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This year the Haunted Mansion turns 50 (along with Scooby Doo and Sesame Street). I’ve been waiting for announcements of some sort of hoopla. Because I knew some had to be coming. No way would they let that major milestone go uncelebrated.
Well, the other day I saw a post from Inside the Magic that made my heart leap: “Haunted Mansion to celebrate 50 years at Disneyland event.”
Okay, the title doesn’t seem very exciting at first glance, but this was exactly what I’d been waiting for.
The Event
Disney’s calling it “The Haunted Mansion: Celebrating 50 Years of Retirement Unliving.”
On two dates, August 7-8 and 8-9, lucky Foolish Mortals who are able to afford and get tickets to the event will get to experience a haunted after hours party at Disneyland.
During the day on August 7 and 8, event goers can check-in, shop the Event Store that will be opened special for them at Disneyland Hotel, and pickup pre-ordered merchandise. Then at 11:30 pm they can start queing for being allowed into the park, which will be open for them from 1 a.m. until 4 a.m.
The Attractions
In addition to the Haunted Mansion, these attractions will be operating for event goers to enjoy:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Mark Twain Riverboat
- Indiana Jones Adventure™
- Splash Mountain
The Celebration
Guests will gather for a 13th Hour Celebration Kick-Off Moment along the Rivers of America. Then Madame Leota will make a special appearance to conjure up a “Swinging Wake.”
Characters, musicians, dancers, and other “otherworldly characters” from the attraction will “materialize” for photo ops.
There will also be paranormal decor providing spooky backdrops for photo ops. There will even be special limited-time snapchat filters unveiled for the event.
And they’ll also have Ghoulish Eats to help keep your energy up during the Witching Hour festivities.
They’re even allowing (and encouraging) people to dress up!
Merch
They’re also going to offer merchandise to guests attending the Haunted Mansion: Celebrating 50 Years of Retirement Unliving event. A lot of it is designed especially for the event, and it ranges from pins to artwork, Mickey Ears, and more.
But I think one of the most novel offerings is the Host a Ghost.
From her Seance Circle, Madame Leota invites all the guests of the
Haunted Mansion to become CARETAKERS to one of its “999 RESTLESS SPIRITS.”
With a simple tap, and a ghostly giggle, Leota, as the HEAD SPIRITUALIST, will channel your Spirit to materialize for you.
Grinningly and Respectfully,
M.T. Tomb
Ghost Relations Representative
They don’t have product images loaded yet, but you get a box with the head of one of nine ghosts that comes with a Death Certificate. #InterestPiqued
Tickets
As you might imagine, tickets are pricey: $299 per person, which does not include parking.
They’re also limiting them to one per person, per event date.
They go on sale Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 10 a.m. Pacific.
Visit this link to read about the event and to try and snag tickets if you’re interested.
Check-In
Are you a Haunted Mansion ride fan?
I am. I didn’t always admit it, though. But my unabashedly devoted Disney loving friends taught me it’s okay to indulge my inner child. Because Disney isn’t just for kids. The magic is ageless.
So now I’m owning that I love Disney. Epcot is actually my favorite park, but the Haunted Mansion is my favorite Disney ride. (Pirates of the Caribbean follows in a close second.)
I recently got to ride both at Magic Kingdom in Orlando. My husband had a work trip so I tagged along.
You see, 2019 is an anniversary for me too: 10 Years in the Clear. To celebrate my Cancer Remissionversary, one of the things I wanted to do was go to DisneyWorld.
My husband’s work trip worked out great to make that happen. He got to go with me one day. But then Monday, while he was working, I headed to the parks by myself, so I could ride my favorite rides at the Magic Kingdom before heading back over to Epcot. (Which is one of the parks my hub was able to go with me.)
Anyway, I’m going to try for one of these Haunted Mansion celebration tickets. I would love to party at the original on its birthday with other Haunted Mansion fans.
I’ve saved up my credit card points for years just for remissionversary festivities. I used some on the Orlando trip, but there’s still some left and this would be another amazing use of them!
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I went on the Haunted Mansion ride when I was a little kid, and the little girl sitting next to me was so scared she tried to jump out of the cart. The grown up that was with us had to grab her and hold her in place. I’m sure they have seat belts or bars or something now. Good times!
Oh no!!! How frightened that poor little girl must have been. They do have lap bars now, but I can see how it wouldn’t do much to keep some little kids in. I have always loved spooky stuff, but I normally can’t handle haunted houses of the Halloween variety. Even other haunted rides at like carnivals and stuff was a hit or miss. My poor parents. I never jumped out of the car, but sometimes I would cry. EXCEPT at the Haunted Mansion. I remember my mom on one side and my dad on the other and my mom being sure I was going to lose my mind and my dad telling me it’s all just make believe, trying to keep me calm. I was so absorbed and enchanted, especially by the hitchhiking ghosts looking back at us in the mirror at the end that I just wanted to ride it again and again. They couldn’t believe it. And maybe that’s why I want to go. It brings back happy memories of my parents and when we were a family. Before the divorce and things that happened later in life.