Phantom Manor
Encyclopedia
Phantom Manor is an attraction
located in Frontierland
at Disneyland Park
in Disneyland Paris. Sharing a similar theme with the Haunted Mansion
attractions at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom
and Tokyo Disneyland
, it opened with Euro Disneyland on April 12, 1992. The attraction combines a walk-through portion with Omnimover
vehicles called "Doombuggies", and features special effects and Audio-Animatronics
. This version of the popular Haunted Mansion rides has a different plotline similar to that of The Phantom of the Opera
. It is also designed to be scarier and darker than the other Haunted Mansion rides. The ride also has unique soundtrack not featured in the American and Japanese versions.
, executive designer for Walt Disney Imagineering
, decided that certain staple Disney attractions would have to be modified for the new park. The Haunted Mansion
was among these, and was given a darker tone than the original attraction. Jeff Burke
was assigned the role of executive producer
for the construction of this park's version of Frontierland and, with help from Imagineer Bob Baranick and show writer Craig Fleming, it was decided that the story related to Phantom Manor would have to be congruent with that of Thunder Mesa, the fictional town portrayed in Frontierland. A similar treatment was given to the Paris version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
.
A major influence for the story of the ride was Gaston Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera
, as long as many European gothic legends, which were altered for a Western
setting. The architectural style is Victorian Second Empire, and the Manor bears a strong resemblance to Bates Manor from Alfred Hitchcock
's Psycho. Imagineer Marc Davis disliked the derelict aspect of the building, stating "Walt would never approve of it." Like the other Haunted Mansion rides, only the first scene takes place in the mansion structure itself, the remainder of the ride takes place in a building hidden from park guests.
, which was a Pirates of the Caribbean
-style attraction designed by Marc Davis.
Henry Ravenswood (born 1795) was a Western settler who struck gold in Big Thunder Mountain and founded the Thunder Mesa Mining Company, thus creating the city of Thunder Mesa (Frontierland
as a whole). Ravenswood became rich and built himself a Victorian manor high on Boot Hill overlooking Big Thunder Mountain, where he raised a family and had a daughter, Melanie Ravenswood (born 1842).
Big Thunder mountain was rumored by Natives to be home to the Thunder Bird, a powerful spirit possessing a treasure. According to the legend, its wrath could be materialized into a terrible earthquake. However, Ravenswood would not believe such stories. Time went by, and the gold in Big Thunder Mountain ran out, making miners dig deeper into the Mountain.
Melanie grew from a young girl into a beautiful young woman, and became engaged to a train engineer who planned to take her far away from Thunder Mesa, much to the dismay of Henry. Henry did everything he could to stop the wedding, but his useless attempts were put to a stop when a terrible earthquake killed him and his wife Martha (born 1802). It seemed the Thunder Bird had been awoken, and the family was never heard of again. After several years, the story of what really happened came out from underneath the rubble :
On Melanie's wedding day, a mysterious Phantom unknown to anyone appeared at the manor. While Melanie was preparing in her room, the Phantom lured her suitor up to the attic where he hanged him by the neck from the rafters.
In the ballroom, the bride sat alone. Hours went by with no sign of the groom. Guests slowly filed away, leaving Melanie alone in the house with the staff of maids and butlers. "Some day", she told herself, "he will come". And so, having never taken off her wedding dress or dropped her bouquet, in preparation for her loved one's return, she wandered the house aimlessly, singing melancholy songs of lost love.
The Phantom was still in the house, laughing at her human devotion to her intended husband. One after one, he invited his dead, demonic friends from the afterlife to fill the house in an eternal party. The shape of the house was slowly transformed by the evil forces. Years passed.
Inside and outside, the house was decaying. Dusty cobwebs covered every inch, the disheartened staff not caring, for it was rumored that Melanie had lost her mind. She wandered the house for years and years, singing softly to her groom, while all around her demons and ghosts reveled and danced. Everywhere she went she was reminded of the wedding. The Phantom's eternal laughter still carried through the walls of the house. Outside, the once beautiful grounds were falling apart and crumbling. The gilded staircase and structure were dotted with mold and trees and every plant on the grounds died. As if sensing the evil inherent in the house, nothing living ever trod there. Melanie even so kept her hopes, waiting for her love's return, and never figured why he had left.
