Cool and creepy. And cool.

Once back at the Poly, the boys and I layer up with some warmer clothes and then head out for the Magic Kingdom. Becky makes us promise to start back to the room by 11:00. “But it’s open until midnight!” schedule-master Benjamin informs her.

His mom replies, “For you, it’s closed at 11:00.”

The boys and I walk across to the Great House and then upstairs to the monorail platform. As we wait for the train, I can already tell that this is going to be a chilly experience, even with the additional warm clothing!

We’re into the Magic Kingdom at 9:15. We walk up Main Street, where it is still snowing, and spot a couple of Photopass photographers stationed in the hub. They are taking pictures with both the Partners statue and the castle lit up in ice lights behind it.

We have to have one of these!

After the photographer takes a couple of pictures, we turn towards the attractions – left this time. We want to check out the wait times on the Haunted Mansion and the Fantasyland rides.

One brisk (both means, both fast and chilly) walk later, we are at the queue for the Mansion, which stretches well past the Mansion gates. The sign is showing a standby time of 30 minutes. That’ll do.

We’re really interested in seeing the Haunted Mansion. The original was one of my favorites from my one visit to Disneyland. Then, on my first visit to the Magic Kingdom in 1990 – with Becky on our honeymoon – it was shut down for renovation. We finally got to ride this version in 2003.

Here we are at the start of 2008 (I’m not used to calling it that yet!), and the Magic Kingdom’s Mansion is newly reopened after yet another renovation. I’ve read some about the additions made here, and I’m curious to see them.

The queue goes through several lengthy chained switchbacks under the canopy. I’ve never ridden this after sunset before, and I must say, it is awesome at night. The Mansion is lit in subtle purples and greens, with occasional flashes of lightning around. It is deliciously creepy!

We strike up a conversation with a young couple in line with us. Turns out they are from Charlotte, North Carolina, where we almost passed through on the way here. We have a nice, if brief, chat about the new effects in the Haunted Mansion, as well as favorite eateries. We strongly recommend Le Cellier in Epcot, which they’ve never experienced.

Benjamin suddenly says, “Daddy, hold my hand.” Now, it is creepier here at night, but Benjamin wasn’t all that scared by this attraction back when he was six, and he’s ten now. I suspect an ulterior motive.

Once I grasp his hand my suspicion is confirmed. It’s ice cold from the wind,

“You’re not scared, you just want me to keep your hand warm, right?”

“Well, yeah!” he says, grinning smugly. The pair from Charlotte just laugh.