WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Haunted Mansion (2023)
This article first appeared at d23.com
Haunted Mansion takes inspiration from the classic theme park attraction of the same name—so naturally, the film is haunted by references to the attraction itself. If you’re afraid you missed details, don’t be frightened prematurely! We’ve received your sympathetic vibrations and have summoned some of our favorite Easter eggs from the film to share with you. Read on, and then hurry baaaaack to theaters to see which details you can spot for yourself!
General Easter Eggs
Familiar Frights
The Haunted Mansion attraction hosts a plethora of ghosts (well, 999, if we’re being precise), and many of them are featured in the film. You might recognize the Hitchhiking Ghosts looking for a ride in Ben’s (LaKeith Stanfield) nightmare. And—of course—we’d be remiss not to include Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis) and the Hatbox Ghost (Jared Leto), who are featured in the attraction and the film. You might have also spotted undead duelists, an opera-singing ghost, and several other familiar faces haunting the halls on the big screen.
Spooky Scenes
Many notable sequences from the Haunted Mansion attraction have made their way onto the big screen—some more obvious than others. Madame Leota not only features in a séance but later recites some of her famous incantations from the attraction. The film ends with a delightful dining room party (dare we call it a “swinging wake”?) shot from a high-up angle, the same way we view the room when riding the attraction. It’s not your imagination—there’s a stretching room sequence, an endless hallway, and even a clock tolling a terrifying 13 o’clock! How many familiar lines from the attraction did you spot?
Iconic Lines
Who hasn’t uttered a “Hurry baaaaack…” at least once, in sync with the ghost bidding us goodbye at the end of the attraction? The quips, puns, and memorable moments from the attraction are beloved to Haunted Mansion fans, and many of our favorites made it into the film. From the Hatbox Ghost reminding us “There’s always room for one more,” to the film opening with, “Welcome, foolish mortals,” your haunted heart will be rejoice in being greeted by these many familiar lines. The Hatbox Ghost even gets a chance to say, “You’ll be baaaaack,” in the same cadence as we’re told to “hurry baaaack” in the attraction!
Beyond famous quotes from the attraction appearing in the film, the scores mirror each other by featuring “Grim Grinning Ghosts” as a musical motif—culminating in the full performance of the song at the end of the film, much like the attraction not featuring the full song ’til near the end of the experience.
A Ghost WILL Follow You Home
One detail you might have missed in the film is a callback to the Ghost Host’s parting line to guests on the attraction: A ghost will follow you home! Ben, Travis (Chase Dillon), and Bruce (Danny DeVito) all experience this reality once they leave the mansion, as they’re followed by a sea captain (who himself is a reference to the history of the Haunted Mansion attraction!) until they return to Gracey Manor.
Artful References
Marc Davis’ iconic art featured throughout the attraction has inspired many a spooky mind, including the team behind the film! The movie mansion is decorated with much of the same art we can find in the attraction, including the stretching portraits, the Changing Tiger Woman Painting, and the April to December changing portrait!
Speaking of Doom Buggies…
You’d think the Haunted Mansion’s famous vehicle would be tricky to feature in a film, but thanks to some creative ingenuity from the filmmakers, the iconic Doom Buggy got its day in the spotlight! Following Harriet’s séance, she is kicked out of the mansion via a haunted chair—whose curved back bears a strong resemblance to the Doom Buggies’ shape!
Disneyland’s Mansion
A Familiar Angle
Much like how the ballroom scene is shot from above to mirror our position in the attraction, the opening shot of the mansion itself is set up to remind us of walking through New Orleans Square at Disneyland. The angle of the house in this shot is the exact same as the angle of the house when we approach the attraction at Disneyland!
It’s Not Your Imagination
As we previously mentioned, the stretching room plays an important role in both the attraction and film—but did you know director Justin Simien modeled the room specifically after Disneyland Park’s stretching room? Simien previously worked as a Cast Member at Disneyland, and consequently spent his free time visiting the grim, grinning ghosts inside Haunted Mansion. It makes sense that he’d want to pay tribute to room he visited countless times while working at the Happiest Place on Earth.
Walt Disney World’s Mansion
Brooding Busts
While both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort’s mansions share many iconic scenes, Walt Disney World’s mansion boasts some unique sequences that made it into the film! The movie features a library with busts that turn their heads as you walk past them, much like the scene from Walt Disney World’s version of the attraction. Elsewhere, more cartoonish busts in the film are based on the ones you can find in the queue for Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion.
The Second Mansion
While there are Haunted Mansions (along with Phantom and Mystic Manors) all around the world, Disneyland’s mansion exterior is unique to the park. While this design was chosen for the titular mansion in the film, the design of Walt Disney World’s mansion (pictured above) makes an appearance onscreen, too! Crump Manor bears a striking resemblance to the Dutch Gothic mansion that looms over Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square.
