YMMV / Muppets Haunted Mansion

• Character Rerailment: Or relationship rerailment; most of the Disney-produced Muppet media from The Muppets (2015) onwards portrayed Kermit and Miss Piggy as exes whose relationship ended poorly, with a lot of awkwardness and bitterness on both sides (the Muppet Babies reboot technically doesn't count). Although we don't see that much of them in the special, their relationship seems much closer to their Muppet Show versions; with Miss Piggy dragging Kermit into doing something romantic with her (dressing in matching costumes is popular with couples) and Kermit giving in and going along with it (although, this could be still considered Amicable Exes for people who find dressing up as each other fun).
• Crosses the Line Twice: "Life Hereafter" is basically the ghost Muppets telling Gonzo and Pepe, "Hey, guys, you're going to be cold, rotting corpses soon. Join the afterlife; it's fun!" It's extremely catchy and funny.
• He Really Can Act: The scene where Gonzo enters room 999 and realizes his worst fears while aging rapidly has got to be Dave Goelz's most heart-wrenching performance since Muppets from Space. He also gives a genuinely terrifying performance as Gonzo’s reflection.
• Heartwarming Moments:
  • Kermit's indirect, but encouraging talk to Gonzo, peppered with toast to Gonzo, despite him not being there.
  • The Ghost Host helps Gonzo save Pepe by having the floating candelabra guide him to where Pepe is.
  • MacGuffin aka the Ghost Host bends the rules when Gonzo and Pepe are a few seconds late to escape after sunrise. He stops them from exiting the grounds...and congratulates Gonzo for not only being brave to face his fears but also to save his friend. MacGuffin says that no one else who tried to stay at the Mansion for longer than a night thought to go back for the ones they thought were lost forever because they were only worried about their own safety. He reveals himself to Gonzo as the ghost of the magician, and reassures the "whatever" that he is Gonzo the Great.
  • Despite having driven many guests that never returned, the limo driver was right on time when Gonzo and Pepe leave the Mansion. She expresses surprise and relief that they are alive, and make sure they're settled in before she starts the engine.

• Moment of Awesome: Gonzo using his daredevil skills to escape the beast at the bottom of the stairwell to reach the attic, and then escaping through the attic window with Pepe.
  Gonzo: I've faced my fears and homicidal brides are not on the list!
• Nightmare Fuel: Has its own page.
• Tear Jerker: In the scene with Gonzo in Room 666, he sees in the mirror his friends at the Halloween party, and tries to greet them, only to not be heard or acknowledged. In his terror and despair, the whatever, previously adamant of his fearlessness, admits, "I'm afraid I'll never see my friends again."
  • Also counts as Reality Subtext in regards to Gonzo's performer, Dave Goelz; being the last remaining original Muppet performer who's still alive and currently working on new Muppet projects, his old friends and colleagues (Jim Henson, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, etc.) have all left him, and he may lose more. With Steve Whitmire being fired and Pepe replacing Rizzo as a sidekick to Gonzo, it hits even harder.
• Unexpected Character: Certainly nobody expected Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella to return as Constance Hatchaway's murdered exes, especially given the fact that their last appearance was twelve years prior in the "Bohemian Rhapsody" music video. Making this even more shocking is the fact that Brian Henson actually returned to perform Sal and is given a "special appearance" credit at the special's end.
  • Dr. Phil Van Neuter makes his return after two decades of absence, as does his "Tales from the Vet" assistant, Mulch.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: Dr. Phil Van Neuter returns for the first time in 20 years, as does his performer, Brian Henson...yet Van Neuter does not speak a single line (and as it turns out, core Muppet performer Peter Linz, not Henson, performed him in the ballroom scene).
• Visual Effects of Awesome: With this being a special involving ghosts, this means plenty of opportunities for chroma-key puppetry and lots of chances to see the Muppets' legs. Of note is when Kermit portrays the Ghost Master of Ceremonies. The sets themselves are also primarily done using the same screen technology as The Mandalorian, with most of the Mansion interiors being drawn from a digitized version of the actual attraction.
• Win Back the Crowd: After a 7 year long period of hit or miss Muppet projects since Muppets Most Wanted, fans have claimed this special as one of the best things Disney has done with the property.