

It's pretty lame, but still fun to just sit in cool darkness and watch as stuff goes by. . . .

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

My 3.5 year olds were fine with it. I told them it was not any scarier than a Scooby Doo show.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

if you have to ask, it is too scary.

well that wasn't very nice. I was actually debating the same question from the OP. Are we not allowed to ask questions? Some of us are not disney pros like you yet, but when I get back from my trip in September and someone asks a question like this one, I will make sure I help them out and not say..."if you have to ask, it is too scary"

Other than that...have a good day!!!

 

[DiscussDisney]

Thanks for the reply's. That's what I figured- our plan is to have dad and the oldest ride it first just to be sure.

I think that is an excellent idea. The first time my youngest went on it (she was 3 at the time) she was scared when the lights went out in the stretching room. After that, she was ok. I think when Dad and the oldest go on, they can explain to the youngest what to expect (like the lights going out for a few seconds).

 

[wildernessfamily]

When my DD was 6, she was not scared til some teens a few cars in front of us started screaming. This was her first time on the ride. With the teens screaming and carrying on I could not convince her to open her eyes and see that it was not really that scary. She avoided it the next time we went when she was 9, but then later she got on it and could not beleive she was ever scared of it. We just could not convince her, she had to do it on her own. Nothing is real scary..it is more the illusion of the unknown.

 

[ziggystardust]

I laugh at that ride now but when I was 6 I was beyond terrified. It started with the streching room and continued throughout the whole thing.

What I remember most about the whole ride was that my 2 sisters and my mother were in the cart in front of my father and I. When we came around the bend in front of the mirror, I could see the ghost in my mom's cart, it was behind the 3 of them hugging them. When we pulled around the corner, the ghost was on me! So all I saw was my dad hugging a ghost and I disappeared! Oh it was awful!!!

But like I said I laugh at it now, and I love telling the story

 

[shelby_36]

If they can get past the first room they'll be fine. There wer 3 crying kids when we came out of there b/c they turned off all the lights. After that it is pretty lame. The ballroom is cool but the rest is pretty much just looking at stuff.

 

[Tiffany]

Can anyone tell me how scary the Haunted Mansion is? Is it campy or really scary or what? My kids want to ride it, but are hesitant. In the past they've not wanted to (ages 10, 8, 6) but this year they do. Thanks!

It is campy. We do not find it scary at all.

 

[crazymomof4]

DD4 is a real "fraidy-cat"....won't go in the room if something "scary" is on the TV! But even though she was just turned 3 when we were in WDW in 2003 she was only mildly fearful when we first went on it, and laughed when we went on it the second time. Now, for our upcoming Sept trip, she is almost 5 and she keeps asking that we not miss it, saying, "We're going to the Haunted Mansion, right?" I just asked her why it's not too scary for her and she replied, "Because it's kinda funny."

 

[pamouselover]

Ok, I am not one to go into scary haunted anything so my advice to you is from a true scared cat.
All the NJ diser's on here will understand why...when I was little my first scary haunted thing was Brigantine haunted castel in N.J. It was so scary.
I never want in anything again scary!
I belive a year later was my first trip to Disney and there was no way I was going into the haunted masion. We want many times to Disney and not till 2000 did I go on the ride. I only want on it because my DS wanted to ride it. I can tell you that I was scared to death at first and then I laughed so hard because I had been so afraid all them years to ride it. My DD was young at the time and at first she just look around scared and DH promised us both that nothing jumps out at you. Maybe your DH could tape will he rides it and then show the others to see if they would like it!
I truthly did not close my eyes but oh I so thought about it will waitng in line!