When Disney Cruise Line began revealing the new Disney Treasure ship, I was immediately excited about the heavy inspiration from Walt Disney World and Disneyland, dubbing it ‘Adventureland on the Ocean.’ One venue, in particular, had me cautiously optimistic: Haunted Mansion Parlor.
As the name suggests, Haunted Mansion Parlor is based on the iconic attraction of the same name. Disney’s sneak peeks over the last year have made it look fantastic, and I’ve been impressed by everything from the interior design and effects to the deep cut references and storyline. There’s also the fact that Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite attractions on both coasts, making the top half of Sarah & Tom’s Top 15 Disney Attractions Worldwide.
So why the caution as opposed to unbridled optimism? Because Haunted Mansion Parlor replaces Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, one of the entries on our ‘Worst of’ List for the Disney Wish. Hyperspace Lounge massively underwhelmed after being one of the things we were most excited to experience aboard the Wish.
We described Hyperspace Lounge as if Imagineering blew 90% of its budget on a fancy television and didn’t have anything left over for the rest of the interior design. After stepping inside this sad space during our Very Merrytime sailing, my previous perspective was reaffirmed. Hyperspace Lounge was even worse than I remembered, probably in part because it was about one-quarter full and felt, frankly, lifeless as a result.
Because of this, I tried to temper my expectations with the Haunted Mansion Parlor before setting sail aboard the Disney Treasure. After all, it’s the same space, probably had a similar budget that would be allocated towards screens, and might even have the same creative team. I was still excited, I just didn’t want to be underwhelmed yet again when execution failed to deliver on hype and high hopes of concept art. This was further reinforced after seeing the new carriage house at Disneyland, which is, ahem, really special!
It was easy to envision a scenario where Disney Cruise Line would once again go all out with the screen, but overpromise and undeliver on everything else. Slap some of that iconic purple wallpaper up, buy the right (hopefully) Victorian furniture, a few gothic flourishes, just enough fan-service Easter eggs–the Donald Duck chair, Brother Ronald bust, etc–and call it a day. I can’t be the only one who worried about this, right?!
It’s not just the Hyperspace Lounge or carriage house, there have been plenty of creative missteps with Haunted Mansion over the last decade. And as great as Disney Cruise Line can be, it’s not exactly known for thematically-dense, lavishly Imagineered spaces. It has its own style, which can be quite lovely, but there’s a disconnect between DCL themed design and that of the theme parks. That is, until now. The Disney Treasure changes all that.
In actuality, Haunted Mansion Parlor is the first of a few “no notes” experiences aboard the Disney Treasure. In the competition for Disney’s best-themed bar, this easily surpasses the underwhelming Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, while also edging-out more inspired options like Trader Sam’s (both of them), Jock Lindsey’s, Carthay Circle, The Edison, and Oga’s Cantina (that last one is debatable, I know). In fact, Haunted Mansion Parlor’s closest competition might actually be another bar on the Disney Treasure.
This is the iconic attraction come to life, and “immersive” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Haunted Mansion Parlor really is like sitting in a lounge version of the ride, with the action occurring in all directions. The Haunted Mansion Parlor features much of that, plus an original seafaring storyline and motifs (pulled from Haunted Mansion history and unbuilt Museum of the Weird concepts) that fits like a glove with Disney Cruise Line.
The lounge actually operates pursuant to a proper show cycle, which lasts for somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes, and it follows the flow and story of the iconic attraction. But instead of riding through in a DoomBuggy taking in each scene in a linear fashion, you are immersed in everything in the room all at once.
At the “start” of the Haunted Mansion Parlor, the room looks foreboding but not possessed. Same idea as the ride’s opening act, right down to the portraits lining the walls.
There is, of course, something unsettling in the air. But the lighting is brighter and warmer and the effects have yet to begin. It’s simply an centuries-old Victorian manor, most of which are probably haunted anyway, inside a cruise ship. Totally ordinary thing.
Then the familiar voice of the Ghost Host welcomes you inside, paintings come alive, and other effects “happen.” That’s all I’m going to give you about some of the better Easter eggs and hidden gags. It’s my strong belief that discovery of them is the most delightful part of the Haunted Mansion Parlor. (If you disagree and would like spoilers, there are already tons of them floating around.)
It’s not a spoiler to share that Madame Leota and other iconic characters are ‘summoned’ to the screen or magic mirror behind the bar. You’ll want to focus your attention on that, but not at the exclusion of other effects around the room. In fact, I’d argue that the bar offers the worst seats in the Haunted Mansion Parlor. (It’s somewhat like Space 220–if you’re too close to the primary screen, you’re missing a lot.)
