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Haunted Mansion Holiday

• View history
• Tokyo Disneyland

Haunted Mansion Holiday (known in Tokyo Disneyland as Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare ) is an annual holiday offering at Disneyland that combines The Haunted Mansion attraction with characters from Tim Burton 's The Nightmare Before Christmas and has been held every year since 2001 .

• 1 Attraction Ride Through
• 2 Storyline
• 3 Gingerbread Houses
• 4 Voice Cast

Attraction Ride Through [ ]

Guests approach the mansion, now adorned with a giant clock that tells how many days are left until Christmas. The rest of the Mansion is decorated with garlands, candles, and pumpkins, while Jack's sleigh is on the roof. As guests proceed through the queue area, they can hear a music box play strange, creepy music.

Guests enter the foyer with garlands draped on the walls before entering the stretching room, where the paintings of the Mansion's former residents are replaced by stained glass windows of normal Christmas murals. When the door closes and the room starts to stretch, the glass shatters, revealing depictions of a nightmarish version of Christmas. The suicidal Ghost Host is replaced by Jack saying "Happy Holidays Everyone! EE-HEE-HEE-HEEEE!" and falling. In California only, the ceiling is now a stained-glass window resembling a wreath, as the Ghost Host continues to tell the story, the ceiling slowly starts to shift to orange and purple, as well as a spider is seen crawling across it, the ceiling then cracks into a jack o' lantern face before breaking entirely, with Jack and Zero , looking down on guests as Jack yells "Happy Holidays, everyone!" before maniacally laughing and vanishing into the darkness, leaving only the rafters and the Ghost Host's corpse visible.

Upon leaving the stretching room, the guests walk down the portrait corridor, where the portraits have been replaced by Christmas scenes that transform into Halloween, such as a snowman changing into a pumpkin man, Santa to Jack, and the Haunted Mansion to Haunted Mansion Holiday. The guests board the Doom Buggies.

The Buggies travel through all the same rooms as they would in the traditional attraction, but with holiday twists. Zero floats where the Candelabra usually does. Madame Leota recites the 13 Days of Christmas and each gift. The ballroom hosts a Christmas party and on the table is a giant Gingerbread house which is different every year (as per the request of creator Tim Burton ). The attic scene contains presents. In 2015 , the Hatbox Ghost has decorated the top of his hat with a Halloween-Christmas pin, and his hatbox stack with a Santa Hat. The graveyard is covered in "Ghostly White Snow" and Jack and Zero replace the frightened caretaker and his dog.

In 2001- 2002 , Lock, Shock, and Barrel replaced the Hitchhiking Ghosts . In 2003 , it was replaced by Oogie Boogie with a roulette wheel with various gifts. Guests are then shown what gifts they got in the mirrors, mimicking the Hitchhiking Ghosts. Little Leota is replaced with Sally looking at Jack flying away in his sleigh as the guests exit back out into New Orleans Square .

Storyline [ ]

Haunted Mansion Holiday takes place shortly after the events of the film , where Jack Skellington (who tried to create his very own twisted Christmas in a Halloween-style in the movie) now discovers the Haunted Mansion, home to 999 Happy Haunts. Deciding to spread joy to the mansion's gloomy residents for the holidays, Jack and his creepy crew from Halloween Town bring hundreds of Jack's original evil Christmas presents and decorations to the mansion and deck its happy haunting grounds for a thrilling and chilling holiday for the Grim Grinning Ghosts inhabiting the abandoned house, setting the stage for the ride itself.

The outside of the Mansion has been covered in both jack-o-lanterns and Halloween-style Christmas decorations. On the roof is Jack Skellington's coffin sleigh and stretched from the roof to the ground is his comical "Christmas Equation". There is also the countdown clock from Nightmare that tells how many days are left until Christmas. A music box track from Disneyland Paris' Phantom Manor plays in the outdoor areas.

(At Tokyo Disneyland, the Mansion does not have a countdown clock or a Christmas Equation hanging from the roof because of the design differences between the Mansions. Instead, pumpkin snowmen can be seen and orchestrations from the movie and ride play in the queue area.)

Guests are then ushered into the foyer, which has been decorated with skull wreaths and such. The Ghost Host begins to tell the story of the attraction in rhyme. From there, guests proceed into one of the two portrait chambers.

(At Tokyo, a painting of Jack transforming from the Pumpkin King to his Sandy Claws guise replaces the Aging Man changing portrait.)

The stretching portraits have been replaced with stained-glass pictures depicting innocent Christmas scenes with wreaths as their frames. When the doors close, the chamber goes dark and begins to stretch. The pictures make sounds as if bursting into shards, and luminescent portraits of Halloweentown's Christmas vision emerge, depicting Sandy Claws riding his coffin sleigh high above the Mansion, a man-eating wreath, scary toys, Sandy Claws opening a giant sack as ghosts rise up and a giant carnivorous snake. The Ghost Host begins reciting a dark variation of the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem as eerie music plays, extensively featuring a choir. The suspense builds until lightning crashes and Jack's face appears in the ceiling above, cackling, "Happy Holidays, everyone!"--this replaces the hanging body of the Ghost Host. His laughter fills the room, a woman screams and everything goes pitch black.

As the lights return to normal, the doors open, leading into the portrait hallway. The changing portraits here have also been replaced with ones depicting Jack Skellington, Sally, the Haunted Mansion, a snowman, and Santa Claus in his sleigh. The choir returns as the song Kidnap the Sandy Claws begins to play. A snowstorm appears to be taking place outside the windows and the three musicians from the movie are also standing outside. The staring busts have spider-webs in front of them that glisten with the words " NOEL " and " HO-HO-HO ." The loading area is decorated with even more Halloween and Christmas decor and there is a huge animated Christmas card with many of the characters from Nightmare celebrating the season. The card is much of a treat to the eyes itself, featuring the words "MERRY CHRISTMAS" at the bottom of the card, where the message changes to "SCARY CHRISTMAS" intermittently.

