Welcome foolish mortals to the best Haunted Mansion tips and secrets! The story goes that the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World is Master Gracey's abandoned estate and is currently haunted by 999 happy haunts. Once inside the Haunted Mansion, you come face to face with nine hundred and ninety-nine happy haunts. The Mansion is full to the brim with eerie details, creepy ghosts, and sight gags. It is the perfect balance of spooky and funny, which is why it's a favorite of many Disney fans.
The Haunted Mansion is an iconic Disney landmark that is at Disney Parks all over the globe. The original Haunted Mansion opened in Disneyland but various versions of the ride can be found in Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Hong Kong, and Disney Tokyo. In Hong Kong and Shanghai, the Haunted Mansion is actually different and called Mystic Manor!
What is the Haunted Mansion
First, let's talk about the Ghost Host. He's the disembodied voice that welcomes you to the mansion and warns you of the supernatural surprises that await. He's like the ultimate Airbnb host, making sure you have a hauntingly good time. But beware, he may try to scare you with his spooky puns. He's like the dad joke of the afterlife.
Ah, next is the stretching room, the beginning of the Haunted Mansion ride experience. As you enter the room, you'll notice the walls stretching taller and taller, but don't worry, it's just an optical illusion, or is it?
As you travel through the mansion, you'll encounter many ghostly residents, including Madam Leota. She's the floating head in the crystal ball who can summon spirits from the great beyond. She's like a spiritualist who works from home, or in this case, from beyond the grave.
The mansion is home to 999 happy haunts, but there's always room for one more. The ride's famous tagline has become a popular meme, with people jokingly saying they want to join the ghosts in the mansion. Who wouldn't want to hang out with a bunch of happy ghosts?
As you travel through the mansion in your doom buggy, you'll encounter many spooky scenes, like the ballroom full of dancing ghosts and the attic where the bride awaits. The ride has been known to scare even the bravest of souls, but it's all in good fun.
Haunted Mansion Quick Facts
- Ride Time: 7 minutes
- Ride Photo: None
- Fastpass: Yes
- Height Requirement: None
- Rider Switch: None
- Scare Level: Young kids often find this ride too scary
Doom Buggies
Doom Buggies, the iconic ride vehicles of the Haunted Mansion. These black, sleek vehicles are designed to resemble antique carriages and provide guests with a smooth, haunting ride through the mansion's ghostly halls.
But did you know that the Doom Buggies are actually part of a larger ride system called the Omnimover? Developed by Walt Disney Imagineering in the 1960s, the Omnimover is a revolutionary ride system that allows for continuous loading and unloading of ride vehicles, providing a constant flow of guests through the attraction.
The Omnimover system is made up of a chain of linked ride vehicles that move along a track in a continuous loop, with the speed and direction of the vehicles controlled by the ride system. This allows for a more efficient and immersive ride experience, as guests can be transported through multiple scenes without the need for stopping or starting the ride.
The Omnimover system was first used in the Disneyland attraction, Adventures Through Inner Space, and was later adapted for use in other Disney attractions, including the Haunted Mansion.
The Doom Buggies were specifically designed for the Haunted Mansion ride system, with their sleek, low-profile design allowing for a smooth ride experience through the mansion's narrow corridors and tight turns. The ride vehicles are also equipped with special audio and lighting effects, adding to the ride's spooky atmosphere.
The Omnimover system and the Doom Buggies have become synonymous with the Haunted Mansion ride experience, providing guests with a seamless, immersive journey through the mansion's ghostly halls. So the next time you ride the Haunted Mansion, take a moment to appreciate the ingenuity and innovation that went into creating this iconic ride system.
Video Ride Through of the Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansions Around the Globe
Each Haunted Mansion attraction at the various Disney parks worldwide has its own unique qualities, differences in design and ride experience, and variations in storyline. Here's a breakdown of some of the key differences between each version of the Haunted Mansion:
Disneyland, California
This was the first-ever Haunted Mansion attraction, which opened in 1969. The exterior of the mansion is designed in a Victorian style, with a Gothic aesthetic meant to fit in New Orleans. The ride has a more traditional "spooky" feel and a classic, vintage style.
FUN FACT: The Haunted Mansion in Disneyland gets a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay each year!
Walt Disney World, Florida
The Florida version of the Haunted Mansion opened in 1971, and it features a slightly different facade than its California counterpart. It has a more colonial-style architecture, modeled after a Saratoga Springs, NY mansion. The ride also has a few extra rooms and special effects, including the addition of the "staircase" room and the "pop-up" ghost effect.
