 (August 9, 1969—Present) BACKSTORY: In 1951 Disney artist Harper Goff made conceptual designs; Walt conceived it as a walk-through ghost house. 1961 handbills announced a 1963 opening. Construction began in 1962 and the exterior was completed in 1963. The ride was previewed in a 1965 episode of “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” but delayed by the NY World’s Fair projects. One idea had the Mansion emptying into a restaurant themed Museum of the Weird, designed by Rolly Crump (who had just completed the Tiki Room God statue sculptures). Designers wanted the façade look like the stereotypical haunted house, but Disney said, “We’ll let the ghosts take care of the inside. We’ll take care of the outside.” After he died in December 1966, the project changed; The Museum of the Weird was cut and the walk-through replaced with Doom Buggies, after Imagineers tried to solve the capacity problem with the idea of building two identical attractions.
Imagineers placed most of the two major attractions, Pirates & the HM, outside the park’s berm since New Orleans Square had already maxed out its space. The “stretching room” was so guests could be moved underground and outside of the park without knowing. Most don’t realize that the portrait hall is actually an underground passage leading under the DLRR’s tracks. Guests are actually entering a huge (approximately 37,000 sf) warehouse-like building located outside the park boundaries. Guests may catch a glimpse of the dull green building while riding the tram from the Mickey & Friends parking structure or by boarding the DLRR at the N.O.S. station and facing backwards in the train. The attraction also has a hidden Pet Cemetery, built for handicapped people waiting for the ride; when the new ramp was constructed, this area was no longer seen, which is why there’s also a Pet Cemetery in the regular line. “Grim Grinning Ghosts” was composed by Buddy Baker with lyrics by F. Xavier Atencio. It can be heard in nearly every section with various arrangements. "Grim Grinning Ghosts" is not performed by the Mellomen, but rather by a pickup group. The only member of the Mellomen heard is Thurl Ravenscroft (best known for voicing Tony the Tiger in television commercials), who sings as part of a quintet of singing busts in the graveyard. His face is also used, projected onto the bust with a detached head. For fans of the Hatbox Ghost (a figure that only lasted a very short time in this attraction), click here to see an approximation of what this special effect was SUPPOSED to look like. Every holiday season since 2001, the Mansion is transformed into “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” based on Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” (click to skip to this section) Photos presented in the order you’d see them if riding the attraction; most available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow pop-ups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. |
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