(At Tokyo, there is no portrait hall like Disneyland's. Instead, immediately after the portrait chamber, the guests enter the loading area, which is decorated with orange Christmas lights and Halloween pumpkins. After boarding, the guests glide underneath a landing from where Jack, Sally, and the Scary Teddy greet guests. The ride-through Portrait Corridor features portraits of the film's characters performing various activities and watching as the guests go by. Orange Christmas lights wrap around the staring busts in the library as Zero wraps a floating tree made out of books with tinsel garland. In the music room, guests see a life-size audio-animatronic Sally, seeming depressed and sitting in the chair next to the ghostly piano that the Scary Teddy plays. The Doom Buggies then move up the stairs, passing terrified green cockroaches in cages with gift tags that read "For Oogie." At the top of the stairs, Oogie Boogie's shadow appears and turns into a Christmas tree shape in the full moon above. The original black-lighted rubber spiders remain.)

At Disneyland, upon boarding the Doom Buggies (referred to as Black Christmas Sleighs in the overlay), guests ascend the staircase. At the top, there are piles of presents with the Scary Teddy sitting on them, fishing for humans. As the Ghost Host continues telling the story, Zero is now seen floating in the endless hallway in place of the candelabra. The moving suit of armor wears a pumpkin mask and has garland wrapped around it. A pile of dog bones in front of the hallway and a wreath made of dog bones adorns the top of the hall. On one floating bone, a tag reads "To Zero". Presents sit in the chair and poinsettias reside next to that chair.

The corpse trapped in the coffin in the conservatory is unchanged, but the Scary Teddy now sits on it, hammering nails back in. A tag reading "Do Not Open Till Xmas" hangs from the lid. The dead funeral flowers have sprung to life and now perform the song Kidnap the Sandy Claws . The corridor of doors is now filled with the same comically-vicious flowers, all singing loudly. Guests then pass underneath a large yellow-eyed wreath with teeth, which all the flowers seem to be connected to. The demonic grandfather clock remains.

Madame Leota floats along with several glowing bottles surrounding her and now chants "The 13 Days of Christmas" while the Scary Teddy sits on the top of the chair behind Leota's table, ringing two tiny bells with the seance. A bewitched nutcracker with eyes glowing green moves its mouth in unison with Leota. The floating instruments have been replaced with huge tarot cards, depicting Leota's 13 Christmas gifts of which she is chanting.

(In Tokyo, the raven remains in this scene and Leota is covered in candles with Lock, Shock, and Barrel appearing in the back of the room.)

The Doom Buggies then move into the ballroom. The ghosts here are the same, but the decorations have changed. The table is set for a Christmas party and a huge gingerbread house sits in the center. An immense dead Christmas tree (with one live branch at the top) covered in candles and spiders with lights now sits in the middle of the dance floor, but the ghosts waltz right through it. Zero floats above the scene near the tree. The curtains at the top of the staircase in the back of the hall have opened, revealing the mansion's library, complete with a floating tree made of books.

(In Tokyo, Jack and Sally's shadows are seen exchanging presents under the mistletoe behind that curtain instead. Also, instead of a gingerbread house, a giant cake is in the middle of the table.)

The guests are then taken to the attic, where most of the usual props and characters have been replaced with a clutter of all sorts of creepy toys and presents. A huge snake coils around the room with a "naughty and nice" list in its mouth. Throughout the room, some of the evil toys come to life as the guests pass by, including three jack-in-the-boxes (one featuring a stylized skull, another a black cat's head, and another a jack-o-lantern), a bullet hole-ridden duck, a cymbal-crashing Oogie Boogie doll, and a monstrous train on tentacle-like tracks.

As the guests leave the attic and head out onto the balcony, The Hatbox Ghost has adorned the top of his top hat with a decorative Christmas Skull pin and put a Santa Claus Hat on top of the nearby stack of Hatbox. Snowflakes are seen falling instead of ghosts rising as guests Go down the stairs next to the balcony, the guests witness the Scary Teddy chewing on Christmas lights, threatening to blow a fuse. As the Doom Buggies reach the ground level, they pass by a towering audio-animatronic figure of Jack in his Sandy Claws outfit, wishing the guests a merry Christmas as a replacement for the wide-eyed caretaker that usually stands in his place, with Zero accompanying him in place of the caretaker's dog. The graveyard is now covered in snow and the spiral hill from the movie is featured as a centerpiece covered in glowing pumpkins. The music combines " Grim Grinning Ghosts ", "Jingle Bells", " We Wish You A Merry Christmas ", and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas". The vehicles pass under huge snow angels with pumpkin heads. The singing busts have been replaced with singing jack-o-lanterns at the base of the spiral hill. Before entering the crypt, guests see the Scary Teddy one last time, playing the trumpet with another pumpkin-headed snow angel above.

Haunted Mansion and its front garden, at Christmas.

The Doom Buggies then enter the crypt, where an audio-animatronic Oogie Boogie stands next to a roulette wheel under black light, offering the guests some strange gifts. The guests see those bizarre presents instead of the Hitchhiking Ghosts when they go by the mirrors. If the present is a coffin imprinted with a question mark, Lock, Shock, and Barrel will pop out from behind each of the three mirrors.

The guests then arrive at the unload area, which is also filled with snow and jack-o-lanterns. As the guests travel up the speed ramp to the exit, a tiny version of Sally (taking the place of Little Leota) is seen thanking Jack as he flies away in his sleigh and tells the guests to hurry back.

(In Tokyo's version of the final scene, the crypt features Lock, Shock, and Barrel inside some presents, hitching a ride with the guests. Sally bids goodbye and then the guests disembark in a wreath-adorned mausoleum.)

Gingerbread Houses [ ]

Each year there is a different Gingerbread house in the dining room. They are real gingerbread houses designed by the talented culinary team of the Disneyland Resort.

• 2001: Haunted Mansion with arms counterbalancing each other
• 2002: Giant sack of presents in the shape of a mansion
• 2003: Oogie Boogie on a Gingerbread Roulette Wheel
• 2004: Zero Haunted Mansion Dog House
• 2005: Mansion with the Maneating Wreath with tentacles with forks going after gingerbread men.
• 2006: Possessed Gingerbread house with giant arms breaking apart the mansion from inside, and lifting off the roof of the mansion.
• 2007: Giant Jack in the Box Mansion with a Jester Jack and Jack O' Lanterns bouncing on springs.
• 2008: Mansion in the shape of a coffin, with a lid that lifts, and a giant gingerbread man that sits up in the coffin.
• 2009: Scary Go Round – Carousel with gingerbread Bonedeer as vehicles and Zero as one of the vehicles.
• 2010: Haunted Mansion gravestone with giant gingerbread Jack popping up from behind and the five singing pumpkins in front.
• 2011: Haunted Mansion that opens with monster teeth
• 2012: Jack's mansion from Halloweentown
• 2013: A gingerbread advent calendar featuring 13 doors.
• 2014: A house inspired by the Medieval Iron Maiden torture device with a gingerbread man inside.
• 2015: A house of cards built by spiders and gingerbread construction workers.
• 2016: A House appearing to be sewn together, with the arm of a ghost sticking out of it and sewing itself inside.
• 2017: Oogie Boogie with a mausoleum infested with spiders.
• 2018: A mansion decorated for Christmas that is being uprooted by a giant spider.
• 2019: The Haunted Mansion featuring gingerbread versions of its familiar characters in celebration of the attraction's 50th Anniversary.
• 2021: In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the overlay, the gingerbread house takes on design elements from all previous houses.
• 2022: This year’s gingerbread house features Lock, Shock, and Barrel operating a guillotine atop the dining room table that is cutting a cake.

