A trip to Disneyland to see its Haunted Mansion could cost $100. A visit to an Airbnb overnight knockoff of the fabled Anaheim ride could set you back $750.
The Ghostly Retreat Airbnb vacation rental next to the 57 Freeway in Fullerton that pays tribute to the Disneyland classic runs between $450 and $750 a night, the Orange County Register reported.
From the outside, the white clapboard house looks like any other post-war home in Southern California.
But hints of what lies within the “retreat” include mint green trim, wrought iron around the front door and a pet cemetery in the planters.
On the inside, the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house had been decked out into a replica of the theme park ride, down to the authentic décor and realistic special effects.
“We find it delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat,” intones the familiar voice of the Ghost Host.
The Ghostly Retreat was created by landlord Jeff Schiefelbein, who has worked in the Halloween and haunted attractions industry for more than 20 years. His Sinister Pointe Productions builds haunted mazes, props and special effects for Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, SeaWorld and the Queen Mary.
It took two months and $200,000 to turn the suburban home into the Ghostly Retreat worthy of comparison to the dark Disneyland house of horrors that opened in 1969.
Speakers in the attic play spine-tingling sounds of kids giggling, or fingernails scratching walls, in the middle of the night.
A ghostly blue image in the foyer mirror changes each time the front door swings, from Hatbox Ghost to a Hitchhiking Ghost to Constance Hatchaway, the Haunted Mansion’s Black Widow Bride.
Artificial candles on wall-mounted sconces flicker endlessly. Digital portraits come to life, as in the Haunted Mansion’s portrait corridor. Watchful busts gaze at guests, just like the Haunted Mansion’s endless hallway.
Wallpaper, carpets, bedding and curtains evoke the Haunted Mansion mystique. The two-car garage contains a game room of Haunted Mansion themes. The kitchen comes all in black.
Schiefelbein expects to see a boost in Ghostly Retreat rentals with Disney’s new “Haunted Mansion” film hitting theaters on July 28 — and he plans to sprinkle a few nods to the movie into the Airbnb to boost interest.
— Dana Bartholomew
Read more
Commercial
National
Airbnb disputes questions over its supply and demand
Commercial
New York
“Wolf of Airbnb” pleads guilty in rental scheme
Residential
National
Airbnb program gives multifamily landlords a share in tenants’ revenue