Disney PhotoPass Tested a Haunted Mansion Magic Shot That Turns Guests Into Stone Busts, and It Appears to Use Generative AI

Your next Haunted Mansion souvenir might be you, carved in stone. Over at Magic Kingdom, Disney PhotoPass tried out a new Haunted Mansion Magic Shot that recasts guests as stone busts on ivy-covered pedestals, and two Disney news sites say the results appear to be the work of generative AI.

Disney has not confirmed how the images are made. Fantasy Land News puts it plainly: "Disney has not announced it or said how the images are made." That has not stopped the photos from spreading on Facebook and X, or from starting an argument.

What the Magic Shot looks like

According to BlogMickey, guests are photographed at the Mansion's iron fence, and the delivered image swaps them for carved stone busts set against the Haunted Mansion at night, lit in blue. The busts hold onto each guest's likeness, down to hairstyles, glasses, facial hair and expressions, and in some photos even their shirts. Fantasy Land News adds that Minnie ears, sunglasses and caps carry over into the stone, and that "At least one family also received a version showing them as see-through blue ghosts."

Before and after: the regular PhotoPass shots on the left, the bust versions on the right, with "Limited Edition 2026" along the edge. Photo: Amanda Wilding on Facebook, via BlogMickey

The delivered images carry a vertical strip reading "Limited Edition 2026," and at least one adds a "2026" plaque to the pedestal. BlogMickey points out that the stone figures echo the Dread Family busts found in the attraction's queue, so the concept at least fits the house.

BlogMickey reports the test took place late last week, possibly stretching into the weekend, and says it is unclear whether it is still going.

Why this one is different

Magic Shots are nothing new. PhotoPass has been dropping characters and effects into guest photos for years, like a Tinker Bell who shows up in a guest's hands. The difference here, as BlogMickey explains, is that the guest becomes the sculpture, rather than a character or effect being added around them. In BlogMickey's words, "The apparent use of generative AI here seems to be new for PhotoPass."

One version adds a "2026" plaque to the pedestal. Photo: Rose Bravo-Falls on Facebook, via BlogMickey

Fans are split

One of the earliest posts came from Amanda Wilding, a travel planner with Second Story Travel, and it had drawn about 1,500 reactions as of Fantasy Land News' Monday report. Dustin Smith, whose family was part of the test, shared their photos in the Walt Disney World Tips and Tricks Facebook group. Fantasy Land News reports that he described it as an expanded Magic Shot and said there is little to no chance of it replacing standard PhotoPass photos.

Fantasy Land News sums up the mood: "Haunted Mansion fans are split between people asking how to get one and people who see it as one more step toward AI in the parks." It reports that most Facebook comments are excited, while reaction on X has been sharper, with some fans dismissing it as a shortcut that shows little respect for the Mansion's history. One X user, Drew Smith, wrote: "This is awful. Disney needs to end this 'test' immediately."

BlogMickey reads the reaction more negatively, saying many guests on Facebook and X are unhappy about the apparent AI use: "While guests seem to be ok with characters superimposed into photos, the apparent use of generative AI here is a step too far for many." It also notes that some guests said they loved the end result.

The test arrives as Disney leans further into AI. BlogMickey notes that Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has signaled before that the company will keep leaning on AI to improve the guest experience and boost efficiency. There is no word from Disney yet on whether the Magic Shot will come back.

So, would you want your face on a Haunted Mansion bust, or should the Mansion stay hands-off?

Sources

• BlogMickey, Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot Using Generative AI Sparks Backlash
• Fantasy Land News, Disney PhotoPass Tests Haunted Mansion Bust Magic Shot That Appears to Use AI

Image credits: Dustin Smith (featured), Amanda Wilding and Rose Bravo-Falls, all via Facebook as published by BlogMickey.