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Category Archives: History
How They Haunt – Behind the scenes of Disney’s Haunted Mansion
“Welcome, Foolish Mortals” are the words that you hear when you board one of Disney’s most popular rides, The Haunted Mansion.
The original ride opened in 1969 in Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom, and in 1971 at Walt Disney World. While the idea behind the ride was thought up by Walt himself, he was not alive to see the finished product. The Imagineers had to finish the ride’s design and construction on their own after Walt’s passing in 1966. The ride represents their ability to come together after such a tragedy and to produce something truly amazing on their own.
There are so many things going on in the attraction, from the gravestones with funny inscriptions outside, to the spooky ghouls and spirits inside, it is truly amazing, and I know I see something new every time I visit The Haunted Mansion!
Here are some of the ways Disney scares us with this attraction:
The Endless Hallway: This one is actually pretty simple, as you look down the hallway that appears to go on forever, there is actually a mirror at the end of it, which fools you into thinking you can see twice as far as you actually can, and since it’s dark, the mirror portion of the hallway just seems to continue on into darkness
The Crystal Ball: Madame Leota’s head is created through digital projection – the face is projected onto a head sculpture within the crystal ball. Fun fact – the other floating objects in this area are suspended by fishing wire
The Ballroom: A common thought is that the ghosts in the ballroom are holograms. This is actually not the case – how it really works is a row of columns in front of the mezzanine are supporting gigantic panes of glass, which are nearly invisible to the guests. The “ghosts” are merely the reflections in the glass of audio-animatronic figures, located in rooms above and below the mezzanine, where the walls are painted entirely black.
The Hitchhiking Ghosts: Ever wonder how they get the ghosts at the end of the ride to actually appear to be sitting next to you in your Doom Buggy? Well, its actually quite simple – the mirrors in which you are seeing the ghosts are actually two way mirrors, and the ghosts are audio-animatronics in a room behind the mirrors. They move along in sync with the Doom Buggies, and weak lights shining on them allow them to be seen through the mirrors.
A few random Haunted Mansion facts:
- When Cast Members are hired for The Haunted Mansion, they are given a book as a part of their training that explains the “official” backstory of the ride, as well as various safety rules/regulations, and detailed maps of the ride itself.
- Walt’s original vision was to have the attraction as something guests would walk through, but the Imagineers ultimately decided a sit down ride with the “doom buggies” made more sense
Remember….there are 999 Happy Haunts currently residing in the Haunted Mansion…who knows, maybe you could be their lucky 1000th resident!
Related articles
- Epcot Holidays Around The World: Entrance Topiary, Christmas Storytellers, Gingerbread House, Candlelight Processional, Illuminations Holiday Finale – Photos and Video (jefflangedvd.com)
- You Don’t Know Until You Go (chipandco.com)
Fun Facts for a Merry Disneyland Holiday Celebration
- The holiday season at Disneyland Resort gets underway Monday, Nov. 14, and will continue daily through Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012.
- For the first time, the Holiday season at Disneyland Resort will be extended to celebrate Three Kings Day, known as Día de Reyes. From Jan. 6-8, 2012, look for special décor and entertainment in Frontierland that showcases western and Mexican heritage, along with food themed to this holiday and children’s activities.
- The first Disneyland holiday celebration was in 1955, when Walt Disney placed a Christmas tree in the Hub at the north end of Main Street, U.S.A., near Sleeping Beauty Castle. For many years now, the tree has been located in Town Square near the Main Street Disneyland Railroad Station.
- Beginning Friday, Nov. 18, “The Magic, The Memories, and You!” show gets a new, Yuletide glow. The show features photos and video of guests creating memories at Disneyland park, with favorite holiday melodies underscoring images of guests enjoying their holidays at Disneyland.
- The lively street show “Phineas and Ferb’s Rockin’ Rollin’ Dance Party” gets a merry twist at Disney California Adventure park, with holiday décor and songs. The show is performed several times a day in Paradise Pier.
- Lanny and Wayne, the techno-savvy elves from the “Prep & Landing” holiday TV specials, make guest appearances in a new holiday prelude sequence in the nighttime “World of Color” show in Disney California Adventure.
- Decorating experts at the Disneyland Resort have to get started early. They trim nearly 700 trees for the season, on display in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, the resort’s three hotels and the Downtown Disney District. The smallest tree is at Storybook Land and the largest is at Town Square – both in Disneyland.
