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93-739: The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride attraction located at Disneyland , Magic Kingdom , and Tokyo Disneyland . The haunted house attraction features a ride-through tour in Omnimover vehicles called "Doom Buggies", and a walk-through show is displayed to riders waiting in the queue line. Each location differs slightly in design, utilizing a range of technology from centuries-old theatrical effects to modern special effects, including spectral Audio-Animatronics . The Haunted Mansion inspired two similarly themed but distinct attractions, Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor , which exist at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland , respectively. Considered one of

186-491: A buried wire for navigation. Others, such as Star Wars : Rise of the Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park , Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland or Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy at Disneyland Paris and Epcot , use Wi-Fi and RFID -based local positioning systems . The system provides more versatility for the vehicles to move in randomized patterns. The magnets in

279-507: A certain number of arms and legs. Ride requirements are created to ensure all guests’ safety throughout the ride and are posted throughout the attractions’ queue to prevent the companies’ liability if a rider is physically harmed. However, according to Title III of the Americans Disability Act it is illegal for amusement parks to discriminate against any persons with disabilities from equal enjoyment of goods of services in

372-415: A corpse tries to get out while crying for help, the guests travel through the corridor of doors. A demonic grandfather clock chimes 13. Guests then enter the seance room, where Madame Leota is seen floating and reciting her spell as instruments play. A green specter floats alongside the instruments. The Doom Buggies enter the ballroom, where ghosts have gathered for a party. The Doom Buggies then proceed to

465-470: A dance element (tapping buttons on the restraints) later. The Walt Disney Company is the first to develop a trackless ride system for its dark ride attractions. Trackless dark rides utilize automated guided vehicles that do not require guide rails , and thus are able to cross existing paths, reverse, and rotate. Some trackless dark rides, such as the Big Red Car Ride at Dreamworld , relied on

558-474: A doorway, all of which have eyes that stared at guests as they pass through; these were later transferred to the load area during the refurbishment and their eyes no longer followed guests. In March 2011, a new "interactive queue" debuted at the Walt Disney World location, with new crypts and tombstones honoring Imagineers; a murder mystery for guests to solve featuring the sinister Dread Family;

651-692: A drawing of an antebellum manor with features from the Baltimore house, overgrown with weeds, dead trees, swarms of bats and boarded doors and windows topped by a screeching cat as a weathervane . Disney, however, rejected the idea of having a run-down building in his park. He visited the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California , and was captivated by the massive mansion with its stairs to nowhere, doors that opened to walls and holes, and elevators. Anderson envisioned stories for

744-406: A frightened caretaker holding a lantern and a shovel with his dog cowering at his feet. Around the corner, ghosts have risen from their graves and are partying enthusiastically. Ghouls also pop up from behind the gravestones, some of which appear to move. In the graveyard are multiple comical sights, such as the following: Other sights in the graveyard are a skeleton 's hand popping out of a hole in

837-410: A large workshop to develop their ideas. One night, the two Imagineers decided to play a prank on the night cleaning crew. As Crump explained: "…We got a call from personnel saying that the janitors requested that we leave the lights on in there due to the creepiness of all the audio-animatronic ghosts and such. We complied, but put motion sensors in the room that would extinguish the lights and turn on all

930-606: A man vaguely resembling Peter Lorre whose face pops out and stretches, a tall, legless ghost in the Séance Room, and more advanced lighting. The attraction did not receive the changes made in the 2007 refurbishment of the Magic Kingdom version. The idea for the Mansion precedes Disneyland and WED Enterprises , dating to when Walt Disney hired the first of his Imagineers . At the time, the park they were developing

1023-629: A means of previewing complex new ride vehicles such as the free-ranging vehicles used in "Pooh's Hunny Hunt". Moreover, this computer visualization is a powerful tool for transcending language barriers. Showing a virtual prototype of "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" to Japan was a cause of the implementation of the ride at Tokyo Disneyland due to its use of imaging over speech. Some dark rides are intense for riders, as they contain vigorous themed elements such as flashing lights, black light effects, sudden drops, stoppages, or other turbulent movements that may be harmful to impaired riders. As more thrill rides are created,

