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Credit: Inside the MagicGuests quickly noticed Disney had made some major changes to one of its most iconic rides, toning down the disturbing elements.
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In the past, Inside the Magic has reported on dozens of classic Disney Park rides. From Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight to “it’s a small world” and Pirates of the Caribbean, Guests are in for a magical time no matter which experience they choose.
Disney is known for its colorful and bright attractions, but for those looking for something a little spookier, Disney has you covered as well.
Guests will find one of the creepiest Disney attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror providing thrills and chills daily. However, we need to take things back further if we’re going to discuss Disney’s most iconic ride.
Haunted Mansion has been a staple of the Disney Parks for decades, first opening at the Disneyland Resort in 1969. Since then, the ride has made its way to several other Disney Resorts.
This slow-moving dark ride can be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, and of course, Disneyland Paris. However, the European version of this experience is quite different, with Disney opting to go in with a completely different direction and setting.
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In Disneyland Paris, Phantom Manor tells the story of a haunting father who is controlling his daughter’s love life from beneath the grave. The ride can be found at Disneyland Park and pulls in a Frontierland aesthetic due to its Thunder Mesa location in the Park.
The ride is notorious for how dark it is, both literally and figuratively. However, it seems Disney was not happy with how dark parts of the ride were, with the company deciding to remove some incredibly dark elements from the attraction.
Guests were quick to notice that several ropes and nooses were removed from the ride seemingly overnight.
In what might be another inclusion move, most of the nooses in Phantom Manor have been permanently removed with the exception of the ones being held by the Phantom in the Stretching Rooms, according to Phantom Manor Legends. So no more nooses in the Thunder Mesa scene.
In what might be another inclusion move, most of the nooses in Phantom Manor have been permanently removed with the exception of the ones being held by the Phantom in the Stretching Rooms, according to Phantom Manor Legends. So no more nooses in the Thunder Mesa scene. pic.twitter.com/K8kBZlcBXo
— Ever Flowing Matt 🦖 (@JPAdventurer) March 25, 2023
all nooses were removed from the attraction except the one held by the Phantom in the Stretching Room preshow. This includes the end scene, pictured above, where a noose formerly hung over a coffin next to the Phantom.
Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland’s versions of Haunted Mansion have undergone changes themselves, though these rides are still quite dark and disturbing. With how committed Disney is to an inclusive, family-friendly image, it’s likely we will see more changes made to Haunted Mansion in the future.
What’s your favorite dark ride at Disney? Stay tuned here for all your Disney news coverage.