The time has come. We’ve explored Main Street, blasted through Tomorrowland, splashed Under the Sea, dug for gems. These are adventures I love, but they are just supplements to my real heart when it comes to the Magic Kingdom. If you’ve been with me for a while, you won’t be surprised by this reveal. If you haven’t, it’s a great way to get to know me. Either way, get comfy. We’re going deep into the far back corner of the park, where a mysterious house stands, a relic from the past that welcomes you to explore — and maybe to stay.
We’re visiting the Haunted Mansion.
My absolute favorite attraction, the Haunted Mansion is located in Liberty Square. It’s the jewel of this area, anchoring the theming of the entire section of the park. You can visualize the wealthy, powerful man who lived there roaming the cobblestone streets, and perhaps dipping into the local tavern for a drink.
Every ride and attraction in Disney has a story. There are a few different storylines told about the Haunted Mansion, which I think just makes the attraction more fabulous. There are, after all 999 happy haunts inside. You can only imagine there would be many stories of why they are there. There is also the story told by your ride itself, which is a little-known detail about the experience. I’m going to share with you the stories I believe about the mansion and tell you about the ride itself.
The stories of the ride and the ghosts focus largely on the idea that the house is very old, and has been home to many different people over the years. You see evidence of this as soon as you enter the queue. If you get a FastPass for the experience, you miss all of the extraordinary queue details, so unless you are going to during an exceptionally busy time and have already done the queue, or you aren’t interested in going on a deep exploration of the family cemetery, I don’t recommend a FastPass for this attraction.
The main queue welcomes you into the sprawling cemetery attached to the house. Here you can see the elaborate headstones and tombs of those who have lived here before. Be sure to read the inscriptions. They will give you insight into the ghosts who now haunt the manor. In this queue you will also find many details and fun interactive elements. I happily stand in line here so I can play with the library books that play back, create music with a wall, gather bubbles blown out by the sea captain, and talk to the spirits from beyond. Pay close attention as you walk around and see what you can discover. During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, you may even get to meet one of the ghosts who has come out to sit in the cemetery and greet visitors to her home.
In the queue is also a little bit of Disney detailing that amazes and enthralls me. Look at the ground carefully. Eventually you’ll find an engagement ring embedded in the ground. This was added after years of fan rumor, and connects to one element of the story of the house.
When you are finally welcomed into the home by the creepy house staff, you walk through the foyer and into an octagonal room. Be sure to fill all empty space and move to the “dead” center of the room. Here you will meet the Ghost Host. This is Master Gracey, the most famous man to have lived in this home. He welcomes you to the house and invites you to look around the room. You’ll notice it has been closed and there are no windows or doors, and that the portraits appear to be stretching. Look for the one with the older woman sitting on top of a gravestone. The stone is for a man named “George” who appears to have an axe in his head. Keep this in mind later.
The Ghost Host challenges you to find a way out of the room, then offers his way. Lightning strikes and above you you’ll see a skeletal corpse hanging from the ceiling. This is Master Gracey. In the story of the house, he had been married many times, with all of his wives mysteriously dying very quickly after the wedding. Finally he fell in love with a woman named Emily who he wanted very much to marry. Unfortunately, a woman named Leota loved Gracey, and was tired of seeing him marry other women. She believed if she got rid of Emily before the wedding, he would finally choose her. So she killed Emily, put her in a trunk in the attic, and told Gracey Emily left him. Distraught, Gracey climbed to the top of the house, threw her engagement ring to the ground, and hanged himself.
After seeing his body for a moment, the lights go out and you hear a horrible scream, followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground. This is a glimpse into how Leota murdered Emily. When the lights come back on, one of the walls is now open, and you can enter the Portrait Gallery. Watch as the pictures follow you and change. The staff ushers you through the house and into the grand hallway where you see the Doom Buggies gliding past. Look around and admire the incredible detail that went into creating the decaying interior of this once-magnificent home.
The buggies never stop moving, so step onto the moving walkway and hop into your buggy. The Ghost Host is coming along with you, so don’t bother to pull down on the safety bar. He’ll do it for you. Now your tour of the house really begins. All around you signs of the ghosts who call this house their home are apparent. A floating candelabra tells you one is coming to investigate your presence as it approaches down a hallway. One plays a trick by making a suit of armor move. Lights turn on and off beneath doors. Look at the floor in front of the piano. You might even get a glimpse of the man playing the eerie song.
The Ghost Host will tell you all about the house, so listen as he describes the library, which is full of books written by the best ghostwriters in the world. Watch as books lift off of the shelves to be read by the ghostly inhabitants.
