Rumors have been swirling for months about updates to Disney’s Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, and now we finally know when we’ll get answers.
While Disney has created similar versions of the attraction at Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris (where it’s known as Phantom Manor), many fans still consider Disneyland’s version of Haunted Mansion to be the superior iteration – and they’d be perfectly right in doing so, in our not-so-biased opinion.
The OG version of Haunted Mansion started as a spooky walkthrough but has evolved into a groundbreaking ride with advanced special effects, thanks to the ingenuity of Walt Disney Imagineers. With its 999 “happy haunts,” the attraction blends eerie humor with immersive storytelling, cementing its place as a timeless favorite.
The ride was closed for major refurbishment from January to July of this year, and following that, the seasonal overlay Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), swiftly took over.
Considering that it closed for this refurbishment in January – at the very end of the 2023 run of Haunted Mansion holiday – we actually haven’t seen the standard version of Haunted Mansion since August 2023. Now, however, Disney seems to have confirmed when we’ll finally be reunited.
Reopening Date for Haunted Mansion
According to the Disneyland Resort calendar, Haunted Mansion Holiday will run until January 6, 2024, after which the ride will close for refurbishment until January 17.
Should this be the case, the ride is expected to reopen on January 18 (although, as Disney’s calendar is sometimes subject to change, this date should be taken with caution).
Along with the ride’s return, Disneyland will unveil a new gift shop—Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond. Fans have recently criticized the shop’s design for being too generic, but it will still add to the overall experience. The ride previously received an updated outdoor queue and ADA elevator, further improving accessibility.
Possible Changes to the Ride
Rumors have circulated about Disney potentially removing a controversial moment in the ride: the hanging corpse in the Stretching Room.
This iconic scene, where the Ghost Host reveals a hanging figure after remarking, “There’s always my way,” has sparked debates not due to its fear factor but concerns over its depiction of suicide. Disney previously confirmed discussions of the scene’s removal, in line with similar sensitivity updates to classic attractions like the removal of the “we wants the redhead” bride auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean.
At present, in the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay, the Stretching Room ceiling is covered with a tarp. The idea is that this tarp will remain in place year-round, with a new projection replacing the traditional scene.
Removing the scene wouldn’t be totally unprecedented. Nooses have also been removed from several versions of the Haunted Mansion, including from Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris in 2023, with the only remaining noose appearing in the Stretching Room.
Fans will be watching closely to see if this scene is altered when the ride reopens. Additionally, there’s speculation that the Hatbox Ghost scene could be updated to match the enhanced effects used in Magic Kingdom Park’s version of the ride.
Do you think Disney should update Haunted Mansion?
