Hey there princess!
Today’s movie is a nostalgic one for me - The Haunted Mansion (2003). Now, is this the highest quality movie ever? No. Does it make me feel super nostalgic for one of my favorite Disney rides? Absolutely.
This movie was made during a time in Disney history where they were making all of the rides into feature films. Not all of them can be cinematic genius (Pirates of the Caribbean, 2003) and thankfully they weren’t all nightmare fuel (County Bears, 2002). I would rate The Haunted Mansion somewhere right there in the middle - full of ride references with some decent laughs in between.
Now, I know Disney did another Haunted Mansion movie in 2023 that was a little more horror-leaning but we aren’t going to talk about that here. We are going to pretend it didn’t happen. Hushhhh.
One of my favorite things about the 2003 Haunted Mansion movie is how incredible the sets were. This is such a beautifully done movie, and it looks (to my biased imagination) like if the house from Pollyanna became haunted by some silly spooks.
I have dreams of this house. I dream about the library, the dining room, and the expansive grounds with private mausoleum access. What more could a girl want?
If you have any interest in the Haunted Mansion attraction, I would highly recommend this movie!
On a personal note - here are some cute photos of my family’s trip to Disneyland in 2023 where we actually got to ride on the Haunted Mansion! This was such a fun and special time, and I am so grateful that we were able to go. It was a bit daunting to wait in line in the August heat with my 1 year old, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.
The line for this attraction has all kinds of cool stuff to look at, and while there wasn’t much shade, the line did move quickly.
I love all of the details put into the architecture of the exterior of the building. Especially after visiting New Orleans a few years prior, I felt like I could appreciate all of the authentic touches.
Bonus! The ride shut down during our turn and the lights came on, so I quickly snapped a photo of my little boy with the iconic wallpaper in the background!
Spook on!
