Fun Facts

Ghost List

Associated Books

You can download The Story of the Haunted Mansion in MPEG 3 format. And checkout more great information at Foxx's Haunted Mansion.

1. There are other hidden characters in the Haunted Mansion.

   Backyard Imagineering

2. The Haunted Mansion is the only attraction that is at all 4 Magic Kingdoms, but is in a different land in each park (Disneyland-New Orlean's Square, WDW-Liberty Square, Tokyo-Fantasyland, Paris-Frontierland). Does anyone know where it will be located at in Hong Kong?
   REPORTED: Jim 14 NOV 01
3. If you see the Haunted Mansion from behind you can see that the actual house is a facade. Your only in the actual mansion for the first room.
   REPORTED: Duper00 17 FEB 01
4. The enormous building behind the Haunted Mansions false exterior, which houses the ride in WDW, is actually right next to the ride building for "It's a Small World". Due to the incredible design of the park you would never guess it! This is evident when you examine aerial photography of the park.
   REPORTED: Roberto Sarrionandia 14 APR 06
5. The Haunted Mansion is the only place in all of Disney where the cast members do not smile.
   REPORTED: Allen Stone 08 DEC 99
6. The best place to take an unencumbered photo of the Haunted Mansion (one of my favorite rides) is on the barrel-bridge at Tom Sawyer's Island. Coming from someone who didn't have a zoom lens on her camera at the time, this gave a close shot with little trees, buildings, etc covering it up.
   REPORTED: Julianne Stickley 10 JUN 02
7. This is the story of the Haunted Mansion as relayed to me by my trainer when I began to work in the Magic Kingdom. Master Gracey had been married 6 times previously, but all of his wives had died. He met and proposed to his 7th wife. She was a bit of a prankster who dabbled in the occult, and she wanted to play a trick on Master Gracey on their wedding night. While in her wedding gown, she snuck up to the attic and hid in a large trunk that was up there. Unfortunately, the trunk locked, and nobody heard her cries for help. She suffocated, and then died. Master Gracey was beside himself with grief. He had his wife's body placed in a horse drawn carriage to be brought to the cemetary. As Master Gracey held his wife's hand for what was going to be the last time, something spooked the horse, and it bolted. Her wedding ring fell and was stomped into the pavement by one of the horses hooves. The next day, the carriage was found outside the cemetary, but the horse, driver, and corpse were nowhere to be found. This was the last straw for Master Gracey. He was so grief stricken, he went back to the mansion, and hung himself.
   REPORTED: Heather 03 OCT 98
8. There is no "Dale Gracey". Master Gracey's first name is George. The Imagineer he is named for was Yale Gracey. Master Gracey never killed anyone... especially not any of his brides. Most of the deceased were victims of circumstance and an Indian curse.
   REPORTED: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 21 APR 00
9. There is a Haunted Mansion's Ghost Gallery Book, that has stories for many of the residents but unfortunately it is for cast members only. But, there is a similar web page that is maintained by a cast member for Walt Disney World. This page is very unique and has lots of interesting stories. This was introduced from a reader of Disney Magazine in the Spring 1999 issue. This page also has a Haunted Mansion Death Certificate (for the Haunted Mansion of Walt Disney World) complete with your name and today's date
   REPORTED: Rudo 10 JUL 99
10. Do you know the reason there is a spider web and giant spider hanging from the fourth column from the right in the grand ballroom of the Haunted Mansion? Here is the reason. It started in Disneyland. I was on my last day of work as a ride operator before leaving Disneyland to become an apprentice electrician, in 1973. I was working at the Haunted Mansion, in the position called utility. This position requires one to stand in the back area of the attrraction and watch for people throwing things, getting out of the Ghostmobile, spitting, etc. I was walking around watching things when one of the other operators came running back and asked me if I saw the guy with the gun. I replied no. It seems somebody had taken a pot shot at one of the giant panes of glass that allows the ghosts reflection to be seen. The park had an artist from the Studios come down and draw the spiderweb on the glass to hide the bullet hole, and I am told, he was dispatched to Disney World to draw an identical web at the Haunted Mansion there.
    UPDATE: Larry R. Patterson 17 MAY 99
11. Recently on WDW "Inside Out" they revealed their secret of how they get the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion. Are you ready for this one, they use real ones.
    REPORTED: Derrick Davis 19 JAN 98
12. In the Haunted Mansion, I have found on busy days that it's nice not to have to wait too long in the cue after the stretch room. Here's how to stay in front. There are actually two rooms, one to the left and right of the aging portrait. The area begins on the other side between the two rooms. So, if you go into the left room, the panel that will open is the second on your right (as you walk in). If you're in the right room, the panel is the second on the left.
    REPORTED: Jason Tucker 26 JAN 98
13. If you look carefully at the Haunted Mansion's exterior, you'll notice that most (if not all) of the panes of glass in the conservatory (the large glass room on the right of the mansion) are cracked.
    REPORTED: Tim McKenny 03 FEB 98
14. The Haunted Mansion costumes cost about $900 dollars each.
    REPORTED: Lori Robinson 27 AUG 97
15. The Haunted Mansion's weather vane is in the shape of a bat.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 18 JUL 97
16. At night, the top of the Haunted Mansion periodically makes thunder noises and lights up.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 11 JUL 97

    Backyard Imagineering Fireflies

17. If you look at the Haunted Mansion at night, you can see an strange glow in some of the windows.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 11 JUL 97
18. A few things about the exterior of the Haunted Mansion. Have you noticed that can see the front door from the line but instead of entering the mansion through there, you enter through a door in the hill the Mansion sits on. Also, the Disneyland version was orginally planned to also be on a hill but the idea was dropped early on in the Haunted Mansion's planning stages.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 11 JUL 97
19. The fountain in the courtyard that is pushed over was originally meant to be standing, but they coulnd't keep it up during construction. So, they pushed it over and left it there which makes the house seem less lived in.
    REPORTED: DisneyGuy 10 JAN 02
20. On the Mansion's front gate there is a wreath. Notice that all the flower's and plants in the wreath are all dead.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 18 JUL 97
21. At the "real" front door on the Mansion, the two columns along side the door are actually coffins!
    REPORTED: Brett Kinney 06 APR 98
22. On a recent visit to Walt Disney World my family and I were waiting outside the entrance doors. To our left was Madam Leota's tombstone. As we stood reading her eyes opened and looked around. We watched closely and sure enough they opened again, but looked in a different direction.
    REPORTED: Lisa Kelt 30 MAY 02
23. The Aging Portrait in the foyer of the Haunted Mansion is a series of 6 projected images that dissolve and overlap each other. The hand-assembled filmstrip (35mm) loop has 8 frames, 5 images of various stages of decay, two images of the guy looking fine, and one black image. Apparently the filmstrip is changed frequently because of wear and tear. A park employee has put about 10 of these on the market, with a going rate of $300.
    REPORTED: anon 27 NOV 97
    CONFIRMED: Tom and Renée Shaw 28 DEC 97
    The changing portrait in the foyer is a front projection, unlike the ones at Disneyland, which are projected from the rear.
    CONFIRMED: William E. Nolte, Jr. 08 MAY 98
    The portrait is rear projected from a small room between the stretch rooms.If it wasn't, the lights that shine on the portrait from the front would make the image appear weak.
    UPDATE: anon 29 MAY 00

    

