Boot Hill

Near the conclusion of Phantom Manor, rather than falling into a cemetery filled with "grim, grinning ghosts" as in the Haunted Mansion, guests instead are dropped into an open grave for a trip through the Underworld. Just when you think you've escaped this pit of rotting (but not quite dead) corpses, you emerge into Phantom Canyon, a ghostly version of Thunder Mesa. Here, the town's Mayor tips his hat (and his whole head) as you pass, and the undead engage in everything from a bank robbery to a game of cards in a saloon.

Ultimately, it's the ethereal, wedding gown-clad ghost of Melanie Ravenswood who leads you safely back to our world and the exit of the attraction. A visit to Phantom Manor wouldn't be complete, though, without a stroll past Boot Hill, the town's graveyard.

The cemetery scene begins near the mansion, with the tombs of Henry and Martha Ravenswood, who "Quarreled and fought as man and wife, Now silent together beyond this life."

There are quite a few other former residents of Thunder Mesa here, too, along with some of the humorous epitaphs we've come to expect at the U.S. Haunted Mansions. Here are:

B. ARNOLD

Cold is my bed, But oh I love it

For colder are my friends above it

Here Lies

LEADFOOT FRED

Danced too slow and now he's dead

(notice the bullet holes in his boots)

Consider the case of young Frank Ballard and Mary Murphy. They were in love and determined to get married, but Frank's mother had something to say about that. Now, even in death the two lovers are drawn together... and Ma Ballard is still looking over their shoulders.

Or how about the poor fellas who died in Mine No. 39:

THESE MINERS WERE TOLD

ABOUT DIGGING TOO FAST

THEY LOST ALL THEIR GOLD

IN A DYNAMITE BLAST

Around the bend is a collection of tombstones which some may mistake as a version of a pet cemetery. Look more closely, though, and you'll see they tell a different story. It seems November 13, 1865 (a Friday no doubt) was unlucky for this poor squirrel, cat and hunter. They became breakfast, lunch and dinner, respectively, for a burly bear. He eventually got his, though, joining them 20 years later: "Hibernating in happiness after years of hearty hunting."

With all these deaths, this corner of Thunder Mesa is not the happiest... unless, of course, you're J. Nutterville. He's the local undertaker and cabinet maker. My guess is, he's been making fewer cabinets lately.

Ravenswood Manor

Ravenswood Manor overlooks the town of Thunder Mesa. It was Henry Ravenswood who owned and operated the Big Thunder Mine, and his money built this town. What money couldn't buy, however, was immortality... or could it? The accepted version has it that Henry and his wife, Martha, died in the great quake of 1860, but some believe he returned from the dead in the form of a phantom who haunts the house on the hill.

This tale forms the foundation of Phantom Manor, a Frontierland attraction similar in many ways to the traditional Haunted Mansion, but which stands as a completely unique adventure at Disneyland Paris.

As the story goes, Henry built the mansion and grounds for his wife and daughter, Melanie. In its day, the estate was spectacular, but things started to go south when Melanie met a young man. The two were betrothed, but the groom had plans to take Melanie away from Thunder Mesa and her family. That just didn't sit well with Henry.

This gazebo on the grounds of Phantom Manor appears decked out for a reading of some kind, perhaps palm or Tarot.

Folks say that, even in death, Henry was determined not to lose his precious Melanie. On the eve of the wedding, the groom vanished (although there have been reports of him "hanging" around the portrait chamber) and Melanie fell into a state of despair. She took to wandering the halls, searching for her beloved for the rest of her days... and beyond.

Cast member costumes at Phantom Manor and other Disneyland Paris locales are often as spectacularly detailed as the park's attractions.

Those brave enough to venture into Phantom Manor today may just encounter the ghost of young Melanie, still in her wedding gown after all these years. Should you come face-to-face with her father, the phantom, however... Melanie could prove to be your saving grace, leading you away from his clutches.

As opposed to the Haunted Mansion, which Walt Disney directed his Imagineers to create as a simple retirement home for ghosts, Phantom Manor tells a complete (and complex) story. The attraction is also considerably more gruesome and frightening than its American counterparts, owing to different cultural expectations with a European audience.

During my trips through Phantom Manor, I spent every moment soaking in the details. As a result, I don't have any interior pictures to share. If you'd like to see and learn more, though, there are some great resources out there. First and foremost, I recommend Jason Surrell's book, The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies. If you don't already own this and his book on Pirates of the Caribbean, you should.

Online, there are also a couple of really nicely done sites, including a portion of DoomBuggies.com and Ravenswood-Manor.com. Check 'em out!

Favorite Things: More Attraction Toys

Over the course of the past decade, Disney has produced toy versions of many of their most popular attractions and resort icons, from the monorail and railroad to Space Mountain, the Tree of Life and the Polynesian Resort. Two of my favorites, though, have to be these Haunted Mansion play sets (Disneyland on the left; Magic Kingdom on the right). Each is finely detailed (if not completely color accurate) and even come with sounds from the attraction.