At Tokyo Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare, this tradition is not carried out and the Gingerbread House's role is filled by a large Christmas Cake prop instead to account for cultural differences.

Voice Cast [ ]

• Corey Burton - Ghost Host
• Chris Sarandon - Jack Skellington
• Susanne Blakeslee - Madame Leota (voice)
• Kim Irvine - Madame Leota (face)
• Ken Page - Oogie Boogie
• Catherine O'Hara - Sally
• The original idea for the attraction was for it to have been themed around Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol . However, the idea was scrapped due to the attraction set in New Orleans Square.
• Prior to the debut of Haunted Mansion Holiday, Imagineers explored the idea of a standalone Nightmare Before Christmas dark ride. The idea was to ride around in a "Coffin Sleigh" and one of the conceptual works included being thrown down the chute to Oogie's lair .
• The props at the Tokyo Disneyland mansion were originally intended for the Magic Kingdom.

Gallery [ ]

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The History of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Holiday Overlay

by Heather Adams | Aug 31, 2023 | Disneyland , Disneyland Parks

The annual Haunted Mansion Holiday collaboration between ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and one of Disneyland’s beloved attractions is hugely popular – we’re digging into the history of this tradition below.

Attraction overlays are common within Disney theme parks, and they’ve popped up in almost every corner of Disneyland. From Tomorrowland’s Ghost Galaxy overlay on Space Mountain to the classic “it’s a small world” Holiday, they always add a twist… but often, they only stick around for a season or two. However, the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay that arrives in New Orleans Square each year is different. It’s not only loved by fans, but it’s now a must-do holiday tradition that never fails to return.

Back in 2021, the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay celebrated its 20th year in Disneyland Park. But how did a seasonal attraction overlay go from being a limited-time experience to an annual staple that still, decades into its run, see lengthy wait times and huge demand? Well, it all started with The Nightmare Before Christmas , a cult classic film brought to life in a spooky and seasonal way.

Haunted Mansion Holiday Was Inspired By Other Successful Overlays

Photo by Danny Shuster

While Haunted Mansion Holiday might seem like the first seasonal overlay added to Disneyland Park, it’s actually not! In fact, it’s not even the longest-running overlay. It just happens to be one of the most popular.

This special Jack Skellington takeover came to be thanks to two previous holiday overlays: Country Bear Christmas Special (which started in 1984) and it’s a small world Holiday (which first began in 1997). Both of these seasonal overlays were quite successful with Guests, so Disney decided to expand its holiday overlays with one at the Haunted Mansion.

When Disney first began considering a holiday makeover for the Haunted Mansion, a retelling of the classic Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol was the first idea. But bringing jolly Santa Claus into the spooky Haunted Mansion didn’t feel like the right fit – and the theming of New Orleans Square was quite different from the London setting of Dickens’ tale. 

So, after much consideration, Disney settled on The Nightmare Before Christmas for two key reasons: the film’s naturally spooky characters and setting, and the fact that Jack Skellington (or Sandy Claws) seemed like the perfect character to celebrate Christmas inside the Haunted Mansion.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Was Still Growing Into a Fan-Favorite Film

Ironically, while Disney was deciding which of its characters and stories might best suit the Haunted Mansion for the holiday season, The Nightmare Before Christmas wasn’t exactly an obvious choice. Sure, it’s spooky; but this now-beloved film actually wasn’t quite as popular back in the 1990s as it is today.

When it was first released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas was only a modest success. Thanks to its smaller budget, it didn’t have to earn as much as classic Disney blockbusters, but even then it saw relatively small audiences. 

Additionally, the film wasn’t actually released by Walt Disney Pictures. While it had originally been planned as a Walt Disney Feature Animation release, the darker and more frightening nature of Tim Burton’s stop motion story led it to be moved under the more adult-oriented Touchstone Pictures brand. As part of the effort to draw a more adult audience, the movie was also promoted as Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas , leading to some distance between the Disney brand and this spooky story.

However, after its release, The Nightmare Before Christmas developed something of a cult following. It might not have been widely recognized as an “official” Disney movie – but when the film came to life in the form of the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay, the connection between the two created even more excitement!

Blending Jack Skellington with the Mansion’s Happy Haunts

While Sandy Claws taking up residence inside the Haunted Mansion might seem like a natural fit today, it wasn’t such a seamless process. When Disney first began working on the seasonal overlay, the transformation of the Haunted Mansion posed some challenges.

First, and perhaps most critically, the majority of the individuals who’d lent their voices and faces to the attraction had passed away. From “Ghost Host” Paul Frees to Leota Toombs, Madame Leota’s model, to Eleanor Audley, the voice of Madame Leota, many of the voices that made the attraction come to life couldn’t reprise their roles. So, Disney had to get creative and find others to step in. 

Once new voice actors were in place, Disney also needed to blend together the beloved characters and scenes within the Haunted Mansion with Jack, Sally, Oogie Boogie, and the rest of the cast of frightful faces from The Nightmare Before Christmas . The result? The classic scenes throughout the attraction were “taken over” by The Nightmare Before Christmas crew, with Sandy Claws sprinkling both Halloween and Christmas decor throughout each room – and into the snow-covered graveyard. 

This means that the 999 happy haunts hanging around the mansion are still present during the annual overlay. But during Haunted Mansion Holiday, things get festive! And you’re able to see Jack Skellington, Zero, Sally, and more deck the halls with freshly spooky additions, like the annual gingerbread house that’s added into the ballroom.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is Still Hugely Popular

Photo by Jaysen White

When the very first Haunted Mansion Holiday arrived on October 3, 2001, it was pretty much an immediate hit. Guests flooded the queue, leading to the old FastPass machines to be activated while the overlay was present – a feat for a ride that, typically, only saw its FastPass machines in use during the busiest seasons of the year.

