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Disneyland Resort fans were heartbroken on Tuesday as a lengthy line for Haunted Mansion Holiday revealed the impact Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane have had on Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The paid FastPass service premiered in 2021.
Haunted Mansion Holiday
The Haunted Mansion is a fan-favorite attraction at Disneyland Park, Tokyo Disneyland, and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. But only Disneyland Resort gets this Halloween/Christmas annual overlay!
Credit: Disney
“Take a tour of the eerie estate’s merry macabre makeover and meet some real holidays spirits,” the official Disneyland Resort ride description reads. “Pumpkin King Jack Skellington has been busy decorating the Haunted Mansion with frightfully festive touches inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
“Experience thrilling sights and seasonal surprises created by the citizens of Halloween Town. Sally, Oogie Boogie and other beasties from the beloved film will be on hand to wish you ‘Season’s Screamings!’”
Lengthy Queue
Unfortunately, a recent wait time for Haunted Mansion Holiday was anything but merry and bright. Reddit user u/Jimmy_Joe727 shared this photo of hundreds of guests waiting in temporary rope queues set up by Disney cast members, waiting to get into the actual attraction line:
The line for haunted mansion right now 😒
byu/Jimmy_Joe727 inDisneyland
“The line for Haunted Mansion right now 😒,” the guest wrote. “I guess everyone wants to ride this RIGHT NOW.”
Guests were shocked to see such a long line for Haunted Mansion Holiday on a weekday.
“How is it that the more expensive Disneyland gets, the more overcrowded it becomes?” u/nksnoss asked. “I understand the seasonal changes to some rides and the park, but even with talks of us being in recession, it seems like the parks only get more and more crowded. The change is so drastic even compared to less than 10 years ago. Makes me sad and confused. I miss old pass and ticket prices.”
Credit: Disney Parks Blog
Many fans blamed Individual Lightning Lane and Disney Genie+ for souring the experience for standby guests.
“The lightning lane is a huge culprit that no one is talking about on this,” said u/noexitsign. “People ask why it’s so crowded compared to earlier days… it’s because of the lightning lane.”
“When they first opened after being closed during the pandemic they didn’t have any fast pass or lightning lane active then,” u/mdt56 agreed. “The lines felt like they used to, even if the wait was actually closer to 30 minutes it didn’t feel that bad because you kept moving.”
Credit: Disney
Disney Genie+ starts at $30 per guest per day at Disneyland Resort. Individual Lightning Lane passes for the most popular attractions cost an additional $10 to $25 per guest. Standby guests can use the Disney Genie app to predict attraction wait times throughout the day.
What’s the longest line you’re willing to wait in at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort?
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks guest experience. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with this site’s personal views on Disney Park operations.
This post originally appeared on Inside the Magic.
Go back and read about Disneyland opening day. It was designed to accommodate 15,000 guests per day. No wonder it is massively overcrowded today.