This month marks the 41st Anniversary of the grand opening of one of the most popular attractions at the Disneyland park, the Haunted Mansion. The 999 happy haunts who “live” at the Southern mansion in New Orleans Square have been spooking guests since 1969. Every day thousands of brave souls board a “Doom Buggy” and take a ghostly tour through the haunted hallways and rooms. It’s hard to believe that the original vision of the Haunted Mansion was a walk-through attraction called the Haunted House. It was a project that Walt Disney Imagineers started and stopped for 15 years, due other projects that kept taking priority. It finally opened as the Haunted Mansion on August 9, 1969. It was the first attraction developed and opened without Walt Disney (he had passed away two years before). Look for it on the big screen in a future film by The Walt Disney Studios and well-known filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. For now, enjoy what guests had to say about their favorite haunted house.
What do you love best about the Haunted Mansion?
Comments
I love the Ballroom scene! There’s always something new to discover!
I love the fact that I always get stuck with one “Doom Buggy” between me and the hichhiking ghosts! Ha ha! No, my favorite part is that the ghosts popping up from behing the tombstones still scare me to this day! Happy 41st Haunted Mansion!
I love the A/C!!!! Haha, but really, the ballroom is my favorite, by far.
The Haunted Mansion is my favorite place. My happy place. I first experienced it when I was one-year-old, right after the Magic Kingdom opened. I really like (most of) the updates made a few years ago. From start to finish, it fills me with nostalgia, happiness, and wonder. I even dressed as the tight-rope walker for MNSSHP one year. I was fortunate to be able to visit Disneyland Paris in August of 2009 and fell in love with the Phantom Manor. Great work Disney!!!
LOL @ the 0:27 mark 🙂 There are no holograms in the Haunted Mansion 🙂
<>
The stretching room at DL is an elevator, so the floor is lowering. At WDW, there is no need for an elevator so the floor is stationary while the ceiling rises up.
<>
The actress of Little Leota is, and always has been, Leota Toombs. She also portayed Madame Leota, but her voice was done by Eleanor Audley (aka Maleficent and Lady Tremaine).
As for me, I love everything in the Mansion…although I think it would be cool if we got some or all of WDW’s “Sinister 11” staring portraits 🙂
One of my favorite attractions with the stretching room, “doom buggies”, singing busts (Disney artists) and hitch-hiking ghosts. This is one of the best attractions in the park!! My favorite is the ballroom/banquet with the dancing ghosts and the dueling paintings, which have always amazed me. Love the hidden mickey place setting on the banquet table!!! Can’t wait to “hurry back”!
When it’s open !…lol…jk…I also enjoy every tiny detail…and LOVE the new floating Madame, a huge improvement over the crystal ball on the table…a light reflected in it as the doom buggy rounded it and that was very distracting.
Happy Anniversary Haunted Mansion…you are my favorite ride!
Well, the haunted mansion means alot to me since i first visited it in 87….and since… i got employed at Disneyland Paris and… was asked to be a greeter at our own “phantom manor” a few days ago… its a must do on each of my visits in the park with family or friends… my fave part is the stretch … with the crazy laugh at the end…
Oh and I love how Madame Leota now floats around . . .
It’s hard to pick out one specific thing about the Mansion as a Favorite – the Stretching Portaits, the Changing Portraits (I’m glad they put it back to change with the lightning like it was when I was a kid), the Ballroom, the newly remodeled Attic, the Graveyard and the Singing Busts . . . I like it all!!!!!
Happy anniversary to my favorite attraction! I love the banquet scene, always hope we’ll get “stuck” there for a few extra minutes so I can take it all in!
Happy Anniversary Haunted Mansion! I’m dying to see you again soon!
I love the end with the hitchhiking ghosts. My sister and I always make room in the middle for our visiting ghost. I also love the ballroom. There is so much going on in there and they look like they are having so much fun. I would love to be a guest at that party!
I pretty much everything about the Haunted Mansion… but lately the thing I love the most is that my two year old knows the theme song by heart and talks about “silly ghosts” all the time! The first time he rode he was 6 months old so it didn’t really have an impact either way. When we went to WDW just before his 2nd birthday the Haunted Mansion happened to be the 1st ride we went on and at first I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. In fact he was pretty quiet through the entire ride. At the end when we got out of our Doom Buggie I asked him what he thought and he said “Ghosts Mommy – AGAIN!”
The ballroom scene is by far my favorite. There is SO much going on in that room, I find new things all the time. The ghosts on the chandelier, the one passed out under the table, the girl blowing out the candles, the two portraits who duel… it’s amazing.
my favorite thing about the haunted mansion is the foyer music i love it i have it set as my alarm clock tone
I love the Haunted Mansion! But as amazing as the visuals are, it’s the combined talents of Paul Frees, Eleanor Audley and Thurl Ravenscroft that really make it special!!!