Wondering how a cult classic film managed to draw such big crowds? Well, as increasingly more people discovered The Nightmare Before Christmas on VHS and DVD after its release, Disney wound up reissuing the film in the form of special editions. In October 2000, one year before the very first Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay, Disney released a special edition on DVD, which drove even more excitement and interest to the film.

So, by the time Haunted Mansion Holiday welcomed its first Guests in 2001, love for The Nightmare Before Christmas had grown significantly. That set the overlay up for success – and ultimately, it also led the way for the film’s characters to have an increasingly larger presence within Disneyland and Disney theme parks at large.  

Now, over two decades into Haunted Mansion Holiday’s run at Disneyland, it’s become a staple. Yet it draws Guests every year not only because it’s become a returning classic; Disney loves to give the attraction overlay updates to celebrate anniversaries or important dates, providing something new to enjoy regularly. For example, in 2013, the overlay premiered on Friday the 13th with special effects and fresh set pieces to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Nightmare Before Christmas . Even if you’ve experienced Haunted Mansion Holiday before, you may notice different twists and turns on the next year’s ride through!

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Haunted Mansion Holiday Fun Facts

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Haunted Mansion Holiday at the Disneyland Resort

Haunted Mansion Holiday Fun Facts  

ANAHEIM, Calif. – During the Halloween Time and Holidays seasons at the Disneyland Resort, Jack Skellington wrecks the halls of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland Park with merry and macabre décor inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” – transforming the attraction into Haunted Mansion Holiday . In this collision between Halloween and Christmas, Jack dresses up as “Sandy Claws” and brings eerie Halloween Town delights.

One of Jack’s holiday traditions is leaving a giant, nightmarish gingerbread house for the ghosts who dance around the Haunted Mansion’s Grand Hall. Standing at 9 feet, 13 inches tall, this year’s masterpiece takes the form of a merrily creepy mausoleum that traps a haunted apparition inside. The gingerbread house also employs two new deviously creative techniques – cotton candy decorations that take the form of a frightfully fun food ghost and masterfully molded gingerbread chains.   

Frightfully fun facts about Haunted Mansion Holiday  

• More than 400 flickering candles create a ghostly glow on the façade of Haunted Mansion Holiday. Each night, more than 100 jack-o-lanterns shine their ghoulish light.   
• Jack Skellington and his ghost dog Zero appear in a fully animated sequence on the ceiling of the “stretching” room, which transports guests into the depths of the mansion. Zero also makes surprise appearances among the transforming portraits in the gallery corridor.  
• For Haunted Mansion Holiday, Kim Irvine, Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, gives a spirited portrayal of Madame Leota, the psychic floating inside the crystal ball. Irvine’s mother, Disney Legend and longtime Imagineer Leota Toombs, originated the role in the classic attraction.  
• In the Séance Room, Madame Leota’s “13 Days of Christmas” are featured in 13 spinning fortune cards that tell of the Christmas gifts which, as she proclaims, “My ghoul love gave to me…”   
• Each year, a team of carpenters, storytellers, pastry chefs, bakers and confectionary and technical wizards collaborate to construct the mansion’s gingerbread house. The magnificent creation emanates the scent of tasty gingerbread throughout the Grand Hall, tempting Happy Haunts and mortals alike.  
• The graveyard is covered with nearly 7,500 square feet of snow , and nearly 1,000 tiny orange lights decorate the trees – making it a festive place to rest.  
• From man-eating wreaths to vampire teddy bears, more than two dozen additional animated figures “materialize” as part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday transformation.  

Entertainment, experiences, and offerings may be modified, limited in availability or unavailable, and are subject to restrictions, and change or cancellation without notice. Both valid Theme Park reservation and admission for the same Park on the same day are required for Park entry. Park reservations are limited, subject to availability and not guaranteed. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed. Visit Disneyland.com/updates for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.  

Media Contacts : Disneyland Resort Public Relations 714-781-4500 DisneylandNews.com DisneyParksBlog.com @Disneyland  

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Haunted Mansion Holiday Opens at Disneyland and Reveals 2023 Gingerbread House

An annual tradition at Disneyland Resort has continued this year. This tradition comes in the form of gingerbread and can be found in Haunted Mansion Holiday. Every year, a massive gingerbread house is build in the ballroom scene of Haunted Mansion. Through the years there have been many different creative iterations of this gingerbread house. All of them have been creative and impressive. They all have also made this humble reporter hungry… every time. This year’s gingerbread is no exception.

On the opening day of Halloween Time 2023, the Daps Magic team stopped by the Disneyland Resort to check out the new gingerbread house and also see how Jack Skellington had decked the halls this year. As is often the case on the opening day of Haunted Mansion Holiday, guests were full of energy as they eagerly waited to go on the attraction. Knowing that the attraction generally has its shortest wait times in the morning, this is what the team did. Generally throughout the day the line just gets longer and longer. In this case, the line was only about 20 minutes the first time the team stopped by. Unfortunately, something went wrong so the team came back later… and was recognized by one of the cast members (as can be heard in the video). However, the end result was a full ride-through video of this year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday on the opening day. Check out the video and photos of this year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday here:

Haunted Mansion Holiday Fun Facts

• More than  400 flickering candles  create a ghostly glow on the façade of Haunted Mansion Holiday. Each night, more than  100 jack-o-lanterns  shine their ghoulish light.  
• Jack Skellington and his ghost dog Zero appear in a  fully animated sequence  on the ceiling of the “stretching” room, which transports guests into the depths of the mansion. Zero also makes  surprise appearances  among the transforming portraits in the gallery corridor. 
• For Haunted Mansion Holiday,  Kim Irvine, Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering,  gives a spirited portrayal of Madame Leota, the psychic floating inside the crystal ball. Irvine’s mother, Disney Legend and longtime Imagineer Leota Toombs, originated the role in the classic attraction. 
• In the Séance Room, Madame Leota’s “13 Days of Christmas” are featured in  13 spinning fortune cards  that tell of the Christmas gifts which, as she proclaims, “My ghoul love gave to me…”  
• Each year, a team of carpenters, storytellers, pastry chefs, bakers and confectionary and technical wizards collaborate to construct the mansion’s gingerbread house. The magnificent creation emanates the  scent of tasty gingerbread  throughout the Grand Hall, tempting Happy Haunts and mortals alike. 
• The graveyard is covered with nearly  7,500 square feet of snow , and nearly  1,000 tiny orange lights  decorate the trees – making it a festive place to rest. 
• From man-eating wreaths to vampire teddy bears, more than  two dozen additional animated figures  “materialize” as part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday transformation. 

