Disney has announced a Haunted Mansion grounds expansion and a new retail shop coming in 2024 to Disneyland.
Haunted Mansion Grounds Expansion
The grounds of the Haunted Mansion will experience its own “spirited metamorphosis” at the Disneyland Resort in 2024. These additions to the grounds will build on the story and lore of the classic attraction, and will also include an expanded outdoor queue with enhanced theming. A new retail shop adjacent to the exit of The Haunted Mansion will also be added.
The official Haunted Mansion grounds expansion announcement references a “local legend” that suggests the manor as we know it today was originally built by a prosperous sea captain, and to this day, the mansion’s staff “faithfully maintains the happy haunting grounds.”
The expanded queue will tie these stories into the overall lore of the mansion, as well as include other additions, like new gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota, and the one-eyed cat.
Each of these new gardens will include their own unique elements, from a water fountain and gazebo, to themed statuary and landscaping. Leota’s garden will include items related to her various incantations uttered on the ride itself. Guests will also be able to see a new greenhouse where the groundskeepers for the Haunted Mansion grow their plants.
But if you were concerned about the pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse, don’t worry. Both will continue to reside in their rightful place on the attraction’s grounds.
As for the new retail space, it will be themed as a carriage house for the mansion, with the shop belonging to Madame Leota. More details will be shared about this new space at a later date.
Disneyland also shared that enhancements will be made to the plaza adjacent to Tiana’s Palace, transforming it into a “new, elegant park-like setting” where guests can relax and enjoy the ambiance and live entertainment while shaded by new and “historic” trees.
Construction on the Haunted Mansion grounds expansion and the enhancements to New Orleans Square are scheduled to begin in January of next year. During this time, a new elevator exit will be added to the Haunted Mansion for guests with disabilities, in order to help improve accessibility.
The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion has become one of Disney’s most iconic attractions since its opening at Disneyland in 1969 and on opening day at Walt Disney World in 1971. A clone of the Walt Disney World attraction opened at Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, and the ride has even served as the inspiration for a number of Disney attractions across the globe, including Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor.
The atmospheric ride strikes a delicate blend between funny and frightening that has charmed generations. The Disneyland version of the attraction received a major addition in 2015 when the Hatbox Ghost, an original effect removed from the ride due to technical difficulties, was re-added.
The Hatbox Ghost is due to debut at the Magic Kingdom version of the Haunted Mansion as part of the larger refurbishment that provided an updated look for Madame Leota, but he was not present when the ride recently re-opened. The Hatbox Ghost will occupy the Endless Hallway in the Walt Disney World mansion.
What do you think of these plans for a Haunted Mansion grounds expansion and enhancements to New Orleans Square at Disneyland? Is the Haunted Mansion your favorite attraction? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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