Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride is a favorite among visitors worldwide. The chilling and thrilling ride showcases the spooky ghosts and haunts alive and well at Disneyland. However, this isn’t the only version of The Haunted Mansion at the Disney parks.
Here, we will explore all five Haunted Mansions in Disney parks worldwide. We will share what inspired them and just how haunted they are. We will break down the ghosts still haunting these rides and how exciting they are when visitors finally have the chance to ride them.
The original Haunted Mansion is located in Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This ride opened on August 9, 1969, in the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland and resembles an old Southern Plantation. Walt Disney actually helped to build this Haunted Mansion himself. This ride was so extravagant that it took a few more years than Disney anticipated. In fact, Walt Disney didn’t live to see it open, but he could see some of the vision come to life.
This Haunted Mansion sat for six years until the Imagineers finally put the final touches on it. Signs in front of the Haunted Mansion told visitors it would open soon, reading:
“Notice! All ghosts and restless spirits. Post-lifetime leases are now available at this haunted mansion. Don’t be left in the sunshine! Enjoy active retirement in this country club atmosphere- the fashionable address for famous ghosts trying to make a name for themselves… and ghosts afraid to live by themselves! Leases include a license to scare the daylights out of guests visiting the Portrait Gallery, Museum of the Supernatural, graveyard, and other happy-hunting grounds. For reservations, send a resume of part experience to Ghost Relations Dept. Disneyland Please! Do not apply in person.”
Even though this Haunted Mansion looks very similar to the one at the Magic Kingdom in Florida, there are a lot of differences. When you begin your journey here, you will walk through the beautiful gardens and gothic columns. While walking through, you will run into the Hatbox Ghost, one of the scariest characters guests meet in the Haunted Mansion. This character is not featured in the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom.
One of the best features of this Haunted Mansion is that every September through December, it is transformed into a Nightmare Before Christmas. This has been a tradition since 2001, and ghosts have even been replaced to pay tribute to one of Disneyland’s favorite movies.
In Orlando, Florida, visitors to the Magic Kingdom will find another version of the Haunted Mansion. This ride was fashioned after a Dutch Gothic and Hudson River Valley-style home. It is located in Liberty Square, and one of the most unique features of this ride is the endless staircase room.
The Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World opened in 1971 and was an opening-day attraction. The outside of the home is modeled to look a lot like the other styles in Liberty Square. It was inspired by the Harry Packer Mansion in Pennsylvania.
In this ride, visitors jump into their Doombuggies and are ready to take on the haunts this ride offers. Guests will see ghostly paintings, portraits, and creaking floorboards and whispers throughout the ride. The ghosts here are dying to welcome guests and show them what the Mansion offers. The Ghost Host welcomes all guests who dare to walk into the mansion.
One of the characters that guests encounter is Madame Leota. A sinister bride named Constance Hatchaway also welcomes guests. This Haunted Mansion was built to copy the Disneyland attraction after it grew in popularity. Both rides feature some of the same decor and furniture.
The Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion is longer than the Disneyland ride. It has some more elaborate scenes, such as the staircase room inspired by M.C. Escher. This room was actually an add-on when the ride underwent a complete renovation in 2007. Before it was the staircase room, there was a black room where spiders were dangling from the ceiling.
The Haunted Mansion in Tokyo Disneyland opened in April 1983. On the outside, it looks almost exactly like the Mansion in the Magic Kingdom; it is a little bit rougher, though. It is located in Fantasyland, part of the park. One of the most unique features of this ride is the time capsule of the Magic Kingdom’s mansion.
This ride perfectly combines the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. It hasn’t been renovated yet, and the storytelling and ghosts are all original to this ride. In the Tokyo Disney version, the spiders are still in place during the ride, and there is no endless staircase like that in the Magic Kingdom.
Visitors who have come here feel the ride is pretty spectacular; however, it doesn’t match the Fantasyland theme in Tokyo Disney’s park. Tokyo Disney also likes to dress up the Haunted Mansion for Halloween with Nightmare Before Christmas attire.
Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris opened on April 12, 1992. The house is modeled after the Second Empire style and is located in Frontierland. Those who have visited the Haunted Mansions feel that Phantom Manor is the scariest. This mansion was inspired by the Fourth Ward School in Virginia City, Nevada, and fits into Frontierland perfectly.
Phantom Manor focuses on the bride of the manor whose husband didn’t make it to their wedding. This ride has many elements that were also incorporated into the other rides in the Disney parks. There are singing busts and creepy paintings, and Madame Leota shows up, too. However, this ride is much darker.
Unfortunately, there is no graveyard at the end, but visitors ride through the Phantom Canyon, a creepy version of a Western town that only the dead would want to live in.
The Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland opened on May 17th, 2013. The manor is modeled after a Victorian home and is located in Mystic Point in the theme park. This ride has some very interesting things. In fact, instead of being haunted, it is all about the magic that is inside.
Because of Chinese cultural differences, this mansion does not mention ghosts or the undead. When visitors walk into the Mystic Manor, they may be surprised to learn more about the enchanted magic box and its power.
This enchanted music box has the power to bring inanimate objects to life. Most visitors feel as if the idea resembles Beauty and the Beast. On the outside of the manor, visitors can see that the building looks much like the Bradbury Mansion in Los Angeles. The mansion was demolished, but the designers were inspired by it.
Visitors to the Mystic Manor enjoy the more lighthearted feel to it. This mansion has some beautiful features, such as busts and portraits that feature gods and goddesses and some magical decor.
The Haunted Mansion has been very popular since the first ride opened. So far, two movies have been based on the theme park ride. In 2003, a movie, Haunted Mansion, was released featuring Eddie Murphy. After the popularity of this film in 2010, there were rumors that another Haunted Mansion movie was coming and that Ryan Gosling and Guillermo del Toro would be involved.
There have been a lot of changes since the Eddie Murphy movie was released. The decision to make another film came in March of 2023. The remake’s cast includes Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Laeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota, and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
The original film was about two real estate agents trapped in the Haunted Mansion with their children. The new movie is about a single mother, Dawson, and her 9-year-old son. They moved into the New Orleans mansion, hoping this would be a fresh start for them. They learn very quickly that this home is not exactly what they anticipated. The paranormal events begin very quickly after they move in, and they are looking for a way to live with these ghosts or get out of the house.
Let us not forget about Kermit and Miss Piggy’s Version of the classic. In this 2021 Muppets version, Gonzo the Great and Pepe the King Prawn decide to test themselves by spending a night in, you guessed it, a haunted mansion. Will they survive the night? Find out for yourself on Disney+.
The Haunted Mansion is one of the most popular rides in the Disney theme parks. If you are ready to check out this ride, there are plenty of options for you to visit. We would love to know your opinion about which theme park has the best Haunted Mansion.
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