Disneyland Resort
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by Kelsey Lynch, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort
The stately grounds of the Haunted Mansion will expand with a spirited metamorphosis at Disneyland Resort next year. In 2024, the additions will build on the story and lore of the Haunted Mansion and include an expanded outdoor queue to immerse guests in enhanced theming, as well as a new retail shop adjacent to the attraction’s exit.
Local legend suggests the manor known today as the Haunted Mansion was first built by a prosperous sea captain. To this day, the mansion’s staff faithfully maintains the happy haunting grounds. The expanded queue will tie into these stories and more, including new gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota and the one-eyed cat.
Each of the gardens will feature unique elements ranging from a water fountain and gazebo to themed statuary and landscaping. In fact, guests will be able to see a new greenhouse where the groundskeepers for the Haunted Mansion grow their plants. The pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse will continue to reside on the attraction’s grounds.
And speaking of Madame Leota, we felt it was time to continue her presence beyond the walls of the Haunted Mansion with an all-new retail shop. This carriage house of the mansion, belonging to Leota, will be a standalone shop that we are just “dying” to tell you more about in the future.
We also will make enhancements to the plaza adjacent to Tiana’s Palace. This area is one that holds a lot of memories and history, and a new, elegant park-like setting will be a place to relax and enjoy the ambiance and live entertainment under the shade of new and historic trees.
Construction on these additions will begin in January 2024. We will take the opportunity to help improve the accessibility of these areas which includes a new elevator exit from the Haunted Mansion for guests with disabilities.
We look forward to sharing more about the final arrangements early next year. For now, consider this dismaying observation: the objects found in Leota’s garden will be inspired by her incantation!
Destinations: Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Park
Comments
So I’m guessing- 4 months?
Also the fountain and trees of Magnolia Park are lovely, even when the queue has to go through them on peak days. I can’t see why they can’t just stay as is. What’s wrong with simplicity?I’ll work there
Please leave the trees and fountain if possible. I love walking around New Orleans Square because it reminds me of Jackson Square in NewOrleans. Some of the areas in the park were inspired by real places, it’s neat to keep it true to that original vision.
Rather than blowing budget on queue lines and shops, it’s time to bring the Country Bears back to Anaheim. Put the new and improved Pooh’s Hunny Hunt in Fantasyland and return the Country Bears back to their original hilltop theater.
It is so sad that you have to do this in January. Why couldn’t you have given us advance notice that you were going to do this. So if you are going to do this in January, then this means we can’t see the attraction the way it was ment to be at all anymore. What with the Nightmare before Christmas overlay being till after the Holidays. So then this must mean when “Nightmare” is over, you intend to closing down HM till after this construction change. I understand the necessity for the ADA accessibly, but why do you have to make all these other changes? Why is it necessary to continue to make all these politically correct changes that changes Walt’s dream like you did with “Pirates” and other attractions.
So I guess I will never get to see Walt’s HM ever again.But the ride won’t close right? We come out for the first time ever in February and we’ll be devastated if we can’t ride it!
RE: “We will take the opportunity to help improve the accessibility of these areas which includes a new elevator exit from the Haunted Mansion for guests with disabilities”. This is wonderful news, HOWEVER there really should be at least 1 wheelchair accessible ride vehicle where a guest may stay in their manual wheelchair to enjoy the Haunted Mansion. The Clamshell ride vehicles of Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at DCA are extremely similar to the Doom Buggies, so PLEASE!!! Everyone cannot transfer and therefore will never be able to experience this beloved attraction 🙁
Well, they say both new and old trees, so it sounds like not all the trees would be leaving (or… leafing… ha; I’m so sorry) so much as the planters and fence work around them to open up the area. I’m hoping they can leave the fountain; I see they’ve moved one to the queue, but the fountain is a lovely place. There’s a fair bit more space between the train station and the walkways around the Rivers of America than these concept sketches suggest.
I will say, though, there’s a couple things I’m truly excited about. One is the return of the live entertainment by the restaurant. I remember even as a kid just sitting near there and listening to those bands play… I loved it. It’s a part of the New Orleans Square atmosphere that’s been missing, at least for me, when I’ve been there.
Next is the extended queue/story. Something we lack in Disneyland that Disney World’s Haunted Mansion and Disneyland Paris’s Phantom Manor (which has twice the ride, actually, and a very different story) have in spades. We actually used to have a bit more detail in the form of the fast pass ticket area, but it was just pretty and its gone. Getting more depth to the ride (and there is a lot out there to pull on; they already mentioned Captain Gore in the blog post. I suggest the channel Offhand Disney if you’d like to learn more) and it’s background is exciting! Especially the cat. I’ve been pointing out the cat to my family every time. In any case, I’m open to it. Hopefully the rude stays open; the queue will probably snake outside in the meantime which is nothing new for them.
