SMGG, were we the only ones underwhelmed?

[TheZue]

Have you seen the movie, and if you have, do you like it?

I hadn't seen the movie (b/c I don't like the images) when I first went on HMH, and boy oh boy did I dislike it.

Since then, DS has become a huge fan of the movie and I've been in or near the room while it's been on probably 30 times. So now I'm used to it, used to most of the images, and I didn't find HMH to be nearly as, hmm, not quite offensive, but somewhere along those lines, as I did before.




OP, I just wasn't in the mode for coasters during our trip so I didn't ride it, but hubby did, and he was underwhelmed as well.

I love the movie, I just felt that they turned the Haunted Mansion into an unimpressive dark ride with wooden cutouts covered in glow in the dark paint. I expected more from it.

 

[Sherry E]

I love the movie, I just felt that they turned the Haunted Mansion into an unimpressive dark ride with wooden cutouts covered in glow in the dark paint. I expected more from it.

Oh wow...that's too bad. I usually agree with you on most things, TheZue, but I have to disagree on the HMH overlay. I didn't care about the movie one way or the other when first riding HMH back in 2001 (I had seen NBC, of course, but just didn't care), and over the years, the ride has made me appreciate the movie more. I think all the attention to detail is excellent; I love the bright colors; I love the different gingerbread house-coffin-scary-go-round thay put out every year; I love the different music; I love the total transformation of every inch of the ride, etc. The only thing I do not like is the increasingly long wait in line for HMH as the day progresses! By nighttime, that line is hideous!

Anyway, sorry to veer off of the SMGG topic for a second, but had to give a shout out to HMH!

 

[TheZue]

Oh wow...that's too bad. I usually agree with you on most things, TheZue, but I have to disagree on the HMH overlay. I didn't care about the movie one way or the other when first riding HMH back in 2001 (I had seen NBC, of course, but just didn't care), and over the years, the ride has made me appreciate the movie more. I think all the attention to detail is excellent; I love the bright colors; I love the different gingerbread house-coffin-scary-go-round thay put out every year; I love the different music; I love the total transformation of every inch of the ride, etc. The only thing I do not like is the increasingly long wait in line for HMH as the day progresses! By nighttime, that line is hideous!

Anyway, sorry to veer off of the SMGG topic for a second, but had to give a shout out to HMH!

I think honestly I spent so many years wanting to ride it I just built it up too much. I did like the Gingerbread house though, that was cool

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh wow...that's too bad. I usually agree with you on most things, TheZue, but I have to disagree on the HMH overlay. I didn't care about the movie one way or the other when first riding HMH back in 2001 (I had seen NBC, of course, but just didn't care), and over the years, the ride has made me appreciate the movie more. I think all the attention to detail is excellent; I love the bright colors; I love the different gingerbread house-coffin-scary-go-round thay put out every year; I love the different music; I love the total transformation of every inch of the ride, etc. The only thing I do not like is the increasingly long wait in line for HMH as the day progresses! By nighttime, that line is hideous!

Anyway, sorry to veer off of the SMGG topic for a second, but had to give a shout out to HMH!

I think honestly I spent so many years wanting to ride it I just built it up too much. I did like the Gingerbread house though, that was cool

That's such a bummer but I can totally see how it would happen.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I love the movie, I just felt that they turned the Haunted Mansion into an unimpressive dark ride with wooden cutouts covered in glow in the dark paint. I expected more from it.

I sort of felt the same way the first time I rode HMH. Like you said, all the glow in the dark paint on cutouts seems sort of like a cheap way to decorate but I have to say it's grown on me and now I really like it. The only thing I don't like now is the room with the spinning tarot cards just because I'm not into that sort of thing. You'll have to go see it again sometime and see if you like it any better.

