There’s something about the Haunted Mansion at Disney World that brings out people’s strangest behavior, and not in a good way.

At Walt Disney World, the Haunted Mansion isn’t just a ride. This ride carries a big fan base. Hardcore Disney fans know every detail. However, the Haunted Mansion has seen guests act in ways that range from eye-roll-inducing to jaw-droppingly disrespectful. I’ve been going to Disney World for decades, and I have seen a few too many scary things that are, in fact, not a part of the ride. Let’s talk about some of the worst things you could do on this beloved ride.

1. Flash photography: Immediately, no.

Let’s start with one of the most common and frustrating offenses: flash photography. Nothing rips you out of the carefully crafted, dimly lit world of the Haunted Mansion quite like a bright burst of light from someone’s phone. It completely destroys the illusion and ruins the experience for everyone else riding near them. And worse? Some Guests use flash for video, thinking it’ll help them “capture the vibes,” when in reality, they’re just angering everyone in a 10-doombuggy radius. Also, are you really going to go home and look at these blurry flash photos again? I doubt it.

2. Phones in general: Just put them away.

Even without a flash, a glowing screen sticks out like a sore thumb in the darkness. Whether it’s someone texting, scrolling through social media, or recording their ride for the fifth time this trip, phone usage kills the atmosphere. The Haunted Mansion is a storytelling masterpiece where your attention should be on the ghosts.  Priorities, people!

3. Reciting the stretching room speech like you’re auditioning for Broadway.

Look, we get it. The Stretching Room speech is iconic. Many of us know it by heart. But when you’re loudly reciting “this chamber has no windows… and no doors…” in your best Ghost Host impression on top of the actual audio, you’re not impressing anyone. Really, you’re just annoying everyone around you. This is especially frustrating for first-time visitors trying to hear it clearly for the first time. Mouth along, but let the Ghost Host do the hosting.

4. Grabbing at props like they’re souvenirs.

While it may be tempting to reach out for that floating candelabra or see if that creepy doll is “really there,” keep your hands and arms inside the doom buggy at all times. Guests trying to touch show elements not only risk breaking fragile props but also triggering ride stops. This isn’t a haunted playground. Disney Imagineers spent years designing this ride down to the last cobweb. Don’t be the person who treats it like a garage sale.

5. Attempting to “scare” other riders across doom buggies.

It might seem hilarious to lean across the track and grab your cousin’s shoulder in the dark, but please don’t. Guests reaching between the ride vehicles to freak out their friends not only create safety issues but can actually interfere with the ride’s motion sensors. Plus, no one wants a surprise hand flying out at them in the middle of the endless hallway scene. The ghosts are the ones doing a great job at haunting, let them handle it.

6. Pulling down the doom buggy bar yourself.

When the Ghost Host politely instructs, “Please do not pull down on the safety bar—I will lower it for you,” he means it. Every time someone grabs the bar anyway, it causes a delay. He’s got it under control.

7. Ashes. Yes, really — ashes.

In what might be the most infamous offense of all, some Guests have attempted to spread the ashes of deceased loved ones inside the Haunted Mansion. As heartfelt as that might seem to the person doing it, it’s deeply disrespectful, against park policy, and frankly dangerous. It leads to immediate ride shutdowns and full sanitation procedures. Not exactly the magical moment those Guests were hoping for. Want to honor a Disney-loving family member? Please, leave the urn at home because it will not go well.

8. The Ride Photo Will Tell On You. 

The Haunted Mansion’s on-ride photo captures Guests at their most unaware and sometimes, unfortunately, at their most gross. One of our reporters shared that their sister-in-law caught mid-nose-pick, completely ruining what could’ve been a spooky-cute memory. PSA: you’re still on camera, even in the dark. Let’s keep those fingers out of noses and inside the doom buggy, shall we?

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