Haunted Mansion Area Abruptly Blocked off at Magic Kingdom, Guests Rejected

Walt Disney World Resort‘s Haunted Mansion attraction is looking a little different lately. Crews have installed construction walls around part of the ride’s exterior as part of an unannounced refurbishment of the 53-year-old Liberty Square ride.

The Haunted Mansion opened alongside Magic Kingdom Park on October 1, 1971. It followed the Disneyland Park Haunted Mansion, which opened in New Orleans Square in 1969. Walt Disney Imagineers later created another version of the dark ride for Tokyo Disneyland and used it as inspiration for Disneyland Paris Resort’s Phantom Manor and Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor.

 

Although Walt Disney World Resort typically announces attraction refurbishment projects in advance, crews recently blocked off part of the Liberty Square icon without notifying guests. On Wednesday, WDWMagic reported that construction walls had appeared around the hearse and carriage display near the ride’s entrance.

Short brown construction walls block a small pathway for guests, suggesting that this project is limited to concrete refurbishment. Walt Disney World Resort usually installs taller construction walls to hide anything “not safe for magic.”

The Haunted Mansion is still open for Magic Kingdom Park guests, and the queue area remains mostly unaffected by this construction. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an official end date for this minor refurbishment project.

This Haunted Mansion maintenance effort comes shortly after Disneyland Resort debuted its refreshed Haunted Mansion queue, plaza area, and carriage house gift shop. Until November 26, 2024, guests were required to register for a Virtual Queue to ride Haunted Mansion Holiday, the attraction’s annual Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) overlay.

The Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond merchandise location debuted at Disneyland Park in December, marking the end of months of construction in the area. Guest feedback about the new gift shop has been largely negative, with many comparing its exterior appearance to a Home Depot shed.

Disneyland Resort faced backlash for allegedly using generative artificial intelligence (AI) art inside the merchandise location, and quickly removed the controversial decorations.

Which version of The Haunted Mansion is the best? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!