Tokyo Disneyland, Japan
The Tokyo Disneyland Haunted Mansion, which opened in 1983, features a more elaborate facade than the other Haunted Mansion attractions, with a grand, haunted estate-style exterior. The ride experience includes a unique pre-show, with a character named "Ghost Host," who narrates the story in Japanese.
Disneyland Paris, France
The Parisian version of the Haunted Mansion, opened in 1992, is similar in design to the Florida attraction, with a colonial-style exterior. However, the ride features a more humorous tone, with comedic elements and characters that are unique to the Parisian version.
Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Disneyland Haunted Mansion, opened in 2007, features a Chinese-inspired exterior design, with elements of traditional Chinese architecture. The ride includes unique characters, such as a ghost bride, who is central to the attraction's storyline.
Shanghai Disneyland, China
The Shanghai Disneyland Haunted Mansion, opened in 2016, features an entirely different storyline and ride experience, with a new cast of characters and effects that are unique to the attraction. The ride is called "Haunted Mansion - Phantom Manor," and it features a story that is set in a Western frontier town, with a haunted mansion as its centerpiece.
Overall, while each Haunted Mansion attraction has its own unique qualities and differences, they all share the same spooky, supernatural themes and classic ride experience that has made the Haunted Mansion a beloved attraction at Disney parks worldwide.
Haunted Mansion Secrets
If you look at the top of the building before you enter you will notice that there are chess pieces on the top. These are memorials to Disney Animator and Imagineer legend, Marc Davis. He was a key creator of the Haunted Mansion and he loved chess.
While waiting in the queue be sure to read the tombstones in the graveyard. While the tombstones have some comical last words they are actually honoring Imagineers and artist who built the attraction!
Speaking of tombstones - Just before you enter the mansion keep an eye on Madam Leota’s tombstone. You might just find her looking back at you!
Want to be the first on the ride? Stand under the painting of the girl with the parasol because it’s where the door to the ride opens.
Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination? In Florida, yes the room stretches! But in Disneyland, California it is actually an elevator.
So who is your ghost host exactly? The voice should sound familiar as the voice actor is Paul Frees. Frees was also the voice of Ludwig Von Drake, the Pillsbury Doughboy, and Boris Badenov of Rocky and Bullwinkle.
Have you noticed a raven in many of the scenes throughout the Haunted Mansion? In the early development, the raven was going to be the narrator but the idea was scrapped for the Ghost Host.
The organ music you hear in the stretching room is actually Grim Grinning Ghosts slowed down. In fact, it is the only song you hear during the ride and it gets faster as the ride progresses.
The piano player in the music room is invisible but if you look down at the floor you can see his shadow.
When you enter the dining room scene with the dancing ghosts take a close look at the dining table. You should be able to spot a hidden Mickey in the plates.
The ballroom dancing ghosts are the result of the Pepper's Ghost Illusion. This effect is made by illuminating objects and reflecting onto a pane of glass! You can even try it at home and make your own haunted scene.
Madame Leota's face is actually Leota Toombs, an Imagineer who created designs for many Disney attractions.
Keep a close eye on the coffins during the ride, one of them has a hidden Tinkerbell in a pane of broken glass over the coffin.
During the ride, you actually die! You fall from an attic window when your doom-buggy turns backward and you go down to the graveyard scene. Another nod to this is that the ghosts don’t acknowledge you afterward. Pay attention to the party in the graveyard and the hitchhiking ghosts.
As you exit the ride, look on the ground for a wedding ring stuck in the pavement. It’s the bride’s ring you see in the attic scene. It was thrown from the attic and then trampled by the invisible horse.
Look on the ground for a wedding ring stuck in the pavement of the queue. It’s the bride’s ring you see in the attic scene. It was thrown from the attic and then trampled by the invisible horse.
The Ghost Host's Name: While the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion is never named, some eagle-eyed fans have noticed a nameplate on his desk that reads "G. H.," which some believe stands for "Ghost Host."
Hidden Mickey's: As with many Disney attractions, there are several Hidden Mickey's scattered throughout the Haunted Mansion. Keep an eye out for a Mickey-shaped spider web, a trio of skulls that form a Mickey shape, and even a portrait of Walt Disney himself that includes a Hidden Mickey in the design.
