The scaffolding is gone, the scrim has come down, and the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park is finally showing its new face to Walt Disney World Resort guests.
The Final Construction Signs Disappear
WDWNT reported on August 4 that most of the remaining construction evidence on the Haunted Mansion facade had been cleared, marking what appears to be the near-completion of a refurbishment that kept the iconic Liberty Square attraction wrapped in scaffolding and themed scrim for several months. A small piece of tan scrim fabric lingers on one section of fence posts above the exit queue, and a piece of green netted camouflage scrim remains dangling from a nearby railing — but those minor remnants aside, the Haunted Mansion’s exterior is essentially fully revealed for the first time since the project began.
Six days ago, Disney Dining reported that the themed scrim had come down from the front of the building. At that point, tarps were still covering garden beds and decorative areas at the base of the structure while landscaping work continued. That work now appears largely complete as well.
Before the refurbishment began, shrubs, vines, and other greenery covered portions of the wall and railing sections now exposed. Whether Walt Disney World Resort will plant new greenery in those areas or allow the existing plants to mature and fill in naturally hasn’t been confirmed.
What the Haunted Mansion Looks Like Now
The visual difference between the pre-refurbishment Haunted Mansion and what guests are seeing today is immediately apparent. In recent years, the facade had taken on a flat, monotone tan appearance — the result of years of weathering and fading that had dulled the building’s original color contrast. The refreshed exterior brings the structure much closer to its 1971 appearance: the bricks are noticeably redder, the trim is a crisper gray, and the metal details have been finished in a deep metallic green that adds richness to the overall palette.
Walt Disney World Resort also rearranged some of the punny gravestones in the queue during the refurbishment period — including the relocation of “a man named Martin” — as part of the broader sprucing up of the attraction’s approach.
Why It Matters Beyond Aesthetics
The Haunted Mansion refurbishment didn’t happen in a vacuum. Walt Disney World Resort appears to be preparing the attraction’s exterior for the significant visual changes coming to the surrounding area — specifically, the Piston Peak National Park expansion taking shape in Frontierland and the Disney Villains land under development beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
As those new areas open, previously backstage portions of the Haunted Mansion’s exterior will become visible to Disney Park guests, making the current exterior upgrade a functional necessity as much as a cosmetic one.
Has the construction at the Haunted Mansion impacted your visit to the Magic Kingdom? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
