Haunted Mansion

The word "haunted" is important here: Every component of the trip, from candelabras to doorknobs, appears to be alive—or rather, undead. The Haunted Mansion swaps frights and creeps for hints of ominous humor and real-world effects that, more than 50 years later, continue to confound. Nothing beats the original version, even if its biggest appeal is during the holidays when it gets a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover. In fact, any day of the week, we'll prefer the steady creep of those vintage organ blasts than a Danny Elfman-inspired score.

The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride that can be found at Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and Disneyland in Tokyo. Riders waiting in line can view a walk-through performance while touring the haunted house attraction in Omnimover vehicles known as "Doom Buggies." Each venue has a distinctive design and employs a variety of technology, including spectral audio-animatronics as well as centuries-old theatrical effects. Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor, two similarly themed attractions that can be found at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland, respectively, were also inspired by The Haunted Mansion.

After passing through a pair of elaborate gates, visitors are welcomed into the antebellum mansion's well-kept gardens and courtyards. The line-up route takes visitors by a mausoleum with pun names, a pet cemetery, a cemetery at the top where the tombstones honor the Imagineers who worked on this attraction, and a white hearse pulled by an invisible horse that periodically nickers. Visitors enter the mansion through a doorway on the far right of the home into the Foyer after stepping onto the porch. The Foyer is lit by a massive, flickering chandelier that is covered in cobwebs, as well as nearby candelabras.

Location: New Orleans Square (Disneyland)
Best ghostly effect: The ballroom-dancing ghosts