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1116-606: A murder mystery attached to them. When passing the graveyard gates in the queue, guests see six head busts, two on one stand, that contain the Dread Family: a family that killed each other for wealth. The members are Uncle Jacob, Bertie, Aunt Florence Dread (née McGriffin), twins Wellington and Forsythia, and Cousin Maude. Bertie killed Jacob with poison from his snake, Florence killed Bertie for revenge with her gun, Wellington and Forsythia killed Florence as revenge for Florence doing

1209-512: A musical score by Danny Elfman . Walt Disney Pictures produced two standalone theatrical live-action feature film adaptations based on the attraction: The first adaptation, The Haunted Mansion , was directed by Rob Minkoff and starred Eddie Murphy was released on November 26, 2003. The second adaptation, Haunted Mansion , was directed by Justin Simien and released on July 28, 2023. In July 2010, Guillermo del Toro announced that he

1302-634: A public place of accommodation. Therefore, companies such as The Walt Disney Company are required by law to accommodate any person with a physical disability who still meets the ride requirements. This often includes guests who use wheelchairs or crutches. Services such as the Disability Access Service (DAS) at Disney theme parks instates equality between disabled and non-disabled riders in its theme parks and resorts, making these attractions largely accessible for its guests. Companies such as Universal Studios offer similar services such as

1395-469: A refreshed pet cemetery, now with new greenery and plants. The portrait gallery was given new drapes curtains and the loading area is much more decorative with wallpaper and the return of one of the Haunted Mansion's original portraits being "April to December". Also featuring a statue of the one-eyed cat. The rest of the attraction was given repairs and new lighting. In addition, new secret entrance

1488-536: A rogue shot and killing their pet canary , and Maude killed the twins with her croquet mallet. Maude accidentally killed herself by forgetting that she put matches in her hair to hold her bun together and setting a fire that killed her, a solution that is shown in a painting added to the Hitchhiking Ghost vignette. At this time, the Hitchhiking Ghosts mirror effect was also updated to replace

1581-503: A roller coaster does not make it a dark ride. Dark coasters are roller coasters that feature heavily themed layouts, special effects (such as animated characters, fire, smoke, and sound/lighting effects), and a dark ride portion that abruptly transitions into a roller coaster-style layout with heavily banked turns, sharp turns, steep drops, and helices. Some of them include backward motion, and many have launch mechanisms rather than lifts. Examples include: Test Track at Epcot , Journey to

1674-599: A similarly-named ride was destroyed by fire in 1979 at Luna Park Sydney . The concept is also popular in the United States . One notable ghost train from the country is The Haunted Mansion , first opened in Disneyland in Anaheim, California , on August 9, 1969. Interactive dark rides feature a component that allows riders to be involved in the attraction's story. The first interactive dark ride ever built

1767-652: A sinister version of “Grim Grinning Ghosts” and into the Endless Staircase, where footprints can be seen and candelabras are blown out occasionally by unseen ghosts. Passing by bat-eyed wallpaper that glows in the dark, the guests see the Endless Hallway, but the Hatbox Ghost appears next to it from a blue door, his footprints visible in front of the Hallway. Passing through the conservatory where

1860-858: A stationary core with show scenes. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Railroad both include brief dark-ride scenes, but for the most part transport guests outdoors. Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom , Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain at several Disney parks, and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars at Hong Kong Disneyland likewise include some dark-ride elements, but function primarily as indoor/outdoor roller coasters. Bridal Chorus The " Bridal Chorus " (German: "Treulich geführt" ) from

1953-574: A story using Goff's idea. Plans were made to build a New Orleans -themed land in the small transition area between Frontierland and Adventureland . Weeks later, New Orleans Square appeared on the souvenir map and promised a thieves market, a pirate wax museum, and a haunted house walk-through. Anderson studied New Orleans and old plantations, landing on an image of the Shipley-Lydecker House in Baltimore , Maryland . He came up with

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2046-566: A team of researchers from the University of Liechtenstein developed a model that illustrates the underlying effect mechanism that attendees of Dark Rides experience. The model suggests that "Storytelling" in Dark Rides influences an attendee's "emotional attachment" to the ride through the mediator of "Immersion". It is assumed that a person's prior knowledge about the ride's story and a person's cultural background have moderating effects on

2139-560: A tomb, a duo of ghosts singing opera, a king and queen balancing a seesaw on a gravestone and a duchess ( Betty Taylor ) sipping a cup of tea. Guests also pass by a group of five busts (Verne Rowe, Thurl Ravenscroft , Chuck Schroeder, Jay Meyer, and Bob Ebright) singing the attraction's theme song Grim Grinning Ghosts . As the Doom Buggies approach the entrance of a large crypt, the Ghost Host warns them about hitchhiking ghosts as

