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The Haunted Mansion Holiday

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Park
Disneyland Park
First Opened
October 3, 2001
Status
Open during Halloween Time & Holiday Time
Land
New Orleans Square

General Information[]

Haunted Mansion Holiday is a Christmas dark ride layover at the Disneyland Park in California and is the holiday version of the Haunted Mansion. It is based on the Disney and Touchstone Pictures film produced by Tim Burton known as The Nightmare Before Christmas. Starting in 2001, the Haunted Mansion ride is annually rethemed into Haunted Mansion Holiday from September to early January. This means that Haunted Mansion Holiday is present around both Halloween and Christmas. The ride also appears in Tokyo Disneyland in their Haunted Mansion attraction. The Tokyo Disneyland Version is called The Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare instead of Haunted Mansion Holiday. However, this version of the ride cannot be found in the Magic Kingdom version at Walt Disney World.

Disneyland Park Version[]

Facade & Outdoor Queue[]

As guests first see the Haunted Mansion, it can be found with lots of decorations around it. There is garland hanging everywhere and jack-o-lanterns are stabbed onto every spire on the mansion and the gates surrounding it. The clock that appears in the movie during the "Making Christmas" scene can be seen hanging in front of the mansion. The scarecrow seen during the "This Is Halloween" scene is watching over guests from his pole in the outdoor queue. Sandy Claws' sleigh is crashed on the roof of the mansion, with Jack's Christmas recipe dangling out.

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Haunted Mansion Holiday facade

The Foyer & Stretching Room[]

"'Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams... For the story that you are about to be told began in the holiday worlds of old. I know you're curious to see what's inside... It's what happens when two holidays collide"

- The Ghost Host

As guests enter the foyer, the Ghost Host begins to narrate the opening monologue from the movie. The doors to the Stretching Room then open. The room has also been decorated for the holidays, with stained-glass paintings hanging in the spots where the original stretching portraits are during the rest of the year. The paintings portray multiple images of Christmas, such as children sleeping, stockings over a fireplace, and a Christmas tree. There is also a detailed painting of the Mansion's facade. As the lights dim, the Ghost Host recites 'Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas and the stained-glass paintings shatter while the room begins to stretch. As the ceiling grows higher, painting appear from behind the shattered glass depicting Jack's nightmarish holiday vision, such as the Killer Wreath, skeleton reindeer, evil Christmas toys, and Sandy Claws flying through the night in his sleigh. As the Ghost Host nears the climax of the poem, the music grows louder and a chorus of monsters sing louder and the lights go out with a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. Jack's skeletal face appears in the ceiling as he yells: "Happy holidays, everyone!" The lights go out again and the door to the next hallway opens.

The Loading Area[]

The changing portraits have now been changed to feature characters from the movie, such as Sally holding a flower as it burns, Jack turning from the Pumpkin King to Sandy Claws, and the facade of the mansion becoming more decorated and covered in snow. Guests encounter an oversized Christmas card featuring

monsters from Halloween Town in the loading area. A caption at the bottom reads: "Merry Christmas" but periodically changes to "Scary Christmas" with the flip of a couple letters. Guests board what is now called a "black Christmas sleigh" instead of Doom Buggies, and travel out of the loading area and under the Vampire Teddy Bear from the movie as he dangles a present at the guests from overhead.

The Endless Hallway[]

"More rapid than vultures, the Mansion was changed. All was soon covered, adorned, and deranged."

- The Ghost Host

The Endless Hallway has been decorated with lots of dog bones. Instead of a floating candelabra, Zero is found barking at guests. The knight's armor is still in the same location, but has a jack-o-lantern shoved onto his head.

The Conservatory & The Corridor of Doors[]

"Nothing here was forgotten, it all looked so pleasant. 'A coffin,' Jack says, 'Makes a fine Christmas present!'

- The Ghost Host

The conservatory remains mostly the same, with the man still trying to escape the coffin. However, a large sign has been hung on the coffin, reading: "Do not open 'til Christmas." The Vampire Teddy Bear \ is sitting on the coffin, hammering the lid shut. A choir of zombie flowers sing their rendition of "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" throughout the scene. In The Corridor of Doors, the flowers are still seen in various vases and the guests of the mansion are still shaking on the doors, but the highlight of this scene during the overlay is the massive Killer Wreath hanging from the ceiling. It shakes a chandelier as it growls at the guests as they pass below. Guests then pass by Madame Leota's clock as it strikes the thirteenth hour.

Madame Leota & The Seance Room[]

"On the first day of Christmas, my ghoul love gave to me:

A star! A brilliant star, for my fortune card tree."

- Madame Leota

The Seance Room has now been decorated with a small Christmas tree made of candles. The Vampire Teddy Bear sits on a chair ringing a small bell, and a zombie nutcracker imitates Madame Leota's speech. Madame Leota is seen reciting "The Thirteen Days of Christmas" while tarot card featuring the thirteen presents float above the guests. The gifts are:

  • Thirteen rings of power - embracing strength that never ends.
  • Twelve signs of the zodiac that rule over the future and transcend.
  • Eleven candles floating - their scent of mystery in the air.
  • Ten telling tea leaves that swirl with secrets yet to share.
  • Nine magic crystals that sparkle with a force that is pure.
  • Eight balls of knowledge that answer with a truth that is sure.
  • Seven pearls of wisdom to keep my love bewitched to me.
  • Six mystic mirrors, reflecting futures yet to be.
  • Five lucky charms, to understand the right from wrong.
  • Four wheels of fortune, to spin their rich and golden song.
  • Three lifelines - extending help to those in need.
  • Two passion potions, that love and romance may succeed.
  • A star! A brilliant star, for my fortune card tree.

