Disneyland has announced that the Haunted Mansion will reopen on July 29 with its seasonal “Nightmare Before Christmas” look.
According to USA Today, the reopening comes six months after the attraction’s closure as the New Orleans Square was renovated.
Guests will join a virtual queue for the ride as construction continues on the grounds, the article said.
Haunted Mansion closed
The Haunted Mansion closed in January for refurbishment, per KTLA. The renovations include expansion to improve congestion near the ride and add a new store.
According to The Orange County Register, Disneyland guests will be required to use a virtual queue for the ride as work continues on the exterior of the attraction and the expanded outdoor queue line.
The first virtual queue will be available daily at 7 a.m. local time to visitors with a Disneyland reservation on their daily ticket, parkhopper ticket or Magic Key annual pass, per the Register. “A second virtual queue opens at noon daily for ticketholders and passholders with Disneyland or Disney California Adventure reservations. Visitors must be physically inside Disneyland or DCA in order to enter the noon virtual queue.”
The ride closed in January to accommodate other renovations as well, per the Disney Parks Blog, including new Madame Leota-inspired gardens.
“Each of the gardens will feature unique elements ranging from a water fountain and gazebo to themed statuary and landscaping,” per the blog. “In fact, guests will be able to see a new greenhouse where the groundskeepers for the Haunted Mansion grow their plants. The pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse will continue to reside on the attraction’s grounds.”
Additionally, a retail store based on Leota’s carriage house will be waiting for guests as a standalone shop. The park decided to enhance the nearby plaza “adjacent to Tiana’s Palace” to make visitors’ experiences more enjoyable, the blog said.
Holiday decorations at Disneyland
When the ride opens again, it will be decorated for the holidays several weeks ahead of its typical schedule.
“The attraction will don décor inspired by (the film),” a Disneyland spokesperson said, according to KTLA. “At the center of the frightful fête’s ballroom scene is the gingerbread house, with an all-new design for this year.”
Guests will be able to see familiar characters like Jack Skellington, Sally and Oogie Boogie. The ride will have a few new additions, per The Orange Country Register, including an updated Constance Hatchaway attic scene.
The beloved hitchhiking ghosts, seen in the mirror at the end of the ride, will reportedly become “animated projections,” the article said. Currently, the ghostly effect is made with a Pepper’s ghost illusion.
“Dearly depart into a foreboding estate, drag your body to the dead center of the Portrait Chamber and watch as the walls begin to stretch before your eyes. Climb into your waiting Doom Buggy and embark on a shivering journey into an unearthly realm,” says Disneyland’s website.
“The disembodied voice of the Ghost Host is your private guide through the cadaverous dwelling—home to grinning ghosts and other spectral surprises.”
The slow-moving ride is considered “mildly frightening” and appropriate for little children.