The earthquake that killed her parents cut a huge gouge in the west half of the property and in the crumbling ghost town of the old Thunder Mesa. The deserted buildings were rumored to be called Phantom Canyon, the dark supernatural version of the town, and anyone who entered the ghastly old town at night never came back.
Today, no one knows if Melanie Ravenswood is still alive in that old house on the hill. If she is, then she is well over 100 years old. Her beautiful voice still carries over the town at night though, through the walls and night air. And sometimes, people still see lights in the house.
Some nights, when the moon is full and the sky is clear of clouds, you can still hear the lonely mourning of the bride, the maniacal laughter of the Phantom, and the faint tinkle of glass and laughter of party guests. Whether she is alive or not, what is well known is that poor Melanie never really left the crumbling mansion. She waits for her groom until Judgment Day.
Many fans of the ride believe the Phantom to be Melanie's father, Henry Ravenswood, seeking vengeance from beyond the grave. Others believe that it is the pure spirit of evil, and that a curse was upon the young girl.
s, only the introduction of the ride takes place in the actual Mansion. The main ride itself actually takes place in a hidden show building
behind the Manor.
As an interesting fact, the Phantom Manor ride seems to be a carbon copy of the original Disneyland version of the Haunted Mansion, since the Omnimover layouts of both are almost identical, but not completely (the Phantom Manor version is a bit longer, primarily to accommodate the Western scenes near the end). Many scenes from the classic Haunted Mansion attractions are replicated. These include the Stretching Room, the Portrait Gallery, the Endless Hallway, the Conservatory, the Corridor of Doors, Madame Leota’s Seance Room, the Ballroom, and even the busts singing Grim Grinning Ghosts. However, the new Western theme and plot have been incorporated into these scenes.
, the Magic Kingdom
and Tokyo Disneyland
, the Haunted Mansion
was designed to look clean and aesthetically pleasing. Phantom Manor, however, was designed to look clearly derelict and stands at the top of a small hill. The Manor's grounds are untended, overgrown with weed
s and scattered with dead vegetation
. From the queueline, guests can have a look on the washed out bridge and second lift hill drop of Big Thunder Mountain.
Upon entering the grounds, guests can see a bat guard box and a plaque on the wall which reads Phantom Manor — Non Omnis Moriar (Latin
for "I shall not die completely"). A derelict gazebo
stands on the lawn that has a tea set laid out. Originally, these used to move to mimic two people pouring and drinking tea. The gazebo also contains a music box playing within (since 2001, this music box track is also used in Disneyland
's Haunted Mansion for use on the Haunted Mansion Holiday annual seasonal overlay). This is also the only mansion in any of the parks that has you enter the ride through the front door.
and queue outside the house where they wait for admission. A Castmember dressed as a macabre servant opens the doors and invites a small group of them into the Foyer. This Foyer contains a dusty chandelier and two mirrors, and is lined with dark wood panelling. The voice of the Phantom sounds from the ceiling and around the room, politely welcoming guests, telling them the Legend of this place, and inviting them to explore the Manor further. Melanie's face fades in and out of the smallest mirror during the narration.
The Phantom was originally voiced by Vincent Price
, but legal agreements led to a French actor, Gérard Chevalier, being brought in to record a French version of Price's narration. Chevalier actually used to dub Price in many of his movies. Today, only one small piece of Price's recording is still in use : the Phantom's evil laughter.
The Phantom, as in previous incarnations of the attraction, mentions the chamber having no windows and no doors, offering guests the "chilling challenge" of finding a way out. He laughs and says, "There's always my way". The lights go out, lightning and thunder effects fill the space, and the ceiling turns invisible showing us the attic and the Phantom hanging the groom from the rafters with a noose.
In both the Disneyland Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor, the room is an elevator
in two parts, with the floor being lowered and the ceiling being raised slowly to give the illusion that the room itself is stretching. This is both for the purpose of dramatic effect and of bringing guests down from the Manor to where the actual ride begins at the real ground level in a separate building behind the berm. The ceiling above is a piece of fabric called a scrim
, which conceals the attic scene until it is lit from above. The Stretching Room's lights slowly come back on and a hidden door opens, revealing a hallway lined with portraits.
At the end of the hallway stands a large portrait of Melanie Ravenswood, wearing her bridal gown.
