20 years ago when Disney made its first attempts to turn popular theme park attractions into hit movies, it was little surprise that the two movies out of the gate were based on Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. They are two of the most popular attractions ever created, and they exist in one form or another in nearly every Disney parks resort around the world. While Pirates was a massive hit, The Haunted Mansion was not.
Now Disney is taking another shot at adapting the Haunted Mansion attraction for the big screen, and with the movie’s release, it’s a fitting time to take a look back at the inspiration for both films, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. It was the first, it is the most well-known, and despite the rude’s enduring popularity today, it was one of the most difficult attractions in Disney history to actually open.
