Originally Posted By Bob Paris As I have said before, I will be going to the TDR sometime in Sept/Oct. For my partner, it's his first time to ANY theme park. I'd prefer him to see TDL in its normal state, rather than festooned with mickey ghost thing and pumpkins everywhere(plus, I REALLY do not get the whole Halloween thing. The shops here are starting to foist it on us and a lot of Australians are REALLY against what is basically sanctioned begging by children). Plus, if we go when these things are being put up there may be some attractions down. So does anybody know on what date they are usually erected and if any attractions are affected?
Originally Posted By Mr X Haunted Mansion is the only attraction affected, I think...that should be re-opened by the time the halloween stuff is up. Generally around the beginning of September is the start of the event (Sept 4th-6th or so)... Too bad you're not interested. The park looks great, it's very festive and fun, there's a special parade and special shows, and Japanese children get their begging training from the cast members complete with an english lesson (how to say "trick or treat" ).
Originally Posted By Bob Paris Yeah, I was there last time around Halloween. I wasn't too fussed however because we had been to DL and WDW so TDL wasn't the main draw at TDR for me. I just want my partner to see the MK in a more virginal sense. Oh well, as long as we can ride the Mansion I won't really care. So does the HM get a NBC overlay?
Originally Posted By Mr X Sorry. Pretty sure it will be overlaid by the time you guys arrive (or maybe I'm wrong, and they only do it for Christmas?).
Originally Posted By SuperDry In 2007, HM was closed Aug 27 - Sept 11 to install the overlay, and opened Sept 12 along with all of the other Halloween stuff. It stays in that mode until shortly after the new year, when it closes once again to put it back to normal. It's been that same approx pattern for the last few years as far as I remember.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I always to to Tokyo Disneyland during the Halloween festivities because they do such a wonderful job (it's a shame Australians have such odd ideas about children enjoying some candy on a holiday). The result of that is that it's been many years since I've seen the Haunted Mansion in its normal state. Unfortunately, when I go for the Disneyana Fan Festival at the beginning of February, the Mansion is closed to convert from NBC back to normal, but I think they're going to put in a few of the upgrades already in Anaheim and Orlando.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan << but I think they're going to put in a few of the upgrades already in Anaheim and Orlando.>> I hope so. That endless staircase effect in the MK version is awesome, as are the new bride effects. It would be nice to see some improvements to the Mansion at TDL.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara At least in Tokyo there is a place for the "Escher" staircase. That was just one of many places where the Tokyo Mansion had improvements over the one on Orlando: the spiders in Orlando had no articulation; in Tokyo the legs moved.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan Agreed. Reason why it annoys me when people say TDL's Haunted Mansion is a direct clone of the MK's, except with a poor location and setting.
Originally Posted By Mr X I sure do agree with the poor location and setting part! Talk about shoehorned!
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan Me too. I much prefer the waterside location of the other Mansions/Manor. The rest blend in more cohesively with their respective areas. But I guess you can't blame them, as Fantasyland seemed like the best choice at the time for a close replica of the MK version. Certainly it wouldn't fit in Adventureland, Tomorrowland, or Frontierland? Though I guess they could've just changed the facade to blend it in Westernland without really adjusting the interior at all.
Originally Posted By Mr X I sort of wish it had been a more original look, but then again it's just the worst example of the weird amalgamation of Tokyo Disneyland, taking bits and pieces of Florida and Anaheim and throwing them here and there without much thought. In some cases, it worked out okay (Small World and Toontown from Cali, the Castle and larger layout from Florida) and in other cases, well, you get the haunted mansion. At least World Bazaar is original! :O
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan Actually, I think they took Small World from the Magic Kingdom, and created a new exterior (dramtically better than the exterior facade of the Magic Kingdom's, mind you) based on Disneyland's look. I also like that they took Disneyland's New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean, though I kind of miss the Rivers of America bordering it and giving it life. Hey, actually...could they not have put Disneyland's version of the Mansion in Adventureland? They could have had it close to Pirates just like in Disneyland, having a close copy of Disneyland's exterior while keeping the MK's interior ride portion. Oh well, what's done is done.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan And you do have to give credit to TDL for creating a new Big Thunder Mountain (it was the best version at its opening), the best version of Splash Mountain with a far more realised concept for Critter Country (compared to Disneyland's), and of course...Pooh's Hunny Hunt.
Originally Posted By Mr X **Actually, I think they took Small World from the Magic Kingdom, and created a new exterior (dramtically better than the exterior facade of the Magic Kingdom's, mind you) based on Disneyland's look.** Right. I was just thinking about the exterior. The one at the Magic Kingdom is horrible. In fact, as you point out, many of the actual attractions are better versions or at least equal to the better U.S. efforts...when I talk of the amalgam thing I'm mostly talking about the look of the park. I love the attractions.
Originally Posted By Mr X Good point about Rivers of America... That area is definitely one that feels shoehorned somewhat, with Westernland and Critter Country banging up against Fantasyland in a jarring fashion without any transition whatsoever. But then again, down beside Thunder mountain is a lovely (and unique?) area that really feels "frontier" and I love to hang out down there. Also there are usually characters to be found down there that a lot of people don't know about.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan To be fair, New Orleans Square at Disneyland kind of runs into Critter Country without any transitions. Not to mention that Splash Mountain is literally a few steps away from the Haunted Mansion. In Tokyo Disneyland, Critter Country is behind Fantasyland so that Splash Mountain is not visible except from across the Rivers of American.
