20 years after its first attempt, Walt Disney Studios is finally taking another stab at a film adaptation of its most beloved attraction: The Haunted Mansion. Directed by Justin Simien, Disney’s Haunted Mansion is now playing in theaters across the country, bringing the ride to life for a new generation of fans. While the story of Haunted Mansion is an original one, the film has a ton of ties to the original attraction, many more than its 2003 predecessor.
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One of the exciting things about the movie for die-hard Haunted Mansion fans is that the ties to the ride go much deeper than Easter eggs. Sure, there are a lot of little references hidden throughout the film, but it also uses important pieces of the ride to influence the story.
From hitchhiking ghosts to tales of 999 souls eternally trapped on the grounds, Haunted Mansion makes great use out of its source material. There’s enough that it may take you a couple times watching to even catch everything!
Below, we’ve broken down all of Haunted Mansion‘s biggest references and nods to the ride. We’ll start with the most obvious, as the haunted residents of the mansion have been featured in all of the trailers and promotional material.
The Ghostly Characters
None of the main characters of Haunted Mansion have any real connective tissue to the ride, but the movie does include a couple of the most iconic ghosts from the Disneyland and Disney World attraction.
The biggest is the Hatbox Ghost, which is the Haunted Mansion movie’s main villain, played by Jared Leto. For years, the Hatbox Ghost has only been a part of the Disneyland Haunted Mansion ride, but he’s being added to Disney World this year. Jamie Lee Curtis also stars in the film as Madame Leota, the floating head in the crystal ball who has essentially become the face of the attraction.
Throughout the movie you’ll notice a few other familiar faces from the rides. The bride and her hatchet have a few scenes in the film, while a trip out to the graveyard features several different ghosts Haunted Mansion fans know and love.
999 Happy Haunts
Everyone who rides The Haunted Mansion is told that the house itself is home to “999 happy haunts,” but that there is “always room for one more,” alluding to the idea that you could be the next to become a permanent resident. That idea is actually a critical part of the the movie’s plot.
Without giving too much away about the who or why, someone is on the search for one more soul to add to the titular mansion’s roster of ghouls, which stands at 999 when the film begins.
Hitchhiking Ghosts
At the end of every ride on The Haunted Mansion, the narrator tells guests to be on the lookout for “hitchhiking ghosts” that will follow you home. A mirror reveals a ghost somewhere in or on your Doom Buggy, making for a nice photo opportunity. The concept of the ghosts going home with you is very important to the first act of the Haunted Mansion movie.
As soon as they realized it’s haunted, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and Travis (Chase Dillon) attempt to leave the mansion they just moved into. Something keeps them there. It’s soon revealed that, after stepping foot in the mansion, ghosts will follow you wherever you go, in an attempt to get you back into the haunted home.
The Doom Buggy
Speaking of Doom Buggies, Haunted Mansion actually includes a scene that pays homage to the iconic cars that guests ride through the attraction.
At one point, Harriet (Tiffany Haddish) sits in a chair that has a tall, circular back that slightly curves inward at the top, similar to the Doom Buggies from the ride. The house tries to get Harriet out, so she ends up going on a ride on the chair, through the halls and out of the front door.
The Stretching Room
One of the most iconic segments of The Haunted Mansion attraction is the stretching room where guests gather before actually getting on the ride. They’re told that escape will be difficult, because the room as “no windows and no doors.” The room then begins to stretch vertically, with the paintings on the wall expanding to show how the subjects at their center died. One man in shown to be standing on a bunch of explosives. A woman is walking a tightrope over the mouth of an alligator.
The film has a scene that takes place in this exact room, and it features disappearing windows and doors. Saying anything about the characters or situation would be a spoiler but, don’t worry, there are alligators present.
Floating Candelabra
This is a small thing, but one that big fans of the attraction will both recognize and appreciate.
One of the first things you see every time you ride The Haunted Mansion is a long hallway with a candelabra mysteriously floating in the distance. A shot early in the movie delivers the same setup, with the same candelabra floating down the hall.
Donald Duck Chair
On the ride, an empty chair sits right beside the candelabra’s hallway. The yellow stitching on the chair is made to look like a face, and many believe it to be a “Hidden Donald” (akin to Disney’s many Hidden Mickeys).
It’s an instantly recognizable chair, so fans immediately noticed when LaKeith Stanfield was seen sitting in it in one of the movie’s trailers.
The House Itself
The exterior of the mansion in Disney’s new movie mimics The Haunted Mansion that sits in Disneyland. The Walt Disney World edition of the mansion looks quite different than its West Coast counterpart.
The similarities in design are inside the mansion as well. There’s wallpaper throughout the house that matches the pattern on the ride, and many of the ghoulish paintings on the walls of the attraction made the journey to the big screen. You’ll probably also notice a similar layout to the actual floor plan in certain scenes of the movie. The most obvious is in the dining room, where you can see a second floor hallway that looks down over the grand table.