As you continue to explore the mansion you’ll meet more and more of the 999 ghosts. Finally you enter a darkened room where a purple-tinged orb floats in the center. This is Madame Leota — remember her? Devastated by the death of her love, and guilt-ridden by the murders, she is trapped here in the mansion. Not considering herself one of the “happy haunts”, she is the connection between the real world and the spirit world. You’re invited to a seance where Madame Leota uses an incantation and the music of floating instruments to “call forth the spirits”. By the end, you are assured the spirits have “received your sympathetic vibrations” and will now appear. From here, you are welcomed to a balcony where you can overlook a grand birthday celebration. This is the scene my little one calls “The Cinderella Scene” because of the dancing ghost couples. If you’ve been to Mickey’s Not So Scary, you might recognize these couples, and if you haven’t — do it.
I could watch this party for ten times longer than they allow you. There are so many incredible details, scents, and effects. Look at the table and see if you can find the Hidden Mickey. Check out the reveler friends on the top of the fireplace. Every ride lets you see more details.
The doom buggy then continues on and brings you into the attic. This is where you’ll see the next character of our story. A ghostly bride stands in front of you, but this is not Emily. This is Constance, another bride who came to call this mansion her home. Look around and admire her towers of wedding mementos and gifts — but notice there seem to be many grooms’ names. Look back to Constance and listen as she recites her vows — while the flowers in her hands turn to an axe. Remember dear George from the stretching room? Now you know his fate.
I like to think Constance was so drawn to the attic because of Emily’s presence. It makes you wonder — which trunk contains this ill-fated bride?
As you go through the attic, you’re drawn to a window. Step up to this window and see the glittering of stars around you. Wispy ghosts rise up from below, and faint music surrounds you. Suddenly, your doom buggy turns around and tilts backwards. It seems you’ve gotten on the bad side of Constance — or the good side? Listen closely for the sound of shattering glass as your doom buggy slides backwards. The buggy turns around, and you’re in another graveyard. Ahead of you is a caretaker with a dog. Both look completely terrified. You know why? Because you are now a ghost, and who wouldn’t be frightened to have ghosts suddenly appear in front of them?
The music is much louder now, and you’ll notice as you make your way through the graveyard that the ghosts around you look real. The iconic theme song surrounds you as the inhabitants of the mansion celebrate your recent death, and invite you to join them.
Once through the party, you’ll enter the Hall of Mirrors, first slipping past three ghosts hitchhiking for a ride. Glimpse in and see that one of the Hitchhiking Ghosts has joined you as the Ghost Host tells you the ghost will follow you home — ostensibly to make sure you get back if you want to return.
Gliding out of the manor, you’re reminded to bring your death certificate with you if you want to come back permanently. Above your head you’ll see a tiny doll now inhabited by the spirit of Leota encouraging you to “hurry back”. The buggies just keep moving, so hop out onto another moving sidewalk, and make your way out of the mansion and back into the world of the living. Did someone revive you? You’ll never know.
My understanding of the story behind the ride might vary from another person’s, but that’s one of the things about this ride that makes it so wonderful. It speaks to people differently, and creates different stories in everyone’s mind. Mine combines details shared by Imagineers and in official publications with my own experiences on the ride, and connections between different elements of the ride. Keep my story in your mind when you ride it and see what you notice. Then come back and tell me your version!
A fabulous part of the immersiveness of this ride is that you are not ushered out into a gift shop. Instead, you get to walk out through the grounds of the mansion, even walking past a horse-drawn hearse — with a mysteriously invisible horse. If you are in need of a souvenir or more exposure to the delightful creepiness of the ride, head through Liberty Square to Memento Mori. This is the official Haunted Mansion store, and it is filled to the brim with amazing details and fabulous merchandise. You can even buy your own set of official Gracey china for your home.
I’ll give you a warning that this ride, though fun and playful, can be intense for some younger children. If you think your little one might be frightened, try to find one of the Cast Members and let them know your child is scared. One time one of the maids noticed Avalon looked nervous and gave her a special card that has a picture of Mickey entering the mansion on the front, and proclaims her an official caretaker of the mansion. The maid told her that card represented Mickey Mouse — who is obviously the boss of all the ghost who live there. She said if Avalon got scared, she could hold up her card, and it would totally protect her from anything there. She clutched that thing to her little chest the whole time. I can’t guarantee the same for you, of course, but it’s worth a try.
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Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. When she isn’t thinking about her next Disney adventure and trying to come up with a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costume that will beat her Oozma Kappa nerd look, she is a professional blogger and novelist, but Taryn also likes to indulge her Disney passion on her Etsy shop It’s Better in Vinyl.
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