The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion is a well-known attraction at the Magic Kingdom and the Disneyland theme parks at each of the currently existing resorts around the world, except Hong Kong Disneyland. At Disneyland Paris this attraction is called Phantom Manor. The theme of the attraction is a visit to a haunted house in which the ghostly residents have taken full possession of the premises.

History

Originally conceived in the mid-1950s by Walt Disney as a walk-through ghost house, artist Harper Goff was tapped to conceptually design the attraction. The house originally had a rural American design and was intended to be at the end of a crooked path that led away from Disneyland's Main Street area. Eventually the decision was made to place it in the New Orleans Square section of the park, and thus the attraction was themed as a haunted antebellum mansion. The Haunted Mansion's design went through many changes before its facade was completed in 1963, six years before it would open to the public, delayed by Disney's involvement in the New York World's Fair in 1964 and 1965. At one point Disney's concept was to be entirely walk-through and empty out at a restaurant with a theme of "The Museum of the Weird" - this would be similar to other attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean which is paired with the Blue Bayou restaurant. Plans were designed for this concept, but then abandoned.

Related Topics:
1950s - Walt Disney - Harper Goff - New Orleans Square - Antebellum - 1963 - World's Fair - 1964 - 1965 - Pirates of the Caribbean

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In what might be considered to be an odd twist to a supposedly abandoned structure, the exterior appears new and the surrounding grounds meticulously maintained. Designers wanted to make the exterior of The Haunted Mansion look like the stereotypical haunted house but Disney himself overrode the idea, claiming "we'll let the ghosts take care of the inside. We'll take care of the outside."

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On August 9, 1969, the Disneyland version of the attraction was completed and has remained essentially unchanged, with the exception of the yearly conversion to the "Haunted Mansion Holiday" discussed below. The attraction opened at the Magic Kingdom in 1971 when the park opened, and has also never been remodeled since the ride's debut.

Related Topics:
August 9 - 1969 - 1971

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At Hong Kong Disneyland, so far the only Disneyland not to receive the attraction, plans for the attraction in Phase Two of the park include a voodoo theme placing the attraction in Adventureland. The park opened on September 12, 2005, and if it is successful Phase Two will begin in late 2006. The Haunted Mansion, in any of its forms, has not yet been confirmed as part of Phase Two, or if it is going to be a part of the park at all.

Related Topics:
Hong Kong Disneyland - Adventureland - September 12 - 2005 - 2006

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