[Question] Will they skip over Haunted Mansion Holiday this year?

[LordVader]

Apologies if there’s a thread about this already, but this has been on my mind.

How many of you think that TDA will either skip over Haunted Mansion Holiday this year or go ahead with it?

I don’t know if they’re willing to close the Mansion so soon after reopening but I know that the overlay is extremely popular so who knows? The circumstances of the past year may not affect it at all. I’m planning on going with my gf and some of our friends the first week of September and am kinda hoping that it’s not closed or already converted to HMH.

I’d love to hear some of you guys’ input.

[JoeCool]

Apologies if there’s a thread about this already, but this has been on my mind.

How many of you think that TDA will either skip over Haunted Mansion Holiday this year or go ahead with it?

I don’t know if they’re willing to close the Mansion so soon after reopening but I know that the overlay is extremely popular so who knows? The circumstances of the past year may not affect it at all. I’m planning on going with my gf and some of our friends the first week of September and am kinda hoping that it’s not closed or already converted to HMH.

I’d love to hear some of you guys’ input.

Based on other threads and Disneyland's focus on cutting down expenses, I do not think Haunted Mansion Holiday will return in 2021. If the overlay would be up, it would require HM to be closed from the last week of August through Labor Day and the beginning part of September. Usually Haunted Mansion Holiday opens when Disneyland's "Halloween Time" season opens in September. I suspect Halloween Time will be after Sept. 9 2021.

[md6379a]

This has been discussed in a few threads, but I do like this topic, so...

As JoeCool said, if HMH were happening this year, HM would probably be listed as closed in late-August. It's possible they'll start it later, and thus not close HM until September, though.

Since Disney is "pressing the reset button" on its theme park operations by reconsidering a lot of practices, I hope seasonal overlays will be part of what they rethink. Such overlays (almost?) always weaken the experience of the attraction that they're overlaying (e.g., HMH, Ghost Galaxy, Jingle Cruise), and result in the "classic" versions of said attractions being unavailable for an extended time.

Since Disney is aiming to pivot Disneyland's market a little more toward "vacation visitors" (rather than just locals), it makes sense to keep the top draws - such as Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain - open as themselves throughout the year.

That's just my passing thought, though.

[JoeCool]

This has been discussed in a few threads, but I do like this topic, so...

As JoeCool said, if HMH were happening this year, HM would probably be listed as closed in late-August. It's possible they'll start it later, and thus not close HM until September, though.

Since Disney is "pressing the reset button" on its theme park operations by reconsidering a lot of practices, I hope seasonal overlays will be part of what they rethink. Such overlays (almost?) always weaken the experience of the attraction that they're overlaying (e.g., HMH, Ghost Galaxy, Jingle Cruise), and result in the "classic" versions of said attractions being unavailable for an extended time.

Since Disney is aiming to pivot Disneyland's market a little more toward "vacation visitors" (rather than just locals), it makes sense to keep the top draws - such as Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain - open as themselves throughout the year.

That's just my passing thought, though.

I agree. I think they will focus on the reset and have no overlays. Disneyland can always added pumpkins and holiday decorations on the outside of the Mansion.

[Spongeocto4]

I goining to predict...yes, it will return.

Despite it's previous closure, I think Disney will still (controversially) have HMH this year. I think a lot people here on this board are "wishful thinking" of not having HMH. But, locals and seasonal travelers are still needed to be enticed for Fall visits. And a Halloween Party may or may not happen this year, which could force Disney to offer something in the void.

Interestingly, if a hypothetical budget crunch was affecting the return of the attraction's overlay, TDA could deliberately delay the overlay's return until October. Why? So the expenditures of the retheme would be on the new budget for the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year, versus the current budget(2020-2021).

[md6379a]

I goining to predict...yes, it will return.

Despite it's previous closure, I think Disney will still (controversially) have HMH this year. I think a lot people here on this board are "wishful thinking" of not having HMH. But, locals and seasonal travelers are still needed to be enticed for Fall visits. And a Halloween Party may or may not happen this year, which could force Disney to offer something in the void.

I hope you're wrong, but... that may indeed be my wishful thinking.

If they must do overlays, couldn't they at least do them to attractions that aren't park-anchoring e-tickets? Halloween Jungle Cruise? Halloween River Run? Turning The Little Mermaid into a Nightmare Before Christmas ride instead of doing it to The Haunted Mansion (plus, wouldn't that help draw people to DCA, which is what they always want)? Turning all of Hollywood Land into a Nightmare Before Christmas environment, with a walkthrough in the Hollywood Studios section? I guess all of this is really wishful thinking, though.

