Haunted Mansion to Receive New Effects?

The original Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland has received some updated effects over the last two years. Madame Leouta, the disembodied psychic in the crystal ball, now floats around the Séance Circle adding to the illusion. The attic scene with the ghostly bride has been overhauled with a new dark storyline in which the bride is revealed to have killed off her husbands to obtain their wealth. With the success of these effects in California, rumors are circulating of these changes coming to the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. A summer refurbishment might be in the works that would give the classic attraction some modern effects to keep it fresh for current audiences. In addition to the effects mentioned above, some speculate of a rethink of the Grand Staircase scene. The Grand Staircase, in which riders pass gigantic spiders, is not found in Disneyland so whatever changes Imagineers conjure up would be unique to the Florida version. As technology progresses and attractions age, Disney will be looking for unique and different ways of keeping their classic attractions as popular as ever.