24. With all those entries on the Haunted Mansion, nobody's posted how the disappearing ceiling is done. The effect looks like this: When they kill the lights, the ceiling disappears, allowing you to see into the attic, where the ship's captain hung himself. The ceiling is actually a scrim curtain, painted to look like a molded ceiling. Scrim takes paint just as well as a hard surface. They just bring the lights up in the attic set, and you see right through the cieling. Scrim is one of the theatrical profession's most open secrets, and it surprises me that more people don't know about it. Because it's so little known and so effective (not to mention expensive!), Disney uses it extensively. In addition to Indy and the Haunted Mansion, scrim is also used in the Carrousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom.
    REPORTED: Masselin D'Isigny 18 MAY 98
    The whole hanging man effect in the stretch room of the Haunted Mansion is indeed a painted scrim. I am a theater avid and this is indeed a trick of the theater trade. When the lights go out, the scrim becomes "transparent", so you can see right through the "ceiling" into the hanging man's rafter. But if you look closely (being a theater man, I did) you can actually see that it is a scrim screen.
    CONFIRMED: Bryan 19 AUG 99
    One day while we were at Disney World we ventured to the Haunted Mansion (which would have made my day. We went through the extreamly long line (it was a hot day and the Haunted Mansion has air conditioning). We listened to the foyer spiel and loaded into the Stretching room on the right. I had recieved a new camera for my birthday and it did not have to flash to take a good picture. When it came around the time that we saw the ceiling dissappear the lights did not completley go out on the lower set. We could all see the scrim and the ceiling pattern. Many people who have been there before asked the attendant was that supposed to happen? Later on we went into the ride again but they were only loading the left the rest of the day. I guess they didn't want to let the age old question be awnsered "How Did They Do That?"
    CONFIRMED: BChampli 12 MAR 01
25. I recently talked with one of the Cast Members working at the ride. She is the one who walks along the tread mill helping people get into the cars.. she told me that she recently started wearing a pedometer that keeps track of how far you walk or jog. She said she was up to 12 miles in one shift!!
    REPORTED: Shadow 11 JAN 97
26. The ride went down for a quick rehab in March 96. At the time I was told that it was for "wallpaper and carpet, nothing else." Turns out they did a bit more. The moving walkway where you board the Doom Buggies now has yellow bats painted on it (so you can see it is moving easier), and inside the attic is a painting standing next to the bride. It's dark and difficult to make out, but it's of the bride when she was a young girl, next to her father (the same portrait, I believe, used at Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris). Also, the singing busts in the graveyard are not laserdisc projections like the ones in Disneyland (though all the rest are still the 16mm film). Unfortunately, none of the other upgrades which were done at Disneyland have made it to Florida yet.
    REPORTED: Allen Huffman 12 MAY 96
    The yellow bats painted on the convayor belt to the doom buggies are on the Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Haunted Mansion.
    UPDATE: Cory 03 JUL 01
27. I am led to believe that the bride in the WDW Mansion is a leftover from a story idea that has now been transplanted to Phantom Manor in EuroDisney. The story is that a man soon to be married built a new home for his intended, which immediately attracted a Phantom (no names were ever mentioned in the materials I've found). The Phantom fell in love with the bride and killed her so that he could have her. The story was written for the American attraction, but eventually became just an eerie bride in an attic. At EuroDisney, they seem to have really incorporated the story into the ride.
    REPORTED: Kris 25 SEP 97
28. Master Gracey's name is George (he's named after his father, George Gracey Sr., who was killed by his wife Mary for philandering). The portrait of the woman sitting on the gravestone in the stretch room is that of Mary "in mourning" for George Sr. Master Gracey never killed any of his wives. His last bride's death was an accident when she locked herself in a trunk while hiding.
    REPORTED: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 14 APR 00
29. I was told by a past Cast Member that the characters running the Haunted Mansion have to wear the same costume, no matter what season it is, be it 40 degrees or 100+ degrees. The only thing the workers are able to remove, because of the heat during the summer, are the top jacket. But the long-sleeve shirt, vest, and long black pants must be worn, not shorts.
    REPORTED: David Stead 06 NOV 96
30. On top of the Haunted Mansion there are chess pieces - couple of pawns, rooks, kings, queens, etc. - decorating the roof like mini-towers. The chess pieces are there because the building's architect and attraction's chief designer loved chess. All of the pieces are there accept for one which is a knight (the wierd thing is that there is a knight in the Mansion itself).
    REPORTED: MR DAMIEN L CORRELL 21 MAY 96
    CONFIRMED: Josh Jacobs 05 SEP 96
    CONFIRMED: Keri S. 07 OCT 96
    CONFIRMED: chris abelmann 23 MAR 97
    CONFIRMED: Freddy Zanfardino 10 JUL 97
    CONFIRMED: Tom and Renée Shaw 28 DEC 97
    CONFIRMED: sue pisaturo 02 AUG 98
    According to a Disney architect I talked to the mansion is built this way as a pun: chess is the GAME OF LIFE!
    UPDATE: Josh Sullivan 05 AUG 98
    The reason there is no knight chess piece on the roof of the mansion is because it is always "night" inside the Haunted Mansion.
    UPDATE: Heather 03 OCT 98
    Along the roof peak and the trim of the collonade, there are wroght iron "people" in a pattern of Tall, Short, Tall, Short. There are 999 of these, one to represent each of the ghosts (learned this in training).
    UPDATE: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 25 JAN 01
    The top of the Haunted Mansion has different chess pieces that look like they are just part of the building. the towers are on the ends of the Mansion.
    REPORTED: Jen K. 09 NOV 01
31. A Cast Member told us that every morning they place a new rose and dig up the soil on the grave outside of the Haunted Mansion to make it look like Mr Gracie was recently buried. The rose used is the "Blood Rose" planted in the graveyard by Disney landscape artists.
    REPORTED: karlson 27 JUN 96
    CONFIRMED: Tom and Renée Shaw 28 DEC 97
    A comment on the fact that they put a new rose on Master Gracey's tombstone every morning: I was at the Mansion yesterday, and the dirt looked dug up, but the rose looked like it had seen quite a few days. Although, the very dead rose did look more fitting with the Haunted Mansion theme.
    UPDATE: Selena Parisher 20 JAN 02
32. At the Haunted Mansion, if you listen closely, you can sometimes hear an eerie howling coming from the vicinity of the mansion. Did you ever wonder where that noise comes from, or did you think that it was just made up and there was no source of where the noise was coming from? Well, I always thought that there had to be some kind of wolf or animal that would make that noise that you could find, because that's the way Disney would do it. Recently, when I went on "The Key of the Kingdom" tour, I found out where that noise was coming from. And I was right, it was a wolf, and you can actually see it!!! The wolf is hard to see and is on the ride and my guide pointed it out to me. Its in the beginning of the graveyard scene, and right after the man and the dog with the lantern look very scared. Its in the back of the scene on the left hand side, right after the two owls on the branches, after your doom buggy turns around and comes down the little hill. Once you see it you'll be amazed, the wolf is in sync with the howling. It is one ugly wolf! It has muscle and bone only, no fur!
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 10 JUL 97
    CONFIRMED: Chris Sullivan 01 JAN 98
    CONFIRMED: Gwendel 03 NOV 98
    I'd like to confirm the presense of the howling wolf, or as we Mansioneers like to call it, the "hell hound". It took me some time to find him, but he is after the scene with the band, you'll see two ghosts on a teeter-todder and a third swinging on a swing. This is before the singing busts. If you look, he's in the very back of that scene. He's howling, and is just a skeleton and not nearly as ugly as the one at Phantom Manor.
    CONFIRMED: Foxx 05 SEP 99
33. The Cast Members at Disneyland's Haunted Mansion converse with the Cast Members at Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion on a regular basis. The conversations are usually the same standard stuff (i.e. "What's your wait time?")
    REPORTED: Jed 01 APR 99
34. Some of the Imagineers, who gave us the Haunted Mansion, are enshrined on the graveyard tombstones.
    1. RIP in memorium Uncle Myall HERE YOU'LL REST FOR QUITE A WHILE - For Chuck Myall, Art Director
    2. HERE RESTS WATHEL R. BENDER he rode to glory on a fender - For Wathel Rodgers, Illusionist and mechanical genius
    3. AT PEACEFUL REST LIES BROTHER CLAUDE planted here beneath this sod - For Claude Coates, Art Director and Master of Paint Effects and Lighting
    4. RIP MR. SEWELL the victim of a dirty duel - For Ted Sewell, Engineer
    5. IN MEMORY OF OUR PATRIARCH dear departed grandpa marc - For Marc Davis, Illustrator, Idea man, and Imagineer
    6. REQUIESCAT FRANCIS XAVIER no time off for good behavior RIP - For Xavier Atencio, Grim Grinning Ghosts Scriptwriter and Lyricist
    7. MASTER GRACEY LAID TO REST no mourning please at his request - For Yale Gracey - Illusionist
    8. HERE LIES A MAN NAMED MARTIN the lights went out on this old spartan - For Bill Martin - Art Director
    CONFIRMED: Mike Kaply 10 AUG 95
    CONFIRMED: Terry Coopers 25 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: bertino 14 NOV 95
    CONFIRMED: Tom and Renée Shaw 28 DEC 97
35. The Narrator in the Haunted Mansion is the late voice actor Paul Frees. His voice is used in a number of other attractions, including the multimedia segment of the Hall of Presidents, and most if not all of the Pirates, including the auctioneer. Paul Frees was also the voice of Boris Badanov.
    REPORTED: bertino 14 NOV 95
    CONFIRMED: Rick Pastore 09 MAR 97
    Paul Frees has been mentioned many times as the host of the Haunted Mansion, pirate voices, etc. Strangely, no one has mentioned his most famous character, the infamous Boris Badenov from the Rocky and Bullwinkle show! He also had a bit part as a radio reporter in the movie "War of the Worlds." An amazingly talented guy.
    UPDATE: Steve Dawson 08 JUN 99
    You can see Paul Frees in Force of Evil (1948) as an elevator operator, in Red Light (1949) as the first bell hop, as Packy Collins in Hunt the Man Down (1950), as Dr. Vorhees in Thing From Another World, The (1951), as Morrison in Place in the Sun, A (1951), as Corley in His Kind of Woman (1951), as the Band Leader in Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), as MacMasters in Big Sky, The (1952), in an unnamed part in Assignment: Paris (1952), as the District Attorney in Las Vegas Story, The (1952), as an unnamed character in Star, The (1952), as Monroe in Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954), as Benny Conklin in Suddenly (1954), as Sundar in Rains of Ranchipur, The (1955), as Colin in Sword and the Dragon, The (1960), as the Priest in Harder They Fall, The (1956), as Lt. Tiompkin in Jet Pilot (1957), as Ward Mason in 27th Day, The (1957), and as Dr. Charles T Pommer in Space Master X-7 (1958)
    UPDATE: TR Shaw
    Paul Frees, in addition to his many Disney voices, was the voice of John Lennon on the Beatles' ABC Saturday morning cartoon show, from 1965-1968.
    UPDATE: Jeff Davis 14 SEP 01
    Some people know this and others don't. But as well as the Ghost Host, Pirate Auctioneer, Captain of the Jolly Roger and a score of others, Paul Frees was also the one and only Boris Badinov. As well as the Bass singer in many disney attractions, most noticable in the Haunted Manion (Grim Grinning Ghosts), Thurl Ravencroft of the disney singing group of yesteryear. Is also the infamous Tony The Tiger. Not to mention the one who sang the Wholiday classic, "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch.
    UPDATE: Paul Welling 27 JAN 02

