Fair point.
I would argue that, while the Spooky Coaster is (and, according to the latest from Village, will continue to be) themed to one specific live-action movie from 2002, the characters are still recognisable as part of wider franchise; kids can probably work out that the animatronic dog from the ride is the same character from the whichever recent Scooby Doo film/ series they watch at home.
Would kids recongise Dorothy, Scarecrow, etc?
More importantly, would kids care, or would they just be happy to see strange characters in bright, funny outfits?