The main screen is fine. There are cool visuals that materialize on it. However, it is pretty far from the highlight of the Haunted Mansion Parlor. Thankfully, it’s not the sole focus of the show–there’s an the abundance of “supporting” effects here that make the experience. The whole of these is most certainly more than the sum of its parts.
It’s impossible to overstate just how much is happening around the room. You know that ~30 minute show cycle mentioned above? That’s true of the experience as a whole, but also of the individual components. Meaning the portraits on one wall have their ~30 minute cycle, as do those on another wall. Ditto the encased music box, aquarium, fireplace, and more. That melting Brother Roland bust? Lean in at the right moment and it might whisper something silly to you.
This just scratches the surface, in part because I’m pretty sure I just scratched the surface–and I spent at least 3 hours in the Haunted Mansion Parlor. It’s easy to lose track of time in here, between poring over the details, and just sitting back and enjoying the atmosphere. Because even if you’re not actively trying to absorb the details or hunt for hidden effects, the foreboding atmosphere envelopes you.
Haunted Mansion Parlor uses every trick at its disposable to make this happen. Impeccable sound design, moody lighting and visuals, a wide array of mixed media, and fantastic furnishings. Everything about the experience is pitch-perfect.
Nothing looks overly modern, technology does not stand out–although it’s used in abundance, there’s no issue of the “tail wagging the dog,” as sometimes happens with Imagineering getting ahead of itself with flashy tech. This bar feels like it could’ve been built right alongside the original Haunted Mansion. (Which feels like something that needs to be said in light of the carriage house debacle.)
Part of me would love to see the Haunted Mansion Parlor cloned to Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but then I think of the rabid fandom for this attraction, problems that already exist at Trader Sam’s (and before that, at Adventurers Club), and reconsider.
As awesome as this would be, having it monopolized by the same few dozen diehard fans may not be the best option. A cruise ship, unfortunately, is about the only good fit. At the very least, it does have me yearning for more well-designed Haunted Mansion-inspired spaces in the parks. It also has me looking forward to the Disney Destiny, as now I know it’ll have at least one 10/10 offering (I do hope it’s tweaked in little ways to keep things surprising and interesting).
Even on the Disney Treasure, we’re anticipating that the Haunted Mansion Parlor will have problems with demand outstripping capacity in this intimate venue. As a countermeasure, DCL has instituted a 45-minute time limit inside the Haunted Mansion Parlor. While that might be enough for you, we’d recommend penciling in multiple visits to your itinerary.
We found the least-busy times were during dinner and the shows, pirates night festivities, and any other marquee entertainment. Obviously, you won’t want to miss most of this (hence the lower crowds in the first place), so try to duck into the lounge immediately after any of these things to beat the crowds (assuming lines are an issue).
Failing that, I found that the last hour of the night works well! End of the night is my favorite time in Haunted Mansion Parlor and when I’d recommend visiting if you can stay up that late. Low crowds is one component of it, but another is that this bar isn’t exactly conducive to conversation. It’s dark, sometimes noisy, and atmospheric. (My photos here don’t really do this justice, as most of the time I tried to time them to lighting effects, creating a false impression that the bar is brighter than it is.)
Suffice to say, the Haunted Mansion Parlor is perfect for the end of a long day when you don’t really want to be a conversationalist, but instead just want to crash and decompress. Nothing like a bit of light nightmare fuel before bed, right?!
Here are a bunch more of my photos of the Haunted Mansion Parlor:
Ultimately, the Haunted Mansion Parlor is clearly both big-budget and a labor of love. It feels very much like the team that worked on it kept having one great idea after another, and pushed for their inclusion, even long after it was “necessary.” This is the type of project I absolutely love to see, as it reminds me that Imagineering has still got it (when they’re given the chance). My fear was that this would be the Value Resort take on a Haunted Mansion lounge (but with a fancy screen) turned out to be woefully inaccurate. Instead, it’s the Tokyo DisneySea twist on one.
Haunted Mansion Parlor is Imagineering at the top of its game, and a perfect example of going above and beyond with layer upon layer of detail to exceed guest expectations. This lounge could have put in 75% of the effort that it did, and fans (us included) would be raving about it. It’s that extra 25% that you didn’t know you need, but love once you see, that puts this over the top. Suffice to say, Haunted Mansion Parlor is itself reason to book a cruise on the Disney Treasure.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the Haunted Mansion Parlor? Pleased that this is the bar that’s materializing on board the Disney Treasure, or do you wish it were Hyperspace Lounge, Trader Sam’s At Sea, or something else? Does this have you more excited for the Disney Treasure? Do you plan on booking a cruise aboard this ship, or are you awaiting more details? Do you agree or disagree with our advice and assessment? Any questions? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
