Fans Call Classic Ride “Dirty” & “Unorganized” After Backstage Photos Appear Online

in Walt Disney World

haunted mansion queue empty

On Thursday, Walt Disney Pictures released the first trailer for The Haunted Mansion (2023) starring Jared Leto, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Rosario Dawson, Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and LaKeith Stanfield. But Disney Parks fans were focused on one of the inspirations for the film, The Haunted Mansion ride in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort!

Related: Get Ready, Haunted Mansion Holiday Reopens at Disneyland!

Reddit user u/MesaVerde87 shared two behind-the-scenes, lights-on photos from the Liberty Square attraction. Both show how specific effects in the ballroom scene, famous for the Peppers Ghost effect, work:

Behind-the-scenes photos of the Ballroom in The Haunted Mansion. from DisneyWorld

But many fans were more scarred by these photos than the ride itself! “Seeing the BTS sometimes shocks me how janky/unorganized/dirty some of the setups look,” u/magew wrote.

“That second photo is some serious nightmare fuel,” said u/SpacemanChad7365.

Haunted Mansion at Disney World
Credit: Disney

“The organ prop is scarier than the final effect,” u/TheLastGunslinger agreed.

More on The Haunted Mansion

Versions of this haunted house attraction also exist in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland at Hong Kong Disney Resort. Before the 2023 film, The Haunted Mansion inspired a 2003 movie starring Eddie Murphy.

The exterior of The Haunted Mansion at night.
Credit: Disney

“Climb aboard a gloomy Doom Buggy for a grave journey through a labyrinth of haunted chambers,” reads the official Disney attraction description. “The disembodied voice of the Ghost Host is your private guide through the cadaverous realm of an eerie haunted estate, home to ghosts, ghouls and supernatural surprises.”

“Glide past a casket-filled conservatory, Madame Leota’s chilling séance room and a ghostly graveyard of singing specters as you attempt to find your way out. Beware of hitchhikers—these phantom pranksters may follow you home. Happy haunting!”

Have you seen Haunted Mansion with the lights on? Tell Inside the Magic what you saw in the comments! 

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks Guest opinions. This article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.

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