36. There are actually two "No Doors and No Windows" (stretch) rooms. Pretty smart for getting volume in and out of the ride. Also, at Walt Disney World the ceiling moves up but in Disneyland, the floor moves down. This is because they had to build the warehouse to house the ride on the other side of the railroad tracks and they needed a way to get people down to the loading area and then when the ride goes up the first hall it is actually going up next to the tracks. So when Disney built Walt Disney World, the imagineers decided that they liked the effect, but there was no need to actually recreate it, since the Magic Kingdom in Florida is bigger than California. Consequently, the stretch rooms in the Haunted Mansion in Florida go up creating the same optical illusion. However, the stretch rooms in Disneyland Paris go both up and down to recreate the illusion.
    REPORTED: Michael Littell 04 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Missy Wigley 07 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Terry Coopers 25 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Robert Patrick Steere 30 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Loren Wilton 10 NOV 95
    When the Haunted Mansion building in DL was first built it was intended to be a walk-through attraction. But then after many years of not being worked on Disney decided to use their Omi-Mover system and make it a ride through. Disney made the actual ride in a larger building concealed by trees behind the mansion. But they had a problem, how would they get the guests from the original building to the ride building? In the end they came up with a clever idea. In the original building they built 3 rooms, a foyer and 2 "stretching rooms." The stretching rooms were actually elevators that went down to the basement. Once guest got to the basement they walked through the "hallway to limbo," which actually is a underground tunnel to the ride building. Now in 1971 Disney World built their mansion, but there was no need for a stretch room because the ride building is within the park, but the effect was so popular that the imagineers copied the effect by making the ceiling rise.
    CONFIRMED: Nick 27 JAN 01
    CONFIRMED: anon 21 JAN 02
37. To locate the exits in the stretch room quickly lood toward the bottom of the walls. The wall with out trim is the exit. Stand near that wall and you will be the first one out of the stretch room.
    REPORTED: Charlene Archer 22 JAN 00
38. The organ in the ballroom is a prop built by MaPo as an exact replica of the organ in Anaheim. It is made of plywood and fiberglass and has no moving parts.
    REPORTED: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 21 APR 00
39. If you look carefully at the anamatronic figures in the ballroom and graveyard scene it looks like they have used figures from other rides and have used some in other rides. The best example is the woman blowing out the candles in the ballroom scene, if you look carefully at the face it is the whistling pirate from the jail scene in Pirates of the Carribean, it's really funny as they have just put him in drag. I noticed other pirates too, the old man from the jail scene appears twice in the graveyard scene for example. As for Disney using them in other rides, at the start of the ballroom scene look at the right hand wall and there is a ghost sitting on the mantlepiece, above the fire. The face cast has quite clearly been used in the Wizard of Oz scene in The Great movie ride at MGM, it is used for several of the munchkins, if you sit on the left hand side of the Movie Ride you will see a munchkin in a house all on his own, he has that face and is even wearing the same hat as the ghost.
    REPORTED: Axel 14 JUN 01
40. The busts in the library, the ones that seem to follow your eyes when you get right up next to them, they aren't busts at all. Rather, they are more like the inside of a plaster cast used for making latex masks. The inward curvature along with lighting, creates the optical illusion you experience.
    REPORTED: Michael Littell 04 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Mike Noll 14 NOV 96
    
41. As you enter the queue line for the conveyor belt, to ride in the "doom buggies", notice the bats on top of the guideposts. At the very beginning of the queue, where no one leans upon or touches the guideposts, the bats look new and all of the details are clear. In the last right-hand turn of the queue, the bat headpiece is virtually smooth! A testament to the millions of hands that have "swung" little bodies around that turn.
    REPORTED: Joe Morway 02 SEP 97

