After 55 years, The Haunted Mansion continues to captivate Disneyland Park guests with its eerie charm and not-so-scary atmosphere. But recently, the New Orleans Square ride experienced an unexpected evacuation that gave Disney Park guests a peek behind the curtain.
The Haunted Mansion opened at Disneyland Park in 1969, originally envisioned as a “museum of the weird” walk-through attraction. Walt Disney Imagineers turned the idea into the eerie dark ride we know and love today, and it remains a symbol of the park’s rich history. It was one of the first Disney Park attractions to feature the cutting-edge Omnimover ride system, which was later replicated at Walt Disney World Resort and Tokyo Disneyland. Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland feature their own haunted houses: Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor.
While the Haunted Mansion has stood the test of time, it isn’t immune to the passage of time. It’s undergone several changes throughout the years, including its annual overlay. During Halloween and Christmas, Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), takes over the New Orleans Square ride. But even after 55 years of terrifying guests and standing as an important piece of theme park history, it was recently brought to a halt.
A few weeks ago, Disneyland guest @amyslife50 shared an unusual video showing their experience being trapped inside the Haunted Mansion. While stuck in the Madame Leota scene, guests were asked to stay seated as cast members turned on the overhead lights:
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The guest joked that it was “the one ride” they managed to get on during their visit — only for the experience to end with a complete evacuation. It remains unclear if the Disney cast members were responding to a guest who climbed out of their ride vehicle or just rushing through the ride to safely evacuate others.
Disneyland Resort typically doesn’t comment on ride evacuations, and this incident was no exception. Despite the temporary disruption, the Haunted Mansion reopened shortly after the incident, resuming its ghostly journey for all guests.
The Ever-Changing Haunted Mansion
Last December, Disneyland Park unveiled a newly refurbished Haunted Mansion queue area and an all-new carriage house gift shop. Imagineers took nearly a year to refresh the space, bringing new life to the once-familiar surroundings of the Haunted Mansion. Additionally, the ride received a new animatronic bride—Constance Hatchaway—paying homage to the original 1969 storyline.
Have you ever gotten stuck on a Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park ride? Share your experience with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