The Ballroom[]

"With some treats and some games, you can make us seem merry. Why, even a gingerbread house could seem scary!"

- The Ghost Host

The ballroom still shows a large group of spirits dancing and partying, but there is a crashed sleigh inside of the mansion with ghostly presents flying out of it. On the center of the table, there is a large monstrous gingerbread house. The house is different every year, and is baked with real gingerbread. The dancers waltz to another rendition of "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" and dance through a large Christmas tree with Halloween-themed ornaments. A library in the back (which is usually hidden behind a curtain) shows Zero wrapping garland around a Christmas tree made of books.

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2017 gingerbread house

The Gingerbread Houses[]

As stated above, there is a gingerbread house on the center of the table and it is made of real gingerbread. The house changes every year in the Disneyland version. This is a list of each house by year:

  • 2001: a colorful version of the mansion with giant arms sticking out
  • 2002: the mansion made of Christmas presents
  • 2003: Oogie Boogie on a giant roulette wheel
  • 2004: Zero's doghouse
  • 2005: the Killer Wreath on top of the mansion, stabbing gingerbread men with forks
  • 2006: the mansion being shaken up with hands and monsters sticking out
  • 2007: the mansion as a jack-in-the-box with Jack popping out as a jester
  • 2008: a coffin with a dead gingerbread man
  • 2009: a merry-go-round with a gingerbread Zero
  • 2010: the mansion as a tombstone with the countdown clock in front
  • 2011: the mansion as a monster opening its mouth
  • 2012: Jack's house with Zero flying around the top
  • 2013: a giant advent calendar
  • 2014: the mansion as a sarcophagus with spikes inside, impaling a gingerbread man
  • 2015: the mansion made out of playing cards
  • 2016: the mansion sewn together like Sally's clothing with a hand sticking out
  • 2017: the mansion covered in bugs with Oogie Boogie behind it
  • 2018: the mansion with a spider hanging above it from the ceiling
  • 2019: the mansion celebrating its 50th anniversary

The Attic[]

The attic is the area where Jack has stored all of his presents and toys. They are all wrapped in brightly colored wrapping paper with creepy designs. The bride is not in the scene during the layover; she is instead replaced by the monstrous snake from the movie as it eats the Naughty & Nice List.

The Graveyard[]

"Now what better gift on my friends to bestow than a graveyard that's covered in ghostly white snow."

- The Ghost Host

The Hatbox Ghost remains the same with the exception of a bow on his hat. As guests travel down to the graveyard, the Vampire Teddy Bear can be seen being electrocuted by some Christmas lights in the trees. The graveyard has been covered in snow, and there is a large replica of the spiral mountain in the center of the scene. Guests then pass by Jack Skellington and Zero as Jack invites the guests to his "Christmas delight" while Sally watches him from behind a tombstone. The other ghosts in the graveyard are singing a more haunting version of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" with different lyrics. The singing busts have been replaced by singing jack-o-lanterns in front of the spiral mountain. Guests then enter a tomb where they see Oogie Boogie as "Oogie Claus" while he spins a gambling wheel that chooses which demonic gift will be given to the guests. The present appears in the sleigh with them as they pass by the mirrors, with Shock, Lock, and Barrel jumping out as guests from behind the mirrors. As guests unload, a miniature Sally waves farewell to guests and wishes for them to hurry back.

Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare

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Park
Tokyo Disneyland
First Opened
September 15, 2004
Status
Open during Halloween Time & Holiday Time
Land
Fantasyland


Tokyo Disneyland Version[]

The Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare is mostly the same as its California counterpart, aside from the addition of various scenes such as:

  • a hallway dedicated to Oogie Boogie
  • a piano-playing Vampire Teddy Bear
  • a changing portrait of Jack in the foyer
  • additional audio-animatronics of Jack & Sally
  • the absence of Oogie Boogie as "Oogie Claus"
  • the addition of Shock, Lock, and Barrel in the seance room
  • pumpkin snowmen throughout the ride
  • the absence of the countdown clock and Jack's sleigh on the facade

History[]

After the success of the Country Bear Christmas Special and It's a Small World Holiday, Walt Disney Imagineering decided to add another Christmas overlay - this time for the Haunted Mansion. It was originally planned to be based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this was rejected due to the story taking place in 1900s London and the ride being set in 1800s New Orleans. After thinking about how Santa Claus would change the mansion, it was decided to use characters from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The story developed was that Jack Skellington came to the mansion every year as Sandy Claws to bring joy to the deceased spirits living there.

The ride opened on October 3, 2001 and was an instant success. The ride was then duplicated in Tokyo Disneyland in 2004.

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