    Backyard Imagineering Eyes

    
    The bat at the turning point of the queue line is warn down almost beyond recognition. It's staggering the number of hands that must have touched it.
    CONFIRMED: K. Borgen 02 OCT 97
42. When you go into one of the stretch rooms, the easiest way to find which wall will open is to look at the place where the floor meets the wall; only one wall does not connect with the floor. That wall opens!
    REPORTED: Kyle Bodshaug 23 MAR 99
43. The last of the portraits that "look" at you (the ones you see right after you get into your Doombuggy and it turns to the right right), which depicts a woman with long, dark hair holding a cat in her arms, contains a yellow-ish disk to the right of her. A former CM friend of mine told me that there's writing on the disk, and it's not easy to see, even with the work lights on. I photographed it once, and I could see that there was writing on the disk, but my photo wasn't clear enough to make out what it said. I tried video-taping it on my last trip, and the words became clear for only a fraction of a second. From what I can see, the words are written in standard block English, and there are curves drawn inside the circle itself, and the letters follow these curves. But, that's all I know. Does anyone (Cast Member or not) know what the words say?
    REPORTED: Anthony Samhain 08 MAY 99
44. When you first get on the doom buggy, pull down on the bar and the voice will tell you to not pull on the bar, that he will do it for you...
    REPORTED: steve n 26 JUL 98
    It makes this statement whether you pull down on the bar or not. :-)
    CLARIFICATION: firstno 28 SEP 98
45. A lot of people don't notice this. Look closely at the clock you pass by while riding the Haunted Mansion. Not only does the clock have a number thirteen and a shadowy hand passing in front of it, but if you look closely, you will se that the pendulum of the clock is a demon's tail!
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 29 NOV 97
46. I was talking to a cast member and he said that the old woman in the dancing sceen who is wearing a weding dress is soposed to be Ms. Havisham-- A character from Charles Dicken's book Great Expectations.
    REPORTED: Adam Plondke 16 JUL 97
47. The transparent ballroom ghosts are a projection onto a large sheet of slanted glass. The glass is used as a "half mirror" allowing the ghosts reflection to be seen along with the room. All the dancing and downstairs ballroom ghosts are actually Audio-Animatronics dancing in a room directly below your car. The pciture ghosts are Audio-Animatronics shooting each other in a room above your car. When you are meant to see them, lights are turned on the animatronics and you see their reflection. This is quite apparent when you look at the dancers on the left side. They are all reversed. Some Imagineer forgot that reflections are reversed and the couples are embraced using the wrong hands as if the women are leading. Listen carefully at the banquet scene, you can hear the audio-animatronics clunking around below and above! By the way, the glass now has Plexiglas in front of it for protection due to problems at Disneyland.
    REPORTED: Michael Littell 04 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Ray J. Parker 30 JUN 96
    CONFIRMED: Peter Bleickardt 27 JAN 97
    The women lead the men in the ballroom dancing because of this.
    The ballroom ghosts are actually Audio-Animatronics dancing in a room directly below your car. They appear as ghosts only because they reflect against a spotless mirror in the large room which you see. Next time, notice that all of the ghosts are dancing in the bottom half of the room!
    CONFIRMED: jojobean 15 APR 97
    I took a tour there and they took us behind the scenes in the Haunted Mansion. They took us to the ballroom, under the track. We could see the Audio Annimatronics dancing right in front of us. We couldn't get too close or the light would reflect from us and show up on the glass. Then the riders would see us. It is really dark down there!
    CONFIRMED: Brett Kinney 06 APR 98
    CONFIRMED: anon 18 APR 99
    I was on the tour also and the very next day I was on the Haunted Mansion ride once again. I was showing my grandmother ( who paid for the tour ) where we stood. While I was showing her, a light appeared where I was pointing to and we saw another group come in and look around.
    CONFIRMED: Mandy Costello 06 MAR 00
    I went backstage at the Haunted Mansion, and I stood under the tracks in the ballroom scene. On the floor under the tracks, there is a box drawn in reflective tape. Anything that goes outside the box gets reflected onto the glass with the figures. Yes, the effect is done the same way in both California and Florida.
    CONFIRMED: Barbara Fett 06 MAY 00
    CONFIRMED: Craig 22 SEP 00
48. The cake and candles are not hidden with the figures - they're on the table in the room!
    REPORTED: Barbara Fett 06 MAY 00
49. In the Haunted Mansion's hallway, there is an sign that say's "Tomb,Sweet,Tomb".
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 18 JUL 97
50. When you pass the party in the Haunted Mansion and you are directly in front of the chandieler, look up by the ceiling above your car and you will see feet. Look at the ground at the same place and you will see a shadow. It is the man sitting on the chandieler's feet.
    REPORTED: Kyle Bodshaug 16 MAR 99
51. Though the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion would appear to be holograms, they actually are not. There are 3 methods used to make the ghosts appear to be holographic. The first is described above and uses reflection on slanted glass. The second method is a wire mesh (like cheese cloth) fabric painted with fluorescent paints. The tiny holes provide transparency and the paints provide a glowing effect. Finally, the third method, is a modification of that wire mesh fabric. By placing a flat sheet of the wire mesh fabric in front of the "ghosts", it provides for a foggy or hazy effect. If you focus in front of the "ghosts" you can see this mesh.
    REPORTED: Peter Bleickardt 27 JAN 97
    CONFIRMED: jojobean 15 APR 97
52. I am the Disney Cast Member who made the Hidden Mickey on the dining room table in the Banquet scene of the Haunted Mansion. And, no, I did not copy it from Disneyland. I just figured that we needed to have one that was obvious to all. We created it in 1993.
    REPORTED: Lisa W 29 JUN 96
    CONFIRMED: TR Shaw 04 JUL 96
53. The face in the crystal ball is a styrofoam wig stand with a projector on it.
    REPORTED: Lori Robinson 27 AUG 97
54. The woman in the crystal ball used to work in the wardrobe department at Disneyland.
    REPORTED: Chris Caines 25 SEP 95
55. When the Haunted Mansion ride takes you through the room with Madam Leota's head inside the Crystal Ball on the table, don't think about getting out of your vehicle and walking over to it... there's a good 20 foot drop to a storage room below. The table is simply sitting on a scaffold in the center of the room. The ride moves around an upper ledge. There is however, a rope net for you daring types.
    REPORTED: Michael Littell 04 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Kurt Miller 10 MAY 98
56. Both "Madam Leota" and "Little Leota" use the face of Disney Costumer, Leota Thomas. Thomas is also the voice of "Little Leota" at the end of the attraction. Eleanor Audley is the voice of Madam Leota. She is also the voice of the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella, and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty and has an uncredited part in Never a Dull Moment.
    REPORTED: Terry Coopers 25 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: bertino 14 NOV 95
    CONFIRMED: Rachel Moore 02 JAN 98
    CONFIRMED: Derrick Davis 19 JAN 98
57. The Madam Leota crystal ball effect is not a hologram. It is a true projection onto a hemispheric screen with a crystal ball face. 16mm film is used to project Madam Leota's face.
    REPORTED: darth 03 JAN 98
58. The voice in the coffin voice belongs to Xavier Atencio, the Mansion's script writer and the man who the tombstone outside marking the remains of "Francis Xavier" is dedicated to. (Francis Xavier really did exist - he was a Spanish Jesuit missonary who established Christianity in Japan. although I doubt that the Imagineers were thinking of this man when they dedicated Xavier his tomstone, it is fun to note)
    REPORTED: Foxx 18 APR 00
    