Each one opens slightly differently, presenting some favorite scenes from the Haunted Mansion. There's the Endless Hallway, creepy eye wallpaper, stretching portraits, Seance Circle, library and ballroom. They even came with little toy items of the grandfather clock, a coffin and that trio of Hitchhiking Ghosts.

Beyond the play sets, Disney also once offered a complete line of die-cast attraction ride vehicles. Only a few of these, like the XP-37 from Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, are still available. Most of the subjects came from attractions found in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, although there were a few from other parks. There were boats from El Rio del Tiempo and Maelstrom at Epcot and a cab from the Studio Backlot Tour.

There were even a couple examples made for attractions exclusive to Disneyland, the Alice in Wonderland dark ride and Matterhorn Bobsleds. They're definitely two of my favorite things. The detail on the bobsled is especially fun, with a Matterhorn shield on the nose and a frightened Harold Snowman riding in the car with Mickey, who's wearing lederhosen!

Popcorn Revisited

While not characters in the traditional "meet and greet" sense, the little figures cranking away inside Disneyland's popcorn carts are just as fun to discover. I talked about these in an earlier post, on which DIZNEYFAN Philip commented that the spooky little guy at the cart near the Haunted Mansion gets changed out each year during the holiday season. Having recently visited The Happiest Place on Earth for HalloweenTime, I was able to snap this photo of Oogie Boogie working away in New Orleans Square.

On the same trip, I also noticed another figure I had previously overlooked. Serving up popcorn in a cart in Tomorrowland is none other than the Rocketeer! The Rocketeer himself had made appearances at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios during the summer of 1991 to promote the movie's release. Outside of a few cameos like this, however, he hasn't been seen since.

What's This?

Over the past week, we've visited with several Disney characters not seen regularly in the parks for various reasons. Some fall out of favor over time, while others are linked to special promotions. In the case of today's characters, they appear seasonally along with other characters or character costume overlays tied to specific holidays.

Right now at Disneyland Park, Haunted Mansion Holiday has brought the story of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas to the popular New Orleans Square attraction. Haunted Mansion Holiday runs from mid-September through early January. During this period, Jack Skellington and Sally can be found nearby, greeting their fans. You'll have to catch them soon, though, before they return to Halloweentown.

50 Fifties

Another key element of the Disneyland 50th Anniversary celebration back in 2005 was the inclusion of 50 fifties throughout the park. In the tradition of Hidden Mickeys, fifty versions of the 50th Anniversary logo were placed around Disneyland. Some were obvious, like the Mickey Floral at the Main Entrance or the medallions on the lampposts up and down Main Street, U.S.A. Others were more cleverly incorporated.

Here are a few of my favorites: on the clock tower at It's a Small World, in the garden outside The Enchanted Tiki Room, part of the rockwork on Splash Mountain, and woven into a giant spider web across the front of the Haunted Mansion.

Hunky Tuna Tostada!

The majority of the storytelling details I've shared on the blog have been visual in nature, but occasionally the Imagineers slip in some audio treats for Guests willing to take their time and linger.

At the conclusion of The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management, a worse-for-wear Iago is perched above the "AutoMagic" exit doors, his humorous commentary continuing even as the audience files out of the theater. Hang back after everyone else has left, and you'll hear what may be one of the funniest lines of the show:

"I'm tired! I think I'll head over to the Hall of Presidents and take a nap."

Apologies to fans of the Hall of Presidents (granted, the present version of that show is quite a bit more engaging than the version which preceded it), but the line fits Iago's character perfectly and is a great bit of self-deprecation on the part of the Imagineers.

Another wonderful example of a subtle audio detail can be heard at the Haunted Mansion. When the attraction was refreshed a few years ago, one of the enhancements included a completely new sound system and auditory experience for the Stretching Room scene. In the updated version of the show, walls creak, wind howls through the halls and the voice of our Ghost Host seems to float around the room.

Once a way out of the Stretching Room is revealed, most Guests are happy to beat a path to the Doom Buggies to continue their tour. Wait around for a bit, though, and you'll hear something more. A raspy, ethereal voice whispers a haunting, "Get out." It's decidedly creepy and gives me goosebumps just writing it.

So just as it pays to sometimes sit through the credits of a movie like Iron Man (or Iron Man 2) for an extra treat of a scene, Disney's park attractions offer their own bits of added fun from time to time.

Madame Leota: Small Medium at Large

"Rap on a table, it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond."

Lovely Madame Leota was a traveling Psychic and Astrologist in these parts, taking her colorful gypsy wagon from town to town and peddling her parlor tricks to the unsuspecting locals.

"Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween, awaken the spirits with your tambourine."

Like a medicine man or witch doctor, Leota would drum up business by offering to conduct seances, read palms or gaze into her crystal ball.

"Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond, let there be music from regions beyond."