 

[tinkcollector]

As For HMH I like it. Now, back to the subject of SMGG. I loved it!If you did not ride it at night and see the affects that were on the roof of SM then you missed a truly awesome affect. The roof came alive to scarry sounds with splashes of color that seemed to melt on or freeze into the surface it was so well done. At one point the roof goes dark then you hear howling then large slashes start appearing all over the roof. Like I said a great affect, it made you jump. I hope they bring this back each and every Halloween.

 

[ScrapperKimmyD]

We absolutely LOVED it!

But that may have been because we rode in the very front for the first time. It seemed so much more intense than we've ever felt it before!

As far as the overlay - Meh! It was okay. Not scary at all for us, but I can see how it would scare small kids. I liked the music with the screaming in it, though.

We rode it twice with FPs.

 

[sirJeffrey90]

I have to say, it was incredibly underwhelming. I hope they don't waste the two weeks next year to put the decor up again. However, i DID like the light shows on the mountain, I thought that was something they could do all year long!

 

[DizMe]

I sort of felt the same way the first time I rode HMH. Like you said, all the glow in the dark paint on cutouts seems sort of like a cheap way to decorate but I have to say it's grown on me and now I really like it. You'll have to go see it again sometime and see if you like it any better.

This is how I feel, exactly!! I used to post about how much I hated HMH, but now...about 6 years later....I actually like it It really helps that I finally got to see the original HM this summer. We always went annually in Oct and so I missed the old HM. Now that I've renewed my acquaintance with the original, I found the NBC overlay much more fun this time! I did miss the gingerbread coffin from last year, though the house was nice.

As for SMGG, it was ok. I liked that it was different, but like HM I missed some of my favorite things from the original version. However, I don't mind that as I now think that after awhile I will miss things from the seasonal one, once it becomes a tradition! I did not find it scary, spooky, or creepy and I didn't see it as something kids would have more trouble with than the regular SM, but . Anyway, the main problem with it for me was how bright it was. I don't want to be able to see so much of the innards when I'm riding!

 

[jennine]

Being that this was our first time to DLR, we like SMGG. But I think what I liked was the actual ride. The only 'ghost' that I really noticed was the first one at the top of the incline, after that everything went by too fast to notice them!! Even my 7yr old DD(who is easily spooked), did not have a tough time with this.....she went on it 5 times!

 

[pixiewings71]

Being that this was our first time to DLR, we like SMGG. But I think what I liked was the actual ride. The only 'ghost' that I really noticed was the first one at the top of the incline, after that everything went by too fast to notice them!! Even my 7yr old DD(who is easily spooked), did not have a tough time with this.....she went on it 5 times!

Did you miss the last one at the end? I missed it the second time we rode but the first time...... I totally screamed because it was on my side and I didn't expect it at all!

 

[Sally_fan]

We liked it well enough. The kids thought it was pretty cool. We never went on it without a FastPass though. There was no way that we were going to wait 110 min for it so did we love it? Obviously not! lol BUT I did love the light show that they did on the exterior of the building. VERY cool!! I didn't appreciate hearing it at all hours of the night from our hotel room but it was sure neat to watch while in the park!
Oh...I I just have to add the I LOVE HMH!!! We ride it at least 2x a day if not more while we're there during the holidays!!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I could easily leave it. I missed the regular soundtrack and background, etc.

Oh NO!

I Love the regular sound track.

DH and I generally visit WDW (although we are on our way to DL in 16 days).

We love the AHHHHHh --- first sounds of the soundtrack....we know the fun is beginning!

Call me mrs. grumpyhead - I never saw the other....but I"ll keep the regular ride.

 

[Kenttz]

So Space Mountain still has the theme? I thought they would have changed it back. Oh well I be there on Saturday to celebrate my moms birthday and will ride Space regardless.

 

[pixiewings71]

So Space Mountain still has the theme? I thought they would have changed it back. Oh well I be there on Saturday to celebrate my moms birthday and will ride Space regardless.

No, it's regular Space Mtn now, the overlay just ran thru October.