Five Things to Know About Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion

Of all the attractions created by Disney’s Imagineers, I put the Haunted Mansion near – or even at – the top of the list. The Haunted Mansion is the archetype of a Disney World ride, and after all these years it proves that special effects don’t need 21st-century tech to delight and impress. Even if you’ve been, there’s a ghost of a chance you may not know everything this attraction offers, so read on! But if it’s just the details you want, float over to the Nuts and Bolts.

1. The queue gets you in the “spirit” of things.

The attention to detail from start to finish is amazing – and the whole experience is boo-tifully done. Guests enter the queue through the carriage house – take note of the ghost horse pulling the hearse.

You’ll see the foreboding mansion itself rising up in the distance. It’s built to conceal the actual building your ride travels through (you can see it for yourself on Google maps). Disney World’s mansion is modeled after the gothic 18th-century homes of the Hudson River Valley. (In contrast, the Disneyland version is inspired by the Greek revival movement).

In 2011, Imagineers created an interactive queue to help polter-guests pass time in line. The Dread family busts that greet you outside present a murder mystery you can try to solve. The eyes of Madame Leota blink periodically from her headstone. And the busts and crypts serve as punny tributes to the attraction’s original Imagineers. Tombstone epithets read things like, “Here lies good ol’ Fred. A great big rock fell on his head,” and “Dear departed Brother Dave. He chased a bear into a cave.”

2. What you can “ex-spectre” from your ride.

When you enter the mansion you’re taken into the “stretching room” for a brief preshow by the Ghost Host. (The Disneyland version uses an elevator to create the effect that the room stretches; in Disney World, the ceiling goes up instead.) The room goes dark, and a lightning flash reveals your Ghost Host hanging overhead.

You then move to the loading area to board “Doom Buggies” for your trip through the mansion. You’ll roll through the piano parlor, the séance room, the ballroom, and the attic.

Along the way, you’ll meet the inhabitants, perhaps most notably Madame Leota and the newest addition to the ride, the HatBox Ghost. Your tour ends with a ride through the graveyard. Including the stretching room, the ride is about 10 minutes in all.

The stretching room may be the most frightening part for littles, and a Cast Member can help you leave if you speak up before the doors close. There’s a second chance to bail right after the door opens to the loading area. If kids aren’t tugging on your hand by this point, they’ll likely be ok on the remainder of your mansion tour.  Our 6-year-old granddaughter did just fine, sitting between two grandparents. Your results may vary.

3. Building the mansion was a grave matter.

At Disneyland, the idea for a haunted house attraction originated with Walt Disney himself. While it was clear that he wanted one, his vision was less clear. As a result, the exterior of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion was finished in 1963, but the attraction wasn’t completed until 1969. This meant that, sadly, Walt never got to see it.

Legendary Imagineers including Yale Gracey and Rolly Crump worked on illusions and effects. Claude Coates and Marc Davis worked on the design. Coates loved strange and scary ideas while Marc Davis preferred gags; the result was a perfect balance between the two! The mansion’s famous song “Grim Grinning Ghosts” (composed by Buddy Baker, lyrics by X Atencio) was arranged and presented in such a way as to tie both the scary aspects and the humorous experiences together.

When the attraction debuted in August of 1969, it was an instant hit with guests. The Magic Kingdom was under construction, and it was unanimous that a version of the Haunted Mansion had to be included. Disney World’s version opened with the Magic Kingdom in October 1971. While the two ride experiences are similar, they aren’t identical. To the Imagineers’ credit, both are considered among the greatest Disney attractions ever.

4. Spook-tacular secrets abound.

I’ll be honest: as many times as I’ve ridden the Haunted Mansion, I find something new every single time. So keep your eyes open!  It’s hard to choose, but here are some of my favorite Haunted Mansion “secrets.”

⭐ The HatBox Ghost was added to the Disney World mansion in 2023, placed in the endless hallway scene. This caused a little controversy among diehard fans, as this is before Madame Leota summons the spirits at the seance scene. FWIW, we welcome his appearance, no matter where!

⭐ The name carved on the stone organ is Ravenscroft, in honor of Thurl Ravenscroft who lends his voice talents to the singing busts indoors.

⭐ The Omnimover (the word is a portmanteau of “OmniRange” and “PeopleMover”) Doom Buggies allow the “Ghost Host” to turn your ride so you can see all the ghostly antics. The Haunted Mansion was only the second ride to use Omnimover technology. The first was the now-defunct Adventure Thru Inner Space at Disneyland.

⭐ You’ll hear the signature theme “Grim Grinning Ghosts” throughout the ride. But its tempo and tonality change to underscore the mood of the scene you’re passing through.

⭐ The voice of the Ghost Host is Paul Frees. (I used to think it was Orson Welles!) Mr. Frees was also the voice of Boris Badenov in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons.

⭐ The ballroom scene never fails to fascinate me. It uses an illusion called Pepper’s ghost. This “trick” has been utilized in theatres and by magicians since the 1860s and still works beautifully.

⭐ As you leave the Mansion, look for the headstone in the Pet Cemetery marking Mr. J. Thaddeus Toad’s final resting place. It’s a nod to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which was closed in the Magic Kingdom to make way for Winnie the Pooh.

⭐ Adjacent to the Haunted Mansion is the gift shop Memento Mori, which means “remember death”. A somewhat sobering thought for a park ride, no?

5. The nuts and bolts.

The Haunted Mansion is located in Liberty Square along the Rivers of America. You’ll see the entrance when passing between Liberty Square and Fantasyland. Since the Haunted Mansion is an indoor attraction, inclement weather doesn’t affect its operation. Part of the queue is covered, but guests in the queue may be exposed to the elements.

Your Doom Buggy seat is a hard bench with a high back, and there’s one row per buggy which can accommodate two to three riders. If all three riders are adult-sized, they’ll need to be friendly unless they’re on the smaller side. There is a single pull-down lap bar for all riders that’s automatically lowered by your Ghost Host.

You must take a small step up from a moving walkway onto a moving vehicle; there is also a moving walkway at the exit area when you leave your Doom Buggy. Guests must transfer from a wheelchair/ECV to experience this attraction. There are no health or safety advisories for the Haunted Mansion, nor any height requirement. Although Rider Switch is not officially listed, it is available on request if you have kids who balk at the atmosphere. Handheld captioning and Audio Description Devices are available from Guest Services.

Wait time during peak hours varies from 25-50 minutes on days with average crowds. As with all popular attractions, lines will be shorter early in the day or near park closing time. Haunted Mansion is one of the most popular Tier Two picks for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, so same-day availability can be hard to come by. The ride is open for Extended Evening Park Hours, but not Early Entry.

The bottom line.

We think it “ghost” without saying that the Haunted Mansion is a “not to be missed” attraction. The special effects, attention to detail, and atmosphere in the Mansion combine to create a faboolous experience for first-time riders and devoted fans alike! And you’re always welcome, because – as the Ghost Host says – “we have 999 happy haunts here, but there’s room for one thousand. Any volunteers??”

Let us know your favorite details and what you think about the Haunted Mansion in the comments below!