2232-511: A variety of mostly comical characters, and thought the ride should be silly and full of gags. In the end, both artists got their ways when X Atencio combined their approaches and ideas, creating a transition from dark foreboding to "spirited" entertainment. The ride narration was performed by Paul Frees in the role of the Ghost Host. The attraction's theme song, " Grim Grinning Ghosts ", was composed by Buddy Baker with lyrics by Atencio. Different versions of it can be heard in nearly every area of

2325-468: Is El Paso at the Belgium theme park Bobbejaanland . The vast majority of interactive dark rides are shooting dark rides, which require riders to aim and shoot at targets throughout the ride using handheld or vehicle-mounted light guns . Successfully shooting a target usually triggers special animation, such as flashing lights or moving the target. The more targets riders hit, the higher their scores at

2418-452: Is a moving suit of armor and a chair with an abstract face. The Doom Buggies then turn to view a glass conservatory filled with dead flora surrounding a casket whose occupant ( X Atencio ) is heard calling out for help to escape; his bony hands are seen trying to pry the casket lid open. The Doom Buggies then travel down a hallway of doors where sounds of pounding, calls for help, screams, knocking, and maniacal laughter can be heard from behind

2511-465: Is closed in mid to late August for a few weeks as they revamp the attraction before opening again in September, replacing many of the props and Audio-Animatronics with characters and themes from the movie. The Haunted Mansion Holiday closes in early January to restore the attraction back to the original Haunted Mansion and reopens late January. The Magic Kingdom does not have its own holiday edition of

2604-513: Is described by Park World magazine as "one of the most idiosyncratic dark rides". It is themed to a school exam, with riders individually answering multiple-choice questions throughout it. Riders are graded on their responses, and each receives a school report at the end of the ride. While technically a coaster, the Gekion Live coaster at Joypolis had elements of a dark ride. It used to have a shooting element, only for it to be refurbished with

2697-471: Is known today, debuted in 2000 at Tokyo Disneyland's “ Pooh's Hunny Hunt ” attraction– a dark ride based on Disney's 1977 hit animated feature film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh . However, while Pooh's Hunny Hunt pioneered the trackless ride system, it was Hollywood Studio's Tower of Terror and Epcot's Universe of Energy attractions that first utilized the technology. The use of virtual reality in

2790-500: The 1939 New York World's Fair , and Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland . Modern attractions in this genre vary widely in technical sophistication. Smaller-scale rides often feature the same sorts of simple animation and sounds used since the genre's early days, while more ambitious projects feature complex animatronics , special effects and ride vehicles utilizing cutting-edge technology. To improve

2883-414: The foyer . Guests enter the mansion's art gallery , which contains four paintings, each depicting a person from the chest up. While the Ghost Host challenges guests to find a way out, the room stretches vertically, and the portrait frames appear to elongate, revealing the following grim fates depicted in humorous fashion: As the Ghost Host states that the guests can take "his way" out, the room goes dark,

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2976-576: The 1850 opera Lohengrin by German composer Richard Wagner , who also wrote the libretto , is a march played for the bride's entrance at many formal weddings throughout the Western world. In English-speaking countries, it is generally known as " Here Comes the Bride " or " Wedding March ", but " wedding march " refers to any piece in march tempo accompanying the entrance or exit of the bride, notably Felix Mendelssohn 's " Wedding March ". Wagner’s piece

3069-485: The 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas . In 2004, the Seance Room was updated so the crystal ball with the talking head of Madame Leota floated above its table rather than sitting stationary on it, with the original projection-mapped effect replaced by a rear-projection effect within the ball. In 2006, the original attic bride was replaced by Constance Hatchaway and a storyline for the new character. In 2007,

3162-641: The Attractions Assistance Pass (AAS). The DAS pass allows guests to reserve a spot in an attraction's line, select a time to board the attraction, and return at their scheduled time. This allows guests who cannot physically wait in a trackless dark ride queue to still ride without being present at the queue, but still wait the same amount of time as other abled guests. Many trackless dark ride queues are tight, enclosed spaces for guests to wind through, which are often difficult for people with wheelchairs or other amenities to navigate. Moreover, as