59. Here are the names of the five singing busts in the Haunted Mansion: Thurl Ravenscroft (voice of Tony the Tiger), Jay Meyer, Verne Rowe, Bob Ebright, and Chuck Schroeder. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find out their relationship with Walt or the company. Thurl does resemble Walt so it is easy to understand why people think he is one of the busts.
    CONFIRMED: Terry Coopers 25 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Carrie-Ann Dunn 09 OCT 95
    CONFIRMED: Chris Caines 25 SEP 95
    In regards to the five singing busts in the Haunted Mansion: they were a singing group called the Mell-o Men. I think their only relationship to Disney was simply that Walt wanted a group with deep, formidable voices to sing "Grim Grinning Ghosts."
    CONFIRMED: Meg 29 JUL 96
    Straight from the horse's mouth (the Disney Studios archivist, that is): Walt is definitely not one of them. The one that looks a bit like Walt is Thurl Ravenscroft, the bass singer.
    CONFIRMED: snopes 29 JUL 96
    A recent Walt Disney World "Inside Out" interview with the Thurl Ravenscroft confirms he is the voice of many characters at WDW and DL (including Fritz the parrot in the Tiki Room and one of the Grim Grinning Ghosts), as well as Tony the Tiger.
    CONFIRMED: Rod Truesdell 30 NOV 96
    CONFIRMED: Tim McKenny 03 FEB 98
    CONFIRMED: Chris Berndt 12 JUL 98
    For more information see Thurl Ravenscroft's life's work
    CONFIRMED: Brian Jacob 26 JUL 98
    CONFIRMED: Chernabog 21 APR 99
    The voice of one of the Haunted Mansion's Singing Busts, Thurl, is also the very same talented and versatile part of the group that sang for the howling/singing dogs in Lady and The Tramp. Singing only, though--watch for Boris the Russian Wolfhound singing the low, low notes (it's Thurl singing!!). Boris' speaking voice is Alan Reed (Fred Flintstone!)
    CONFIRMED: Elizabeth 26 JUL 99
    The five singing busts in Haunted Mansion are not the Mellomen as is sometimes listed. There were only 4 Mellomen. The five men on the song (and on the faces of the busts) just happened to be at the studio working on other projects when they were brought together to do Grim Grinning Ghosts. The only member of the Mellomen involved was Thurl. The other four heads belong to Chuck Schroeder, Bob Wright, Jay Myers, and Vern Rowe. The Mellomen, however, did do the theme for Pirates of the Caribbean. Please check the Disney Attractions portion of Everything Thurl, Urban Legends Reference Page, and the E-Ticket, volume 13, which is the issue dedicated to the Haunted Mansion. Bob Wright has one movie credit, and I found quite a bit on Vern Rowe. He played the trombone and acted on various TV shows such as Happy Days, CHiPs, Columbo, the Bob Newhart Show, and Alice and appeared in the Shaggy D.A. and the Big Mouth. I haven't found anything that corresponds to late '65 early '66 that would have brought them to the Disney Studios.
    UPDATE: Darrell Houghton 20 AUG 99
    The Mell-o Men did do the singing in Pirates, as well as "painting the Roses Red" in Alice in Wonderland, and "Grim Grinning Ghosts" for the Haunted Mansion. They are even portrayed as the singing busts in the mansion!
    CONFIRMED: Jennifer Dubin- Future CM 31 MAR 02
60. Has anyone noticed that the "Grim, Grinning Ghosts" theme sung by the ghouls of the Haunted Mansion is the same melody as the Haunted Mansion theme music? Change the tempo, instrumentation, and add vocals, and the Haunted Mansion theme becomes "Grim, Grinning Ghosts!"
    REPORTED: anon 02 OCT 97
    CONFIRMED: Michelle Habas 06 NOV 97
    I believe the music is all several variations of the same theme. You realize this when you spend the last two hours of every shift in one position, and you pass the time by trying to figure out details like that.
    CONFIRMED: anon 28 AUG 98
    Yes, it's true! All the music being played in the Haunted Mansion is "Grim Grinning Ghosts". The tempo and pitch has been altered for each song. I found this out at the Walt Disney World Forever CD station. I had a CD made up of all the Haunted Mansion Music. Each song is listed as "Grim Grinning Ghosts"-Doombuggy boarding music, -Foyer music, -Ballroom, -Graveyard, -Doombuggy exit music.
    CONFIRMED: Michelle Habas 05 JUL 99
    People have been getting the correct idea about the music in the Haunted Mansion: it is, indeed, all the same song. But, allow me to get into a little more detail. The Haunted Mansion is, generally, contained all in one show building (See map. Once out of the stretching galleries, there is basicly a big open space divided by "walls". Not to say there are not rooms in the Mansion, it's just that the size of the place makes it real hard to get the music just the way they want it. If this were not so, you'd be able to hear the ballroom cue in the foyer! So how do they get everything to play without disrupting other guest's experience? Why can't you hear the ballroom in the seance? Because, to put it simply, the entire ride is locked together. Not only does every song play the main theme "Grim Grinning Ghosts", but it plays it all at the same time. "Grim Grinning Ghosts" is heard everywhere, and it's all playing the same theme: the foyer organ hits the same notes as the Graveyard Jamboree at the same time, but it is played in a slightly diffent manner. Pauses between each note make the music creepier. So, when the organ in the foyer finishes it's dirge (doooo.... do dooooo.... do dooooooooooooooooooo.. [ding] [ding] [ding]), the graveyard track does the same thing: the ghosts laugh, and then it starts back up two seconds later at the same time as the foyer organ and on the same note. So why don't you hear the really loud ballroom organ while in the very quiet seance room? Why don't you hear the seance room in the lad area? Simple. There are sound effects in between. Think about it: the foyer organ is one floor above the show building and blocked out by the doorless, narration-only gallery. In addition, you cannot hear the load area flute in the art corridor because of the loud storm sounds. You cannot hear the seance in the hallway of demonized doors becuause the Ghost Host narration and loud sound effects block it out. Voices at the begining of the ballroom cut out the organ. Incidentally, the ballroom organ is really the only track that does not fit the general shape of the Haunted Mansion music: "Grim Grinning Ghosts" plays in 4/4 time, and the organ plays in 3/4 time. So, why don't you hear the organ in the attic? Because the bride's heartbeat keeps the two-step tempo. The jumping spirits block out the jamboree a few meters ahead. The wedding piano plays in a light key to blend with the graveyard. The graveyard is the same music through the rest of the attraction up until Little Leota, who is sound effects only (and blocked by the final cord version of "Grim Grinning Ghosts"). Thus the wonder of the music in the Haunted Mansion.
    UPDATE: Foxx 30 JUL 99
61. The piano in the Haunted Mansion seems to play a spooky, messed-up version of "Here comes the Bride." You can also hear creepy voices in the background saying "I do." Perhaps keeping up with the whole bride theme?
    REPORTED: Tinkerbella 23 MAY 00
    Yes, they do play "Here comes the bride" in several eerie, ascending keys in a portion of the ride, and you here people screaming "I DO!" If you have a mp3 download program, you may find a complete ride along of the Haunted Mansion. I found one, and it's definitely there.
    CONFIRMED: Jeremy Wilcox 09 MAY 02
62. I read on a Disney trivia message board that on the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World, when the doom-buggy turns backwards and descends from the attic to the graveyard, the descent is exactly six feet, signifying the "death" of the passengers. Creepy...
    REPORTED: Jeff Lemieux 27 SEP 00
63. The grim reaper ghost with red eyes that appears and dissapears is done with a real simple trick. First of all the ghost appears to shimmer because the ghost is only a painting on a black sheet hung in the doorway of the masolium. It is streached tight and has wind blowing on it so the sheet ripples and flows. It appears and dissapears because they dim the blue light that is shining on it that gives it it's luminous glow.
    REPORTED: William E. Nolte, Jr. 08 MAY 98
64. The Graveyard is far less impressive with the lights on. This is because there are black mesh nets from floor to ceiling just off either side of the vehicle path. This aids in giving the "ghosts" their eerie transparency.
    REPORTED: Michael Littell 04 OCT 95
    In the graveyard scene there is a black see-through screen that is hung from the ceiling to make the room appear darker than it really is, so when the lights shine it looks like it there is a lot of fog.
    CONFIRMED: Mike Rickert 30 MAR 97
65. Enough dust placed in the Mansion over the years to cover the park. (Two crews, one cleans it, one puts the dust down) The "Dust" is called Fullers Earth and it can be found at any Stage Equipment type store, and as for the Cobweb effect this is achieved by using a device called a cobweb spinner, the type used by Disney Imagineers is made by Mole-Richardson out of California. It is a Rubber Cement type based chemical that apears to be extreemly real when sprayed with the fullers earth to give it that Dusty Effect.
    REPORTED: Michael Kaply 10 AUG 95
    CONFIRMED: David B 01 JUN 98
66. I wrote to Disney in August 1997, asking about the Haunted Mansion decor. I'd read once that, while most DL attractions are kept sparkling clean, the Haunted Mansion was not and, in fact, dust was purchased regularly from a dust supplier so that the attraction would look dusty. A few days later, I got this reply from Michelle Lynne, Guest Communications:- "We appreciate your interest in the Haunted Mansion. The decor for this attraction is created by Disneyland. There is extensive nightly maintenance of this attraction to make sure that every cobweb looks perfect! However, the cobwebs are created by the Disneyland Decorating team with materials similar to those sold in Halloween novelty merchandise stores."
    REPORTED: Dave Andrew 18 FEB 98
    The information on the Haunted Mansion is somewhat correct however here is the complete information on the decor in the mansion. First the "Dust" that is referred to is called Fullers Earth and it can be found at any Stage Equipment type store, and as for the Cobweb effect this is achieved by using a device called a cobweb spinner, the type used by Disney Imagineers is made by Mole-Richardson out of California. It is a Rubber Cement type based chemical that apears to be extreemly real when sprayed with the Fullers Earth to give it that Dusty Effect.
    UPDATE: David B 01 JUN 98
    The cobwebs used in the Haunted Mansion actually come in liquid form, and then are spun, like someone else mentioned, with a special web spinner.
    CONFIRMED: Stacee 07 MAY 00
    Of course, Disney doesn't use real dust in their cobwebs, it would trigger allergies of guests. They use a product called Fuller's Earth which is sprinkled onto strands of dried rubber cement to attain the effect.
    UPDATE: DisneyGuy 10 JAN 02
67. You can find this easier during the day... In the last large brick you walk on before going through the second to the last gate, on the right side, there is an imprint of a wedding ring. The "body" hanging in the stretch room is supposed to be Master Gracey's wife. She died the night before their wedding. Her death was ruled suicide, but murder was suspected. Master Gracey was enraged and threw her wedding ring somewhere on the property... it lies imprinted in the block described.
    REPORTED: Dan 24 DEC 95
    I would just like to confirm the wedding ring at the exit gate of the Haunted Mansion. This was pointed out to me by a friend of mine while we were hanging around the park on one of our days off. She showed it to me and said that it belonged to the woman who committed suicide and was hanging in the "stretch room". She said that she forgot most of the story, but the woman found herself trapped in the room, went insane, and took the host's "way out".
    CONFIRMED: Goofy Tau 13 JAN 96
    I have another twist to add to the story about the ring that is implanted in the ground as you leave the Haunted Mansion. My girlfriend, who is a Disney Cast Member, says that the way it was explained to her is that the ring belonged to the last wife of Master Gracey who "did him in." After she killed Master Gracey, she committed suicide by jumping off the top of the mansion. She landed in the same spot where the ring is now implanted. Ooooh...scary!
    CONFIRMED: Michael Khatcheressian 31 JAN 96
    At the Haunted House, you will see the ghost of a bride, and if you are sharp enough to notice it, she is wearing no ring. After the ride, in one of the stones outside, there is cemented in a wedding ring: the brides'.
    CONFIRMED: anon 25 JUL 96
    CONFIRMED: John & Melanie Emmons 29 AUG 96
    CONFIRMED: Jason Travis 15 SEP 96
    CONFIRMED: Keri S. 07 OCT 96
    CONFIRMED: Lindsay Bordenkircher 14 NOV 96
    CONFIRMED: Abagail 29 NOV 96
    We looked for the ring outside the gates to the Haunted Mansion. While we were looking for it, a Cast Member came up to us and directed us to the right area. He asked us about the story that we had heard. We told him that we heard it was the ring belonging to the bride of Master Gracey who committed suicide. He asked us where we heard this rumor since it was a Cast Member produced story from 6 years ago. We told him that a friend of ours from AOL told us about it. We took a picture of the ring for prosperity.
    CONFIRMED: Bob & Bonni Clarkson 21 DEC 96
    CONFIRMED: GraveyardGirls 06 AUG 97
    