What do you think of this year’s gingerbread house in the Haunted Mansion Holiday? What is your favorite part of the entire attraction this year? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

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Theme parks, disney cruise line – what you need to know, cruise line ships, recent walt disney world, recent disneyland, all reviews, recent reviews, allears style, newsletter home, is disney’s haunted mansion based on a real house.

Since its opening at Disneyland over six decades ago, the Haunted Mansion has been one of the most popular attractions in Disney’s stable. It’s been replicated — in some form — at every Disney resort around the world, been the basis for two feature films (in 2003 and 2023 respectively), sold countless pieces of merchandise including numerous books on its history, and inspired a cadre of websites dedicated to it.

However, despite all the information out there, questions still persist among many about the attraction. “What’s the official story?” “Are the character’s respective backstories interrelated?”, and perhaps most prominently, “Is the Haunted Mansion based on a real house?” The truth, as one arguably should expect from such a mysterious attraction, is somewhat complicated.

To track down what home(s) provide inspiration for the Haunted Mansion, it’s important to take a brisk run through the attractions’ early development history. The first traces of the Haunted Mansion’s existence actually predate Disneyland, as a “Haunted House” was included in the early plans for “Mickey Mouse Park” — the earlier concept for a fun park that was supposed to be built across from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.

According to some sources, Walt’s desire for a haunted house in his park came from an interest in the supposedly haunted Sauer Castle house in Kansas City, Kansas, which Walt was familiar with. However, it should be noted that haunted houses and similar attractions had long been a part of amusement parks, and the inclusion of one on early concept art could simply be a reflection of that.

A “haunted house” remained part of planning for Disneyland, and development on the attraction continued even after the park opened in 1955. Throughout the late 50s and early 60s, the concept continuously evolved with various ideas including a walkthrough manor haunted by the ghost of pirate who had murdered his wife, and a “museum of the weird.”

During this period, Imagineer Ken Anderson began working on sketches of the what would eventually become the Haunted Mansion. He took his primary visual inspiration from the Shipley-Lydecker House, which was located near Baltimore, Maryland. The home was first constructed in 1803 by Charles Shipley and included four two-story columns, a gilded weathervane, and round-arch windows. Nearly a century later, the house was was sold to Philip Lydecker, who added iron grillwork to the balconies.

We’ll note here that the Hamilton-Turner Inn in Savannah, Georgia — the site of a murder made famous in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — is also said to be the inspiration for the architecture of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. While it’s difficult to determine where this story originated, it is not one endorsed by the owners of the inn, though it is oft repeated by guides of Savannah’s popular “ghost tours.”

Anderson, who allegedly discovered the Shipley-Lydecker home while looking for inspiration in a photo book of Victorian homes, took heavy inspiration from the house’s Southern/Antebellum facade. In fact, in some photos, the Shipley-Lydecker House is almost indistinguishable from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. However, one element of Anderson’s original design didn’t make the final cut.

Initially, Anderson’s vision of the home was “overgrown with weeds, dead trees, swarms of bats and boarded doors and windows topped by a screeching cat as a weathervane.” However, Walt Disney himself put a stop to that, not wanting an unkempt home taking up space in his beloved park. According to well-known Disney lore, Walt allegedly proclaimed, “We’ll take care of the outside and let the ghosts take care of the inside.”

While the Shipley-Lydecker House was the main specific inspiration for the exterior of Disneyland’s initial Haunted Mansion — and the facade that resembled it was built as part of New Orleans Square in the early 1960s — the development of the interior of the attraction would go on for nearly a decade more, finding inspiration in two more famous homes.

The first is San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House. The famed mansion was constructed by Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester in a continuous stretch from 1886 to 1922. Winchester was the widow of William Winchester, the inventor of the Winchester rifle. Allegedly, Sarah believed she was haunted by the spirits of those who had been killed by her husband’s gun. This led to Sarah attempting to make the house as labyrinth-like as possible — including staircases to nowhere, doors that opened to brick walls, and hallways with no end (sound familiar?) — as a way to keep these spirits away from her, supposedly. According to legendary Imagineer Rolly Crump, Walt and several Imagineers made several visits to the Winchester house during the attraction’s development.

In addition to the Winchester house, Disney and his Imagineers also visited San Simeon, AKA Hearst Castle, the San Luis Obispo County, California estate of early 20th century newspaper and media magnate William Randolph Hearst. The visits were primarily made to observe how walking tours moved through the palatial San Simeon estate — as Hearst had donated much of it to the public after his death. While Imagineers would eventually leave behind the walking tour concept in favor of the omnimover Haunted Mansion that’s famous today, some parts of of Hearst Castle’s decor and layout would eventually inspire elements of the attraction.

As the finishing touches were put on Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion in 1969, a second version was being constructed across the country in Florida, with plans for it to be an opening day attraction when Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. While the interior of the two attractions were essentially identical, the exterior would be completely different, as the antebellum manor the fit so well in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square wouldn’t fit in Liberty Square, the location of the Magic Kingdom’s Mansion. Instead, the Walt Disney World version’s facade was designed to look like the Dutch Colonial style of gothic mansions that were prevalent in the northeast of the United States, mostly along the Hudson River in New York.

Pennsylvania’s Harry Packer Mansion — built by the then-owner of the Lehigh Valley Railroad — served as an inspiration for the Magic Kingdom’s facade. This Walt Disney World version of the Mansion would be copied for the Tokyo Disneyland version of the attraction.

The sibling versions of the Haunted Mansion — Disneyland Paris’s Phantom Manor and Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor — each have facades that are slightly more whimsical than their counterparts, with less specific real building inspirations.

Were you familiar with these real world inspirations for the Haunted Mansion? Do they change your views of the attraction or make you appreciate it more? Let us know in the comments below.

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2 Replies to “Is Disney’s Haunted Mansion Based on a Real House?”

Great overview. Excellent work.