I love the graveyard with the singing ghosts especially the tea party and the little jokes like drinks from “up above” in ghosts hands. Also the hitchhiking ghosts and the hologram of the lady saying,” Hurry Back! We’re dying to see you!” Was the image changed? I used to think the actress who did it was like Yvette Mimeux, but she is different now.
I read in a travel book that Disneyland’s Stretching Room stretches one way and WDW’s the other way. I’ve been staring at this video for half an hour and I can’t tell. Which way does this room stretch?!
The Haunted Mansion is such a special ride, so many great details. My favorite part is the pet cemetery in the front. The sculptures look so real and it’s just so clever.
The Haunted Mansion is AWESOME!!!! My favorite part is the Dancing Ghosts in the Ballroom!! The Haunted Mansion use to scare me as a child. When the ride came to the Hitchhiking Ghosts, and the voice would say “and a ghost will follow you home,” I remember looking all around me for Ezra (he was the one in my Doombuggy). I imagined he had a family, and they too were going to move into my home. Needless to say I got over my fear, and it is now my FAVORITE ride. I would like to see more Haunted Mansion merchandise at Disneyland. There are some great items available, but there should be more. HAPPY 41ST ANNIVERSARY HAUNTED MANSION!!!! You will always be my FAVORITE!!!!
I love that the Haunted Mansion and I both just turned 41. Happy Birthday to all my favorite things about the ride. The best part is The ballroom, I have loved it for as long as I can remember. It was always the one thing I couldn’t wait for in the ride. Wish I could go again right now.
My favorite character is Constance Hatchaway (The Black Widow Bride) in the Attic Scene. Haunted Mansion is my favorite attraction in the park. I can’t wait for the movie! I liked the last one.
my favorite part of the Haunted Mansion is the graveyard and Grand hall . i also remember my first time there i was & yrs old. and i was just about to go in , it scared the hell out of me. i never wanted to go back again, but a yr later i did. i loved it ever since. so ive been gong to the haunted mansion since i was 7 rs old. Everytime i go back to Disneyland, I try to go on that ride at least 3 times during my visits there
I Think haunted mansion ride is cool.
My favorite ride in a park full of favorites. The perfect balance of fun & frights! Really looking forward to the new film adaptation.
I love this ride! The hitchiking ghosts are the best part. My kids really thought they were getting there own ghost the first time they rode it.
Haunted Mansion is a great ride. 🙂
I love every part of Haunted Mansion- especially love when you start to head down to the graveyard backward!
My favorite is watching the door knobs turn and the doors bend and move while you riding down the hallway…I have told many people about this and they never realized that they were moving until I pointed this out…look next time!
Actually the Hounted Mansion opened originally in 1962 then it closed for 7 years, then it reopened in 1969.
Eveything is the best part! From waiting in line and seeing the mansion to little leota at the end! It’s one of the greatest rides at Disneyland. The other best part of the Haunted Mansion is learning the history and the Hard Facts that made the ride. I can’t wait for the new movie, and hopefully it will better then the last one.
My goodness, picking a favorite part is a challenge! I love the ballroom scene, and the Grim Grinning Ghosts section. My family enjoys singing along. =) The magic of this attraction is that it keeps that eerie quality without losing the Disney magic. Adults can enjoy the atmosphere along with kids, and it’s charming enough that the little ones can enjoy it without getting too scared. I can’t wait to go back and see it! Only 51 days, 15 hours till we head to WDW..
It was always the ride I psyched myself out for! I would always make it scarier than it was and hoped it would break down in from of the ballroom so I could soak in all the happenings! Im looking forward to the new film, I hopes it’s scary!
The Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride! Happy Anniversary!
I love everything about it! It is such a wonderful creative ride!
what is not to love? From the moment you walk towards it, the mansion draws you in, with its impressive feel of southern charm. Then it all slowly starts setting in, the horror and fun that only Disney could bring together. My favorite, and first stop when I visit the park.
I’m another vote for “Grim Grinning Ghosts”. Although “I am your host, your ghost host” (and the rest of the stretching room) is another favorite. Just an AWESOME attraction! Though to be honest, I’m afraid more familiar with the WDW version the the Holiday one @ DL than the classic…
Anything and everything about The Haunted Mansion is my favorite! The classic ride is and will always be my absolute favorite Disney attraction – and likely my favorite place on the planet. I’d love to live among the “wall to wall creeps and hot and cold running chills.” I can’t wait for the new movie, as it sounds like del Toro will really do the ride justice.
Happy anniversary Haunted Mansion!
Ricky B
Inside the Magic
Grim grinning ghosts!! Always find myself humming the song long after we get off the attraction.
My favorite room of this spooktacular mansion has to be the seance room with Madame Leota! Absolutely love her and all the audio and the burst of cold air. It’s so creative and really great. I was thinking the other day…..”They updated the Pirates ride after the Pirates movies….The Haunted Mansion movie by Guillermo del Toro is said to have the Hatbox Ghost as a pivotal character in the movie…..will an updated Haunted Mansion with the reinstalled original Hatbox Ghost follow the movie?” Thoughts anyone?
Comments are closed.