This week's visit (on Sunday) wasn't much different from last week's. (Can you spot the mini poinsettia still visible in Storybook Land? Hint: it's at a point where two stories converge.)

When I stepped off the Disneyland Railroad train at New Orleans Square, the Haunted Mansion gates were being locked (tech problems). I opted to wait. After half an hour, we were let in, then sent back out (seems the problem wasn't quite fixed). After another half-hour (I waited on the porch this time), we got to ride.

It was totally worth it.

Reason being, there were only about 15 people in the elevator including me, and the lack of crowding really added to the experience. It felt more like a group of ghost hunters exploring an actual haunted mansion than the busy-day glorified-cattle-car experience.

The beheading effect on the attic portraits wasn't working, but everything else seemed fine.

Shame on: Parents of crying, cranky little girls (I'm guessing they were around 4-5 years old) waiting behind me, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it was noon and those poor kids were probably ravenous (in addition to being scared). Forcing a young child to wait an hour in line at mealtime to ride something scary seems a little bit cruel to me (keep in mind I was a very skinny kid, and was never scared of the HM because I grew up in a similar-looking house).
Yay for: Patient HM CM's keeping their cool the whole time.

As I exited Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin I spotted two park suits checking the sound effects on the crates. So far the only things that still don't work are the MIA police phone and the talking Toonhole.

See you at Disneyland.