How to Throw a Haunted Mansion Party

Haunted Mansion Party Ideas

Ready for a ghostly retreat? The Haunted Mansion is an extremely popular ride in all of the Disney theme parks worldwide. It can make an imaginative theme for a party.

Whether it's for adults, kids, or a combination of both, get ready to transport your guests into the spirit world, where grim, grinning ghosts come out to socialize.

Party Invitations

It's highly recommended that you send your invitations out at least two weeks in advance. If you want to theme your invitation, some ideas include coffins, ghosts, Madame Leota, singing busts, and ravens.

A fun idea is to have people come in costumes. The backstory of the mansion at Disneyland is that it was originally built in 1877, so costumes from that era would work. Characters associated with the ride, such as ghosts, brides,  caretakers, Vikings, singing busts, and even a mummy, are also great ideas!

Should you do this, be sure to include this on the invitations so people have a chance to get a costume ready for your event.

Party Decorations

To kick things off, place a sign at the front door saying: "Welcome foolish mortals." These are the first words uttered by the "Ghost Host" when you enter the stretching room of the ride.

For colors, go with a purple and black theme, as these are the colors of the iconic wallpaper in the mansion and the colors most associated with the ride.

You can use this for your tablecloth, paper products, balloons, streamers, etc. I also suggest putting up some spiderwebs, as the mansion hasn't been cleaned in years.

A candelabra would make for a nice centerpiece, as the mansion was once very elegant. You can also scatter some miniature coffins on the table as well as flickering LED tea lights. Also, keep the lights on the dim side, as the Haunted Mansion is quite dark.

Ghostly Party Food

Since only ghosts inhabit the mansion and don't need to eat, there is no food directly associated with the ride. However, you can still stick to the theme of your party by coming up with creative food such as ghost bananas. They are super easy to make.

Start by cutting a banana in half. Take two miniature chocolate chips and press the pointed ends into the banana to make the eyes. Use either a regular-size chocolate chip or a raisin for the mouth. You can either serve them as is, or insert a popsicle stick or skewer to hold them by.

As far as other food goes, come up with creative theme names for whatever else you may be serving. Suggestions include:

• Hitchhiking ghost hamburgers

• Doom buggy deviled eggs

• Madame Leota meatballs

• Grim grinning ghost garlic bread

• Raven ravioli

• Hatbox Ghost hot dogs

• Ghostly Greek salad

• Graveyard grapes

• Coffin chicken

• Constance Hatchaway chili

• Paranormal pizza

Spooky Party Drinks

For non alcoholic drinks, I suggest serving a red punch in a bowl. To give it a bit of a creep factor, add some gummy worms. For adult drinks, how about sangria, Bloody Marys, or cranberry martinis?

(When it comes to serving any food or drinks to guests, be sure to check in advance if anyone attending has any food allergies.)

Disney Party Music

Every party needs some good music. Keep with your theme with some fun Disney songs, beginning with Grim Grinning Ghosts (above.) Additional songs for your playlist include:

• "I Put a Spell on You"-Hocus Pocus

• "Hellfire"-The Hunchback of Notre Dame

• "Twilight Zone"-Tower of Terror

• "Poor Unfortunate Souls"-The Little Mermaid

• "Halloweentown"-Halloweentown Theme

• "Friends on the Other Side"-The Princess and the Frog

• "This is Halloween"-The Nightmare Before Christmas

• "Ways to Be Wicked"-Descendants 2

• "Calling All the Monsters"-A.N.T. Farm

• "Ghosts Music Box"-Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion Games and Activities

Games and activities are always a highlight at parties, and there are some fun ones for this theme. Have someone dress up as Madam Leota and tell people's fortunes. You can do this by setting aside a table for the fortune telling. To make it more authentic, have Madame Leota use Tarot cards.

Disney is known for having hidden Mickeys, and at times you can find one in the ballroom scene in the Haunted Mansion. Cut out some Mickey Mouse ears out of cardboard and hide them in a room. Whoever finds the most wins!

Have a mummy wrapping contest. Put guests in pairs. One guest will wrap their partner up like a mummy using toilet paper. Whichever pair makes the best-looking mummy is the winner.

If the party is for adults and you want to do a drinking game, play beer pong, but use ping pong balls with eyeballs on them.

Haunted Mansion Trivia

How about a game of trivia? See how well your guests know this ghostly ride? Here are 13 questions (and answers.)

• What year did the ride open in Disneyland? (1969)

• How many stretching pictures are there? (4)

• Who is the Black Widow Bride? (Constance Hatchaway)

• How many ghosts are in the mansion? (999)

• Who was the face of Madame Leota? (Disney Imagineer Leota Toombs)

• What is the ride called in Disneyland Paris? (Phantom Manor)

• What are the vehicles on the ride called? (Doom buggies)

• What is the name of the song played on the ride? ("Grim Grinning Ghosts")

• How many hitching ghosts are there? (3)

• What movie is the organ in the ballroom from? (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)

• Who is the only living character on the ride? (The Caretaker)

• What do you need to beware of on the ride? (Hitchhiking ghosts)

• How many singing busts are there? (5)

Goody Bags

As your party "dies" down, you can give each of your guests a goody bag as they leave. It's a nice memento of your celebration. Some items to consider are Haunted Mansion stickers, LED tea lights, spider rings, Disney temporary tattoos, ghost keychains, and gummy worms.

Happy Partying!

You now have some basics to throw a "spooktacular" Haunted Mansion party. Use these ideas, but be sure to let your own imagination kick in. Take lots of photos and have a great party!