What will the Disneyland Haunted Mansion Expansion Mean for You?

Is the Disneyland Haunted Mansion following the Lead of the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion?

Changes are coming to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Park next year. What will be new and what will stay the same? More importantly, what impact with this construction have for you and your upcoming Disney vacation plans?

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Starting in early 2024, several additions will be built that add to the story of the classic original Haunted Mansion in Disneyland Park.

Exactly what this means in terms of ride closure isn't yet clear, but we do know that most the changes appear to be outside of the ride track itself. Here's what we know right now: changes will include an expanded outdoor queue that is intended to further immerse your wait time with enhanced theming. This is something that the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World implemented many years ago. 

Attention Disney Shoppers: a new Haunted Mansion shop will be added next to the exit area, where currently there are merch carts. Once again, this follows the addition of Memento Mori at Walt Disney World, which was re-imagined from the Yankee Trader shop that was there before. Also, the eerie and stately grounds surrounding the Haunted Mansion will be expanded with a "spirited metamorphosis" to bring the immersive theme to the outdoor space surround the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. 

In true Disney style, there is the backstory to the Disneyland Haunted Mansion. Local legend suggests that the manor known today as the Haunted Mansion was first built by a prosperous sea captain. To this day, mansion staff faithfully maintains the happy haunting grounds. While this story hasn't been leveraged much so far, the new expanded queue for the Haunted Mansion will tie into these stories, including new gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota and the one-eyed cat.

Each of the new gardens will feature unique elements ranging from a water fountain and a gazebo to themed statues and landscaping. You'll even see a new greenhouse where the Haunted Mansion groundskeepers grow their plants. The pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse will continue to reside on the attraction’s grounds.

Since Madame Leota has always been a Haunted Mansion favorite, Disney plans to expand her presence outside the walls of the Haunted Mansion. This carriage house of the mansion, which belongs to Madame Leota, will become the new standalone shop.

Timing for these enhancements has a lot to do with what's happening next door in New Orleans Square with the Tiana updates. So a transitional space will be added in the form of an park setting with spots to relax and enjoy the ambiance of live entertainment under the shade of new and existing trees.

Finally, Disney is taking the opportunity to improve accessibility in these areas during the construction, including a new elevator exit from the Haunted Mansion for guests with disabilities.

Disney promises to share more information in the coming months, with a hint that the objects found in Leota’s garden will be inspired by her incantation. This sounds very similar to how you can interact with many of the items in the queue of the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion. 

We love the murder mystery hidden among the busts in the Haunted Mansion line at the Magic Kingdom. So, can we expect Disney Imagineers to add a similar unique mystery at Disneyland? Only time will tell.

Survey Results: Are Disney's Yacht and Beach Clubs less Desirable without Stormalong Bay?

In a survey of 1923 Main Street Disney Travel Podcast listeners following our last episode, the overwhelming majority of respondents said they would not choose to stay at Disney's Beach Club Resort or Disney's Yacht Club Resort when Stormalong Bay is closed.

• 71.4 % said no, they would not stay at Disney's Beach Club Resort or Disney's Yacht Club Resort when Stormalong Bay is closed.

• 28.6% said yes, they would still stay at Disney's Beach Club Resort or Disney's Yacht Club Resort when Stormalong Bay is closed.

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Mike Belobradic and Amelia Belobradic