Just six weeks after opening, Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion gift shop, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, has already suffered thanks to a major design flaw. Following just half an inch of rain, the shop flooded, forcing Disneyland to close the store and stack sandbags at the entrance—a sight more fitting for a hurricane evacuation than a high-budget Disney attraction amidst light rain.
Today, just over a month after the shop’s grand opening on December 23, Disneyland has begun emergency construction to replace concrete on the east side of the building in an effort to improve drainage.
Crews at Disneyland will begin replacing concrete on the east side of Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond starting Feb. 3 to improve drainage in the area. Work will last a month. The shop is expected to remain open but some exterior props/theming may be removed until work is done. pic.twitter.com/nmcxEsb0Sv
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 31, 2025
“Crews at Disneyland will begin replacing concrete on the east side of Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond starting Feb. 3 to improve drainage in the area,” Scott Gustin said on X. “Work will last a month. The shop is expected to remain open but some exterior props/theming may be removed until work is done.”
Fans are already questioning how a brand-new structure could have such a fundamental flaw, and many point to Disney’s increasing reliance on cheap, pre-designed buildings and cost-cutting measures as the root of the problem.
Even before the flooding, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond was a controversial addition to Disneyland. Instead of the highly detailed, immersive environments that Imagineering was once known for, the shop was widely mocked for looking like a glorified storage shed slapped together to sell Haunted Mansion merchandise.
Former Imagineer Jim Shull was among the first to criticize its construction, saying that such a basic, uninspired structure would never have been approved in the past.
Story is supported by the details and the Haunted Mansion has missing details. One is an era correct carriage house would have a stone foundation not concrete with exposed steel. #Disneyland #HauntedMansion #DisneyJouney pic.twitter.com/J28gPbgZXK
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) December 2, 2024
Making matters worse, Disney fans discovered that the store’s artwork included AI-generated pieces rather than traditional, hand-painted period artwork. The backlash was immediate, and Disney quietly removed the AI art, replacing it with original paintings.
Kim Irvine, the Disney Imagineer responsible for the project, brushed off fan concerns when speaking with the LA Times.
“How they can find one thing out of all this cool stuff…” Irvine said, appearing frustrated with fans calling out the issue.
Disney imagineering’s Kim Irvine at the Haunted Mansion – YouTube, Los Angeles Times
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She went on to say, “They felt like it would be appropriate for a short time until they could put something else in. They never intended to do anything bad, and it is gone now. We’re going to bring something back in that is hand-painted, like all of these other pieces are.”
However, fans saw this as yet another example of modern Imagineering cutting corners, using AI art as a quick fix instead of investing in real artists.
Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond at Disneyland had to close this evening due to flooding from a very light rain. Not sure how this is gonna hold up in a storm when this required sandbags pic.twitter.com/1ceRURXELX
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) January 27, 2025
The fact that a brand-new structure flooded after just a few weeks of operation is a serious red flag. While Southern California has faced heavy rain in recent weeks, the Anaheim area received only half an inch before Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond was forced to close.
Many fans took to social media to mock the situation.
“Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond had to close this evening due to flooding from a very light rain,” Matt Desmond said on X. “Not sure how this is gonna hold up in a storm when this required sandbags.”
Worse still, the Haunted Mansion gift shop wasn’t the only Disneyland location affected by rain—large portions of the west side of the park suffered electrical failures, forcing multiple attractions to close.
A screenshot showing the exterior of the Haunted Mansion gift shop and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland – YouTube, Best Life and Beyond
With AI art controversies, rushed prefabricated structures, and poorly thought-out design choices, the Haunted Mansion gift shop flooding appears to be just the latest symptom of Disney’s obsession with cutting costs at the expense of guest experience.
And if this is what happens to a simple retail location, fans can only imagine what might be in store for the future of Disneyland’s classic attractions.
What do you think about Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion gift shop flooding? Sound off in the comments and let us know! And keep it here on That Park Place for all the news that should be fun!
Being able to construct a building that keeps the rain off your head is the basis of civilization, when primates moved away from living in caves. However, it’s too difficult for the woke.
The cost-cutting at Disney parks has gone beyond insane. How long until someone is seriously injured or killed and Mouse House gets sued? Even then, will they try and settle for an ungodly sum to avoid a formal investigation? That would be an even worse sign than lowballing the plaintiffs.