3255-519: The Caribbean . When Walt put Imagineers Rolly Crump and Yale Gracey in charge of creating illusions for the attraction, they intended to make the "Museum of the Weird" into a separate section that guests could walk through, where they could see transparent ghosts and other apparitions utilizing the Pepper's Ghost technique used in the theater since the early 1800s. Crump and Gracey were eventually given

3348-523: The Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea , and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure each use a slot car track rather than that of a roller coaster, but they provide a similar pairing of dark ride scenes with a high-speed thrill ride. Saw – The Ride at Thorpe Park features an enclosed dark section with strobe lighting and special effects, before the car enters the outdoor section of

3441-529: The Composer Crypt, which features musical instruments that play variations of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" when touched; the Mariner's brine-filled sepulcher, whose ghost sings and sneezes from within, and a crypt for Prudence Pock the poetess, which features haunted moving books and Prudence's ghost writing invisibly in her poem book. Guests can solve the unfinished poems by speaking into microphones located on

3534-399: The Doom Buggies pass a group of three ghosts thumbing for a ride. Around the corner, in large mirrors, the guests see that one of the ghosts from the trio is in the buggy with them. The guests then disembark their Doom Buggies and begin to leave the mansion. A small ghost known as Little Leota (Leota Toombs) encourages them to return and to bring their "death certificates." The Haunted Mansion

3627-550: The Doom Buggy, the system's continuous chain of semi-enclosed vehicles offered high capacity. The cars could be set to rotate in any direction at any point, allowing the Imagineers to control what guests saw and heard. Because each car held from one to three people, it was a convenient way to divide guests into smaller groups—a better fit with the story of people wandering "alone" through a haunted house. Employee previews of

3720-434: The Haunted Mansion and the regular ride operates continuously through the holiday season. The Magic Kingdom was initially supposed to have the overlay as sets, props, and animatronics were created for Magic Kingdom, but they rejected the overlay because Walt Disney World gains more tourists than Disneyland due to being a vacation destination unlike Disneyland being more of a regional theme park with reoccurring guests, so keeping

3813-422: The Mansion were held August 6, 7, and the 8th, followed by "soft" openings on August 9 and 10 where limited numbers of park guests were allowed to ride. A "Midnight" Press Event was held on the evening of August 11. The Mansion opened to all guests on August 12, 1969. In around 1977, WDI considered utilizing the unused designs, creatures and effects that Rolly Crump had originally created for the Haunted Mansion and

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3906-426: The Mansion's spirits. Floating musical instruments respond in turn to her spell. After leaving the séance circle, guests move onto a mezzanine overlooking a massive ballroom where many ghosts are enjoying a birthday party (or a deathday one, in this case). Ghosts fly into the room from a crashed hearse and the windows. Several ghosts sit at the table where one blows out the candles of a birthday cake. When she blows out

3999-471: The Museum of the Weird as part of Professor Marvel's Gallery—"a tent show of mysteries and delights, a carousel of magic and wonder," to be built as part of Disneyland's Discovery Bay expansion area. The idea was dropped when the expansion's plans fell through. In 1994, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion was updated. A phantom piano player sat at a run-down piano in the attic scene, whereas the original faceless bride

4092-551: The Western architectural style, the attraction uses a Western plot to fit in with the Thunder Mesa and Frontierland backdrop. Mystic Manor opened at Hong Kong Disneyland in spring 2013. Unlike the Haunted Mansion, however, it does not include references to departed spirits or the afterlife , due to differences in traditional Chinese culture. Continuing the Society of Explorers and Adventurers theme of Tokyo DisneySea ,

4185-420: The attic. The piano player can be heard, but not seen. The bride is now blue and white and has a stained hatchet. The Doom Buggies pass through the cemetery, where many of the ghosts are singing Grim Grinning Ghosts and into the crypt, where the Hitchhiking Ghosts are playing around in the mirrors. Little Leota appears above the vehicles as guests disembark and pass a mausoleum and then a pet cemetery. In 2011,

4278-476: The attraction for was supposed to be located across from the studios. In 1951, the first known illustration of the park showed a main street setting, green fields, western village and a carnival. Disney Legend Harper Goff developed a black-and-white sketch of a crooked street leading away from main street by a peaceful church and graveyard, with a run-down manor perched high on a hill that towered over main street. Disney assigned Imagineer Ken Anderson to create

