Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Merchandise Event 9/9/09

[shagadelic]

I'm glad to see they are having an actual event for Haunted Mansion
http://psc.disney.go.com/eventservices/disneygallery/dlr_hm_merchandise_event_09.html
instead of just a merchandise release, but wish I could have some idea of what to expect for the money.Since the description for one package includes “Admission into Disney’s California Adventure® park (after 6:30 PM only)” I'm guessing there is a seminar there. Or maybe that's just time for the dinner.

I've been to a few of Disneyland's events, but have never spent the extra money on a package that includes the hotel. Since that price isn't listed yet, I was wondering if anyone who has gone to an event before that included a night at the hotel could give me a clue about how much that cost.

[Aladdin]

Thinking back to previous similar events, I would guess this is going to be somewhere between $300 to $600 more expensive than the tier below. So the total price of these package, just guessing might be $550 to $850.

Just looking at the differences in the packages, both hotel packages include a one night stay at either DL Hotel or Grand Californian, depending on your package, and ONE additional gift, compared to the $250 Non hotel package.

[shagadelic]

Thanks for the info. Its good to have a ballpark to budget with!

[Scott Disney]

I went to the first HM event in 2000. I paid $2,000 for the VIP package which included 2 nights at the Paradise Pier hotel as well as admission to DL both days, including lunch at Club 33 and a handful of other goodies. We had an amazing dinner in the portrait hallway of the HM attraction itself. It is my understanding, they stopped doing this and moved the dinners to the Blue Bayou...? It was the best money I ever spent. Just driving through the park in a limo past the Mansion and down Main Street was cool enough for me. Plus we received a tombstone with our name on it and a very rare Elizabeth Gomes hand-painted bowl. AND, I forgot to mention, getting the chance to walk through the attraction with the lights on and touch everything. I even got some actual HM cobwebs from the floating candle hallway! I made up an album of the few pictures I have from that night. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

[DOOM BGI]

Originally Posted by Scott Disney

I went to the first HM event in 2000.

I thought the first HM Event was in 1999 to commemorate the 30th Anniversary?

(Oh, and welcome to MiceChat!)

Well, I am glad that they have decided to do an event for the HM 40th for sure, even if it looks like a reduced version of past events.

In any case my first event was the first DLR Haunted Mansion Holiday event in 2001. I attended every year until they stopped in 2004. I also went to the last Happy Haunts Ball in WDW in 2004 and splurged for the top package ($2,250 IIRC).

It's hard to say what to expect from this event, since it appears WD Event Services has significantly scaled back the "oppulence" of these events. For past events, the top tier package has always been around $2K (per person!) or more, but they have always been very exclusive with very limited numbers (50 or less). They incluced "once in a lifetime" experiences such as dining inside the Haunted Mansion. From the looks of the description of the 40th, it looks like they will be open to more people, but probably a lot less in price.

They make no such mention of anything as exclusive like dinner inside the HM. For the DLR version of the dinner the capacity is much less. In WDW the dinner was in the entrance foyer (with the fireplace and portrait of Master Gracey) and the two stretching rooms. The doors were left open (and the stretching was happening continually!), so there were three rooms. The capacity for the WDW dinner was 50. In DLR, because the stretching rooms are actual elevators this is not possible. So the dinner was served outside the elevator in the portrait hallway (line queue). I believe capacity for the DLR dinners was 24.

Can I say how bothered I am by the "each person must register seperately" requirement now?! With the problems they've had in the past with registration online (the site crashed at 11:00am!), how is a couple supposed to both register for the same package, if it's near impossible for even one person to get through? What if they live together and have only one computer? Are they supposed to finish one registration and hope that there's any left for the second? I might have to call WDES and make some inquiries abou this.

[Scott Disney]

I could be wrong in my guess about my dinner experience being the first. I remember one of the hosts saying, Eisner did a similar party inside the HM and that it was so popular, they did it as an event, and I thought, they said we were the first, but again, I could be wrong. L.A. Laker star Kobe Bryant was supposed to be guests #29 and #30, but he was a no-show.

[elly]

Originally Posted by DOOM BGI

Can I say how I am bothered I am by the "each person must register seperately" requirement now?! With the problems they've had in the past with registration online (the site crashed at 11:00am!), how is a couple supposed to both register for the same package, if it's near impossible for even one person to get through? What if they live together and have only one computer? Are they supposed to finish one registration and hope that there's any left for the second? I might have to call WDES and make some inquiries abou this.

you aren't the only bothered by this, i can't imagine either Dustin or myself getting to do this alone, this is something we'd definantly want to share together

if you do call WDES and hear anything please let us know

[lady3jane]

Originally Posted by Scott Disney

I went to the first HM event in 2000. I paid $2,000 for the VIP package which included 2 nights at the Paradise Pier hotel as well as admission to DL both days, including lunch at Club 33 and a handful of other goodies. We had an amazing dinner in the portrait hallway of the HM attraction itself. It is my understanding, they stopped doing this and moved the dinners to the Blue Bayou...? It was the best money I ever spent. Just driving through the park in a limo past the Mansion and down Main Street was cool enough for me. Plus we received a tombstone with our name on it and a very rare Elizabeth Gomes hand-painted bowl. AND, I forgot to mention, getting the chance to walk through the attraction with the lights on and touch everything. I even got some actual HM cobwebs from the floating candle hallway! I made up an album of the few pictures I have from that night. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

OMG!!! Now THAT'S worth paying for! Can you post any of the pictures and/or pics of the memorabilia? I'd love to hear more about this experience.

[Scott Disney]

There is an album of pix on my profile. I am new and am still figuring things out, but I think it is easy to view.

[I Heart Disneyland]

I am so bugged! This is a Wednesday!!!!!!! ARGH! I have to fly in from Seattle and I work only Mon, Tue and Wed! Just my luck!

[awaflyboy]

Originally Posted by I Heart Disneyland

I am so bugged! This is a Wednesday!!!!!!! ARGH! I have to fly in from Seattle and I work only Mon, Tue and Wed! Just my luck!

But there's still plenty of time to work on trading the day!

[awaflyboy]

Well looks like they finally posted the package prices with the hotels included.

Grinning Ghosts - $475
Foolish Mortals - $430
Dearly Departed - $250
Hitchhikers - $85

I'm so hoping I can save for one of the hotel packages, never stayed on site at DL. Which would be better? The DL Hotel or the Grand?

[NeverNeverland]

THe GCH is a better (plusher) hotel, however the Disneyland hotel is full of history

[MasterGracey]

Originally Posted by awaflyboy

Well looks like they finally posted the package prices with the hotels included.

Grinning Ghosts - $475
Foolish Mortals - $430
Dearly Departed - $250
Hitchhikers - $85

I'm so hoping I can save for one of the hotel packages, never stayed on site at DL. Which would be better? The DL Hotel or the Grand?

The Grand.

[I Heart Disneyland]

Originally Posted by NeverNeverland

THe GCH is a better (plusher) hotel, however the Disneyland hotel is full of history

I've heard people say they'd have rather stayed at any number of local hotels and not the DLH, for the price. I don't know, I've never stayed there because I'd rather have the money to spend on vacation. ha!