Guests then turn a corner and enter a large hall with the Grand Staircase leading to the upper floor. One can see a ghostly, foggy landscape through the huge window above the stairs. Old furniture line the walls, and sitting on a shelf is a bust of a stern-looking woman, who stares at guests as they pass by. An unbroken train of black Omnimover vehicles known as "Doombuggies" move through the centre of the room, alongside a moving platform to enable easy loading.
A twitching suit of armor then comes into view, although this effect is not obvious and can be missed in the semi-darkness. Beside the armor is a seemingly Endless Hallway, with the vision of Melanie appearing and disappearing in the distance while the candelabra that she is holding remains in view. On the left side of the corridor is a Conservatory containing a piano. At first glance, it seems to be playing by itself, but one can notice a ghost pianist's shadow falling on the carpet. A large, red-eyed raven
sits on a music stand next to the piano and squawks angrily.
The Doombuggies then travel through a Corridor lined with doors. As guests pass each door, they hear pounding, knocking, or shouting behind it, as if its inhabitants were struggling to get out. When the last door is reached, guests see two skeletal hands clutching at the top. The vehicles pass a small hall containing a demonic grandfather clock, with a large "13" on its face (instead of the usual 12) and its hands spinning backward as it chimes.
The buggies then enter a round Seance Room, where a crystal ball
sits on a central table. In it, wrapped in a mist, is the disembodied head of Madame Leota. As guests watch her, she summons ghosts and dark creatures to a mysterious ball in both English and French (translated in English below) :
Guests leave the Seance Room and move along a balcony, looking down into a Ballroom
, where a ghostly wedding party takes place. Melanie stands on a staircase, singing and looking up at the Phantom who stands in an open window, laughing menacingly. Ghostly guests enter the room, bringing in wedding presents, then sitting around the dining table, where a moldy wedding cake
is waiting for them. Drunken ghosts swing precariously from the chandelier above the table. Elegantly dressed pairs of ghostly dancers twirl around the Ballroom, as a spirit organist
sits at a massive organ
, playing a haunting waltz on it as wraiths fly out of its pipes.
Then, the vehicles enter the Bride's Boudoir. Melanie (now an elderly lady) sits weeping in front of a mirror filled with the shape of an enormous skull, while a music box plays. The clock displayed in the room has a blade pendulum, in reference to Edgar Allan Poe
's The Pit and the Pendulum
, which was also the basis for a movie featuring Vincent Price
.
The Doombuggies fly out of the window, and swoop down into a vast graveyard, past the Phantom standing before an open grave, an undead dog growling beside him. The Doombuggies then travel underground, into some underworld, and see a series of coffins being opened by their skeletal residents. Four white marble busts then come into view, bearing the expressive faces of four Phantoms singing Grim Grinning Ghosts
, as the deads join them in a dance.
Through a hole, the buggies then enter Phantom Canyon, which is a twisted, supernatural version of Thunder Mesa. Great rifts in the earth surrounding the buggies suggest that an earthquake
happened there, which reenacts Thunder Mesa's turning point from a prosperous community to a ghost town. An eerie-looking figure stands before a ramshackle train station
, offering train tickets to the Underworld
. Guests then pass a ruined town hall where a mayor
(whose dialogue consists of clips from the Haunted Mansion by Paul Frees
, the original Ghost Host) stands, inviting guests to be the Manor's 1000th ghost. As he tips his hat, his head comes with it. A shootout
follows between a ghost bank robber fleeing on a mule
and a cowardly sheriff, with Big Thunder Mountain
in the background. Guests see a pharmacy
where a green-faced pharmacist
drinks a deadly-looking medicine
, followed by a saloon
whose front wall has caved in. Inside it, there is a dancing showgirl
, a bartender
, and a man playing a honky-tonk piano
. Four invisible gambler figures play poker
nearby. (Note : Much of Phantom Canyon was derived from a planned scene of a mining town called Dry Gulch in the Western River Expedition
at the Magic Kingdom
. In other versions of the Haunted Mansion, this is the space occupied by the Graveyard scene.)
Another figure of the Phantom, this time far more frightening, leads guests into the exit of the ride. As they see the silhouette of the Manor ahead, they enter a dark passage, where Melanie's corpse is pointing to the way out. The vehicles enter a subterranean chamber lined with large, gilt-framed mirrors in which the ghostly image of the Phantom can be seen above the Doombuggies along with a reflection of guests themselves. Vehicles travel through a wine cellar
, where Castmembers await to help them disembark their Doombuggies, and they walk toward the exit.