4371-416: The attraction tells the story of Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey Albert. Having recently acquired an enchanted music box with the power to bring inanimate objects to life, Albert opens the box and brings all of the house's artifacts to life. The attraction's exterior is that of a large Victorian mansion in an elaborate Queen Anne architectural style , and the experience features a trackless "ride" system and

4464-559: The attraction was renovated, with changes including the installation of the changing portraits and lightning-filled windows from the Disneyland version, and new vocals for most of the ghosts in the graveyard. In the Walt Disney World location, an endless staircase was added after being previously a dark space with spider webs. The portrait hall was originally decorated with portraits, known as the Sinister 11, situated on both sides and on

4557-437: The attractions’ floor keep the vehicles “on track” with a guiding master computer system telling the vehicles where to go. The earliest form of this technology existed in warehouses, where electric box lifts robotically moved across the floor to transport boxes. In addition, the technology has been used in autonomous vacuum robots that rely on motion sensors to freely roam the floor since 1996. The trackless dark ride system as it

4650-412: The blessing of love shall preserve you! Triumphant courage, love so pure, joins you in faith as the happiest of couples! Eight women then sing a blessing to a separate melody. Wie Gott euch selig weihte, zu Freude weihn euch wir; In Liebesglücks Geleite denkt lang' der Stunde hier! As God hath blessedly consecrated you, We consecrate you to joy; Attended by love's bliss, Think long upon

4743-416: The blessing of love shall preserve you! Triumphant courage, the reward of love, joins you in faith as the happiest of couples! Champion of virtue, proceed! Jewel of youth, proceed! Flee now the splendour of the wedding feast, may the delights of the heart be yours! This sweet-smelling room, decked for love, now takes you in, away from the splendour. Faithfully guided, draw now near to where

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4836-401: The candles, the other ghosts seated at the table disappear to then reappear when she "inhales" again. Playing on the chandelier over the dining table are several drunken ghosts holding glasses of red wine. Six ghost couples waltz to music played by a gentleman's spirit on a pipe organ, several wraiths fly out of its pipes as the haunting refrain echoes throughout the scene. Hanging on the wall are

4929-439: The ceiling rises. After this, the door opens to the Doom Buggy loading area. Upon boarding, guests pass under the staircase, with a candelabra floating above, then pass the changing portraits as seen in the queue at Disneyland. Then the guests go through the library where busts of ghost writers stare and follow them when they pass by as also seen in the queue at Disneyland. Once they enter the music room, an invisible pianist plays

5022-413: The ceiling vanishes, and lightning flashes to reveal the cupola , in which hangs the Ghost Host's skeletal corpse from the rafters by a noose, implying that he committed suicide by hanging to try to escape. A shriek is then heard, followed by the sound of bones shattering. The Ghost Host apologizes, and a wall opens, exposing the portrait corridor leading to the loading area. The subjects of the portraits on

5115-452: The crypt. The FastPass+ line skips the queue altogether and leads guests straight to the Foyer doors. There is also an extended queue line that uses the former Mike Fink Keel Boats dock. On April 10, 2015, it was officially confirmed that an iconic Haunted Mansion character, The Hatbox Ghost, would return to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The character returned on May 9, 2015. The Hatbox Ghost

5208-549: The curving shape of its track layout); but as pretzels were little-known in Britain, it was soon renamed after The Ghost Train , a play which ran for a year in London, a film adaptation of which was showing in 1931. It was rebuilt in 1936 and has remained unchanged since. Blackpool Pleasure Beach is also home to Valhalla , a large indoor dark ride. In Australia, a dark ride is named The Ghost Train at Luna Park, Melbourne , and

5301-535: The development of trackless technology is often overlooked. The Disney VR Studio, founded in 1992, allowed the exploration of virtual reality technology for theme park rides. Before its role in the development of the trackless system, the VR Studio used virtual prototypes to model attractions such as California Screamin’ at Disney's California Adventure Park. Disney has used virtual simulations to allow designers to experience roller coasters before they are built and as

5394-422: The doors. Knockers and handles move independently, and some doors appear to be "breathing." Guests then pass by a demonic grandfather clock , while a shadow of a claw passes over it. Guests enter a dark séance room that contains occult objects. Madame Leota ( Eleanor Audley as her voice, Leota Toombs as her face), a blue-haired medium whose disembodied head appears within a levitating crystal ball , summons

