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There’s always room for one more ghost — but maybe not one more risqué epitaph.
Disneyland Paris has quietly updated Phantom Manor, its take on the classic Haunted Mansion attraction, removing two cheeky tombstones from the queue. The edits have reignited a debate among fans: how far should Disney go in updating its spookier attractions for modern audiences?
Credit: Disneyland Paris
Before Phantom Manor opened in 1992, Haunted Mansion had already become a Disney legend. First introduced at Disneyland in Anaheim in 1969, the attraction combined old-school illusions with clever showmanship. Guests were ushered through haunted hallways, a séance, a ballroom ghost party, and a graveyard finale — all narrated with dry wit by the Ghost Host, who famously reminds visitors that there’s “always room for one more.”
The concept was an immediate hit. Walt Disney World in Florida followed with its own version in 1971, which expanded on the original layout. Tokyo Disneyland received its copy in 1983, and a spiritual cousin, Mystic Manor, opened in Hong Kong in 2013, replacing ghosts with enchanted artifacts and an original musical score by Danny Elfman.
A Darker Tale in Frontierland
Phantom Manor, located in Frontierland at Disneyland Paris, reimagines the Haunted Mansion concept with a gothic Western twist. The story follows Melanie Ravenswood, a doomed bride trapped in a decaying mansion haunted by the spirit of a mysterious Phantom. With sweeping orchestration by composer John Debney and cinematic staging throughout, it’s widely considered the most atmospheric and narrative-driven version of the ride.
🪦 In Boot Hill, the Jones Crypt has received some new questionable puns, and new stones for Goliath, the dog and Thomas, the cat: pic.twitter.com/plgzUXmmDW
— DLP Report (@DLPReport) June 12, 2025
Recently, Disneyland Paris made subtle—but telling—changes to Phantom Manor’s queue.
According to DLP Report, two tombstones were removed and replaced with tamer inscriptions. One now reads: “Loyal Butler Jasper Jones – Time at Last to Rest Your Bones.” Nearby, a matching memorial for Anna Jones says: “Dear Housekeeper – Now the Dirt’s a Whole Lot Deeper.”
Previously, the tombstones had winked at a spicier backstory, with Jasper’s stone reading “Kept the Master Happy” and Anna’s noting she “Kept the Master Happier.” New animal gravestones were added as well.
A Pattern of Haunted Updates
This isn’t the first time Disney has made edits to its Haunted Mansion-inspired rides in an effort to modernize. In 2023, Phantom Manor also quietly removed nearly all of the nooses depicted throughout the ride — with one prominent exception in the Stretching Room pre-show.
Credit: Disney
Similar discussions have been taking place stateside. Kim Irvine, executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, recently told the Los Angeles Times that the Bride’s storyline at Disneyland had to change. “The bride that used to be in there was an axe murderer, and in this day and age we have to be really careful about the sensitivities of people,” she explained.
That update came amid a string of broader revisions to classic Disney attractions, including Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise, both of which have been modified to remove outdated depictions and problematic elements.
Credit: Disney
More updates could be coming. Disney filed a Notice of Commencement for Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion earlier this year, and speculation has mounted over whether the noose in Florida’s Stretching Room — or the Bride herself — will be the next to change. “We’re still looking at that,” Irvine said. “That one is complicated, structurally … One thing at a time.”
With each ghostly tweak, Disney walks a fine line between honoring the legacy of its attractions and reimagining them for today’s audiences. Phantom Manor’s latest updates may not spark a ghost uprising, but they’ve certainly stirred up spirited discussion.
What do you think of Disney changing its spookiest ride?