, a Cemetery
filled with humorous gravestones. If you turn around to look back at the house, you can see the Phantom looking out the window over the exit. It is easier to see him at night,since there is a light shining behind him. In the Cemetery, one can hear Melanie's beating tomb, both a reference to the original Haunted Mansion bride, whose red beating heart could be seen through her chest, and Edgar Allan Poe
's The Tell-Tale Heart
.
Attraction
In general, an attraction draws one object towards another one. The term may have the following specific meanings.* In physics, attraction may refer to gravity or to the electromagnetic force* Attractiveness...
located in Frontierland
Frontierland
Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America...
at Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Disneyland Park is a theme park at Disneyland Paris, a resort complex just outside of Paris, in the new town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. The first of two parks built at the resort, it opened as Euro Disneyland on 12 April, 1992...
in Disneyland Paris. Sharing a similar theme with the Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
attractions at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
and Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
, it opened with Euro Disneyland on April 12, 1992. The attraction combines a walk-through portion with Omnimover
Omnimover
The Omnimover is an amusement ride system used for Disney theme park attractions. Roger Broggie and Bert Brundage developed the system for WED Enterprises, which patented Omnimover in April 1968...
vehicles called "Doombuggies", and features special effects and Audio-Animatronics
Audio-Animatronics
Audio-Animatronics is the registered trademark for a form of robotics created by Walt Disney Imagineering for shows and attractions at Disney theme parks, and subsequently expanded on and used by other companies. The robots move and make noise, generally in speech or song...
. This version of the popular Haunted Mansion rides has a different plotline similar to that of The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
. It is also designed to be scarier and darker than the other Haunted Mansion rides. The ride also has unique soundtrack not featured in the American and Japanese versions.
History
While planning Euro Disneyland, Tony BaxterTony Baxter (imagineer)
Tony Wayne Baxter is currently Senior Vice President, Creative Development, Walt Disney Imagineering, and is responsible for overall creative direction for the Disneyland Resort....
, executive designer for Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
, decided that certain staple Disney attractions would have to be modified for the new park. The Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
was among these, and was given a darker tone than the original attraction. Jeff Burke
Jeff Burke
Jeff Burke is a former Disney Imagineer who joined the company in the early 1970s.The first two attractions that he worked on were Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings as a figure-finisher....
was assigned the role of executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for the construction of this park's version of Frontierland and, with help from Imagineer Bob Baranick and show writer Craig Fleming, it was decided that the story related to Phantom Manor would have to be congruent with that of Thunder Mesa, the fictional town portrayed in Frontierland. A similar treatment was given to the Paris version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an indoor/outdoor mine train roller coaster located in Frontierland at several Disneyland-style Disney Parks worldwide...
.
A major influence for the story of the ride was Gaston Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
, as long as many European gothic legends, which were altered for a Western
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
setting. The architectural style is Victorian Second Empire, and the Manor bears a strong resemblance to Bates Manor from Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's Psycho. Imagineer Marc Davis disliked the derelict aspect of the building, stating "Walt would never approve of it." Like the other Haunted Mansion rides, only the first scene takes place in the mansion structure itself, the remainder of the ride takes place in a building hidden from park guests.
Story
The story of Phantom Manor was inspired by the never-built Western River ExpeditionWestern River Expedition
The Western River Expedition is the name of a Disney attraction that was designed but never built. It was to be a western themed boat ride, slated to appear in the northwestern section of Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida...
, which was a Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (theme park ride)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a log flume type of dark ride at the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks....
-style attraction designed by Marc Davis.
Henry Ravenswood (born 1795) was a Western settler who struck gold in Big Thunder Mountain and founded the Thunder Mesa Mining Company, thus creating the city of Thunder Mesa (Frontierland
Frontierland
Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America...
as a whole). Ravenswood became rich and built himself a Victorian manor high on Boot Hill overlooking Big Thunder Mountain, where he raised a family and had a daughter, Melanie Ravenswood (born 1842).
