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Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicA family recently reported a lengthy breakdown at the Haunted Mansion, claiming they had turned down compensation and left the park after the incident. What would you have done in their place?
Disney World is a roller coaster of emotions for the young and the young at heart, from overwhelming joy and nostalgia to stomach-dropping thrills at any of the four theme parks in the Orlando-based Disney Resort. Packed with iconic attractions for the whole family, it’s no wonder why millions of guests visit Walt Disney World Resort yearly.
Related: Disturbing Haunted Mansion Character Slowly Returns to the Parks
One of Magic Kingdom’s most popular attractions is the Haunted Mansion. The eerily merry ride is full of “happy haunts” (999 to be precise) and “running chills,” perfect for the whole family with an interactive queue and a frightfully fun experience once guests are welcomed into the mansion by the cast members in their butler or maid costumes.
Unfortunately, a family lived a nightmare — or a dream, depending on your perspective — while visiting the Liberty Square icon.
Related: Disney World Guests Scream, Cover Themselves in Dead Relative’s Remains
Redditor u/Macandcheeseeh recently shared their experience during a breakdown at the Haunted Mansion that left them stuck “for the past 15 minutes or so.” The guest shared a picture of Madame Leota, implying that the breakdown had left them in the séance room of the attraction.
Surprisingly, when Magic Kingdom cast members offered Lightning Lane passes to all affected guests as compensation for the incident, the original poster mentioned that they turned down the highly demanded chance to skip the lines at the park and ended up leaving Magic Kingdom after the incident.
“They ended up giving free lightning to all those that were affected, but I didn’t take it because I was here with my little one and it was already time for us to go home,” they commented. You can see a picture of their experience below or click here to watch it.
Stuck at haunted mansion
byu/Macandcheeseeh inWaltDisneyWorld
While the guest’s decision to turn down the Lightning Lane passes Disney World (and Disneyland) cast members usually offer as compensation when an attraction breaks down is unusual, their reason to do so is entirely valid.
Many fellow Redditors voiced their envy after reading about the original poster’s experience. “This ride is one I really enjoy stopping on. I could sit in there all day,” said one user. Others added, “I’d so love to be there!!” and “ur living my dream.”
Some shared similar experiences, commenting, “That happened to my wife and I. Best spot to get stuck. Still couldn’t see exactly how the illusion works.” Other Redditors took the incident with humor, saying, “I’m stuck at work. You win,” and “Not gonna lie, I think Madame Leota has been stuck in there a lot longer than 15 minutes.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that guests have been stuck in the Haunted Mansion at one of Disney’s theme parks. Inside the Magic reported on a family being evacuated from their doom buggy after the ride broke down at Disneyland Park, commenting that “the magic got ruined” for them that day.
The Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom — which recently welcomed the Hatbox Ghost — has a few unique scenes compared to its Disneyland counterpart. However, the iconic attraction in Walt Disney’s original theme park sparks envy every year when it welcomes Haunted Mansion Holiday, its holiday overlay inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Park is currently barred off while the iconic attraction is being reimagined. It is unclear when the New Orleans Square icon will reopen its gates to welcome guests, as theme park officials have not revealed an official reopening date. Inside the Magic will update you as soon as more information is released.
Sadly, while Disneyland cast members and Walt Disney Imagineers continue to work into the Haunted Mansion’s expansion and the reimagining of Splash Mountain to turn it into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a guest sparked outrage online after ruining the magic, filming off-limits areas, and fighting cast members at the park.
What would you have done in this situation? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments below!