Want to go to Haunted House in Anaheim do bad now,

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• Mon. Oct 9th, 2023

Haunted Mansion Holiday Fun Facts

Haunted Mansion Holiday Fun Facts  

During the Halloween Time and Holidays seasons at the Disneyland Resort, Jack Skellington wrecks the halls of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland Park with merry and macabre décor inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” – transforming the attraction into Haunted Mansion Holiday . In this collision between Halloween and Christmas, Jack dresses up as “Sandy Claws” and brings eerie Halloween Town delights.

One of Jack’s holiday traditions is leaving a giant, nightmarish gingerbread house for the ghosts who dance around the Haunted Mansion’s Grand Hall. Standing at 9 feet, 13 inches tall, this year’s masterpiece takes the form of a merrily creepy mausoleum that traps a haunted apparition inside. The gingerbread house also employs two new deviously creative techniques – cotton candy decorations that take the form of a frightfully fun food ghost and masterfully molded gingerbread chains.   

Frightfully fun facts about Haunted Mansion Holiday  

• More than 400 flickering candles create a ghostly glow on the façade of Haunted Mansion Holiday. Each night, more than 100 jack-o-lanterns shine their ghoulish light.   
• Jack Skellington and his ghost dog Zero appear in a fully animated sequence on the ceiling of the “stretching” room, which transports guests into the depths of the mansion. Zero also makes surprise appearances among the transforming portraits in the gallery corridor.  
• For Haunted Mansion Holiday, Kim Irvine, Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, gives a spirited portrayal of Madame Leota, the psychic floating inside the crystal ball. Irvine’s mother, Disney Legend and longtime Imagineer Leota Toombs, originated the role in the classic attraction.  
• In the Séance Room, Madame Leota’s “13 Days of Christmas” are featured in 13 spinning fortune cards that tell of the Christmas gifts which, as she proclaims, “My ghoul love gave to me…”   
• Each year, a team of carpenters, storytellers, pastry chefs, bakers and confectionary and technical wizards collaborate to construct the mansion’s gingerbread house. The magnificent creation emanates the scent of tasty gingerbread throughout the Grand Hall, tempting Happy Haunts and mortals alike.  
• The graveyard is covered with nearly 7,500 square feet of snow , and nearly 1,000 tiny orange lights decorate the trees – making it a festive place to rest.  
• From man-eating wreaths to vampire teddy bears, more than two dozen additional animated figures “materialize” as part of the Haunted Mansion Holiday transformation.  
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Haunted Mansion Holiday

Decked out for the hallow-days.

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The Facade and Queue Areas

The architecture of the disney haunted mansions.

There is a popular quote attributed to Walt Disney. Upon being asked about the look of the Mansion building during the design process in 1962, he is said to have replied, "We'll take care of the outside, and the ghosts will take care of the inside." So despite Ken Anderson's early designs for a decrepit, dilapidated Manse, the existing Mansion facade (at Disneyland, at least - see photo below) is kept looking clean and serene. Keeping with the New Orleans theme, the white plantation-style Mansion is captured forever in a turn-of-the-century moment, with fancy French Quarter-style wrought iron and fresh paint applied routinely.

All about the theme

Although Disneyland's Haunted Mansion may most closely resemble Walt's personal vision, the other two Haunted Mansions (in Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland) more closely resemble a haunted colonial manse, with large, imposing brick facades, heavy wrought iron, and landscaping that appears to have run amok (see photo, below). Where Disneyland's exterior theme relies on paint and cast iron, Walt Disney World's Mansion features heavy brick and patina. According to Imagineer Tony Baxter, the differences between the southern plantation look and the colonial fortress of Florida's facade are due, in part, to the existing architecture of the regions, and a desire to create something that doesn't seem too familiar to local guests.

Though they are both based on the same blueprint, the Florida and Tokyo Mansions have a distinct personalities; the Walt Disney World version, located in a colonial-era section of the park called "Liberty Square," is overgrown with all sorts of flora, while the Tokyo Haunted Mansion (pictured below), located in Fantasyland, feels slightly more gothic and imposing, perhaps due to large bronze griffins that are positioned to stare at each guest that enters the gateway that they seem to be guarding.

The weather vanes that adorn the various Mansions also give clues to what lies ahead for visitors. While the Walt Disney World and Tokyo Mansions sport vanes in the shape of a bat, the vane atop Disneyland's Haunted Mansion is in the shape of a ship, which is one of the few remaining hints toward some of the early show concepts that related to pirates, or a ghostly sea captain. To hear one of these stories as it was told by the Imagineers of WED back in the '70s, click here .

Brigham Young's Hearse?

Although it is widely rumored that Disneyland acquired the coach that carried Mormon Pioneer Brigham Young's body to its grave, it happens that this is just another one of the many myths that surround the Haunted Mansion.

According to Glen M. Leonard, director of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Museum of Church History and Art, said historical records are conclusive that the hearse couldn't possibly have been used for Young. "Historical evidence shows no hearse was used," he said, although he allowed for the possibility that the vehicle may be an authentic carriage from Young's era that originated in Utah.

The truth of the hearse's origins may never be known, but it can be said with reasonable certainty that neither Brigham Young (nor Joseph Smith, for that matter) were ever transported in this particular coach. It is also reasonably certain that no carriages throughout history have ever been pulled by invisible horses, though we give Disneyland extra credit for including the horseshoes in this clever display.

The Haunted Mansion Queue

The Haunted Mansions all have individual elements in the queue that give each its own character. For example, the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions have a hearse pulled by an invisible "ghost horse" (and the Disneyland hearse is popularly claimed to have been the same that actually contained Brigham Young's body at one time, though this rumor has been denied by Mormon historians. See sidebar, left.) The Walt Disney World hearse, however, is a bit famous, as it appeared with John Wayne in the 1965 Western "The Sons of Katie Elder."

Inside the Disneyland hearse, there is a rotting bouquet, along with an invitation to join the Mansion... or at least, to make a reservation (See photo below). The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion also has a unique vault at the exit of the ride. Tokyo's Haunted Mansion has the eerie facade with huge griffins guarding the entry arch.

Pictured futher down the page is a detail of the bronze plaque announcing the entrance to the Haunted Mansion, which is found at the entrance to both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions. Phantom Manor has a similar plaque at the entrance to its queue, though the demon on Phantom Manor's plaque bears an uncanny resemblance to Vincent Price, who was the voice of the Phantom Manor "Ghost Host" for a brief period of time. Also pictured below is the hearse that can be found in the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion queue.

