
The Haunted Mansion ride has been a staple attraction of Disney Parks for over 50 years. The original ride at Disneyland inspired Walt Disney World to include a copy in Magic Kingdom since the theme park’s opening day in 1971. The same goes for Tokyo Disneyland in 1983! Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland even have their own versions of the classic ride, called Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor, respectively. Ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 live-action film adaptation of the attraction, Disney made a point of singling out Haunted Mansion ride Cast Members in preparation for all the publicity.
The Walt Disney Company has a very high standard for how its Parks run, with theming, world-building, and Guest experience being some of the most valued aspects. So what was going on with these Haunted Mansion ride Cast Members for Disney to purposely make an example out of them? The attraction workers are known as Mansion Maids and Butlers and are expected to act in a manner reflecting the energy of the ride. So spooky, a bit macabre, and ominously welcoming – to an appropriate extent.
Well, these Haunted Mansion Cast Members basically nailed the essence of cobwebs, and Disney not only noticed their ghostly dedication but rewarded them for it! Two Cast Members from each of the four Haunted Mansion-themed attractions across the globe received tickets to attend and walk the red carpet in California for a private premiere of the new Haunted Mansion film! The Maids and Butlers will be getting their own advanced screening!
Butler Alex Salinas and Maid Maddie Liu will represent the original Disneyland Resort ride, Yoann Langlois and Amélie Fuentes will attend for Disneyland Paris‘ Phantom Manor, representatives Noriko Kubota and Yuya Sato will travel from Tokyo, along with Hong Kong Mystic Manor’s Taeny Poon and Annto To.
After working at the Haunted Mansion ride for nearly two decades, Noriko Kubota said, “When I heard I was selected for this opportunity, I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or it was real. This is my first time visiting Disneyland, so not just experiencing the Haunted Mansion movie but being able to go to the original park Walt Disney created is something I’m quite honored by.”
The Butlers and Maids are, of course, sworn to secrecy until Haunted Mansion debuts in theaters on July 28. The film stars Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, and more!