Big Thunder mountain was rumored by Natives to be home to the Thunder Bird, a powerful spirit possessing a treasure. According to the legend, its wrath could be materialized into a terrible earthquake. However, Ravenswood would not believe such stories. Time went by, and the gold in Big Thunder Mountain ran out, making miners dig deeper into the Mountain.
Melanie grew from a young girl into a beautiful young woman, and became engaged to a train engineer who planned to take her far away from Thunder Mesa, much to the dismay of Henry. Henry did everything he could to stop the wedding, but his useless attempts were put to a stop when a terrible earthquake killed him and his wife Martha (born 1802). It seemed the Thunder Bird had been awoken, and the family was never heard of again. After several years, the story of what really happened came out from underneath the rubble :
On Melanie's wedding day, a mysterious Phantom unknown to anyone appeared at the manor. While Melanie was preparing in her room, the Phantom lured her suitor up to the attic where he hanged him by the neck from the rafters.
In the ballroom, the bride sat alone. Hours went by with no sign of the groom. Guests slowly filed away, leaving Melanie alone in the house with the staff of maids and butlers. "Some day", she told herself, "he will come". And so, having never taken off her wedding dress or dropped her bouquet, in preparation for her loved one's return, she wandered the house aimlessly, singing melancholy songs of lost love.
The Phantom was still in the house, laughing at her human devotion to her intended husband. One after one, he invited his dead, demonic friends from the afterlife to fill the house in an eternal party. The shape of the house was slowly transformed by the evil forces. Years passed.
Inside and outside, the house was decaying. Dusty cobwebs covered every inch, the disheartened staff not caring, for it was rumored that Melanie had lost her mind. She wandered the house for years and years, singing softly to her groom, while all around her demons and ghosts reveled and danced. Everywhere she went she was reminded of the wedding. The Phantom's eternal laughter still carried through the walls of the house. Outside, the once beautiful grounds were falling apart and crumbling. The gilded staircase and structure were dotted with mold and trees and every plant on the grounds died. As if sensing the evil inherent in the house, nothing living ever trod there. Melanie even so kept her hopes, waiting for her love's return, and never figured why he had left.
The earthquake that killed her parents cut a huge gouge in the west half of the property and in the crumbling ghost town of the old Thunder Mesa. The deserted buildings were rumored to be called Phantom Canyon, the dark supernatural version of the town, and anyone who entered the ghastly old town at night never came back.
Today, no one knows if Melanie Ravenswood is still alive in that old house on the hill. If she is, then she is well over 100 years old. Her beautiful voice still carries over the town at night though, through the walls and night air. And sometimes, people still see lights in the house.
Some nights, when the moon is full and the sky is clear of clouds, you can still hear the lonely mourning of the bride, the maniacal laughter of the Phantom, and the faint tinkle of glass and laughter of party guests. Whether she is alive or not, what is well known is that poor Melanie never really left the crumbling mansion. She waits for her groom until Judgment Day.
Many fans of the ride believe the Phantom to be Melanie's father, Henry Ravenswood, seeking vengeance from beyond the grave. Others believe that it is the pure spirit of evil, and that a curse was upon the young girl.
The attraction
Like the regular Haunted MansionHaunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
s, only the introduction of the ride takes place in the actual Mansion. The main ride itself actually takes place in a hidden show building
Show building
Show building is the name often given to various enclosed structures at theme parks that contain attractions such as rides or entertainment shows...
behind the Manor.
As an interesting fact, the Phantom Manor ride seems to be a carbon copy of the original Disneyland version of the Haunted Mansion, since the Omnimover layouts of both are almost identical, but not completely (the Phantom Manor version is a bit longer, primarily to accommodate the Western scenes near the end). Many scenes from the classic Haunted Mansion attractions are replicated. These include the Stretching Room, the Portrait Gallery, the Endless Hallway, the Conservatory, the Corridor of Doors, Madame Leota’s Seance Room, the Ballroom, and even the busts singing Grim Grinning Ghosts. However, the new Western theme and plot have been incorporated into these scenes.
Outside queueline
At Disneyland Park (Anaheim)Disneyland Park (Anaheim)
Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still almost universally referred to by that name, it is the only theme park to be...
, the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
and Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
, the Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
was designed to look clean and aesthetically pleasing. Phantom Manor, however, was designed to look clearly derelict and stands at the top of a small hill. The Manor's grounds are untended, overgrown with weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
s and scattered with dead vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
. From the queueline, guests can have a look on the washed out bridge and second lift hill drop of Big Thunder Mountain.