A home where the Phantoms roam

For a brief period of time in the '80s, costumed characters roamed the queue area of the Haunted Mansion in the form of cloaked "Phantoms," according to Jason Surrell in his book "The Haunted Mansion: from the Magic Kingdom to the Movies," though the "Phantoms" tracked down by DoomBuggies.com recall their territories as being limited to the inside of the attraction. Nevertheless, the queue area of the Haunted Mansion has always been meticulously themed and carefully landscaped, to ensure a properly set stage for the mysterious happenings to come within the walls.

Flora of the Mansion's grounds

A very important part of the queue decoration is the landscaping, and plant selections, which lend an aura of authenticity to the architectural settings proposed by the facade designs. The Tokyo and Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion grounds are carefully designed to appear overgrown and ancient, with roses growing into brambles and trees scaled to empasize the imposing nature of the brick and mortar facades (see photo, below right).

In memorium

A mansion could hardly be considered "haunted" if it didn't have a family graveyard adjacent to it, and Disney's Haunted Mansions are no exception. Read on to learn about the various memorials on the grounds of the various Mansions...

All Haunted Mansion/Phantom Manor/Disney images, sounds, and media copyright © Disney / Disney Enterprises, Inc. Website design © 1997 - 2011 by Chef Mayhem. This site is NOT affiliated in any way with the Walt Disney Company, and no rights of usage are implied. This is a site created by and for Disney fans to promote Disney theme parks. DoomBuggies uses and recommends 1and1 Web Hosting .

13 Facts About Disney’s Haunted Mansion

By alan finn | aug 8, 2014.

Wikimedia Commons

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion opened on August 9, 1969, and quickly became one of the park’s most beloved attractions. Every Magic Kingdom built since then, from Florida to Tokyo and beyond, has included some version of the Haunted Mansion. To celebrate all these years of grim, grinning ghosts, here are 13 facts about the spookiest ride ever devised by Walt Disney and his team of “Imagineers.”

1. In the Beginning

Disney first approached Imagineer Ken Anderson about the idea for a haunted attraction in 1957. Originally planned as a walk-through attraction, it would have involved maids or butlers guiding guests through the mansion and telling them about the tragic tale of a sea captain and his bride. Also planned was a “Museum of the Weird,” which would have showcased strange creatures and odd, interactive illusions.

2. An Empty House

Construction of the Haunted Mansion’s façade began in 1962 and was finished in 1963. The building sat empty after Disney and his Imagineers focused on the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. It remained that way following Disney’s death in 1966 as Imagineers, now left to their own devices, struggled to decide what to do with the attraction.

3. From Baltimore to New Orleans

longforgottenhauntedmansion

Although the Haunted Mansion is located in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square and appears to be a typical antebellum manse, it was inspired by a home almost 999 miles to the north—Baltimore. The Shipley-Lydecker House was built in Baltimore in 1803.

4. Movie Influences

Passport to Dreams Old & New

Many Haunted Mansion experts think that three films were major inspirations for the Imagineers as they completed the attraction— La Belle et La Bete , Jean Cocteau’s 1946 version of Beauty and the Beast ; The Haunting , Robert Wise’s 1963 adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel The Haunting of Hill House ; and the 1927 version of The Cat and the Canary . Design elements from all three movies can be seen in the ride itself.

5. Expensive Ghosts

According to an official Disneyland press release from 1969, the Haunted Mansion cost $7 million to develop and build . That translates to roughly $45 million today.

6. 999 Happy Haunts

From the very beginning, Disneyland press materials touted that 999 ghosts resided in the mansion. While the number of actual ghostly figures in the attraction has never been officially tallied, it is generally acknowledged that there’s always room for one more.

7. Different Lands

The Haunted Mansion is the only Disney attraction to be featured in different lands at each of the five Magic Kingdoms. In Disneyland, it’s in New Orleans Square. At Walt Disney World, it’s located in Liberty Square. It resides in Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland and in Frontierland at Disneyland Paris, where it’s known as Phantom Manor. At Hong Kong Disneyland, a completely different attraction known as Mystic Manor is located in Mystic Point.

8. Up or Down?

Davelandweb.com

The world-famous stretching rooms, in which guests are introduced to the attraction’s “Ghost Host,” descend at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion and at Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris. At Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, the ceiling rises while guests remain on the same level.

9. Familiar Voices

The voice of the Ghost Host was provided by actor Paul Frees , who was also the voice of Boris Badenov on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and the Disney character Professor Ludwig von Drake. The voice of the main singing bust in the graveyard scene belongs to Thurl Ravenscroft , who voiced Tony the Tiger. Madame Leota, the disembodied head inside the crystal ball, is the voice of Eleanor Audley, who also provided the voices of Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty and the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella .

10. Dancing Ghosts

The dancing ghosts in the ballroom are created using a theatrical effect that’s been around since the early 1800s. Called the Pepper’s Ghost illusion, it’s a relatively simple trick in which illuminated objects are reflected onto a pane of glass, making them appear translucent. It’s named after John Henry Pepper, who popularized the effect.

11. Nemo’s Organ

At Disneyland, the pipe organ played by a spectral musician in the ballroom scene is the same organ used by James Mason as Captain Nemo in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea . The prop was modified for use in the Haunted Mansion. The organs used in other versions of the ride are replicas of the original.

12. Hitching a Ride

The names of the three hitchhiking ghosts guests encounter at the end of the ride are Gus, Ezra, and Phineas. Gus is the short one with the ball and chain, Ezra is the tall, skeletal one with the bowler hat, and Phineas is the one carrying the carpet bag.

13. Pet Cemetery

Both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World versions of the ride have a small pet cemetery located outside the mansion. In Walt Disney World, one can see a tombstone for J. Thaddeus Toad, the hero of the park’s long-gone attraction Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

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Haunted Mansion Holiday Ride Review

For many die-hard Disney fans, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Park is an iconic and unmissable attraction. Yet, for a few months each year, this classic undergoes a delightful transformation to become the Haunted Mansion Holiday, a bewitching blend of Halloween spookiness and Christmas charm, inspired by Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.

Height Requirements: The Haunted Mansion Holiday maintains the same requirements as its classic counterpart – there’s no height restriction, making it family-friendly for all.

Single Rider: This attraction doesn’t offer a single rider option. If you’re riding solo, you’ll need to join the standard queue.

