Credit: DisneyDisney’s attempt to tone down the violence associated with its Haunted Mansion dark ride has now crept into a new meet and greet.
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Guests have the chance to meet dozens of iconic characters during their trip to Disneyland, ranging from classic animated critters like Winnie the Pooh to notorious Marvel heroes like Spider-Man. However, the newest and most unique meet and greet currently offered at the Disneyland Resort is the one with Constance Hatchaway, a main character from Disney’s Haunted Mansion Dark Ride.
The character debuted earlier this year, coming as quite a surprise for both hardcore Disney fans and newcomers alike. The bride is not part of Disneyland’s regular offerings, only making an appearance during Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite.
The character originally debuted with her shiny axe but has now been updated to carry a candelabra instead, matching her on-ride counterpart. This new take on Constance pays homage to the original “Beating Heart Bride” and can now be seen in the “attic” scene on Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.
Sweethearts’ Nite is a separate ticketed event that grants guests extra hours of access to Disneyland from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Today, February 13, 2025, is the final day of the event, though it’s likely guests will see Constance Hatchaway again soon.
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Earlier this year, Disneyland debuted its latest update to the Haunted Mansion. The classic dark ride has been spooking and entertaining guests for decades, though it has undergone substantial changes over the years. The ride’s most recent update modified the infamous “bride in the attic” scene.
While Haunted Mansion sits somewhere between horror and comedy, the attic scene is, or was, the most grisly of all the ride’s various scenes, depicting a smiling bride with an axe. Photos of the bride’s late husbands can be seen around her, indicating she had something to do with their “disappearances.”
However, Haunted Mansion’s latest update rewrites the story, replacing the axe with a candelabra.
“We thought, what if we change the story back a little bit to the original story that the Imagineers had about a lost bride in the attic mourning the loss of her husbands,” said Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine. “It was a sad thing. It was a story about lost love.”
“The bride that used to be in there was an axe murderer, and in this day and age we have to be really careful about the sensitivities of people,” Irvine said. “We were celebrating someone chopping off her husband’s heads, and it was a weird story. I know the fans — some will like it and some will say, ‘Oh, you changed something again.’ That’s our job. That’s what we’re here for.”
While updates are always fun to watch unfold and are a crucial part of keeping the magic alive at the Disney theme parks, this change proved controversial among fans. While breathing new life into the scene, Disney seemingly tried to distance itself from the more violent elements that have made Haunted Mansion such an unforgettable ride in the first place.
While it is unknown what exactly Disney has in store for the Haunted Mansion, it seems clear the company is willing to alter the attraction’s more intense features.
Irvine also discussed what is perhaps the Haunted Mansion’s most graphic and shocking scene: the hanging corpse. Fans have debated for quite some time whether or not this specific element is appropriate for Disney parks.
“We’re still looking at that,” said Irvine. “That one is complicated, structurally […] One thing at a time.”
Do you enjoy riding Haunted Mansion? What is your favorite dark ride at Disneyland?