Upon entering the grounds, guests can see a bat guard box and a plaque on the wall which reads Phantom Manor — Non Omnis Moriar (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "I shall not die completely"). A derelict gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
stands on the lawn that has a tea set laid out. Originally, these used to move to mimic two people pouring and drinking tea. The gazebo also contains a music box playing within (since 2001, this music box track is also used in Disneyland
Disneyland Park (Anaheim)
Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still almost universally referred to by that name, it is the only theme park to be...
's Haunted Mansion for use on the Haunted Mansion Holiday annual seasonal overlay). This is also the only mansion in any of the parks that has you enter the ride through the front door.
The Foyer
Guests walk up the pathways towards the Manor, along the porchPorch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
and queue outside the house where they wait for admission. A Castmember dressed as a macabre servant opens the doors and invites a small group of them into the Foyer. This Foyer contains a dusty chandelier and two mirrors, and is lined with dark wood panelling. The voice of the Phantom sounds from the ceiling and around the room, politely welcoming guests, telling them the Legend of this place, and inviting them to explore the Manor further. Melanie's face fades in and out of the smallest mirror during the narration.
The Phantom was originally voiced by Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
, but legal agreements led to a French actor, Gérard Chevalier, being brought in to record a French version of Price's narration. Chevalier actually used to dub Price in many of his movies. Today, only one small piece of Price's recording is still in use : the Phantom's evil laughter.
The Stretching room
Guests then file into an octagonal room with four portraits of a young Melanie. In one, she picks flowers in the Manor's gardens ; in the second, she holds a parasol ; in the third, she steps through a stream ; and in the final portrait, she is having a picnic with her fiancé. The Phantom comments on the paintings, and asks guests if they have noticed that the walls are stretching. The room actually appears to stretch, and the portraits grow taller — revealing some haunting situations the young girl is in :- Melanie picks flowers... above a gravestone... where a skeleton emerges from the ground.
- Melanie holds a parasol... while in a boat... above a vertical waterfall.
- Melanie steps through a stream... and, reaching for her foot is a hand... connected to a water monsterMonsterA monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
. - Melanie is having a picnic with her fiancé... as ants raid their food... and a snake, scorpion, spider and beetle approach.
The Phantom, as in previous incarnations of the attraction, mentions the chamber having no windows and no doors, offering guests the "chilling challenge" of finding a way out. He laughs and says, "There's always my way". The lights go out, lightning and thunder effects fill the space, and the ceiling turns invisible showing us the attic and the Phantom hanging the groom from the rafters with a noose.
In both the Disneyland Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor, the room is an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
in two parts, with the floor being lowered and the ceiling being raised slowly to give the illusion that the room itself is stretching. This is both for the purpose of dramatic effect and of bringing guests down from the Manor to where the actual ride begins at the real ground level in a separate building behind the berm. The ceiling above is a piece of fabric called a scrim
Scrim
The term scrim has two separate meanings in terms of fabric. In each case, it refers to woven material, one a finely woven lightweight fabric widely used in theatre, the other a heavy, coarse woven material used for reinforcement in both building and canvasmaking.-Light gauzy material:A scrim or...
, which conceals the attic scene until it is lit from above. The Stretching Room's lights slowly come back on and a hidden door opens, revealing a hallway lined with portraits.
Inside queueline
As the guests walk down this hallway, they see four portraits, slowly morphing into more macabre images :- A knight and his horse on a cliff... both becoming ghostly beings.
- A young woman in a Greek temple... becoming the horrible MedusaMedusaIn Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
. - A ship sailing across the sea... becoming the Ghost Ship sailing through a storm.
- A woman reclining on a sofa... becoming a were-panther.
At the end of the hallway stands a large portrait of Melanie Ravenswood, wearing her bridal gown.
Guests then turn a corner and enter a large hall with the Grand Staircase leading to the upper floor. One can see a ghostly, foggy landscape through the huge window above the stairs. Old furniture line the walls, and sitting on a shelf is a bust of a stern-looking woman, who stares at guests as they pass by. An unbroken train of black Omnimover vehicles known as "Doombuggies" move through the centre of the room, alongside a moving platform to enable easy loading.