    While many stories have been written about the Mansion's guests (we have them in a "book" called "The Ghost Gallery"), the ring is in fact the remains of a pole which was removed during one the mansion's rehabs. Since then, the ring legend has grown and prospered, which is fine as it adds to the atmosphere of the mansion. Also, like DL we have added a hearse and invisible horse to our new front driveway and a new floating bride has been placed in the attic.
    UPDATE: Phil Hopkins, Jr. 22 SEP 97
    I asked a cast member about the ring, and he said that it indeed was left over from a pole on a pre-existing gate. Having looked at it, I'd have to say that made a little more sense, although I like the other story much better.
    CONFIRMED: K. Borgen 02 OCT 97
    The ring outside the Haunted Mansion is actually there but I think I saw a different one, because it actually was a real ring but there was no gem in the prongs. I wasn't even looking for it. It is really there imbedded in the ground outside the exit.
    UPDATE: ghost host 06 OCT 97
    I asked a cast member about the ring, and he said that it indeed was left over from a pole on a pre-existing gate. Having looked at it, I'd have to say that made a little more sense, although I like the other story much better.
    UPDATE: K. Borgen 02 OCT 97
    As you leave, you will walk under a canopy. At the very end of this covering, look down. Embedded in the pavement is an engagement ring. This ring belongs to the broken hearted bride who lives eternally in the attic. Legend has it that this is the only location in the mansion where she can see her "lost" ring.
    CONFIRMED: sue pisaturo 02 AUG 98
    CONFIRMED: Selena Parisher 15 MAR 99
    As you leave the Haunted Mansion, there is the engagement ring of the widow from the myth stuck in the concrete on the ground right in the center. It is located under the first arc you go under as you are leaving the ride right before the hearse in the front.
    CONFIRMED: Chrissy D. 08 AUG 99
    The ring in the pavement is in fact a pole from a gate that used to be there. When you are standing near the ring, look to your left and right and you will see bricks on both sides ( not on the ground, the two brick walls that the ring is sitting inbetween ) Then you can see that in the bricks is a line a few inches in width from the former gate.
    CONFIRMED: Mandy Costello 06 MAR 00
    The official history of the Mansion: In the early 1600s, the land was bought by a wealthy Scandinavian stonecutter named Ub Vandertwerp, who was advised not to build his home there because it was an Indian burial ground. He built the house anyway. During the construction there were many strange accidents and deaths, there was a fire in the house, and Ub's wife and children became very ill. Finally, he had enough and decided to sell the estate and return to his homeland. The Mansion changed hands numerous times and housed among other things, an army barracks and a brothel. Each group was plagued with strange occurrences and accidents that couldn't be fingerprinted. Master Gracey Sr. bought the estate in the early 1710s and made extensive renovations (including secret panels). There were unusual incidents, as usual, but Master Gracey paid no attention to them. He was too busy chasing chamber maids. Mistress Gracey finally got fed up and did him in with an axe. She sold all of the land except for the house and it's surrounding parcel, which she gave to her son George Jr. The day before you visit the mansion, Master Gracey unfortunately passed. You are here to pay your respects and possibly hear the reading of the will. If no heir can be found, the mansion and its accompanying fortune go to Master Gracey's servants. That is why the butlers and maids are sometimes short with guests.
    UPDATE: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 14 APR 00
    The "ring" outside the mansion is, in fact, the remains of a pole.
    WISHFUL THINKING: Fred Zanfardino 12 APR 01
    Are you lost on how to find it? You can view instructions here
    Update: Nate Etheridge 11 DEC 01
    First, on the "ring story" that's shoved into the ground... This is confirmed. Someone already clarified that the ring is actually the remnants of an only ring in the cement which used to hold a fence in place. Once the fence was taken out, Disney wanted to remove the ring, so, someone put a screwdriver in to try and loosen the ring. The ring was so stuck in place that the tip of the screwdriver came off and got stuck in the cement. That's where the tip of the ring comes from.
    UPDATE: DisneyGuy 10 JAN 02
68. Some of the portraits in the hall are from the Disneyland Haunted Mansion, including the one of the Ghost Host (the guy with the noose and axe.) And, the picture that ages is from a novel but I have forgotten the name and author.
    REPORTED: ghost host 06 OCT 97
    This is just to suggest a name for the story behind the aging face portrait. I think the aging picture idea is most likely to be taken from the Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - where an artist paints a magic picture of a man - the said Dorian Gray - which then provents Gray from aging, no matter what he does. In the story, the portrait changes from an orignally beautiful picture of a hansom young man and slowly get older and starts to look more like a monster whenever Gray commits a more gristly act (he is nasty to people, causes the death of friends - each event changes the picture) - until Gray and the monster change positions - Gray becomes the monster in the picture and the picture takes on the appearance of the young Dorian Gray. I hope this has been of some interest.
    UPDATE: David Gilbert 25 OCT 97
69. In the Haunted Mansion, near the very beginning of the ride, there is a series of portraits hanging on the wall to the left. They were designed with the pupils recessed to make it appear as if they are watching you as you go by. On one of the portraits, one of the pupils is actually a hidden Mickey.
    REPORTED: Jeremy 02 NOV 00
70. There are no IR or indeed any cameras in the Haunted Mansion. The only security system in the ride is the security mat array called the 'Intrusion System'. After you board your doom-buggy, you will pass the ride control panel on the left. The last panel is the intrusion information panel. It features a linear map of the ride path, with two colored LED's in each mat location along the path. If the red led is lit, the system has detected an intrusion at that location. The intrusion system responds with a shrill beeping sound and stops the ride system, and the load and unload belts. The ride operators manually cue the announcements via pushbuttons on the control panel. The other LED (amber) is there to light up when the test button is pushed to confirm an intrusion mat's functionality. There are no functional restrictions to where a Cast Member may place himself in the ride. I was required to do show quality in the mansion many, many times, and I know it like the back of my hand. I refer, of course, to the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion.
    REPORTED: Shawn Potts 24 JAN 97
    In the Doom Buggies you will hear "One of our Ghosts has gotten out of hand" if someone trips the intrusion system. Also, they use the type of intrusion system on The Living Seas.
    CONFIRMED: Justin 27 NOV 97
    There are pressure pads on the floor
    CONFIRMED: Brian 01 MAR 99
71. Throughout the Haunted Mansion, a raven appears over and over again. Example: In the room where you see Madame Leota, look right behind her. You will see two red eyes. There is an eerie green light. As soon as your "Doom buggy" leaves the room, look at the light. You will see the raven. Also, look in the graveyard. It's on top of a lot of the gravestones. It is in a lot of other places, but I don't remember them all
    REPORTED: Di 26 JAN 97
    CONFIRMED: Gwendel 03 NOV 98
    The raven seen so often in the Haunted Mansion is there for a reason. It was planned that he would narrate the story as you proceed through the house. This idea fell through, but the raven still remains.
    UPDATE: Amy Vickery 24 JAN 99
    To add to the "Raven narrates the ride" theory: If you buy the Haunted Mansion CD from the Disneyland or Disney World stores, you will hear the recording track for Madame Leota. In her recording session, she reads a piece saying "The coward's way! He chose the coward's way! Lived in forevermore! Forevermore! Forevermore! Beware the raven evermore! Beware of hitchhikers, beware of hitchhikers! Forevermore! Forevermore! Beware the raven evermore!!" So yes, it appears that the raven was our original host.
    CONFIRMED: Jeremy Wilcox 10 JUN 02
72. Someone reported that a opera lady is singing at the end of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion in reference to the saying "It ain't over till the fat lady sings." Well, I rode the Magic Kingdom version and guess what? The same is true for Florida's version.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 11 JUL 97
73. At no time can you see the Disney Underground (Utilidors) while in the Mansion. The show building stands apart from these corridors. The ride itself does have a lower floor (that is the same the the grand ballroom dancers are on, which serves as service access and various maintanence bays. The control center for the mansion is located within the mansion just off the ballroom.
    REPORTED: Phil Hopkins, Jr. 22 SEP 97
74. The bride has a picture on a frame next to her but it is too dark to make out what the picture is. It looks like the bride when she was younger but I really can't tell.
    REPORTED: Freddy Zanfardino 09 JUL 97
75. Disney once issued a record album titled "The Haunted Mansion", and it's worth hunting down if you're a fan. It tells the story of two teenagers who stumble into the house on a rainy night, and they more or less go through the mansion as the ride does. There's no mention of the legends of thrown rings, broken hearts, or trapped spirits. Notable points: the teenage boy is voiced by Ron Howard, and the narrator/head ghost is not Paul Frees. The album includes a few bars of the organ theme, the full-length version of the crystal-ball head, and the full-length version of "Grim-Grinning Ghosts", and Thurl Ravenscroft is credited on the album.
    REPORTED: Brian Siano 01 DEC 97
    The voices on the Haunted Mansion LP were:
    1. Thurl Ravenscroft: Narrator
    2. "Ronny" Howard: Mike Robie
    3. Lester: Karen
    4. Ghost Host: Pete Renoudet
    5. Madame Leota: Elenor Audley
    Only Thurl and Elenor provided voices for the Haunted Mansion attraction (Thurl was the "Broken Bust" in the Graveyard, and Elenor provided the voice of Madame Leota. The tracks with Mme. Leota on the album are taken directly from the attraction's soundtrack). This album is out of print and VERY difficult to find, and is a much-sought-after collector's item.
    CONFIRMED: Tim McKenny 03 FEB 98
    For those of you with a MPEG 3 (MP3) player, you can download the The Story of the Haunted Mansion. Yes, its the one with Ron Howard. You can find it at Chefmayhem's or your can read the soundtrack at the Haunted Mansion CD Campain
    CONFIRMED: Dave Susnock 22 FEB 98
    For more information see Thurl Ravenscroft's life's work
    CONFIRMED: Brian Jacob 26 JUL 98
    Note: This album has been rereleased as A Spooky Night in Disney's Haunted Mansion and you can order it at our Music Store
76. You come across hitchhicking ghosts who seem to ride in your car. Some of you will be relieved to know that they are not actually there; they are Audio-Animatronics riding parallel to your car in a separate room. They only seem to be in your car, with the help of a two-way mirror!
    REPORTED: jojobean 15 APR 97
    The hitchhiking ghosts are dummies, hung by a couple of strong yet unseen strings, that are used behind a glass that you can see through yet gives a reflection (like the glass on McDonald's windows). The dummies are aligned perfectly with the carts so when you go by, it looks like you are sitting with a ghost. Nifty, huh?
    REPORTED: Diana 17 MAR 99
77. When you get off your doom buggie at the end, look at the wall. The torches that are there are held up by what seem to be arms of ghosts.
    REPORTED: Kyle Bodshaug 30 MAR 99
78. Jungle Cruise and Mansion's cast make their own hidden Mickey's just ask.
    REPORTED: anon 12 JUN 98
79. Magic Kingdom's computer center is located under the Mansion
    REPORTED: Steve 19 JUL 98
80. When I started there, a co-cast member tried to tell me that the china on the table in the ballroom was from an English manorhouse of the 17th Century. I bought it, hook, line and sinker until one day I was in the ballroom and turned over a plate to see the inscription "dishwasher safe."
    REPORTED: anon 28 AUG 98
81. The three plates that form a hidden Mickey in the dining hall are the responsibility of the cast members. Everyday before their shift the cast members arange the plates in the shape of a Mickey, but every night the imagineers reset the plates back to normal. This is why somedays it is there and somedays it is not.
    REPORTED: Mitchel 08 SEP 99
    We spoke to a cast member just 3 days ago who told us that the Mickey formed by the plates on the table in the Haunted Mansion is not an "official" Hidden Mickey. There is a drawing on the table by the Imagineers for exact placement of each place, glass, etc. There is no Mickey in this plan. The cast members have made this Mickey on their own, thus it will disappear when the table is reset by the "official" drawing.
    UPDATE: Deedra Garrison 03 JAN 00
    1)The dinner plate Mickey was recently approved as "official" by WDI and WDW Decoration.
    UPDATE: Spooky Stephen: loyal butler 25 JAN 01
    There is one on the table. Clay told us that this one was done by the cast members and whenever an imagineer comes through, they'll put it back to normal.
    CONFIRMED: Staci Robinson 31 OCT 01
    Imagineers have gone so far as to glue the plates to the table to prevent cast members from placing more of them in the Mickey formation.
    UPDATE: DisneyGuy 10 JAN 02
82. The strikingly realistic birthday cake candles in the ballroom scene are made by Candle-Light Unlimited in San Diego, CA, and are available for the public to buy. These are not the chandelier candles that just flicker, but real flame-effect illusions.
    REPORTED: Rick 30 MAR 98
83. Cast Members walk approximately 10 miles per shift on the rotating walkways.
    REPORTED: Tom and Renée Shaw 27 DEC 98
84. A friend of the family used to be one of the imagineers for Disney World. One of the projects that he worked on was the Haunted Mansion. In the mid 90's, he went to work for a restaurant in New York City called Jekyll & Hyde. The entry to the restaurant (a large, horror themed place using a whole lot of animatronics) is almost the exact same story and situation as the Haunted Mansion in DW. They place you and some other people in a tiny room, where the ceiling then begins to lower and a ghostly voice challenges you to find the way out. So if you ever go to Jekyll & Hyde on West 57th Street in New York City, you'll notice some striking similarities.
    REPORTED: anon 04 JUL 99
85. Some fun odds-and-ends relating to the Haunted Mansion:
    • Leota Thomas' daughter, Kim Irvine, is a Disney imagineer.
    • Marc Davis, the artist/imagineer responsible for most of the character concepts in the Mansion, was influenced by the work of New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams (father of "The Addams Family").
    • There's a pentagram inlaid into the "client" stool opposite Leota's chair in the Seance room.
    • The flag hanging from the trumpet reads "x=?"...would you go to Mme. Leota for math tutoring?
    • The bagpipe sounds from the graveyard band were made with an oboe; apparently, the residual puffs from the real bagpipes they first intended to use interfered.
    • Candy Candido, voice for the growly guy in the mutt-and-Jeff prisoner pair in the graveyard, was also the voice of the angry apple tree in "The Wizard of Oz."
    • The Hitchhiking Ghosts are, from left to right, Phineas Queeg, Ezra Dobbins, and Gordon Gracey.
    