I hate to be a whiner but I don’t like the removal of the fountain either. It’s just that I’ve seen Disneyland make some very bad, so-called “improvements” in the last decade. With the exception of Main Street’s lackluster indoor Carnation Cafe, the bungles all seem to be in New Orleans Square.
I get the HM queue changes are to improve ADA compliance, so hopefully these changes in addition are plussed and not halfhearted minuses.
Please don’t remove the trees. Lots of shade also needs to be added all throughout the HM queue. I’m going to mourn the loss of Magnolia Gardens. I’m assuming you are removing the fountain. There are street signs in New Orleans Square. Can we keep a basic feel of Magnolia Gardens and New Orleans? I also worry about the transition from the exit of HM (what I assume will become yet another gift shop, sigh, and the start of Tiana. And how this all goes into the shrinking Critter Country and Pooh. Transitions are important.
I SURE HOPE this is not going to be another McMansionland Playground like Walt Disney World’s noisy, atrocious mess of rejected ideas tossed out by the original Imagineers (who knew what they were doing).
The exterior of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion is a *major* part of the attraction’s story. It’s supposed to be a stately home that has only a somewhat eerie quality. That way, the manor’s tale can unfold and its spirited inhabitants reveal themselves in chapters/stages—INSIDE. Any true storyteller knows that you DON’T put the finale before the prelude. That’s why Walt (a genius) DID NOT want ANY ghosts (such as Madam Leota) outside.
So, instead of Disney Parks thinking with their cash registers, how about using their creative minds and building the Museum Of The Weird? Every Haunted Mansion fan wants it (as did Walt). And it doesn’t have to be a static, typical museum. For example, animate the place. Make exhibits change on their own. Let display tables rise and objects move. It can be as unique and unusual as Rolly Crump, the late, great, brilliant Imagineer who’s already laid a good portion of the groundwork.
As for retail, the rare facility’s “egress” can always funnel foolish mortals into the Museum Gift Shop of unique oddities and ghoulishly delightful merch. The whole thing would be far more amusing and successful than yet another typical, Disney Park themed store. And the ghosts can stay where they belong: indoors and out of any spoiler-laden queue.
PLEASE, consider this much more desirable alternative.
Can you give us a little more practical information? Will the ride be closed during all of this? If so, how long do you expect te ride to be closed? I booked my trip last month for may 2024. Flying from the other side of the world to finally experience The Haunted Mansion. This news without any more details has me a little stressed out.
Please do not remove the fountain between the mansion and Tiana’s Palace.
Will the Mansion be closed? I was planning attending Disneyland in March. Ever since we began dating in 2011, going together to Disneyland and visiting the Mansion has always been our dream. Sadly, he developed Kidney Failure and had been in dialysis… until I donated him a kidney and everything improved, and now we want to make our dream come true. But as much as we are happy for the changes coming to the Mansion, we are anxious about the time it will take for them to materialize and the timing of our trip.
Kelly: To be fair, in Ken Anderson’s early plans for what would be The Haunted Mansion in the late ’50’s, there was going to be a gift shop right at the end of the attraction (the first time it was ever considered).
I’m EXCITED! Ignore all the whining and complaining! You can’t please people who think the world revolves around them. Super excited!!
Please don’t remove ANY of the trees!!! 🌲 😢
Hopefully they’ll allow access to the hidden pet sematary again..
How long is the project expected to take? I am currently planning my next trip (first time since 2018) and seeing as Haunted Mansion is in my top 5 rides I really want to make sure it is open during my trip.
Best. News. Ever!!!! Can’t wait!! 👏
Looks great! Very glad that the area is receiving some attention.
Any word on how long Haunted Mansion will be down for? Hopefully it will be open before summer 2024?
Also, does the addition of the exit elevator mean no more moving speedramp at the end of the ride, or will that remain?This is so interesting! Will this renovation affect the DAS entrance or will it remain the same? Thanks so much! Looking forward to all the new changes!
This is amazing! Quick question – will the attraction be closed during construction?
Just another money grab. It is bad enough the merch is the same in every shop- mass produced junk. We visit often but stopped buying any merch over 2 years ago. Ripping out the beautiful fountain in that area to add seating for Tiana’s Palace. How about actually adding another attraction in critter country or by galaxy’s edge instead of a retheme?
Will the HM Ride be closed during this time or will there just be an alternate entrance into the ride during renovations?
I hope someone is considering additional or enhanced restrooms in New Orleans Square.
Please tell me you are not removing the beautiful fountain between the haunted mansion and Tiana’s
Comments are closed.
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