The Haunted Mansion vs. The Haunted Mansion

Now we’re comparing apples to apples. The two versions of The Haunted Mansion are eerily similar. That’s because The Haunted Mansion was one of the newest and most popular attractions at Disneyland as Magic Kingdom prepared to open. Barely two years had passed between the introduction of The Haunted Mansion at New Orleans Square and its arrival in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom.

Imagineers deftly employed the additional space available at Magic Kingdom to make a larger but similar version of the attraction. Whereas the Disneyland attraction lowers theme park tourists to the bottom floor, the Magic Kingdom version has its own building. There’s no reason for it to act as an elevator. The attraction still features a Stretching Room since it’s so integral to the ride’s popularity, though. This wrinkle is one of the many differences between the two attractions, just as the inclusion of the Stretching Room is one of the similarities.

Occasionally, Imagineers even renovate one version to bring it in line with the other. For example, the Portrait Hallway at Magic Kingdom once featured a group of paintings that had eyes that would follow the rider through the area. It was a creepy touch that set the mood for the scarier sections of the ride. Roughly a decade ago, Disney replaced these paintings with the ones from Disneyland’s iteration. You know them as the images that take on a macabre tone when lightning strikes.

Of course, the biggest current difference between the two versions is the presence of The Hatbox Ghost. An original creation from the opening of the attraction in Disneyland, The Hatbox Ghost failed as an illusion. Only days after The Haunted Mansion began, The Hatbox Ghost vanished for 46 years. Disney buried this ghost in shame. Its popularity unexpectedly soared during its absence, and Disneyland brought the character back in 2015. The Hatbox Ghost is now the coolest trick at either park.

Even without the triumphant return of The Hatbox Ghost, I’d still favor the Disneyland version. After all, it’s the one that Uncle Walt worked on prior to his death. And as I said above, I’m a purist. Disneyland takes this round, too.

Out of the three attractions evaluated today, Disneyland bests Walt Disney World by winning two out of three rounds. Do you agree with me or think I’m way off-base? Leave a note in the comments!