'OUAT's Mansion Could Be an Important Disney Spot

Let's take a second to talk about Belle's honeymoon house on Once Upon A Time . Like many things in Storybrooke, it appears over night, as if suddenly dropped onto the map of the town. Belle immediately claimed it, and decided that she and Rumple would spend their honeymoon there; thus, Belle's Honeymoon House. The two-hour episode "Smash The Mirror" had a lot of OUAT stuff go down in this mansion, the first real look we've gotten of it all season. And while watching, I had the strangest OUAT thought I've ever had before: could this Once Upon A Time mansion be Disney's Haunted Mansion? You know, that much beloved attraction from the theme parks? Hear me out. No one else even seems to notice the house perched on the outskirts of town, but OUAT executive producer Adam Horowitz told Entertainment Weekly that we'll eventually learn more about the house's "significance," however a mansion can be significant. If you remember back to Comic Con this past year, OUAT played a short and funny video about what it's like picking ideas for the show — and that they're quickly blowing through Disney characters, and soon the well will have runneth dry. Then, they mention tapping into the well of the Disney Parks, with the sure to be iconic OUAT villain, Frank Matterhorn. It's a joke, but they might be onto something there. Could they start pulling ideas and characters straight from the parks?

Which leads us back to the idea that maybe, just maybe, this surprise mansion on the edge of Storybrooke could be the first dip into the actual theme parks. Let's be real: crazier things have happened on the show. The Haunted Mansion being introduced makes a lot more sense than the fact that Peter Pan is Henry's great grandfather.

Something about the house hit a chord with me last episode, from the way it was presented, to how Rumple called it a "manor," to how Hook opened the doors to one of the side rooms. Standing alone, these things don't necessarily mean anything; but put them together and OUAT might be hinting at what's to come. Before the Wicked Witch was introduced last year, the show dropped a lot of vague references/jokes to the character and the story of Oz. Could they possibly be doing the same thing again?

There are only so many characters between Snow White and Frozen for the show to bring into the world of OUAT. And the Haunted Mansion would be the prefect portal into the ever-expanding Disney universe. It's a classic attraction from opening day of Disneyland and has a wealth of history and story associated with it. I won't bore you with the details now — you know, in case I'm wrong about all of this — but the introduction of Master Gracey and the hitchhiking ghosts would definitely perk more interest in the show for those diehard Disney fans. It's a completely feasible idea.

If I'm being honest, oh gosh I hope I'm right. Because I would be all about an OUAT arc involving my favorite ride at Disney World. And the inclusion of this could open up the door for so many other theme park tie-ins. We could see Mr. Toad on OUAT! We could get Jungle Cruise jokes! The possibilities are both endless and awesome.

Images: ABC (3)