- The Disneyland Christmas tree in Town Square has become a favorite spot for snapping holiday photos. The artificial tree stands 60 feet tall and has 280,000 pine-tip branches molded from actual tree branches. It is decorated with more than 2,000 ornaments, including the three-foot star on top, and nearly 4,800 energy-efficient LED lights. When the Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle show reaches its finale crescendo, more than 60,000 LED lights and 1,200 strobe lights are added to the effect.
- Mickey’s Toontown is decorated with its own distinctive “toon” trees this 2011 holiday season. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse each have personal Christmas trees in the front yards of their Toontown homes, and a cartoon-themed tree beckons guests for photos in front of Toontown City Hall.
- Since the introduction of the artificial Christmas tree and LED lighting technology in 2008, the Disneyland park Christmas tree has used 50 percent less electricity than it did previously.
- Carolers in traditional Victorian holiday garb make regular appearances throughout the season at each of the three Disneyland Resort hotels: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.
- The Dapper Dans, the popular Main Street, U.S.A., quartet, add holiday songs to their repertoire, with holiday chimes as accompaniment. Favorites range from the traditional “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “Christmas in Killarney.
- The nighttime Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle light show is divided into three “acts” over the course of the evening. Each one begins at the Castle and travels the length of Main Street, U.S.A., finishing at the Town Square Christmas tree. Each act features a magical snowfall, and the final act concludes with “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks.
- The nighttime light show employs more than 200,000 points of light, 2,600 individual circuits and more than 85,000 individual wiring connections.
- If all the cables and conductors for the show were laid end to end, they would stretch 48 miles from Disneyland Resort – enough to pass the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.
- The entrance to Disney California Adventure and locations throughout the park are festooned with holiday decoration. New this year are the decorations around the newly renovated Paradise Pier area, with The Little Mermaid ~Ariel’s Undersea Adventure and the nearby dining locations.
- The largest ornaments used at Disneyland Resort may be found in the “bugs-eye-view” world of Flik’s Fun Fair at Disney California Adventure.
- The smallest ornaments used at the Resort may be found in the Storybook Land attraction at Disneyland.
“A Christmas Fantasy” parade
- Each performance of “A Christmas Fantasy” features 105 performers, 18 float drivers and 12 musicians costumed as toy soldiers from the Disney movie “Babes in Toyland.” With daily parade performances, it takes approximately 200 performers to stage the parade during the holiday season.
- The parade features six major “units,” each consisting of multiple floats. The units are: ”A Christmas Fantasy Opening” featuring Mrs. Claus sorting letters in Santa’s Mailroom; “Winter Wonderland” with Mickey and Minnie enjoying a romantic skate atop the frozen pond; “The Candy Shop” with Goofy leading the bakers from the Gingerbread House; “Candlelight Christmas Ball” featuring everyone’s favorite Disney Royal Couples; “Toy Factory,” the perfect spot for Buzz and Woody; and the “Finale,” where Santa himself waves from his sleigh.
it’s a small world” Holiday
- Decorators use 50,000 Christmas lights on the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday, and an additional 200,000 mini-lights in the trees, hedges and topiaries surrounding the attraction.
- Among the holiday special effects inside the attraction: pine tree and peppermint scents in the European scenes; 75 gallons of bubble juice to make bubbles throughout the season in the South Seas scene.
- Nearly 150 giant candles decorate the Christmas Tree in the European scene.
Haunted Mansion Holiday
- Jack Skellington has his own ideas about appropriate holiday decorations. The Haunted Mansion Holiday exterior is decorated with more than 100 jack-o’-lanterns and the eerie glow of more than 400 flickering candles.
- For the holidays, the graveyard in the Haunted Mansion finale is covered with 7,500 square feet of snow. Trees in the graveyard are decked out with 1,000 tiny orange lights.
- The gingerbread house in the Mansion’s Great Hall is made of real gingerbread and icing. Each year, the Disneyland Resort Foods and Entertainment divisions partner to create an original design for that year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house.
- This 2011 gingerbread house stands six feet tall, consisting of 500 pounds of gingerbread and miles of frosting. The house animates to become a gingerbread monster, revealing glowing eyes and sharp teeth. This year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house took months of planning and three weeks of creation in the Disneyland Resort Central Bakery.