The Ride
Guests board the Doombuggies, each buggy accommodating two persons, and the carriages move upwards into a dark space, past a young Melanie bowing to passing guests while holding a candelabra, singing the whole time.A twitching suit of armor then comes into view, although this effect is not obvious and can be missed in the semi-darkness. Beside the armor is a seemingly Endless Hallway, with the vision of Melanie appearing and disappearing in the distance while the candelabra that she is holding remains in view. On the left side of the corridor is a Conservatory containing a piano. At first glance, it seems to be playing by itself, but one can notice a ghost pianist's shadow falling on the carpet. A large, red-eyed raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
sits on a music stand next to the piano and squawks angrily.
The Doombuggies then travel through a Corridor lined with doors. As guests pass each door, they hear pounding, knocking, or shouting behind it, as if its inhabitants were struggling to get out. When the last door is reached, guests see two skeletal hands clutching at the top. The vehicles pass a small hall containing a demonic grandfather clock, with a large "13" on its face (instead of the usual 12) and its hands spinning backward as it chimes.
The buggies then enter a round Seance Room, where a crystal ball
Crystal ball
A crystal ball is a crystal or glass ball believed by some people to aid in the performance of clairvoyance. It is sometimes known as a shew stone...
sits on a central table. In it, wrapped in a mist, is the disembodied head of Madame Leota. As guests watch her, she summons ghosts and dark creatures to a mysterious ball in both English and French (translated in English below) :
- Goblins and Ghoulies, creatures of fright, we summon you now, to dance through the night!
- Esprits et fantômes, sur vos fiers destriers, escortez dans la nuit la belle fiancée! (Spirits and Phantoms, on your proud Stallions, escort the beautiful Bride into the night!)
- Warlocks and Witches, answer this call! Your presence is wanted at this ghostly ball!
- Des douze coups de minuit aux mâtines sonnantes, nous valserons ensemble, macabre débutante! (As twelve strokes of midnight sound from the bells, we shall waltz together, gruesome debutante!)
- Join now the Spirits in Nuptial Doom, a ravishing Bride, a vanishing Groom...
Guests leave the Seance Room and move along a balcony, looking down into a Ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
, where a ghostly wedding party takes place. Melanie stands on a staircase, singing and looking up at the Phantom who stands in an open window, laughing menacingly. Ghostly guests enter the room, bringing in wedding presents, then sitting around the dining table, where a moldy wedding cake
Wedding cake
A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, usually over a layer of marzipan or fondant...
is waiting for them. Drunken ghosts swing precariously from the chandelier above the table. Elegantly dressed pairs of ghostly dancers twirl around the Ballroom, as a spirit organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
sits at a massive organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, playing a haunting waltz on it as wraiths fly out of its pipes.
Then, the vehicles enter the Bride's Boudoir. Melanie (now an elderly lady) sits weeping in front of a mirror filled with the shape of an enormous skull, while a music box plays. The clock displayed in the room has a blade pendulum, in reference to Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's The Pit and the Pendulum
The Pit and the Pendulum
"The Pit and the Pendulum" is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842 in the literary annual The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1843. The story is about the torments endured by a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, though Poe skews historical facts. The...
, which was also the basis for a movie featuring Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
.
The Doombuggies fly out of the window, and swoop down into a vast graveyard, past the Phantom standing before an open grave, an undead dog growling beside him. The Doombuggies then travel underground, into some underworld, and see a series of coffins being opened by their skeletal residents. Four white marble busts then come into view, bearing the expressive faces of four Phantoms singing Grim Grinning Ghosts
Grim Grinning Ghosts
"Grim Grinning Ghosts" is the theme song for the Haunted Mansion attractions at Disney theme parks. It was composed by Buddy Baker, with lyrics written by X Atencio...
, as the deads join them in a dance.
Through a hole, the buggies then enter Phantom Canyon, which is a twisted, supernatural version of Thunder Mesa. Great rifts in the earth surrounding the buggies suggest that an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
happened there, which reenacts Thunder Mesa's turning point from a prosperous community to a ghost town. An eerie-looking figure stands before a ramshackle train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
, offering train tickets to the Underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
. Guests then pass a ruined town hall where a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(whose dialogue consists of clips from the Haunted Mansion by Paul Frees
Paul Frees
Paul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:He was born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago...
