Let's Talk about Haunted Mansion

[Micca]

HM is our favorite attraction in all of WDW, it is Disney's masterpiece. Favorite scene is the banquet room, but my favorite aspect of the ride is that I notice something a little different every time we experience it. We have around 75 trips under our belts since the late 70s, the fact that there is something "new" to see each time is pretty mind-boggling. Also the music and the Paul Frees narration are perfect. We are so glad they are finally producing more HM merchandise. Memento Mori is becoming our favorite shop on property.

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

I absolutely love the Haunted Mansion at DW. Do not find it scary, but love the fun creepiness. Would love to see the one at DL someday. Especially the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay.

My favorite part is the ballroom scene, and also love the graveyard and "Hurry Baaack". I sing the song all the time, Classic Disney to me. On one of our trips we got stopped right in front of the ballroom scene for about 10 minutes, I was in heaven. Great to be able to really look at the details.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

My DS fell in love with haunted Mansion on our 2013 trip when he was three, he also watched the movie too many times to count that year.

It's a family favorite and I love the whole ride from beginning to end. One of my favorite parts are the black widow photos, the end with the ghost riding in the buggy with you, the grave yard out door and indoor.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

Yes! The Nightmare before Christmas overlay at DLR is amazing!!! However, I love the outside and cue of WDW's HM better. My favorite part is when the doombuggy spins around and goes down the little hill backwards. Oh, the anticipation of spinning back around...

we experienced the Nightmare before Christmas overly this past September at DL and love it

We rode it over and over, cause we don't know when we will make it back to the West coast.

 

[Frozen2014]

The only part I dislike is now that I have experienced Nightmare before Xmas at DLR, I want everyone to enjoy it at WDW.

What exactly do they do for the Nightmare before Xmas? Whatever it is, I imagine it's tons of fun!

 

[yankeepenny]

-I copied this from the Disney Land ride info page-

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Jack Skellington gives the mansion a Christmas makeover that is sure to delight and fright even the foulest fiends.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas inspires the great transformation from haunted house to Halloween Town, brimming with jack-o-lanterns and wreaths, sinister toys and kooky characters from the hit animated film. Don't miss the ginger-dread houses and blood-curdling pies as the Oogie Boogie Man and others scare up some extra festive fun. Season's Screamings, everyone!

 

[Frozen2014]

-I copied this from the Disney Land ride info page-

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Jack Skellington gives the mansion a Christmas makeover that is sure to delight and fright even the foulest fiends.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas inspires the great transformation from haunted house to Halloween Town, brimming with jack-o-lanterns and wreaths, sinister toys and kooky characters from the hit animated film. Don't miss the ginger-dread houses and blood-curdling pies as the Oogie Boogie Man and others scare up some extra festive fun. Season's Screamings, everyone!

Thanks for the description

 

[mickey1968]

For everyone going to MK next week it looks like Haunted Mansion is coming out of rehab a little early. It was scheduled to be down through Dec 19, but I found FP+ online tonight for as early as Dec. 16. This makes me very, very happy! This is my favorite ride and I like to ride several times each trip.

 

[Frozen2014]

For everyone going to MK next week it looks like Haunted Mansion is coming out of rehab a little early. It was scheduled to be down through Dec 19, but I found FP+ online tonight for as early as Dec. 16. This makes me very, very happy! This is my favorite ride and I like to ride several times each trip.

Great news I would have been so upset had HM been closed during our trip...or any subsequent trips. So wonderful that it's re-opening sooner than first anticipated.

For anyone that goes on it, let us know if there are any differences (or is it just 'fixing' or cleaning things?)

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

1. What do you love about it?
I love that it toes the line between fright and fun. On the surface, you would think it would be scary. I mean, it's called The Haunted Mansion. However, if you listen to the words of the song (Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize) and really look around, you can find a lot of humor and fun in it.


2. What's your favorite part?
The ballroom scene. I love to watch the dancers spin around the floor. I also enjoy Madam Leota as she casts her spells and you hear the spirits responding by ringing bells, knocking on the table, and ringing tambourines.


3. Do you find it scary?
I don't. The stretching room when you see the man hanging is probably the worst part, but it is over so quickly that I really don't have time to get scared.

 

[KorbensMomma]

I love the dancing ghosts, I just really think it's beautiful. We got to see them "alive" this year in the MNSSHP parade this year and we were right on the curb.

 

[Frozen2014]

1. What do you love about it?
I love that it toes the line between fright and fun. On the surface, you would think it would be scary. I mean, it's called The Haunted Mansion. However, if you listen to the words of the song (Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize) and really look around, you can find a lot of humor and fun in it.