- Guests may book guided Disneyland holiday tours which include visits to Haunted Mansion Holiday and “it’s a small world” Holiday attractions, reserved viewing of “A Christmas Fantasy” parade with a delicious holiday treat and warm beverage, plus a 2011 holiday pin and tour tag. (Information and reservations: 714-781-TOUR/714-781-8687.)
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Wednesday with Walt: Securing the Magic
Walt Disney said, “I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.” I know exactly where Walt was coming from when he said that. Some people might see me as simple-minded, walking around with my head in the Disney clouds all the time. But I am acutely aware of how quickly this world is changing. And, it is evident everywhere…including Disney parks.
To me, we Disney lovers have a responsibility of sorts in helping people at the parks realize the magic by making sure nice things touch their lives. When Susan and I were at Walt Disney World a couple of weeks ago, there was a huge celebration – the 40th Anniversary. Magic Kingdom park was at full capacity and people were pushing and shoving and we literally witnessed a man step on the foot of a young woman to barrel his way through the crowd. He did not say a word to her, he just kept going. The sweet young girl, who was a visitor from England, said it did hurt and it was not nice for him to act that way. She and her husband, and Susan and I, were dumbfounded at how some people act toward others in today’s society. Susan said, “well, I apologize for his behavior for him” and I wholeheartedly agreed.
I planned that trip for months, and we even had t-shirts made up for the occasion that said “Celebrating Walt’s Dream – 40 Years.” It was a dream to be able to be there for the celebration and as I was going in I was thinking of how proud Walt would be that his dream is still coming true for families. I was also thinking about how selfless his brother, Roy, was to see his dream come true.
As we were standing in front of Cinderella Castle waiting for the celebration to begin, and watching people pushing and shoving and stepping on people without even so much as an “excuse me” or “I am so sorry,” I said to Susan, ‘this is absolutely not what Walt had in mind!’
Walt Disney World is and always will be the most magical place on earth. Watching the faces of children amazing at the wonder of this beautiful place is exactly what Walt had in mind. People from all over sharing in the happiness and then taking it back home and growing it infectiously around them was also what he had in mind. But I have to wonder what has happened to make some people in our society so cold and uncaring. I think we are going to have to start a new practice at the Disney parks. I call it Disney Darts!
Anyone who remembers the comedian, Gallagher, must remember his dart system. We could call the crime a Walt Infraction, dishonoring the memory of an ambassador of good will. It would work similar to this:
Each person entering the park would be given a vest made of a special material that suction cups would stick to, as well as a sucker-dart gun (similar to this pictured here minus the goggles).
Anytime someone does something at “The World’ that is not conducive with the magical spirit, other guests would shoot these suction darts at him or her. Ideally, there would be several different colors of darts, each one to indicate the type of infraction. Once someone had 3 darts attached to their vest, they would be escorted from the park.
I am guessing the conversation would go something like this:
PARK SECURITY: Sir/Madam, I am sorry but I must, unfortunately, escort you out of the park.
GUEST: But why? I paid good money to be in here.
PARK SECURITY: And we will be happy to keep that sir/madam, but did you notice that you have 3 Walt Infraction darts hanging on your vest? This means that at least 3 times, you have done something against the rules of basic consideration and human kindness that are required to be in the park.
GUEST: You’re crazy, I’m not leaving here, this is a free country.
PARK SECURITY: You are right about that, sir, but people in this country also have the right to experience the most magical place on earth without jerks ruining the good time. Walt had this basic principle in mind many decades ago and I have been retained by Disney fans to make sure you don’t impede that.
I think this would be a great system and they would only need to add maybe a few cents to each person’s ticket and get a great supplier who wouldn’t charge an arm and a leg to make it happen. Let’s take back the magic. Who’s with me?
Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, where Disney IS school!
Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, where Disney IS school!
MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE is a unique blog that plusses the homeschool experience and prompts home educators to think outside the textbook. Our bi-weekly posts expose teachable moments in Walt Disney entertainment, from the history of Walter Elias Disney to Audio-animatronics, from theme park attractions to Disney conservation efforts. Each article leaves readers creative ways to learn while they play when Disney IS school.
Here’s a sampling of what you might find:
- Watch Dumbo and learn about aviation. Build a paper airplane with an elephant’s proportions. Discuss fuselage size and shape. Ask students if large wings (or ears) help or hinder flight.
