The following contains significant spoilers for Disney’s new Haunted Mansion movie.
The new Haunted Mansion movie is here. From the very first trailer, it was clear the film was going to contain plenty of references to the classic Disneyland and Walt Disney World attraction, and it certainly does. A list of scenes that did not include any specific reference to the attraction would, honestly, be shorter. While critics' views of Haunted Mansion vary, any fan of the attraction is going to find a lot to love.
This list is almost certainly not inclusive; noticing every single reference to the ride would likely take multiple viewings. However, here is a list of the key references that are of the most importance to the film. And, rather than list them chronologically, we're listing them based on how you'd come across them on the ride.
Master Gracey
One of the most important references in the Haunted Mansion movie is one of the easiest to miss in the attraction. The movie introduces us to Master Gracey, a previous owner of the mansion. That’s not part of the attraction’s actual story at Disneyland, as Gracey doesn’t actually appear there, but his tombstone can be found while standing in the queue for the Magic Kingdom version of the ride. His name is an easter egg as well, as it’s a reference to Walt Disney Imagineer Yale Gracey, who helped design the original attractions.
Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Facade
While the interior of the Haunted Mansion at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom is largely the same, though not identical, the exterior is quite different. Magic Kingdom’s mansion exists in Liberty Square, and so it uses a Dutch Gothic architecture style, as it’s located somewhere in New England. It’s the Disneyland version we see in the movie, which is located in New Orleans Square and uses an antebellum plantation house style.
The Ghost Host
One classic character from the Haunted Mansion is heard, but never seen in the ride so it's fitting that we hear a reference to him, without ever seeing him. The Ghost Host, voiced by Paul Frees, is your narrator for your tour of the Haunted Mansion. He's with you throughout the experience, but you hear him first in the entryway of the mansion with the words..."When hinges creak in doorless chambers." This is spoken by Tiffany Haddish near the end of the film as part of the incantation to send the Hatbox Ghost back to the world beyond.
Stretching Room
The Stretching Room is perhaps the most iconic part of the Haunted Mansion. It appears in the middle of the movie, when all the doors and windows vanish and Lakeith Stanfield’s character is trapped inside as the room begins to stretch. All of the classic portraits are on display, and some of them actually speak in the film. Technically, the movie is referencing the Magic Kingdom version of this effect, because it appears the ceiling is rising while the floor remains motionless. At Disneyland, the effect is actually an elevator that lowers you down while the ceiling remains in place.
Changing Portraits
As you exit the stretching room at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion you’ll walk past a series of portraits that might appear normal at first, but after a moment, they each transform into something a bit more terrifying. There are several portraits that change when the characters aren’t looking in the movie. Some are taken directly from the ride, others are original creations for the film.
The Mariner
One of the Haunted Mansion portraits deserves specific recognition. Those who have only visited the Disneyland version won’t be familiar with The Mariner, as he only appears at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. Called the Sea Captain in the movie, he’s a significant character, though we rarely see him. The character was very nearly a much bigger part of the attraction, as an early version of the Haunted Mansion story saw the property as the home to a former pirate who murdered his wife inside its walls.
The Moving Busts
There are many busts located throughout the Haunted Mansion at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The first ones you’ll come across on the attraction are the ones that, at first, appear motionless, but as you move, they appear to follow you with their eyes. In the movie, it's clear that they actually do.
Doom Buggy Chair
I will freely admit that this particular reference may be reading more into the movie than was intended, but it has to be said that the chair that Tiffany Haddish's character sits in at one point, and the one that she gets thrown out of the mansion in, are shaped a lot like the Doom Buggies, the Mansion’s ride vehicles.
999 Happy Haunts
The Haunted Mansion rides aren’t simply haunted by one or two spirits, but a lot. It’s specifically stated by the Ghost Host on the ride that there are 999 happy haunts inside the mansion. That’s exactly how many people have apparently died inside the mansion in the movie, “but there’s room for 1,000,” which is exactly the number that Jared Leto’s character is aiming for.
