The area around Disneyland's Haunted Mansion will be getting some changes as the park prepares for the arrival of Tiana's Bayou Adventure next door in 2024.
Disneyland today announced three changes that it will be making to the area around the iconic dark ride, including the addition of a new gift shop near the Haunted Mansion's exit. Themed to Madame Leota, the new retail location will occupy the space formerly used for Splash Mountain's Fastpass distribution and extended queue entrance.
Splash Mountain is becoming Tiana's Bayou Adventure next year, and Disneyland has rethemed the old French Market to Tiana's Palace, which opened officially September 7. The plaza between the Haunted Mansion of what soon will be Tiana's Palace is often clogged with an extended queue for Mansion, so Disneyland will try to clear that overflow by expanding the Mansion's regular queue area.
These "new gardens" will include a water fountain, gazebo, themed statuary, additional landscaping, and a new greenhouse in the space formerly used by the Mansion's Fastpass distribution. Disneyland said that the pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse will remain in the queue, as well.
In addition, inside the Mansion, Disneyland will be adding a new elevator exit from the Haunted Mansion for guests with disabilities.
With a larger queue that can accommodate more guests, that should allow Disneyland to plus the plaza in front of Tiana's Palace.
Disneyland is promising a "new, elegant park-like setting" with new trees joining the existing ones in the Magnolia Park plaza. Construction begins in January.
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this looks pretty phenomenal -- excited to see it all in person.
I love it, but I’d love it even more if this new extended HM queue includes shade. I recently waited in a 20 minute queue that lasted closer to 45 minutes and almost became the one thousandth resident from heat stroke.
Please - shade the queue.
Are they going to add ghosts of Black people to the Mansion?
Loving these plans! It really looks like and reminds me of the Danse Macabre themed forest that's going around the new attraction at Efteling. I'm curious if Disney had that in mind when dreaming up this project.
That gift shop is going to be popular. Now, during the seasonal overlay, the Jack Skellington & crew will have even more merch & a designated space.
The shop design also compliments the mansion.
With Tiana moving into the neighborhood, we've got to get a Dr. Facilier appearance in or around the Mansion at some point, right?
I'm glad Haunted Mansion is getting more queue space to free up the walkways, but building a gift shop in place of the extended queue for Tiana's sounds like a short-sighted move since that ride will certainly have long waits for at least a few years.
Hopefully there's a plan for the latter (ideally one that doesn't involve Virtual Queue).
Disneyland can't afford to waste space, so I'm glad to see these largely unutilized areas being given a new purpose. It will also be nice to not have Haunted Mansion's queue snaking through New Orleans Square as an everyday occurrence anymore (though I imagine the 75 minute waits common for the Holiday version will still necessitate it). My main concern is the potential for overcrowding of the exit shop, as there's really only about 1,000 sq. ft. of space for what is likely to be a pretty popular retail location.
Another yawn for Disney attractions that will take 2 years
I like it as was struck in Disneyland visit how their queue area lacking compared to WDW. Just wish more shade.
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This all looks and sounds fantastic. Aesthetic and organizational upgrades are always a win. Plus the Haunted Mansion is super iconic. The chance to sell merch right at the attraction exit seems fruitful for Disney and something Mansion fans want.