5487-419: The effect and give a sense of journey, passages in dark rides frequently change direction. Sudden curves give a sense of disorientation and allow new scenes to surprise the rider. The rides may also feature sudden ascents or descents to further the excitement. Although ever increasing investments are made in dark rides, empirical research in this area is relatively scarce. Based on a systematic literature review,

5580-497: The end of the ride. The use of light guns varies between rides, from killing aliens on Men in Black: Alien Attack at Universal Studios Florida to calling turkeys on Gobbler Getaway at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari . The ride systems of conventional dark rides can be easily converted into shooting dark rides. Such conversions include Duel: The Haunted House Strikes Back! at Alton Towers (until 2023 when

5673-587: The ghost effects when triggered. The next morning, we came in and found all the ghost effects still running and a broom lying in the center of the floor. Personnel called and said that the janitors would not be back." Marc Davis and Claude Coats, two of the Mansion's main designers, disagreed on whether the ride should be frightening or funny. Coats, originally a background artist, wanted a scary adventure, and produced renditions of moody surroundings like endless hallways, corridors of doors, and bleakly spooky environments. Davis, an animator and character designer, proposed

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5766-508: The illusion of distance. Typically, these experiences also use a series of opaque doors between scenes to further control riders' views within a space-constrained building. Prominent examples include Disneyland's Snow White's Scary Adventures , Pinocchio's Daring Journey , Peter Pan's Flight , Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Alice in Wonderland , which all rely on the use of blacklights in almost every scene. The first dark rides appeared in

5859-680: The late 19th century and were called "scenic railways" and "pleasure railways". A popular type of dark ride commonly referred to as an old mill or tunnel of love used small boats to carry riders through water-filled canals. A Trip to the Moon began operation at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition . Marvin Rempfer and Leon Cassidy of the Pretzel Amusement Ride Company patented the first single-rail electric dark ride in 1928. Historically notable dark rides include Futurama at

5952-460: The latter reciting wedding vows. As she raises her arms, a hatchet appears in her hands. The Doom Buggies drift out of an attic window and onto a balcony towards the Hatbox Ghost ( Corey Burton ) amidst a starry night sky. The Doom Buggies then fall backward underneath dead trees that have humanoid faces. Reaching the ground, they turn towards the gate of a private graveyard, where guests see

6045-464: The library and the music room. Paul Frees recorded additional voice-overs, including the "Ghost Host" to accompany the extra scenes in the ride. Because of the ample space within the park, the attraction's show building is much larger and not restricted by any railroad berm. In the Foyer, there is a portrait of the Aging Man from the Disneyland version. The stretching rooms are not elevators; instead

6138-423: The mansion, including tales of a ghostly sea captain who killed his nosy bride and then hanged himself, a mansion home to an unfortunate family, and a ghostly wedding party with well-known Disney villains and spooks. In 1961, handbills announcing a 1963 opening of the Haunted Mansion were given out at Disneyland's main entrance. Construction began a year later, and the exterior was completed in 1963. The attraction

6231-431: The most popular Disney Parks attractions, the Haunted Mansion launched a small franchise including two feature film adaptations, comic strips, television specials and merchandise. Guests enter the mansion's grounds through the front gate and walk through a garden containing a pet cemetery and a carriage led by an invisible horse. Once inside, the deep voice of the invisible Ghost Host ( Paul Frees ) introduces himself in

6324-627: The most popular, yet break down the most often. Trackless dark rides often have some of the longest wait times at theme parks. Wait time data from Walt Disney World in 2022 shows that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has an average wait time of 127 minutes at Disney's Hollywood Studios park, whereas the average wait time for other Disney World, non-trackless attractions is just 36 minutes. Long wait times coupled with frequent ride stoppages can be vexing for guests, but may be well worth it to those who prefer trackless dark rides to other experiences. While some roller coasters may be indoors, simply enclosing

6417-421: The number of attractions that limit riders with disabilities increases. Most commonly, guests who are prohibited from riding are those who are too overweight for the ride vehicle to safely hold the guest's weight or prevent the safety harness from locking in place. Other ride restrictions include those who do not meet a certain height requirement or are too tall to clear the attractions’ set pieces, or those who lack

