Haunted Mansion Fails to Reopen After Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom

The Haunted Mansion was set to reopen this morning after a brief refurbishment. However, it failed to reopen with the park, and Cast Members are telling guests it will hopefully reopen “later” today.

The closure was related to the installation of the Hatbox Ghost audio-animatronic. It is not expected to be completed today.

Work began earlier this month, and curtains were hung near the Endless Hallway, which is the future home of the Hatbox Ghost. The location is somewhat controversial as it means he will appear before Madame Leota’s seance.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Hatbox Ghost History

The Hatbox Ghost was in the original Disneyland Haunted Mansion on opening day. Technology had not quite caught up to the ghost’s vanishing and appearing head, however, so the ghost only last a few weeks before disappearing for nearly 50 years.

The Hatbox Ghost returned to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in 2015. He appears at the end of the attic scene, after the Bride. Disney recently shared a video about the Hatbox Ghost’s history, teasing his future appearance in Magic Kingdom.

Imagineer Daniel Joseph, who worked on the Hatbox Ghost in The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, is among the 2023 class of inductees for the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.

See the Hatbox Ghost in our 2021 POV video of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland below.