The Haunted Mansion Halloween Refurb

[mesaboy2]

Sorry, I guess I was unclear. I get that people not being able to visit as often is part of the general understanding of why WDW doesn't get holiday overlays. It's just that it doesn't make sense to me since no one really just shows up at WDW unless you live nearby, just like at Disneyland. My point was simply that since most people plan out their WDW trips carefully because they live further away, they'd have lots of notice of pending overlay downtown to choose their dates to make sure they didn't miss anything that mattered to them on their trip.

I think you underestimate how many people, even from long distances, show up with a bare minimum of planning (like ride refurb schedules). Your statement (bolded) I think is true for people who ask questions on boards like this, but I also think people asking questions on boards like this or research refurbs are a very small fraction of guests who go to WDW. I believe a great many do indeed just show up without much planning--and usually still have a great time.

Not trying to be argumentative here, just offering my perspective.

 

[ttintagel]

A lot of people also don't have a huge number of choices about what time of year they can go.

 

[Jenn]

They DO sell NBC merchandise at WDW. Saw it this weekend in several stores, notably the Pirates store in MK and villains store in HS.

 

[Micca]

HM is our favorite attraction at WDW and I understand the thinking about not doing the overlay. However, the NBC version of HM at DLR is awesome. I wasn't even a big NBC fan when I saw it but was blown away. Same with the holiday version of IASW, just fantastic. Every true Disney fan should make the pilgrimage to DLR at some point, be sure to consider the possibility of a Halloween visit.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

HM is our favorite attraction at WDW and I understand the thinking about not doing the overlay. However, the NBC version of HM at DLR is awesome. I wasn't even a big NBC fan when I saw it but was blown away. Same with the holiday version of IASW, just fantastic. Every true Disney fan should make the pilgrimage to DLR at some point, be sure to consider the possibility of a Halloween visit.

Going for my bday in 2015 but won't get to see the holiday stuff because my plans are for summer

 

[Mrs Eeyore]

For an alarmingly long time I was wondering why the National Broadcasting Company would be messing with the HM anyway... Sorry to interrupt. Carry on.

 

[White Rose]

I'm torn..I always go in Oct now to WDW and we went to DL once this same time of year, and got to experience HM NBC version..LOVED it.

Loved Ghost Galaxy too. (WOW! but it's kinda freaky scary and a bit disturbing to see a the creature in the ghost galaxy version...eeek! It would not qualify as 'not scary'.)

If I did not get the chance to see my regular HM in WDW when I go every 5 years.. yea.. I'd be sad. I would not always want to see the NBC version. the NBC version was kinda cool to ride once...but...not over and over.

We live in NJ - a bit of travel to Orlando and a lot of travel to DL...but it does not stop us from planning another DL trip (this time doing the Adventures by Disney tour!)

I wish WDW would get Jack and Sally M&G- they had em in DL and I missed my chance to get my picture with them. Jack's voice was spot on, and that really impressed me! The actor (and composer) who did the voice in the movie is Danny Elfman, and also did all the music for the movie...and at the M&G, he sounded JUST like him!

 

[wendy1974]

I'm fine with not having it at WDW. I love the original HM though they do change things a little for MNSSHP and have a Ghost on the lawn talking to people, CM's in makeup that makes them look like zombies and even more cobwebs if that's possible. Slightly off topic, I do miss The Country Bear Jamboree Christmas show at WDW. The last time I remember seeing it was November '99. I think they quit switching to the holiday show shorty after that. It was awesome!

 

[ttintagel]

For an alarmingly long time I was wondering why the National Broadcasting Company would be messing with the HM anyway... Sorry to interrupt. Carry on.

And the ghost of a peacock will follow you home! HAHAHAHAHA!

 

[bumbershoot]

Not necessarily. Lots of people who consider DLR their home resort don't live within driving distance. (I'm in Chicago, for example, and many other DLR vets are widely scattered west of the Rockies, not just in SoCal.) It's just part of your trip planning--the overlay downtime is reported along with the refurb schedules. So if you're used to checking refurb schedules for WDW, it really would be the same thing. Sometimes you end up having to visit when your favorite ride is being refurbed (i.e. BTMMRR and Splash at Magic Kingdom recently, etc.) Sometimes you get to choose your dates to make sure you what you want to ride will be open. It's kind of like that. What it usually wouldn't be, though (DLR's recent DOSHA ride-closure fiasco notwithstanding) is HM or iasw going down for the refurb overlay with no notice to help you plan around things, if that makes sense.



I hear that, but you might be amazed, too. Have you ever gotten to experience the NBC HM overlay at Disneyland? I actually prefer it over the regular HM. The graveyard scene is absolutely breathtaking!

I like what you say and how you say it. I wanted to say something similar but it's one thing I get tongue-tied over.

I do actually prefer the overlay version now; the old version feels, well, old. And since I've only been on WDW's one time I don't remember it at all, so I can't say if it's like the normal one at DL or not.

I hadn't seen NBC when I first went on the overlay version, and I disliked it. DH bought the movie and he and DS watched it 18 million times, and after about a year of that I started to appreciate it, and now I really like the overlay version. (I dislike just about everything else Burton's done, though...)

Sorry, I guess I was unclear. I get that people not being able to visit as often is part of the general understanding of why WDW doesn't get holiday overlays. It's just that it doesn't make sense to me since no one really just shows up at WDW unless you live nearby, just like at Disneyland. My point was simply that since most people plan out their WDW trips carefully because they live further away, they'd have lots of notice of pending overlay downtown to choose their dates to make sure they didn't miss anything that mattered to them on their trip, so overlays onm HM or iasw shouldn't really pose that much of a problem even at WDW.

I think you underestimate how many people, even from long distances, show up with a bare minimum of planning (like ride refurb schedules). Your statement (bolded) I think is true for people who ask questions on boards like this, but I also think people asking questions on boards like this or research refurbs are a very small fraction of guests who go to WDW. I believe a great many do indeed just show up without much planning--and usually still have a great time.

Not trying to be argumentative here, just offering my perspective.

Sure, there are people who don't plan. Moreso at DLR, I imagine. And people who don't plan don't get to complain when something's down, do they? Especially if the website said it was down.



The ONE thing I dislike about the overlay is that it goes SO long. The movie starts AFTER Halloween is over, so it kinda makes me nutty that it starts so long before Halloween. I get that they can't really do anything else. People wouldn't feel it makes sense without going through Halloween, and they can't just shut something down in the middle of Thanksgiving/Christmas stuff. But still. Too long.

Now I have "this is Halloween" in my head. Awesome. Ooh and now "come out to socialize" is mixing in with it. Fabulous!