6510-635: The original ride year-round felt more appropriate. The sets, and props were sent to Tokyo Disneyland as their Haunted Mansion is a duplicate of Magic Kingdom's version. Disneyland Paris features Phantom Manor , a "re-imagined" version of the Haunted Mansion. The house is a Western Victorian , in the Second Empire architectural style , based on the look of the Fourth Ward School House in Virginia City, Nevada . Along with

6603-486: The physical figures with computer animated ghosts playing around with the images of riders reflections. Like the Magic Kingdom version, the Tokyo Disneyland version of the Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction, but is relocated to Fantasyland rather than Liberty Square. This version is largely a duplicate of the Magic Kingdom version, although it has some minor differences, such as a haunted painting of

6696-481: The portraits of two duelists who come to life and fire their revolvers at each other. Guests enter the attic filled with wedding gifts and portraits. In each portrait, the same bride is seen with a different groom, whose heads disappear only to reappear a moment later. They then see an invisible pianist playing a sinister version of the Bridal March and the ghost of the bride, Constance Hatchaway ( Kat Cressida ),

6789-634: The present hour! The chorus then repeats the first section, gradually proceeding offstage. Some Christian churches disagree with the use of the "Bridal Chorus" at wedding ceremonies. In an FAQ on the website of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod it was explained that opposition to the piece dated from before the First World War , when Lutherans were opposed "to any sort of theater", and Wagner's operas were seen as "depict[ing] pagan stories and themes." A pamphlet issued in 2003 by

6882-463: The project. Rolly Crump showed Walt some designs for his version, which included bizarre objects like coffin clocks, candle men, talking chairs, man-eating plants, tiki-like busts, living gypsy wagons and a mirror with a face. Walt accepted these ideas and wanted to make the proclaimed "Museum of the Weird", a restaurant side to the now-named Haunted Mansion, similar to the Blue Bayou at Pirates of

6975-530: The queue's graveyard was reworked and expanded into an interactive experience, consisting of a Composer's Crypt designed after the Ballroom's pipe organ, the water-spouting crypt of Captain Culpepper Clyne (originally created by Ken Anderson for the ride), a library inspired mausoleum for a poet named Prudence Pock (related to Phineas Pock) that asks for help with rhyming couplets, and a set of busts with

7068-577: The relationship between "storytelling" and "immersion". Dark rides have a number of variations that are not necessarily mutually exclusive . In the United Kingdom , the Republic of Ireland , New Zealand , China and Australia , dark rides with a scary theme are called ghost trains . The first ride to use the name "Ghost Train" was that of Blackpool Pleasure Beach . The ride was imported in 1930 and originally called The Pretzel (due to

7161-435: The ride was altered) and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Disney's Magic Kingdom . The latter uses facilities that previously housed If You Had Wings , Delta Dreamflight , and Take Flight. A recent dark ride, Wonder Mountain's Guardian at Canada's Wonderland , has the world's longest interactive screen at over 500 feet (150 m). Among non-shooting interactive dark rides, Etnaland's award-winning Haunted School

7254-477: The ride's exit. The expansion opened on November 26, 2024, the new grounds include a new accessible elevator while the new gift shop will open this winter. The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland is transformed into Haunted Mansion Holiday during the Halloween and Christmas seasons and has been since 2001, inspired by Tim Burton 's 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas . The Haunted Mansion

7347-473: The ride. After Disney's death in December 1966, the project evolved significantly. The Museum of the Weird restaurant idea was abandoned. The Imagineers objected to a walk-through attraction's low capacity, going so far as suggesting building two identical attractions to accommodate twice as many guests. A solution appeared with the development of the Omnimover system for Adventure Thru Inner Space . Renamed

7440-696: The ride. Particularly in Disney-built or -influenced parks, a number of attractions use traditional dark-ride features, such as animatronics and theatrical lighting, but are not "dark rides" in that patrons do not board vehicles. Examples include the walk-through dioramas in Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle , and theater-based Disney attractions like Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln , The Hall of Presidents , The American Adventure and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room . Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress (and its now-closed Disneyland replacement America Sings ) had four auditoriums that rotated audiences around

7533-462: The riders as the doom buggy passes the final portrait in the portrait gallery, with the flash disguised as flickering lightning. A black and white photo featuring the riders framed by several of the ghosts surrounding the photo is automatically added to the guests' PhotoPass account by reading the RFID data from the guest's second-generation MagicBand . On January 21, 2020, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