2. What's your favorite part?
The ballroom scene. I love to watch the dancers spin around the floor. I also enjoy Madam Leota as she casts her spells and you hear the spirits responding by ringing bells, knocking on the table, and ringing tambourines.


3. Do you find it scary?
I don't. The stretching room when you see the man hanging is probably the worst part, but it is over so quickly that I really don't have time to get scared.

What man hanging??? Totally missed this.

I love the dancing ghosts, I just really think it's beautiful. We got to see them "alive" this year in the MNSSHP parade this year and we were right on the curb.

Dancing ghosts were awesome at the MNSSHP.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

What man hanging??? Totally missed this.

When you are in the stretching room, Master Gracy points out that the room has no windows and no doors leaving you with this chilling challenge: The find a way out! He goes on to say, "Of course, there's always my way..." That's when the lights go out and you hear a scream. If you look up, a man is hanging above you as though he just hanged himself. Pretty freaky, but it doesn't last long as the lights go on and you make you way to your doom buggy.

 

[Frozen2014]

When you are in the stretching room, Master Gracy points out that the room has no windows and no doors leaving you with this chilling challenge: The find a way out! He goes on to say, "Of course, there's always my way..." That's when the lights go out and you hear a scream. If you look up, a man is hanging above you as though he just hanged himself. Pretty freaky, but it doesn't last long as the lights go on and you make you way to your doom buggy.

Too funny. Went on this twice on our recent Oct trip and totally didn't notice the man hanging....and I even looked up. Totally know the words and when you mean it occurs. Next time I'll look more carefully

 

[Luv2Run]

I have long history with the Haunted Mansion. My little brother had the Disneyland Fun Sing-a-Long Songs video that had "Grim Grinning Ghosts" on it. We must have watched that video every night for a year, because we couldn't afford to go to Disneyland, and that song always gave me the chills. For my older brother's 15th birthday, we went to Disneyland, and I cried into my dad's t-shirt during the whole ride on Haunted Mansion. Now that I'm older, though, it's one of my most favorite rides. I just love it.

What do you love about it?
I love that it's one of the longer rides at Disney, so you get a break in the cool a/c. And the theming is perfect. Every last detail has been thought through. I also love the smell on the ride. That dusty, musty smell is unique to HM.

What's your favorite part?
I love when the doombuggies turn around and you're "falling" backwards. It feels like you're being transported.

Do you find it scary?
The only part that I find really "scary" per se is the hallway with the floating candleabra (I used to have nightmares about it). On my 2012 trip to WDW, I had just gotten through telling my friend that I hate that part of the ride when it stopped right in front of that hallway for a good 10 minutes. I was so ready to get a move on by the time the ride picked back up again.

 

[niffer5150]

1. the decor. they did an amazing job with it. doesn't hurt that it's a nice dark ride where i can rest my eyes from the sun.
2. the ballroom. we usually see dl's HM when it's got the overlay so i can't think of the ballroom without thinking of gingerbread and watching my kids face light up when she sees what this years gingerbread creation is.
3. no.

 

[LBIJim]

If you want to know how the ballroom scene is done, look up the trick called "Pepper's ghost" If you want to preserve the magic, don't!

Yes, it's a very old illusion, pre-dates the HM by almost a century. Disney masters the technique to perfection.

My other favorites:
Portraits in stretch room. I have a print of all four of them in my office.

Rotating busts in library which seem to follow you. Another old technique that Disney borrowed.

MC Escher-like staircases to nowhere.

Moving shadow of a creepy hand on the wall that appears like someone is sneaking up behind you.

Hitchhiking ghosts near the end of the ride.

I should say "just about everything" in the HM is a favorite!

Youngest daughter was a little apprehensive the first time she rode it at age 6, but she loved it. OTOH, my mom, who was about 68 when she first rode it, was VERY apprehensive and declined to ride it again.

 

[JaimeK]

This ride was our #1 family favorite - a ride everyone from my scared-of-rides 6 year old to 69 year old mother enjoyed and we could ride together. We split up so many times to do rollercoasters or loud/scary shows that it was wonderful to do something together that wasn't boring or "kiddie".

So much to see! We went on it 4 times and noticed more each viewing, and I'm sure there is more still. My kids favorite is seeing the ghosts in the buggy with you. My favorite is the ballroom scene.

 

[SoScary'09]

Love all of it. I'd move in if I could. And I always tear up by the time I get to the graveyard.

 

[Tonyz]

The Haunted Mansion is an undisputed classic. My favorite dark ride. I don't find it scary… more eerie. And I love that about it. It's creepy but with a wink and a smile. Going through the ballroom scene and the graveyard scene gives me such a buzz it's ridiciulous. I always notice something new, and I'm always in awe of all the amazing details surrounding me. And it's got one of the best queues on property.

How can anyone not love it!!