Frightfully Fun Facts about Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion
Ghosts and ghouls gleefully cavort throughout the day and night in Walt Disney World's famous Haunted Mansion, while the Guests queue up over and over again to hop aboard a doom-buggy and join the fun. Since the Magic Kingdom's opening day in 1971 this pillar of Liberty Square has sparked imaginations and beckoned to the darker side in all of us. Because we love The Haunted Mansion as much as you do, here are a few frightfully fun facts about the popular attraction.
The Haunted Mansion is the only attraction to be found in a different themed land in each of the five Disney Parks Worldwide. In Walt Disney World it can be found in the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square.
There are 109 Disney created audio-animatronic "Happy Haunts" within the Haunted Mansion, but the script total touts 999. That leaves 890 ghosts of a more ethereal nature - and of course there is always room for one thousand.
Updates to the Haunted Mansion Queueintroduced interactive opportunities for some of the Haunted Mansion residents, such as the Musicians Crypt.
Dutch Gothic Details Offer An Ominous Facade
To keep the Haunted Mansion looking suitably old and ghostly, Disney uses large quantities of Fuller's Earth.
In the famous stretching rooms, guests are introduced to the attraction's "Ghost Host." Though it can feel like an elevator ride, at Walt Disney World and in Tokyo Disneyland, the ceiling actually rises while guests remain on the same level.
F. Grojere and H. Snub Tombstones in the graveyard scene tout the jumbled names of Imagineers who worked on the attraction, but you need good night vision to make them out.
Leota's Tombstone Caught With Open Eyes
The Haunted Mansion's theme song "Grim Grinning Ghosts" was written X. Atencio, the same writer as "Yo, Ho, You Ho, A Pirates Life for Me." Both songs continue to be fan favorites.
Sometimes the oldest effects are the best. The ballroom full of luminous dancing party-goers is created created using a theatrical effect that's been around since the early 1800s. That effects is called the Pepper's Ghost illusion.
To honor the man that lead the Haunted Mansion Special Effects Design Team, Yale Gracey, a rose if often placed in front of the Master Gracey Tomb at the attraction's entrance.
Blood Red Roses And the Conservatory Exterior
On your way out, be sure to stop by the pet cemetery and pay your respects to J. Thaddeus Toad, in honor of the long-gone attraction Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
Are you a Haunted Mansion fan? Leave a comment and hsare your favorite fun fact about this attraction!
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Deborah wrote on Thu, 10/08/2015 - 15:15:
Love the ride...fun and relaxing. ON a Technical note....I think you need to hire me as a proof reader, as I have noticed several missed spelled words every time I read some of your FB posts! In this one "share" is spelled "hsare"???!!!
Lanna wrote on Fri, 10/09/2015 - 03:53:
Thanks for the post, Kristen! The Haunted Mansion is one of my favorites. :)
Deborah, your post is far from perfect. "ON" should be "On", "Technical" should not be capitalized, "proof reader" is one word, and "missed spelled" should be "misspelled". I don't think anyone should hire you to proofread anything.
Shelley Z wrote on Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:44:
Are you aware of the giant chess pieces atop Disney World's Haunted Mansion? They were placed on the designers model as a prank by co-workers that knew he loved chess. They liked the look and included the pieces in the actual building. You have to look closely for them!
Kristen K. wrote on Sat, 10/10/2015 - 01:51:
Hi Deborah! We're a fan run website and do our best but every now and again typos happen. :-)
Lanna - Thank you, so glad you liked the post!
Shelly Z - That's awesome! I learned something new!
J.W. wrote on Sat, 10/10/2015 - 19:17:
Another frightfully fun, but little known fact about the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World is that is where I got my first kiss. It was in 1971 or '72 and on a field trip with our kindergarten class. We were paired up for the ride and this little girl who was sweet on me gave me a peck on the cheek. That's when I knew that I was a playa.
Mckenzie N. wrote on Thu, 05/31/2018 - 11:11:
I loved this post! And did you know that a wedding ring can be found embedded in the concrete in the stand-by line? It supposedly belong to the woman hanging in the ballroom.
Kristen K. wrote on Thu, 05/31/2018 - 13:53:
Glad you enjoyed it Mckenzie! I did know that about the Bride's Ring, you can fine out more regarding that legend on our previous post here
http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/articles/haunted-mansion-legend-brides-ring
LBarataria wrote on Thu, 07/18/2019 - 21:38:
Apparently there are chess pieces woven into the design and scenes within the mansion except for the knight. Why? Because it is always knight (night) at the mansion!
Kristen K. wrote on Tue, 07/23/2019 - 13:29:
That's so cool! Thanks for sharing LBarataria!
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