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Fans can now get a taste of The Simpsons while visiting the original Disneyland Resort.
Credit: Disney
After years of rumors and speculation, The Simpsons has finally and officially made its Disney theme park debut. A reference to the iconic animated series can be found inside the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, which was recently outfitted with festive holiday-theming inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
The Simpsons is arguably the world’s most iconic and legendary animated TV show of all time, first premiering in 1989. Over the last several decades, the show has become a quintessential part of the entertainment world, as well as a cornerstone of American culture.
With over 750 episodes under its belt, The Simpsons holds the record as the longest-running sitcom, animated series, and scripted primetime show in American history, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The Simpsons recently wrapped up its 35th season, with season 36 set to premiere this September.
Due to the show’s popularity and marketability, the iconic neon yellow family has entered multiple forms of entertainment and media, having a large presence at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood Resort.
Fans have been speculating when exactly The Simpsons may make their debut at Disney following the company’s purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019, but the family has yet to grace the Disney theme parks—that is, until now.
Disney Adds The Simpsons to Theme Park
Credit: Disney
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Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion dark ride closed for an extensive refurbishment at the start of 2024. The attraction reopened in late July as its limited-time holiday version, Haunted Mansion Holiday.
This version of the classic ride takes guests on a joinery through a Halloween and Christmas-themed adventure, adding a variety of characters like Jack, Sally, and a whole host of other creatures from Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.Â
However, guests quickly noticed a reference to a character from The Simpsons has also been added to Haunted Mansion for its holiday overlay.
A clear and direct reference to Krusty the Clown can be seen on the front of a present inside the attraction.
What do you think about the new additions to Haunted Manion Holiday at Disneyland? And are these the Simmons references? pic.twitter.com/wmvvO2Iazc
— 🔥 FIVE FIRES 🔥 (@thecalibae) July 30, 2024
“What do you think about the new additions to the Haunted Manion Holiday at Disneyland?” asks the original poster, thecalibae on Twitter/X. “And are these the Simpsons references?”
In a show with hundreds of characters, Krusty the Clown is one of the most famous faces in The Simpsons. He has delighted and terrified children for decades and often finds himself in trouble with the cops or on wild side stories with Bart, who just happens to be his number one fan.
While not officially named, this is clearly a direct reference to The Simpsons and Krusty, indicating Disney may have more plans to bring in the Simpson family in the near future.
A decade ago, imagining the Simpson family walking around Hollywood Studios would have been impossible, but Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox granted the company access to dozens of franchises and brands, many of which lean more toward the adult side of entertainment.
The Simpsons was one of these franchises, and the show saw a surge in popularity due to its availability on Disney+, the company’s streaming service.
It’s reported that Universal Studios in Florida still has a deal worked out to keep The Simpsons inside its theme park exclusively, much like several Marvel characters it also has at its disposal. But deals and contracts have expiration dates, with Disney expected to one day officially add the Simpson family to its list of theme parks
Last year, reports claimed that Universal was looking to eliminate its Simpsons-themed land and attraction. While these changes never happened, it’s possible that both Disney and Universal’s relationship with The Simpsons will look quite different in the coming years.
Do you hope to see The Simpsons represented more at the Disney theme parks?