7626-419: The right flicker briefly into macabre versions of themselves when lighting flashes from the windows on the left. At the end of the corridor are two busts who appear to "follow" the guests with their gazes. In the load area, black carriages called "Doom Buggies" descend one staircase and ascend another to the second floor. Guests pass by a candelabra floating down an endless hallway. Near the hallway's entrance

7719-417: The term dark ride refers to ride-through attractions with scenes that use black lights, whereby visible light is prevented from entering the space, and only show elements that fluoresce under ultraviolet radiation are seen by the riders. The size of each room containing a scene or scenes is thus concealed, and the set designer can use forced perspective , Pepper's ghost and other visual tricks to create

7812-469: The trackless ride systems are complex and the vehicles run constantly, more ride breakdowns and stoppages occur. Due to the many elements of these attractions, breakdowns occur more frequently and take more time to address. Hollywood Studio's Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had more than 540 unplanned stoppages in 2022, breaking down more than any other attraction at Walt Disney World that year. This can be frustrating for guests as trackless rides are some of

7905-694: The wedding party sings these words at the beginning of act three. Treulich geführt ziehet dahin, wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr'! Siegreicher Mut, Minnegewinn eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar. Streiter der Tugend, schreite voran! Zierde der Jugend, schreite voran! Rauschen des Festes seid nun entronnen, Wonne des Herzens sei euch gewonnen! Duftender Raum, zur Liebe geschmückt, nehm' euch nun auf, dem Glanze entrückt. Treulich geführt ziehet nun ein, wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr'! Siegreicher Mut, Minne so rein eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar. Faithfully guided, draw near to where

7998-610: Was added to the ride by using the chicken exit. Once the crypt door opened, visitors would be directed down a flight of stairs and through a utility passageway usually used by cast members. Beginning in January 2024, the Disneyland Haunted Mansion began another extensive refurbishment to reform and expand the outdoor queue, modify the nearby Magnolia Park in New Orleans Square, and add a gift shop at

8091-579: Was an opening-day attraction at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World , where it is part of Liberty Square . During the production and assembly of the props and audio-animatronics for Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, duplicates of everything were being made for Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion. It was decided that the Florida version of the attraction would be slightly longer and more elaborate than its California counterpart with extra scenes such as

8184-505: Was closed for an extensive refurbishment to add lighted steel panels, improved lighting, mechanical touch ups, and new paint and trims to the exterior of the attraction. The changes were originally scheduled for completion in spring 2020, but an extended park closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic created uncertainty. It was later confirmed that the refurbished attraction would reopen with the park on April 30, 2021. This refurbishment came with

8277-653: Was given a full-fleshed appearance. In 2001, a newer, more detailed safety spiel was added to the Doom Buggies' onboard audio as they left the loading area. Recorded by voice-over artist Joe Leahy in English and Fabio Rodriguez in Spanish, in a recreation of the character of original actor Paul Frees' Ghost Host, the bilingual spiel was part of a park-wide campaign to increase safety. The seasonal overlay Haunted Mansion Holiday also premiered in October, featuring characters from

8370-581: Was made popular when it was used as the processional at the wedding of Victoria the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858. The chorus is sung in Lohengrin by the women of the wedding party after the ceremony, as they accompany the heroine Elsa to her bridal chamber. Although at most weddings the chorus is usually played on an organ without singing, in Lohengrin

8463-433: Was originally a part of the attraction when it opened in 1969, but was removed when the illusion involving the specter's head was not convincing enough. The Hatbox Ghost was added to Disney World's Haunted Mansion on November 30, 2023, as part of The Walt Disney Company's 100th Anniversary celebration. On April 2, 2019, PhotoPass ride photography was added to the attraction at Magic Kingdom. A hidden camera takes pictures of

8556-507: Was previewed in a 1965 episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color , but the attraction itself did not open until 1969. The six-year delay owed heavily to Disney's involvement in the New York World's Fair in 1964–1965 and to an attraction redesign after Walt's death in 1966. After the fair, many Imagineers such as Marc Davis , X Atencio and Claude Coats contributed ideas to the project. By this time, Ken Anderson had left

8649-516: Was set to write and produce a darker film adaptation also based on the attraction, promising that it would be both scary and fun. The film was officially confirmed in July 2021, with Tiffany Haddish playing a hired psychic that attempts to commune with the dead and LaKeith Stanfield playing a lackluster tour guide in New Orleans's French Quarter. Dark ride In its most traditional form,

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