I get that you don't like the idea, and part of that is the theme, part of that is loss of an attraction.
BUT ... forget politics and potential outcome, go strictly on the past performance of attraction -
- HOP is a grossly under used attraction on very valuable real estate.
- Disney could make a tremendous amount of money with a HM restaurant.
- With the size of that building, even with a kitchen expansion, it would serve many not a handful.
- Disney has no issue with removing attractions with no replacement until many years later.
- Disney has no issue with leaving parks short attractions for years.
- There is always the outcry for more "E Ticket" ride type attractions over shows.
- The repeated complaint over the years as DHS not a full park, too many shows.
- Increasingly over time they have to compete with Universal.
- With the possibility of the new Universal land becoming a couple new parks, Disney has to step up.
- Haunted Mansion & Disney Villains are HIGHLY popular, if they build it, they will come.
Of course they have lots of options here including opening it again. But if I were coming from a business stand point, which Disney seems to lean more towards more than the classics .... this is the perfect opportunity to monetize the space whether it's a restaurant or true E Ticket attraction for the overall guest base.
Disney no longer worries about the outliers (such as yourself in this instance) at the parks and resorts. For every outlier that feels pushed out will be 10 in line to replace them. They have to look at income generating decisions.