    REPORTED: AprilDecember 13 JUN 99
86. This is definitely an eerie coincidence! Various versions of the Haunted Mansion "story" provide that Master Gracey is the name of the fictitious plantation owner who hung himself in remorse from the rafters of the stretching room(s). The name was borrowed from imagineer Yale Gracey's "credit" tombstone in the current Walt Disney World cemetery, and the Disneyland graveyard. I can't say when the first incarnations of the story popped up, but I do think it's freaky that the real Gracey actually did die a violent death by hanging back in the seventies. The case was never solved, so it's not clear whether he was murdered...or had committed suicide! "This chamber has no windows and no doors...which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out! Of course, there's always my way..."
    REPORTED: AprilDecember 13 JUN 99
87. Mr. Ham and Mr. Eggz aren't the only former EPCOT stars currently residing in the Magic Kingdom. The Giant Bananas from Kitchen Kabaret are stored in the basement of the Haunted Mansion.
    REPORTED: Safari Steve: Jungle Skipper 02 NOV 99
88. There are several continuity errors on the ride itself:
    • The storm which flashes through the attic windows at the top of the Stretch Room indicates that a violent storm is in the works, and at DL, lightning, thunder, and rain are seen and heard outside the windows of the Portrait Hall. Yet, turning the corner outside into the supernatural void, there are only thunderclouds rolling along in the distance and it's just kinda hazy and dark. If you look outside the conservatory window you will notice that there is no rain, or lightning, only fog, but just a few minutes later, the storm is very violent outside the ballroom windows. Yet, when you exit the attic and descend to the graveyard, the clouds have all rolled away to reveal a starry sky and only fog remains. Disney World adds more fun to the mix: as you pass by the piano room scene, a scene not at Disneyland, you'll notice outside the windows it is merly windy with thunderclouds. However, back in the 1970's, lightning apparently did use flash outside that window...
    • Ever notice that in both Haunted Mansion's the exterior doesn't match the interior? For example, at Disneyland, where are the ballroom windows and conservatory? Andnd at Disney World, the conservatory is an eight-sided glass house, but inside, it's mereley a large window with three sides... and the sizes of the panes in the window differs from the sizes of the panes seen on the exterior conservatory. In addition, at Disney World, as you descend, take note of the fact that you see the side of a clapboard manor and when you exit the ride look back up at the house and tell me how this is possible.
    
