Two versions of Disney’s Haunted Mansion will soon go dark.
The attraction remains one of Disney’s most recognizable rides, sending guests through a supernatural estate filled with Doom Buggies, Madame Leota, the Ghost Host and 999 “happy haunts.”
Several versions operate around the world, but only two regularly receive a full seasonal transformation inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Tokyo Disneyland's Haunted Mansion will close August 4, followed by Disneyland’s original California attraction on August 8. Both closures will allow Disney to install their annual holiday overlays.
Holiday Overlays Trigger August Closures
Tokyo Disneyland will keep its Haunted Mansion closed through September 14. The attraction is scheduled to reopen September 15 as Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare.
Disneyland’s closure will be considerably shorter. The California ride will reopen as Haunted Mansion Holiday on August 21, the same day Halloween Time begins across Disneyland Resort.
The seasonal version replaces many of the mansion’s usual residents with characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas, including Jack Skellington, Sally, Zero, and Oogie Boogie.
Major scenes throughout the ride are altered. Zero floats through the mansion, Madame Leota performs holiday-themed incantations, and Oogie Boogie appears near the end of the attraction.
Disneyland’s ballroom also receives a large gingerbread house with a different design each year. The annual centerpiece has become one of the overlay’s most closely watched details.
Although the installations require temporary closures, both holiday versions remain open for months.
Tokyo Disneyland’s 2026 overlay will run through January 7, 2027. The attraction will then close again for approximately four weeks while crews remove the seasonal additions and restore the standard Haunted Mansion.
Disneyland has not yet confirmed when its 2026 overlay will end. The seasonal version usually remains through the resort’s Christmas celebrations and into January.
The 2025 edition operated through January 11, giving Jack Skellington control of the mansion for nearly five months.
Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland are the only Disney resorts that regularly apply a complete Nightmare Before Christmas overlay to their Haunted Mansion attractions.
The two rides already share several similarities, although they are not identical. Tokyo Disneyland’s exterior resembles the darker Colonial-style mansion found at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Disneyland’s 1969 original looks more like a Southern estate. Its Stretching Room is also a functioning elevator that carries guests beneath the Disneyland Railroad before they reach the Doom Buggy loading area.
At Magic Kingdom, the room itself does not descend. The Florida attraction also includes scenes not found in California, including the endless staircase.
Disneyland Paris takes the concept in a different direction with Phantom Manor. The darker Western attraction follows doomed bride Melanie Ravenswood and connects its story to Thunder Mesa.
Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor avoids traditional ghosts entirely. Guests travel through Lord Henry Mystic’s collection after an enchanted music box brings the objects inside to life.
Recent Changes Spark Fears With Fans
The upcoming closures are routine, but some Haunted Mansion fans have become cautious whenever the Disneyland attraction closes for refurbishment.
The California version has received several permanent updates in recent years. Disney expanded its accessible queue, redesigned the surrounding grounds, and opened Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, a dedicated gift shop beside the attraction.
Changes have also been made inside the ride.
In January 2025, Disney removed the ax-wielding attic bride commonly known as Constance Hatchaway. The character had been portrayed as a “black widow” who murdered and beheaded several wealthy husbands.
Her replacement holds a candelabra and appears beside portraits of husbands who mysteriously disappear. The revised scene places more emphasis on grief and lost love.
Former Imagineer Kim Irvine said Disney had to be “really careful about the sensitivities of people.”
Another scene that has faced scrutiny appears inside the Stretching Room.
As the chamber reaches its full height, lightning reveals a body hanging by a noose above guests. The Ghost Host builds toward the moment by explaining that the room has no windows and no doors.
He then tells visitors, “Of course, there’s always my way.”
Imagineers discussed potentially removing the figure during the attraction’s 2021 updates amid concerns that the image could be distressing or triggering.
When asked about the effect again in 2025, Irvine confirmed that the idea remained under consideration.
“We’re still looking at that.”
“That one is complicated, structurally,” Irvine added. “One thing at a time.”
The figure is hidden above a scrim and revealed through lighting, while the Ghost Host’s narration is structured around the final image.
Disney has not yet announced any additional permanent changes.
What's your favorite version of Haunted Mansion Holiday?
