Questions about Haunted Mansion Christmas Theme

[themilesfamily]

1) Does anyone know approximate dates that the HM is closed to put up Christmas decs -- and then take them back down again? How long is this ride typically closed for the refurb? And how long is the Christmas theme in place?

edited to add: I just found some info on another website -- here are the 2008 dates -- I imagine it will be similar in 2009:

2008 Holiday Haunted Mansion: Dates for viewing the Holiday version of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride are from September 26, 2008 thru January 4, 2009. The Haunted Mansion will be closed from Sept 2 thru 25, 2008 in preparation for the ride's popular seasonal makeover. The Haunted Mansion will close once again for most of January, 2009 to be turned back into its "regular" version.

2) Which do you prefer -- the regular HM or the Christmas-themed HM? (I know this is a personal preference thing, but just curious as to what people like.)

 

[DangerMouse]

They normally close down HM shortly after Labor Day to install the overlay. It opens up the 3rd weekend of September and runs as HMH through approx. the second week of January, when they take it down to remove the overlay. HTH.

Edited to add: I much prefer the traditional HM over the NBC overlay. Jack Skellington just doesn't do anything for me.

 

[bumbershoot]

This year's dates are hard to speculate on b/c of the 40th anniversary falling during a time that it's normally down for putting the overlay on. Usually it's sort of a guesstimate based on Labor Day and when Thanksgiving is (seems to have the overlay on early when Thanksgiving is early, late when t'day is late), but that 9/9/9 celebration date might throw off everything!

As for what I prefer...although I appreciate what they've done more now that I've seen the movie (I hadn't until I couple months ago), I still don't LIKE the overlay, and I prefer the bare bones version. If the holiday one could be up for just *one* month, I'd mind it less, but really, it's down for overlay on and off purposes for so long, and the overlay is up so long, it's close to half of the year without the normal HM, and I find that to be ridiculous.

 

[fairycat]

There is a lot of debate over this topic since the HM is having it's 40th Anniversary with a large celebration on 9/9/09. This date would be very close to the standard date they close the HM for the overlay. Some think the overlay will be pushed back to allow for the 40th anniversary celebration, some see Disney not changing much from past dates and some see the possibilty of postponement of the overlay to closer to Christmas. But these are all guesses until Disney tells us what they plan to do.

BTW which is better is 100% preference. I love both personally as I think both are unique and offer something special to the parks.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

I like them both

I like the fact they change it for a different experience.

Last year they had jack and sally out and about my daughter loved talking to them and getting her picture with them she was 3 at the time.

Cant wait for the end of the month to see the original.