    REPORTED: Foxx 16 JAN 00
89. Things seem to change at both Mansions daily. The lighting has been known to fluxuate on the hour, and even the motions of some of the animatronics have been known to change every twenty minutes. I went through once, and the drummer in the graveyard jamboree wasn't even close to hitting the crypt door with his bone drumsticks. In fact, he must've been swinging at least two feet too high! However, once I got off the ride I hopped right back in line, and I paid close attention to the drummer this time. Would you believe his drumsticks were both actually coming in contact with the crypt? I'd like to give a big "Wishful Thinking" on the post which mentions that you you can at certain moments touch the scrims in the graveyard. although they do indeed exist, you cannot in any way shape *or* form touch the scrims... and I'm talking from experience here folks!!!! :P
    REPORTED: Foxx 16 JAN 00
90. The sound systems for Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World are in the same room, which is one of Haunted Mansion's backstage rooms. The reason is that Small World is a water ride, the sound systems needed to be stored someplace dry, and Haunted Mansion is the nearest similar attraction.
    REPORTED: Barbara Fett 06 MAY 00
    The audio from several attrations is actually controlled from a central control room in the utilidoor. The room resides under Fantasyland. It controls the sound and audio for much of the park. The people who work there can actually phone an attraction and inform the cast members before a problem, break down, or slow up actually occurs.
    UPDATE: DisneyGuy 10 JAN 02
91. Every 20 cars share a battery. There are 22 show scenes, with the "13" clock being the 13th.
    REPORTED: Spooky Stephen: Loyal Butler 14 APR 00
92. I was taking a behind the scenes tour inside the Haunted Mansion, going into the ballroom scene (underneath where the doombuggies ride) etc., and the back of the Mansion is completely pink!
    REPORTED: Craig 22 SEP 00
93. Notice the pet cemetary at the end of the ride on the left hand side - its cool. There's a dog and a snake and a rat and some other cool animals!
    REPORTED: ALEJANDRO 15 FEB 01
94. My father brought me back a tee shirt from the Haunted Mansion and what I noticed (it's a hitch-hiking ghosts tee shirt) is that the ghosts on the end are switched around from the correct order in the Mansion itself. But when you look at it in the mirror, the ghosts are in the correct order again! What I'm wondering is is this intentional or is it just coincidence? Thanks to anyone who can answer my question.
    REPORTED: Jonathan Prescott 19 MAR 01
95. One of the nightshirt clad "prisoners" in the dunking scene is also the frightened caretaker in the Haunted Mansion graveyard scene.
    REPORTED: Jim 13 JUN 02

Haunted Mansion

Original Art

Facts	Figures
Type	Omni-Mover System
Designer	WED
Year	October 1, 1971
Audio-Animatronic Figures	? ghosts (Haunted Mansion Ghost List)
Credits	Foyer Organ: Gaylord B. Carter Ghost Host: Paul Frees Falling Woman: Jimmy MacDonald Load Area Flute: Art Smith Load Area Organ: Gaylord B. Carter Load Area Bells: Chet Ricord Load Area Wind: Jimmy MacDonald Ghost Piano: Buddy Baker Man In Coffin: X. Atencio Demonized Doors: Jimmy MacDonald Madame Leota Face: Leota Toombs Madame Leota Voice: Elanor Audley Rapping Table: Buddy Baker Ballroom Organ : Gaylord B. Carter Kooky Ballroom Organ: William K. Sabransky Attic Piano: ????? Attic Ghosts: Jimmy MacDonald Graveyard Rythm Guitar: Allan Reuss Graveyard Drums: Chet Ricord Graveyard Organ: Marvin Ash Graveyard Bass Guitar: Al Hendrickson Graveyard Contrabass: Jess Bourgeois Band Trumpet: Carroll Lewis Band Dummer: Chet Richord Band Bagpipe: Gordon Schoenberg [Playing Oboe Instead] Band Harp: Doris Hultz Johnson Band Flute: Art Smith Royalty: ????? Bust 1: Bob Ebright Bust 2: Thurl Ravenscroft Bust 3: Verne Rowe Bust 4: Jay Meyer Bust 5: Chuck Schroeder Hearse Ghosts: ????? Lord: Bill Lee Dutchess: Betty Wand Mummy: Allan Davies Fat Lady: Loulie Jean Norman Opera Ghost: Bill Reeve Knight: Ernie Newton Executioner: Candy Candido Prisoner: Bill Days Little Leota Face: Leota Toombs Little Leota Voice: Leota Toombs Grim Grinning Ghost Singers: Bob Ebright, Thurl Ravenscroft, Verne Rowe, Jay Meyer, Chuck Schroeder Orginal Attraction Concept: Ken Anderson Attraction Concepts: Marc Davis Art Director: Marc Davis, Dave Burkhart Show Writer: Xavier Atencio Attraction Storyline: Xavier Atencio Attraction Model: Bob Sewell, Dave Burkhart Special Effects Design: Yale Gracey Audio Design: Gordon Williams Audio Animatronics: Gordon Williams, Wathel Rogers Designer: Chuck Myall Chacter Plaster Work: Fred Joerger Track Layout: Claude Coats Atmosphere Sketches: Claude Coats Head Of Special Effects: Bud Martin Attraction Music Score: Buddy Baker Recording Session Managment: Buddy Baker Grim Grinning Ghosts Musical Arrangments: Allan Davies Prop, Set, Scene Construction: WED Team
Recording Sessions	Recording Session #1: Graveyard Character vocals and voices, recorded Monday, Febuary 13, 1969 Recording Session #2: Bust Character vocals and voices, recorded Tuesday, Febuary 14, 1969 Recording Session #3: Graveyard Instrumental Tracks, Ghostly Band Instrumental and Load Area Music, recorded Saturday Febuary 18, 1969 Recording Session #4: Foyer Organ, Load Area Organ and Ballroom Organ, recorded April 23, 1969 Recording Session #5: Kooky Organ, recorded April 25 or 26, 1969
Length	between 960 - 1000 feet
Ride Time	8.5 minutes
Speed	2.8 ft/sec
Power	Track is powered by twelve 7.5 horsepower drive units
Cars	160 cars (Doom Buggies); 2-3 brave souls per Doom Buggie
Audio Animatronic Figures	109
Capacity	1,234 per hour (one stretch room operating)

• Go on to Fun Facts of Fantasyland,
• Go on to General Fun Facts of Fantasyland,
• Go back to the Fun Facts of the Magic Kingdom,
• Go back to the Spacecoast Hidden Mickeys Home Page,
• Submit a new or confirm a Hidden Mickey or secret located at Walt Disney World,
• or just send me EMail.