A woman in her 60s passed away Monday evening following a ride on the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, leading to a response from emergency teams and emphasizing the importance of safety measures at the renowned theme park.
The incident took place on October 6, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., when the woman became unresponsive after finishing the attraction’s seasonal overlay themed to “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Matt Sutter of the Anaheim Police Department verified that “Anaheim Fire & Rescue responded to the Disneyland Resort for an unresponsive woman in her 60s who had just finished riding the Haunted Mansion attraction.”
Disneyland security staff promptly began CPR until paramedics arrived. The woman was transported by emergency medical technicians to a nearby hospital, where she was later declared dead. Sutter confirmed there was no indication of operational issues with the ride, which reopened soon after.
The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office will later determine the official cause of death. The woman’s name, precise age, and place of residence have not been disclosed, as the investigation is ongoing.
The Haunted Mansion is one of Disneyland’s most cherished attractions, having opened on August 9, 1969, in the New Orleans Square section. The ride guides visitors through a ghostly manor, featuring characters like the floating head of medium Madame Leota and hitchhiking ghosts.
This attraction is one of the last rides to have creative input from Walt Disney himself. The original Haunted Mansion includes scenes depicting human demise, such as an opening sequence where guests are enclosed in a room that appears to stretch, culminating in a lighting effect that reveals a hanging figure overhead.
Since 2001, a temporary seasonal overlay called Haunted Mansion Holiday has been added, incorporating themes from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” during Halloween and Christmas. This overlay has become popular among visitors eager to experience the reimagined ride.
Kim Irvine, a former creative director with Imagineering at Disneyland, previously mentioned that her team considered removing the hanging figure scene during a 2021 refurbishment due to its potentially triggering nature. She noted that addressing this change would be structurally complex and indicated the team was still reviewing the possibility.
The ride is described as a low-speed attraction with mildly frightening scenes but no graphic content, according to Disneyland’s official website. It is suitable for all ages, although young children may find the special effects unsettling.
Beyond Disneyland in California, versions of the Haunted Mansion also operate at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. The French version, known as Phantom Manor, shares similar elements within a narrative set in the American West. Hong Kong Disneyland features Mystic Manor, an attraction with a similar concept but a lighter tone.
This incident follows other recent safety concerns at different theme parks. Less than a month ago, a man died on the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida, which opened in May 2025. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, died on September 17 from blunt force trauma on the 62 mph roller coaster.
The Haunted Mansion has inspired two film adaptations, including a 2003 version with Eddie Murphy and a 2023 adaptation starring LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Jared Leto, and Jamie Lee Curtis. These films adapted the ride’s narrative into family-friendly entertainment while retaining its supernatural themes.
Representatives for Disneyland have been contacted for further comments on the incident and any potential safety protocol changes. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death continues as authorities work to determine what led to her becoming unresponsive.