, the original Ghost Host) stands, inviting guests to be the Manor's 1000th ghost. As he tips his hat, his head comes with it. A shootout
Shootout
A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....
follows between a ghost bank robber fleeing on a mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
and a cowardly sheriff, with Big Thunder Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an indoor/outdoor mine train roller coaster located in Frontierland at several Disneyland-style Disney Parks worldwide...
in the background. Guests see a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
where a green-faced pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
drinks a deadly-looking medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, followed by a saloon
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
whose front wall has caved in. Inside it, there is a dancing showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
, a bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
, and a man playing a honky-tonk piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Four invisible gambler figures play poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
nearby. (Note : Much of Phantom Canyon was derived from a planned scene of a mining town called Dry Gulch in the Western River Expedition
Western River Expedition
The Western River Expedition is the name of a Disney attraction that was designed but never built. It was to be a western themed boat ride, slated to appear in the northwestern section of Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida...
at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
. In other versions of the Haunted Mansion, this is the space occupied by the Graveyard scene.)
Another figure of the Phantom, this time far more frightening, leads guests into the exit of the ride. As they see the silhouette of the Manor ahead, they enter a dark passage, where Melanie's corpse is pointing to the way out. The vehicles enter a subterranean chamber lined with large, gilt-framed mirrors in which the ghostly image of the Phantom can be seen above the Doombuggies along with a reflection of guests themselves. Vehicles travel through a wine cellar
Wine cellar
A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae or plastic containers. In an active wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control system. In contrast, passive wine cellars are not...
, where Castmembers await to help them disembark their Doombuggies, and they walk toward the exit.
Postshow
As guests travel towards day light, a tiny figure of Melanie stands to the side of the passageway behind bars, telling guests to "hurry back" and to "bring their death certificates". Finally, guests exit into Boot HillBoot Hill
Boot Hill is the name for any number of cemeteries, chiefly in the American West. During the 19th century it was a common name for the burial grounds of gunfighters, or those who "died with their boots on" ....
, a Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
filled with humorous gravestones. If you turn around to look back at the house, you can see the Phantom looking out the window over the exit. It is easier to see him at night,since there is a light shining behind him. In the Cemetery, one can hear Melanie's beating tomb, both a reference to the original Haunted Mansion bride, whose red beating heart could be seen through her chest, and Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's The Tell-Tale Heart
The Tell-Tale Heart
"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1843. It follows an unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye". The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by dismembering it and hiding it under the...
.
Soundtrack
- An opening narration by Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
was recorded and initially used. However, due to a deal with French officials, that attraction audio had to be primarily in French. The narration was replaced with a different track by Gérard Chevalier, who had been a French dub voice for Price in some of his movies. Price's narration is available on the CD The Haunted Mansion - 30th Anniversary (1999 CD)The Haunted Mansion - 30th Anniversary (1999 CD)The Haunted Mansion – 30th Anniversary was the album released for the 30th Anniversary of The Haunted Mansion. The original 1999 CD was a 13-track limited edition of only 999 copies, all sold out within two hours at Disneyland's special event for the Haunted Mansion's 30th anniversary...
. - The ride also features a full-orchestrated score by John DebneyJohn DebneyJohn C. Debney is an American film composer. He received an Academy Award nomination for his score for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ...
. Although it is based on Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
's Grim Grinning GhostsGrim Grinning Ghosts"Grim Grinning Ghosts" is the theme song for the Haunted Mansion attractions at Disney theme parks. It was composed by Buddy Baker, with lyrics written by X Atencio...
, it provides the ride with a darker and more romantic tone.
Trivia
- In the early 2000s, Phantom Manor was given a special Halloween celebration. Known as The Phantom Wedding, it featured a large scrim covering the whole building, which was used for projection of Melanie's recreated wedding. In 2005, however, this celebration was replaced by another.
See also
- Haunted MansionHaunted MansionThe Haunted Mansion is a dark ride located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. A significantly re-imagined incarnation of the ride, known as Phantom Manor, is located in Disneyland Paris...
- FrontierlandFrontierlandTokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America...
- Disneyland Paris
- Western River ExpeditionWestern River ExpeditionThe Western River Expedition is the name of a Disney attraction that was designed but never built. It was to be a western themed boat ride, slated to appear in the northwestern section of Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida...
- Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...