Explore The Haunted Mansion's Real-Life Inspiration: Harry Packer Mansion

No need to pack your mouse ears and head to Walt Disney World in Orlando to experience the iconic Haunted Mansion attraction (below), because you can actually venture to somewhere that is as far as you can get from tropical Orlando - the enchanting European-style village of Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania.

The Haunted Mansion attraction at Walt Disney World Resort. (WDW)

Where Is the Real-Life Inspiration for Disney World's Haunted Mansion?

While there are always differing opinions, the Harry Packer Mansion (below) is often referred to as the real-life inspiration for the iconic haunted attraction that welcomes throngs of sweaty and thrill-seeking park goers daily at Disney World.

Even if you haven't had a chance to ride its mind-boggling elevator illusion or see its dancing ghosts, you've likely seen its movie adaptations, from the 2003 comedy starring Eddie Murphy to the 2023 reboot with Owen Wilson and Rosario Dawson.

Bathed in nighttime glow, the Harry Packer Mansion reveals the striking resemblance to the iconic Disney World attraction it helped inspire. (Harry Packer Mansion)

While the Pennsylvania mansion isn't officially haunted (or is it?), its stunning Gothic architecture, creeping ivy, and "up on the hill" vantage point scream "haunted grandiosity." The stately home was designed in the 1870s for industrialist Asa Packer's son, and here's where we get to the good part: it's now a boutique inn that you can stay in.

Can You Stay Overnight at the Mansion That Inspired the Haunted Attraction?

Harry's Suite and the mansion's dining room look exactly as you imagined they'd look. (Harry Packer Mansion)

Yep, overnight. With a choice of rooms named after the various members of the Packer family (slightly reminiscent of the graveyard that guests walk through as they approach the Disney attraction), the inn also hosts wine tastings, murder mystery weekends (naturally), and historic tours.

Fans will be quick to tell you that this isn't the only "Haunted Mansion" inspired by a real building. The original attraction found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, was based on the Shipley-Lydecker House in Baltimore, Maryland, highly regarded for its grand New Orleans-style facade.

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Source: This Stunning Historic House Inspired Disney’s Haunted Mansion—and You Can Stay Overnight

Filed Under: Disney World