2010 Best Theme Park Attraction: Haunted Mansion vs. Men in Black Alien Attack

March 18, 2010 at 1:10 PM · No comparison! Haunted Mansion is a classic that will never get too old

March 18, 2010 at 1:15 PM · I can't select on over the other - I love them both and they're totally different experiences.

March 18, 2010 at 1:20 PM · wow! im kinda shocked! yea HM is a classic, but MIB is just...WOW

March 18, 2010 at 1:21 PM · I don't care for MIB. I prefer Buzz Lightyear at MK over MIB. Haunted Mansion is a classic and gets my vote.

March 18, 2010 at 1:36 PM · I agree, besides some of the effects of MIB wear off after a few rides, but not with HM.

March 18, 2010 at 1:38 PM · Both terrific rides. The best interactive attraction against the greatest dark ride that doesn't have pirates involved. Having said that, the theming is far superior in the mansion. Haunted Mansion should and will pass.

I get no pleasure to see MIB fall so early this year. Maybe a little. ;)

March 18, 2010 at 1:40 PM · There's always something new to see at Haunted Mansion, since you can't possibly look every direction at once and the action takes place at every angle.

March 18, 2010 at 2:01 PM · Wow, what a blowout! Someone better start the TH CREATIVE suicide watch, now!

March 18, 2010 at 2:04 PM · I love both, but picked MIB. But only because I enjoy the competition and challenge associated. Either way, both are great rides. Looking forward to another Haunted ride in a few months. :)

March 18, 2010 at 2:05 PM · Seriously, where's TH? With MIB blown out and Jungle Cruise not even making the top 16, I gotta agree with James - keep TH away from sharp objects and windows.

March 18, 2010 at 2:21 PM · Sorry TH, but even you can't help but to admire the wonder the Haunted Mansion is!

March 18, 2010 at 2:27 PM · I'm all for Haunted Mansion as it's one of the few "near perfect" attractions. MIB, even though I've never been on it, I'm not a fan of these new laser games in the theme parks. I may have been a decade ago, but I like to keep my videogames out of the Theme Parks. Toy Story just looks odd as you can see the track and it doesn't really feel like you're going into a toybox or anything like that. Although I like how Buzz Lightyear has physical animatronics, there's barely any type of reaction from the targets. I play videogames, but I like them at home.

Haunted Mansion is pretty much a "living" attraction where you believe that the ghosts are actually in the mansion. It's one of the attractions that makes you believe it's real... makes you forget that it's "just a ride".

March 18, 2010 at 2:30 PM · I personally think Haunted Mansion is the greatest dark ride ever built. It's just brilliant in so many aspects. I hope it goes far in the tournament.

March 18, 2010 at 3:10 PM · Brandon, MIB exists on a completely different level than all other theme park shoot-'em-ups. This is the one example where the game exists within a fully realized dark ride attraction. (In other words, even without the shooting, this would be a great ride.) Do give this one a try if you're ever at Universal Studios Florida.

March 18, 2010 at 3:22 PM · I find Haunted Mansion boring but love MIB. I like the interactive competition against the other car. I probably shouldn't be comparing though b/c I find most stuff at Disney to be slow and boring..

March 18, 2010 at 3:34 PM · Had to vote for the Mansion, but I'm very sad to see MIB go so early. Shout out to TPI contributer and all around cool guy Dave Cobb, MIB's creative director!

March 18, 2010 at 3:44 PM · We know Disney never comes down off their perch for these events, but Universal does (one more reason to love the folks at Universal).

Based on the number of voters, I guess Universal has not linked in yet, Robert?

March 18, 2010 at 4:50 PM · Yeah Haunted Mansion is just so great, MIB didn't stand a chance. On to the next round.

March 18, 2010 at 4:52 PM · @Robert: Thanks for the heads up about MIB! I love the movies and I take them for what they are, but I guess the two Disney "game-tractions" left a bitter taste in my mouth. Anyway, I'm always able to give any ride a chance regardless of what I've read or been on before (Heck I gave Heimlich's Chew Chew Train a chance even after what I was told about it!), so hopefully I'll be at USF/UIA within the next few years! It's intriguing to know that it's a good ride even without the lasers. Maybe I'm used to what USH does for their attractions... almost always second fiddle to USF's. =(

March 18, 2010 at 4:56 PM · Lots of people sippin' the kool-aid. Haunted Mansion is a "classic" attraction, but in it's traditional form, it's nowhere near the complexity or re-ridability of MIB. MIB is the best dark ride on the planet in my book, and I can't believe it got knocked off.

March 18, 2010 at 5:14 PM · I missed this poll, but would have voted for the HM (although the WDW version is my favorite). Still, MIB is a terrific interactive ride, and unmissable on any trip to Universal.

March 18, 2010 at 6:11 PM · Okay ... look ... the damned hotel is 32 stories tall ... the convention center's ballroom can acommodate two (or maybe three) NFL games simultaneously. ... I was not patying attention to the tournament ... Grrrrrrr ...

March 18, 2010 at 6:25 PM · "Sipping the Kool-Aid"? Doesn't that normally infer going along with the crowd, often for a bad idea?

Let me tell you why, in my books, MIB loses to Haunted Mansion.

Forget the ride itself for a second. Both are great in different ways. Instead, let's take care of some housecleaning.

1) The exterior of MIB, in my opinion, is pretty damn ugly. It feels very fake and tacky, unlike the Haunted Mansion, which is eerie and attractive.

2) MIB's queue is both less interesting and less consistent than HM's. It has a couple of lumbering aliens and some cheap weaponry, but nothing nearly as cool as an extending room or decaying picture. In addition, I've ridden MIB at least 8 times, and only once have I witnessed the employees give the "Welcome to MIB" spiel. I didn't even know that entrance doubled as an "elevator" until my last trip.

3) Those damn lockers. The employees are far too picky about what you bring on the ride. My friend had a tiny fanny pack, about the size of my fist, and was rudely told to store it. Come on. It's attached like a belt - it ain't going anywhere.

4) Every time I go to Universal, MIB isn't operating until about 2 hours after park opening.

5) Rarely have I experienced both tracks running simultaneously and coordinated, which eliminates the sense of competition.

Although MIB is still an excellent ride, and although it's my favorite shoot-em-up ride, and although WDW's HM is far superior to Disneyland's, I gotta go with HM.

March 19, 2010 at 7:10 AM · MIB deserved to go further in this contest, but it was up against a classic, and heavyweight. This is the best themed ride category, and HM's level of theming is second to none. Like Joshua, I would prefer to see WDW's HM in this tournament, but Disneyland's version has still stood the test of time. One advantage it has over the east version: the walk through portion of the attraction.
Robert, if I may, how about introducing a new category in next year's tournament: Best Interactive Attraction. That way you could pit TSMM against MIB and MILF against Turtle Talk, etc.