- Ride Disneyland’s Mad Tea Party. Stop the math frustration spinning in your child’s head and have a Mad Math Fractions Tea Party!
- Observe Tinker Bell’s flight from a castle turret during Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in person or by Youtube video. Following instructions at the Science Buddies website, measure the intensity and duration of light produced by glow sticks.
Non-homeschoolers are welcome too! Supplement children’s schoolwork to keep kids from stagnating during summer break or holidays. Classroom teachers, enhance lesson plans or offer additional course work.
Stretch the boundaries of your home classroom!
Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce!
MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE hosts the weekly blog hop, Tiggerific Tuesday, a linky social to network with fellow bloggers. We also run GIVEAWAYS on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, and we hop aboard the Magical Blogorail Yellow Line every 1st Friday.
For an additional learning experience and educational incentives, sign up for the monthly Earn Your E.A.R.S. (Enriching Academic Reward Series). Registration opens October 1, 2011. Click the link to learn more.
Wednesday with Walt: Walt’s Barn
I took a road trip to my nearest Disney Outlet Store (which is an hour away) last Friday to do some much needed shopping. I ran into another Walt Disney lover. We talked for a while about our favorite person and about all the things we love at Walt Disney World and, during that conversation, I found out something very interesting. Walt’s barn has been preserved for the public to visit. Maybe you already knew this, but I was thrilled to find out about it.
As we all know, Walt Disney really loved trains. You might remember my article that talked about the train he built at his home in Holmby Hills. It was 1950 and Walt built the Carolwood Pacific Railroad right in his backyard. He named it Carolwood after the street on which he lived, Carolwood Drive. He also had a barn built on the property of his home railroad where he monitored and remotely-controlled the switches on the track.
Walt’s barn also served as his workshop, as well as a place to entertain his friends with the soda machine of which he was so proud. Many of Walt’s best ideas came to mind while working in his barn, and the barn itself has been referred to by some as “the birthplace of Imagineering.”
When the Disney family’s Holmby Hills home was sold, the new owners discovered asbestos and so they planned to demolish the home and build a new one on the property. Thank goodness Diane Disney Miller realized the importance of her father’s barn and thus wanted to preserve it. She asked the new owner if she could have it and he agreed. So, she began the process of saving it before escrow would close by contacting Michael and Sharon Broggie, the founders of The Carolwood Pacific Historical Society. They began planning what they would do with the barn.
The Broggies hired a contractor to dismantle the barn and housed it in Griffith Park, which you might remember as the park Walt used to take his daughters to on “Daddy’s Day” and watch them on the carousel — thus sparking the idea of a place where parents and children could have fun together — Disneyland!
With the help of a large number of volunteers, the barn was reconstructed and about 80% of what stands today was part of the original barn. In addition, Bill Evans (who landscaped most of the original Disneyland as well as the Disney family’s Carolwood backyard) donated his expertise to landscape the area around the barn’s new home “to match its original location in Holmby Hills.”
The barn opened in Griffith Park on July 19, 1999. Diane Disney Miller dedicated the barn as a new place to learn more about her father. At the opening ceremony Diane said, “Our heart and heritage is here, in this place.” It has been thoughtfully located in a beautifully-landscaped area of the park where one can enjoy the view of it while having lunch at one of the available picnic tables.
Courtesy of The Carolwood Pacific Historical Society
The barn is said to be small but full of many interesting items, nostalgic memories and wonderful stories. Items on display include an extensive collection of Disney and steam-train-related memorabilia including: Walt’s workbenches, hand-built by Walt Disney himself; the track switchboard Walt used to control the electronic track switches throughout the Carolwood railway;one of Walt’s porkpie-style hats; and an extensive display of memorabilia relating to the Disneyland Monorail, including a working 1960s-era monorail toy.
Walt’s Barn is open to visitors on the 3rd Sunday of each month between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. While visiting you can learn some interesting facts about Walt, the railroad and Disneyland. You can also purchase some unique merchandise.
I have added this park to my Disney bucket list and I hope you will too. If you have visited the barn I would love to hear about it, so please post your personal story here and thanks!
Related articles
- Stranded at Walt Disney World and Loving It (chipandco.com)
- Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Coming to Walt Disney World (chipandco.com)
