Armchair Imagineering: Sleepy Hollow show and Matterhorn Halloween overlay

[darkfairycthulu]

I have posted a idea a while back concerning a Halloween overlay to Big Thunder, to a Ghost Train kind of experience.....

So why not the Matterhorn as well? Add a new soundtrack, keeping the old howling wind, but also some eerie kind of low music, or the sound of one of those Swiss alpine horns, isolated, blowing occasionally throughout the mountain and queue...just one, short, deep blast at a time. Inside, some new lighting for the dark cave portions, green likely, or deep blue, and for Harold as well and increase the volume on his growls.

A few simple new props could be added...nothing bloody, but frozen portions of skeletons near the crystal cave/Well's expedition crates, and around Harold in his two appearances...add in some fog effects for the caves, and the new soundtrack, and I think it would be good to go. If they wanted to do a bit more ambitious overlay (unlikely), they could add a projection scene in the current snowflake field on the lift hill, of the outline of Harold glaring at you, eyes lit only, the rest dark, and then running off...say from shoulders up only, as if they screen was a opening into another cavern.

What do you think? Should the Matterhorn join in the Halloween festivities?

And on to the second portion of my idea...why not introduce for the month of October a Ichabod Crane character to Fantasyland, to talk to guests, and at night perhaps have a mini show back by Small World, from the parade gates, and around, with the end/exit area being the closed off Toontown, since it would be after dark. There would be some lighting effects (lightning/thunder), fog, and music, with Ichabod telling the story of Sleepy Hollow, culminating in the appearance of the Headless Horseman doing a ride-by through the fog, and vanishing into the Toontown area via the use of a fog bank (if not dangerous for the horse) and cast members being ready to close the gates behind the performer. True, it would be neccesary to shut down the path for this area, but it would be good to see the characters in the park for Halloween, and this had the most logical setup I could see with wide paths for running the horse and a entry and exit point fairly close to each other.

Your thoughts?

[MainSreetJake]

This would be cool to see. What if they put the mini show inside the Fantasyland theatre? Possibly have 3-4 nighttime showings. Matterhorn would be really awesome to see with a Halloween overlay, I'm interested to see if Switzerland has stories about Halloween or Hallow's Eve, etc that could be tied into the story better.

[WDITrent]

Now this is a good idea. It's perfect!

[Eric5675]

I really dislike the Matterhorn idea. I think it could have a Christmas Overlay, but the Halloween one just doesn't make sense. I think it would be kind of tacky, thematically wrong, and keep away the parents/ kids for "Baby's first rollercoatser ride".

[tamasurvivor]

I love it.. something kinda fun and freaky for halloween!

Halloween is amazing and the best holiday of the year... and Disney should really amp up the festivities or do something festive.... not necessarily scary but freaky and spooky in a fun and Disney type of way

The matterhorn idea sounds pretty fun and its more or less just a short change of lighting, some absence of lighting, some eerie type of sounds and music from the mountain, and some extra decorations... which would mean downtime to put it up and take down would mean the attraction could be changed and converted with only about a week or at most two weeks to put up and then take down

I love the idea.... and it would be festive

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by Eric5675

I really dislike the Matterhorn idea. I think it could have a Christmas Overlay, but the Halloween one just doesn't make sense. I think it would be kind of tacky, thematically wrong, and keep away the parents/ kids for "Baby's first rollercoatser ride".

I appreciate the point about the kids issue, that I actually agree with. As for the rest being tacky...I don't advocate at all the jump out at you scares, it would be a understated lighting change inside and new soundtrack with props, emphasizing and adding to the atmosphere inside the mountain already, which has a vague air of menace to it already in the opening dark cavern/lift hill and the scene with Harold's glowing eyes. I personally think it would be far tackier if they added Christmas scenes or did like a North Pole tie-in....stacks of presents and Santa's elves inside? No thank you.

My idea was simply....Harold is already played some for menace, and simply add some green lights and a spooky, subtle soundtrack, and add some human/animal bones frozen into the ice....I can understand not everyone would enjoy it, but I'm not suggesting they add a giant pumpkin or play Monster Mash at full volume throughout the ride, that would be tacky.

[disneylandfan95]

I really like the Sleepy Hollow idea!!! That would really be awesome!!! I always thought that Disneyland should dress up a little more for Halloween. Only Main Street is kinda boring for the rest of the park.

Now the Matterhorn idea is realy good!!! But I don't really like the bones in the snow part. The projection of Harold on the lift hill is really great and I would absolutly LOVE to see that in the parks!!!

Great ideas Darkfairy!!!

[pianoman13]

I love these ideas. I'd rather have your matterhorn idea be a permanant thing hah...it doesnt sound all that much scarier to me. (maybe minus the frozen skeletal remains)

The Sleepy Hollow show is a good idea also, that area would be great too because they could (permanantly) retheme the monorail tracks around the Matterhorn on the Fantasyland side as like a covered bridge (or at least an old looking bridge)ala Sleeping Hollow. So it could appear more fantasyland-ish instead of being a random concrete beam for normal park seasons, and during the Sleepy Hollow shows be like minor placemaking.

[Flickering Bulb]

the matterhorn idea really doesn't make sense to me as a story or a theme. i think it would be a real clash, i don't see a purpose as to why it should be changed. i would have a hard time believing a xmas theme as well.

[princedalton]

The Sleepy Hollow idea I LOOOOVE!!! They do (or did) it at WDW...I saw a video on youtube...it was in front of the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square (which fits the time period perfectly) and they played the organ music and he told the story of Sleepy Hollow...then the Headless Horseman rode by...pretty creepy if you ask me!!

They should definitely bring that to Disneyland!!! The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is one of my favorite classics...ESPECIALLY the Sleepy Hollow portion of it...I watch it every Halloween and have watched it since I was a toddler...