Genie+ and Lightning Lane: Haunted Mansion Holiday is included in the Genie+ lineup. This means for an additional fee, visitors can reserve a designated time slot to reduce their wait. The Lightning Lane entrance, which replaces the old FastPass system, provides an expedited queue for Genie+ users.

Rider Switch: For families with small children who might be too frightened or young to ride, the Rider Switch option is available. This allows one parent to wait with the child while the other rides, then switch without having to queue again.

DAS (Disability Access Service): Those with disabilities can utilize the DAS , which allows guests to schedule a return time that’s comparable to the current wait time.

Location and History

Situated in New Orleans Square , the Haunted Mansion stands as a testament to Disney’s commitment to immersive storytelling and attention to detail. Originally opening its doors in 1969, the ride immediately captured the imagination of park-goers with its intriguing blend of eerie atmospheres and whimsical spookiness.

By the end of the 20th century, Disneyland was looking for innovative ways to revitalize older attractions and keep guests coming back for fresh experiences. The idea to marry the Haunted Mansion with Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was conceived in the late 1990s. The film, released in 1993, had grown a cult following and was becoming an iconic piece of Disney’s film library.

The overlay was a bold move. Transforming a classic and beloved attraction, even temporarily, was a risk. Yet, in 2001, the Haunted Mansion Holiday was unveiled to the public. The gamble paid off. The unique overlay, combining the macabre with holiday festivity, drew immense acclaim.

The attraction overhaul wasn’t merely superficial. It encompassed every aspect of the mansion, from the façade adorned with Jack Skellington’s sleigh and skeletal reindeer, to the gingerbread house scent wafting through the Grand Hall.

Legacy and Evolution:

The success of the Haunted Mansion Holiday has led to its annual return, becoming a staple of Disneyland’s holiday celebrations . The attraction’s appeal lies not just in its novelty but also in its evolving nature. Each year, Imagineers tweak and change various elements, ensuring that even those who’ve ridden it before will find new surprises.

The Haunted Mansion Holiday serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of the original Haunted Mansion and showcases Disney’s ability to reinvent and rejuvenate classic attractions, maintaining their relevance in contemporary times.

Design and Architecture

The overlay is a masterpiece of design. Jack Skellington and his ghastly gang have truly taken over, decking the halls with eerie ensembles and dreadful décor. The exterior mansion boasts a massive clock with a countdown to Christmas, while a giant list, presumably of those naughty and nice, flutters beside it.

Inside, familiar rooms receive a “Nightmare” twist. The stretching room features stained glass portraits that transform into scenes from Halloween Town, and the Grand Hall brims with a ghostly celebration, including a massive gingerbread house centerpiece that’s redesigned every year.

Ride Experience: Queue & Music

The experience begins in the queue. Gone is the somber tone of the original; in its place, Danny Elfman’s iconic score from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” weaves throughout, setting the mood. The sights and sounds truly engulf you, hinting at the transformed world that lies ahead.

Once aboard your “doom buggy”, you’re whisked into Jack’s twisted vision of the holidays. The Ghost Host (now voiced by the chillingly delightful Paul Frees) guides you through each room, each one more enchantingly eerie than the last. Sally, Oogie Boogie , and the whole Halloween Town crew make appearances, culminating in a graveyard scene bursting with festive cheer.

1. The Foyer & The Stretching Room: Upon entering the mansion’s foyer, guests are immediately greeted with a holiday twist. A twisted garland decorated with “Nightmare Before Christmas” ornaments adorns the surroundings. As you proceed into the infamous stretching room, the portrait transformation takes on a new persona. Familiar images elongate to reveal the mischief of Jack and his crew – from snowmen with carnivorous aspirations to the iconic scene of Jack as Sandy Claws, pulled by his skeletal reindeer.

2. Doom Buggy Journey Begins: Once aboard the doom buggy, your ghostly transportation, the corridors have been decked out with eerily enchanted wreaths that occasionally come to life, bearing their menacing teeth. As you proceed, the infamous wallpaper seems to have slightly shifted its hue, embodying a more festive spirit.

3. The Seance Room: Madame Leota, the spirit in the crystal ball, now floats amid a room filled with floating Christmas cards and tarot cards. Her incantations take on a yuletide twist as she chants the “13 Days of Christmas.”

4. The Grand Hall: The highlight of the revamp lies in the Grand Hall, which has been transformed into a chaotic Christmas party. Ghosts dance around a festively decked table adorned with a uniquely designed gingerbread house – a real culinary creation that changes its design every season. Above them, ghostly mistletoe apparitions float and play, and a giant Jack-in-the-box version of Oogie Boogie threatens playfully.

5. The Graveyard Scene: The snow-covered graveyard is a whimsical wintry wonderland. Singing busts croon Christmas carols, and the iconic hill from the film, crowned by Jack and Sally in a touching moment, can be seen in the distance. The sounds of “What’s This?” resonate throughout, capturing the blend of Jack’s wonder and the spooky surroundings.

6. Exit & Hitchhiking Ghosts: Even the exit isn’t devoid of “Nightmare” influences. The mischievous trio of hitchhiking ghosts don festive attire, trying to hitch a ride home with you for the holidays. As you disembark, mirrors reveal that you might have picked up an extra festive phantom passenger or two.

Average Wait Times

During the holiday season, the Haunted Mansion Holiday becomes incredibly popular. Average wait times can range from 30 minutes on off-peak days to 2+ hours on weekends and holidays . It’s best to check the Disneyland app for current wait times.

Best Times to Ride

Early mornings or late evenings are typically the best times to hop aboard if you’re looking to avoid the longest queues. Also, consider weekdays and non-holiday dates if possible. The ride is usually open from 8:00am-12:00am

The success of the Haunted Mansion Holiday has led to its annual return, becoming a staple of Disneyland’s holiday celebrations. The attraction’s appeal lies not just in its novelty but also in its evolving nature. Each year, Imagineers tweak and change various elements, ensuring that even those who’ve ridden it before will find new surprises. The Haunted Mansion Holiday is a testament to Disney’s boundless creativity and ability to rejuvenate classic attractions.

It’s not just a mere overlay but a whole new experience, enveloping riders in the whimsical world of Jack Skellington. For fans of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, it’s a must-ride. For others, it’s a refreshing take on a beloved classic. Either way, it’s a delightful haunting that’ll leave you humming its tunes long after you’ve disembarked.

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