Haunted Mansion | Disneyland

Description

Photo by Averain

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion is a fun and spirited tour…

Edge into a dimly lit foyer and climb into a gloomy Doom Buggy for a supernatural journey through a tangle of frightful chambers. Blending giggling ghouls with things that go bump in the night, this classic attraction promises to send chills up and down your shivering spine.

Ethereal Inhabitants

Once an abandoned residence in the center of New Orleans Square, the Mansion has been home to 999 unearthly specters since August 9, 1969, including:

• The Ghost Host The disembodied voice of this helpful ghoul is your private guide through the cadaverous realm of the estate, directing you from room to room. Just try to find your way out!

• Madame Leota Amid flickering candlelight, take part in a séance hosted by the otherworldly spiritualist, Madame Leota. As apparitions materialize and make their ghostly presences known around you, sit tight and pray for light.

• Hitchhiking Ghosts Assuming you make it through the mansion, be warned that 3 mischievous phantoms may be lurking for you at the exit in the hopes of following you home.

Happy Haunting Grounds

Over 15 rooms are waiting to be explored within the darkened, spirit-infested abode, including:

• The Portrait Chamber Is this room actually stretching? You won’t believe your eyes here, where secrets are revealed on the walls and an unseen horror high overhead comes to light.

• Grand Ballroom You’re the Guest of Honor at this haunted party! Behold shadowy revelers waltzing to and fro, banshee heads floating out of a nearby organ and 2 haunted men in a duel from the great beyond.

• The Graveyard Gravitate through a midnight cemetery overflowing with spooks and specters joyously singing the haunting anthem “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” as a cemetery watchman and his bony dog quiver in fear.

Fun Facts

• The ride was originally supposed to be a walk-through attraction.
• The attraction was originally supposed to have a feature called the “Museum of the Weird.”
• The ride has 160 buggies and travels at roughly 1.5 miles per hour.
• The special effect that makes the ballroom scene seem so realistic is a trick called ‘Peppers Ghost,” which is named after scientist John Henry Pepper. The effect uses glass to reflect a room that is unseen to the viewer. Other examples of this effect are the Blue Fairy in Disneyland’s Pinocchio’s Daring Journey and the 3D hologram of Tupac Shakur at Coachella in 2012. Modern day teleprompters also use the basic premise of
  Peppers Ghost.
• The stretching room is actually an elevator as opposed to the actual room stretching mechanism at the Disney
  World version.
• The ballroom organ is the same one used in the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
• This is the most popular Disney ride for guests to try to spread the ashes of loved ones on.
• The hitchhiking ghosts at the end of the ride actually have names. They are Ezra, Gus and Phineas.
•  The ride has a few recognizable voices in it:
  • Ghost Host: Paul Frees (no, its not Vincent Price), who played the Pillsbury Doughboy, Burgermeister
    Meisterburger  in the claymation Santa Claus is Comin to Town.
  • Singin Bust in Graveyard (the one that looks like Walt Disney): Thurl Ravenscroft, who was Tony the Tiger, played Fritz in the Tiki Room and sang “You’re a Mean One Mr Grinch.”
• Madame Leota: Eleanor Audley, who was Lady Tremaine in Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty.

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