Why Are We Spooky in July? The Unpopular Truth About Haunted Mansion Holiday’s Mid-Summer Start
www.disneyland.com
Every year, as the Los Angeles summer sun blazes down on Disneyland, something mysterious starts to happen. The pumpkins come out. The wreaths are hung on the house with care, Jack is back in his Santa hat and the Haunted Mansion has been magically morphed into its holiday version—Haunted Mansion Holiday. But here’s the unpopular opinion I’m here to share- opening Haunted Manion Holiday at the end of July this year is just ridiculous!
Now, don't get me wrong, I love it when Jack Skellington decks the halls as much as the next Disneyland fan, so before you bring out the pitch forks and come for me, hear me out. The H.M.H. overlay is a welcome treat and the envy of people on the east coast that have yet to get this luxury. But do we really need to be ushering in the spooky season while we’re still lathering on sunscreen, searching for misting systems in the shade and debating whether it’s too early for pumpkin spice lattes ? Spoiler: it’s always too early in July!
Imagine this: you're strolling through New Orleans Square, enjoying the summer break, when—bam! — suddenly, you’re in Halloween Town. “Wait,” you think, “did I just time travel?” Nope, that’s just Disney’s way of reminding us that Halloween isn’t a holiday, it’s a lifestyle that now starts July 29th.
A.I. used to erase user names. www.instagram.com/disneyparks
Sure, there's something whimsical about the blend of palm trees and pumpkins, but there's also something a little surreal about hearing “This is Halloween” while a Dole Whip melts in your hand. It’s like the ghost of Christmas future came back early and brought a side of summer heat with him.
I understand that Haunted Mansion Holiday closed for refurbishment in January. I for one am excited for the new layout and shop that will be there because it is one of my favorite rides. I understand leaving up the holiday décor until the start of spooky season because the total transformation takes weeks, but an opening date of July 29th is ridiculous. Flat out. I get the pressure of having SOMETHING on that side of the park, but this could have waited until August 23, the official start of the season. As a fan of the original Haunted Mansion, follow my thought process here; Jack has been decking the halls since Aug. 2023- Jan 2024. The ride has been closed for construction and now reopened with a virtual queue starting July 29th. So, from July 29th, 2024- Jan 10, 2025, Jack will be back on the block. That is a little over 10 months of Halloween in New Orleans square and at this point it has lost its pizzaz. The original Haunted Mansion now feels like the overlay.
So, while I still might try to join the virtual queue to ride the Haunted Mansion Holiday in August (because who can resist those holiday-themed ghouls?), I can’t help but feel like we're all just a tad early for the party. Maybe I’m a traditionalist, or maybe I’m just someone who believes that Halloween should be savored in crisp autumn air, or at LEAST in September, not sweltering summer heat. Los Angeles already struggles with seasons, so at least let us enjoy a full hot girl summer before we start smelling gingerbread and seeing pumpkins.
But hey, maybe I'm just a tad bit crazy. After all, Disney magic is all about blending the unexpected with the familiar. And who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll get on board with the idea that Halloween starts in July—right after I finish my Christmas shopping in September.