Every year, during the holiday season, something magical and spooky happens at Disneyland Resort. The iconic Haunted Mansion undergoes a marvelous transformation, becoming the Haunted Mansion Holiday. This bewitching attraction becomes a must-see for every Halloween enthusiast, as it combines the spooky essence of the original Haunted Mansion with the holiday charm of Tim Burton’s film The Nightmare Before Christmas.
A Beloved Halloween/Holiday Tradition… Or Is It?
This layover makes perfect sense for Disney; after all, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a perfect mix of a Halloween movie and a Christmas movie. Because of this, Disney is able to make this layover last for both the Halloween and Holiday seasons.
Stepping into Haunted Mansion Holiday is like stepping into a whole new version of the ride. Accompanied by iconic characters like Jack Skellington, Guests get to experience a unique take on one of the Park’s most popular rides. Disney describes the attraction, saying;
“Pumpkin King Jack Skellington has been busy decorating the Haunted Mansion with frightfully festive touches inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Experience thrilling sights and seasonal surprises created by the citizens of Halloween Town. Sally, Oogie Boogie and other beasties from the beloved film will be on hand to wish you “Season’s Screamings!”
However, not all fans are in love with this attraction.
RELATED: Disney’s Extensive Holiday Lineup REVEALED for 2023 Season
Petition Started by Fans Hopes to Put an End to This Overlay
Somewhere along the way, fans stopped feeling so thrilled by this holiday layover. In fact, some fans dread its arrival every year. When the layover was first introduced, it was a fun and festive addition to the Parks. Now, years later, it just doesn’t hit the same way it once did. The bring lights and loud music may be fun, but they don’t make the ride any better. The Haunted Mansion already fits the Halloween theme, so an overlay is really only needed for the Holiday season.
One fan decided to share their opinions on this layover in a post to the r/Disneyland community. They said;
“Petition to not do the Nightmare Before Christmas Layover for Haunted Mansion:
I already feel like that picture of Flynn Ryder where he’s got a bunch of weapons drawn at him and he still looks smug. Hear me out, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a fantastic movie, I watch it every year. HOWEVER, I feel like it’s a bit much as an immersive experience with the neon and annoying music and all. I am also a huge fan of the original Haunted Mansion, it’s a very specific special interest of mine. I strongly dislike that from September to February, it is either the Nightmare Before Christmas Experience or it’s closed to set up/clean up. I propose a different setup for introducing a Nightmare Before Christmas experience that can exist between Halloween and Christmas to meet the high demand of people that love that movie? The possibilities are truly endless, it is Disney after all. I suppose I just feel like the PR side of things goes over the top and puts a solid piece of Disneyland history away in a closet for almost half a year every year.”
Petition to not do the Nightmare Before Christmas Layover for Haunted Mansion
byu/moodly_caboodly83 inDisneyland
Unfortunately for this fan, Disney is likely not going to take this petition into account. For many fans, Haunted Mansion Holiday is iconic, and it has already been marketed as a main attraction for this year’s Halloween events. However, the overlay does cause the Haunted Mansion attraction to close down for installation, so perhaps Disney could reconsider it for this reason. Would you be sad to see this overlay go?