[Brian PieGuy]

I hope you're wrong, but... that may indeed be my wishful thinking.

If they must do overlays, couldn't they at least do them to attractions that aren't park-anchoring e-tickets? Halloween Jungle Cruise? Halloween River Run? Turning The Little Mermaid into a Nightmare Before Christmas ride instead of doing it to The Haunted Mansion (plus, wouldn't that help draw people to DCA, which is what they always want)? Turning all of Hollywood Land into a Nightmare Before Christmas environment, with a walkthrough in the Hollywood Studios section? I guess all of this is really wishful thinking, though.

Halloween River Run sounds like it could be pretty cool. Have a performer dressed as Bigfoot scare rafters at night, that would make a good draw for the Oogie Boogie Bash.

Between Mission: Breakout Monsters After Dark, Mater's Junkyard JamBOOree, and Luigi's Honkin' Halloween it seems Disney is doubling down on overlays, so I don't see them reversing course and doing away with them.

I admit, I have a soft spot for Haunted Mansion Holiday, but I totally get why some people don't like it. I'm still bitter they added Disney characters to its a small world, and I imagine that's how a lot of people feel about HMH.

[jish5555]

Honestly, if they want to do the Haunted Mansion Holidays, I HOPE they don't implement it until November, because dangit, why make the Haunted Mansion, a ride that's perfect for Halloween, Christmas themed? If anything, it would make sense to Christmasfy it AFTER Halloween to stay true to the Nightmare Before Christmas lore. Honestly, this is something I wish they'd have always done instead of doing it IN SEPTEMBER.

[md6379a]

Honestly, if they want to do the Haunted Mansion Holidays, I HOPE they don't implement it until November, because dangit, why make the Haunted Mansion, a ride that's perfect for Halloween, Christmas themed? If anything, it would make sense to Christmasfy it AFTER Halloween to stay true to the Nightmare Before Christmas lore. Honestly, this is something I wish they'd have always done instead of doing it IN SEPTEMBER.

This is a really good point. HMH really is a Christmas holiday overlay (and that fits the story of the film; the events that are represented in HMH happen during Christmastime). Doing it November-December (e.g., closing regular HM a few days after Halloween) would be a lot less obnoxious/disruptive.

[LordVader]

Honestly, if they want to do the Haunted Mansion Holidays, I HOPE they don't implement it until November, because dangit, why make the Haunted Mansion, a ride that's perfect for Halloween, Christmas themed? If anything, it would make sense to Christmasfy it AFTER Halloween to stay true to the Nightmare Before Christmas lore. Honestly, this is something I wish they'd have always done instead of doing it IN SEPTEMBER.

That’s what I’m hoping too. I’ve always wondered why they didn’t wait until after Halloween to change it over, but having it open during Halloween and Christmas makes sense. Though it makes more sense to have around during Christmas because the overlay is very much tied to that season more so than Halloween.

[mickeyfan42]

You're all going to hate me, but as someone that is an out of town visitor who works retail, I'm not allowed time off for a vacation from like 2 weeks before Halloween through Mid January. So I'm glad it starts when it does because that way I can have any chance to see it. I haven't seen Small World Holiday since I went in 7th grade (2004), but have gotten to see HMH a few times with September trips, and then regular HM during my February-March trips

[tarheelalum]

It's very unlikely that Disneyland will have the overlay this year.

[Eagleman]

It's very unlikely that Disneyland will have the overlay this year.

I think you are right -because operation cost !
IMO=OVERLAY.......I really do not like

[DLHMFAN]

Not only am I hoping for no Haunted Mansion Holiday this year, I would prefer no It's a Small World Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy/Hyperspace Mountain as well. Disneyland lost five months of operating time this year and it's not fair for holiday overlays to cut into the operating time of the regular versions this year even more.

[Eagleman]

Not only am I hoping for no Haunted Mansion Holiday this year, I would prefer no It's a Small World Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy/Hyperspace Mountain as well. Disneyland lost five months of operating time this year and it's not fair for holiday overlays to cut into the operating time of the regular versions this year even more.

I feel Disney will tone the overlays down......till the parks get back on there feet.........
They want save money.........than putting overlays Up and Down.......again operation cost !
IMO

[DLHMFAN]

I feel Disney will tone the overlays down......till the parks get back on there feet.........
They want save money.........than putting overlays Up and Down.......again operation cost !
IMO

I hope you're right. I'm still burned out from Hyperspace Mountain. As for the Haunted Mansion, the regular version didn't operate at all last year. Haunted Mansion Holiday could take another year off.