The Suit Of Armor
One of the first ghosts we’re introduced to in the movie is a suit of armor that seems to move when nobody is looking. The same suit of armor can be seen in the Haunted Mansion attraction. At Disneyland and at Magic Kingdom, you’ll find it standing near the endless hallway, and remaining (mostly) still.
Endless Hallway
Next to the suit of armor you’ll see yourself gazing down a hallway that seemingly has no end. The only thing visible is a candelabra which looks to be floating in space. The characters in the movie frequently have issues with the hallways they run down not being quite what they're expected to be.
The Grandfather Clock
The grandfather clock is a simple effect that you ride by briefly on the Haunted Mansion attraction. The hands are perpetually spinning, a great deal faster than normal, but more importantly, the clock strikes 13 rather than 12. It doesn’t play a major role in the film but can be seen in a brief shot near the end.
Madame Leota
The most iconic character in the Haunted Mansion attraction has to be Madame Leota, and she’s no less iconic in the film, being played by the incredible Jamie Lee Curtis. We see Leota’s disembodied head inside her crystal ball, just as she is seen in the attraction.
The Ballroom/Dining Room
After we leave Leota’s chamber on the attraction, we arrive in the ballroom. We see many ghosts dancing and others are gathered around a table as if ready to enjoy a meal. Another spirit is playing a pipe organ, bringing the first notes of a very particular song to our ears. All of this appears in the attraction. The ghost at the pipe organ is spotted more than once, and the big party in the ballroom is referenced at the very end of the movie as the characters celebrate Halloween.
Dueling Ghosts
Two more ghosts in the ballroom that deserve their own mention. A pair of portraits up above occasionally come to life and attempt to shoot at each other. In the Haunted Mansion movie, these characters also appear, though outside of the dining room. They take shots at each other while Lakeith Stanfield’s character stands between them in one of his first ghostly encounters.
The Bride
While the ballroom sequence of the ride lightens the mood a bit, things get spooky once again as we enter the attic of the mansion, and find the possessions of Constance Hatchaway, The Bride. We see her various wedding portraits, and as the ride vehicles move by, the images shift as each of the husbands loses his head. We get an entire sequence in the attic in the movie that includes several of the same portraits that we see on the ride and The Bride is one of the primary ghosts we see in the movie.
The Hatbox Ghost
Leaving the attic of the mansion takes us outside, and the next thing we see is the Hatbox Ghost. The character is the primary villain of the Haunted Mansion movie, which is a big deal, considering the effect didn’t even exist a few years ago. While the Hatbox Ghost was created for the original Disneyland version of the mansion, it was pulled soon after opening because it didn’t work as intended. A new one was put in Disneyland in 2015 and the Hatbox Ghost is set to make his Magic Kingdom debut this year, as one of the many upcoming Disney World attractions.
The Gravedigger
After we leave the Hatbox Ghost we move outside the Haunted Mansion into the graveyard. The ghosts are very active, which has terrified a local gravedigger and his pet dog, who stand by looking terrified. Both man and dog appear in the film, though in the movie they’re both ghosts just like everybody else.
Grim Grinning Ghosts
The iconic song from the ride, “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is sprinkled throughout the score of the film, but we only hear any of the lyrics (written by Imagineer X. Attencio) in small bits. It’s most noticeable at the very end, while the humans and ghosts are celebrating Halloween. However, the busts that sing the song in the ride are nowhere to be found.
Hitchhiking Ghosts
The very last spirits you meet when visiting the ride are among the very first you meet in the movie. Riders are warned that the Hitchhiking Ghosts might follow you home, and that’s exactly what they do in the movie. In fact, it’s these ghosts that ultimately bring all our main characters together.
As a huge fan of the Haunted Mansion ride, seeing all of these references, and the way they were woven into the film's story was incredible. Any fan of the attraction is going to have a lot to love about this movie, and one certainly wonders how many more fans of the ride might be made thanks to the new movie.