For a price, Leota could even be convinced to cast a spell, cook up a potion or part with one of her treasures acquired from the furthest corners of the globe.

"Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat, call in the spirits wherever they're at."

No one quite knows what happened to Leota. One day, she pulled her wagon up to ol' Gracey Manor and stepped inside, never to be seen again... at least not in human form. Her disembodied head now floats within her very own crystal ball, eternally reciting incantations, calling forth the spirits to join the afterlife celebration within the Haunted Mansion.

As for Leota's wagon... it's been commandeered by opportunistic entrepreneurs, selling assorted paraphernalia to curious passersby.

Pet Cemetary

Human spirits aren't the only ones spending eternity in the Haunted Mansion. Many of their pets have joined them here as well. Inspired by a similar detail adjacent to the Disneyland attraction, the pet cemetery was added to the Walt Disney World version about a decade ago.

Everything from dogs and cats to birds and snakes can be found here, along with more humorous epitaphs. For example, the monument to Waddle the duck (below) reads, "Beloved Waddle - Little Waddle Saw the Truck - But Little Waddle Didn't Duck."

There's also a statuesque tribute here to a certain amphibian by the name of J. Thaddeus Toad, Esq. Some time after the 1998 closure of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Fantasyland, this statue of Toad mysteriously appeared in the back corner of the Pet Cemetery. It's a fun bit of Hidden Disney, even if no one claims to know where it came from or how it got there (I'm lookin' at you, Alex Caruthers! wink-wink).

Room for a Thousand

As the brooding voice of our Ghost Host says, "We have 999 happy haunts here, but there's room for a thousand." The spirits of those grim, grinning ghosts float all through the house, but their earthly husks must reside somewhere. Many are interred in the vast graveyard out behind the Mansion, while others can be found in the mausoleums along the side wall of the property.

Bluebeard refers to a literary character from a story by Charles Perrault. The epitaph describes "Seven winsome wives, some fat some thin. Six of them were faithful, but the seventh did him in." In the story, Bluebeard is a nobleman who remarries several times over. Each time, his wife mysteriously "disappears." Bluebeard's seventh wife figures out his horrible secret and turns the tables on him. (In some ways, the story of Bluebeard is similar to that of Constance, the black widow bride in the Mansion's attic.)

Some of the rest of the names here are further examples of the humor found throughout the Mansion. The attraction covers macabre subject matter to be sure, but lightens it with a bit of funny business. The word play here is fantastically creative: Asher T. Ashes, Dustin T. Dust, Hal Lusinashun, Manny Festation, Clare Voince and others.

Not all the spots in the mausoleums are filled. There's always room for one more, after all.

"Hurry back. Don't forget to bring your death certificate. Should you decide to join us, make final arrangements now."

Where the Tombstones Quake

More well-known and easily-discoverable Hidden Disney references are found in the small cemetery at the side entrance to Gracey Manor. The humorous epitaphs keep Guests entertained as they await an opening of the doors. Each of the names on these tombstones is actually a tribute to one of the individuals from WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) who helped create the Haunted Mansion.

MASTER GRACEY - Yale Gracey was a Special Effects Designer who created many of the illusions used throughout the attraction. Over time, Gracey has come to be attributed as the owner of the mansion, although that was not the original intent.

GOOD FRIEND GORDON - Gordon Williams was responsible for creating sound effects for the show.

GRANDPA MARC - Marc Davis was a legendary character animator who moved to Imagineering in the 1960s. He contributed character designs and some of the Mansion's signature humor.

FRANCIS XAVIER - Francis Xavier "X" Atensio was the Show Writer on the Mansion project. He helped develop the story, wrote the script for the Ghost Host, and penned the lyrics to "Grim Grinning Ghosts."

A MAN NAMED MARTIN - Bud Martin was head of the Special Effects Department at WED.

MISTER SEWELL - Bob Sewell worked in the Model Shop at WED.

BROTHER CLAUDE - Claude Coats painted backgrounds for many of the Disney animated features. For the Haunted Mansion, Coats helped create the settings throughout the attraction. Coats' moody sets combined with Davis' humorous characters set just the right tone for the Mansion.

GOOD OLD FRED - Fred Joerger was an Art Director credited with much of the plaster work and character paint (simulated age and weather effects on surfaces) throughout the attraction.

BROTHER DAVE - Dave Burkhart built several of the key models for the Mansion's construction.

WATHEL R. BENDER - Wathel Rogers has been called the "father" of Audio-Animatronics. He programmed the movements of many of the figures in the show.

UNCLE MYALL - Chuck Myall was a planner who helped lay out the Mansion along with much of the Magic Kingdom.

COUSIN HUET - Cliff Huet was an Architect and Interior Designer on the project.

DEAR SWEET LEOTA - Leota Toombs was an artist at WED who also served as the model for the disembodied medium Madame Leota in the Seance Circle scene of the Haunted Mansion. Leota's tombstone was added as an enhancement in 2001 and comes with a little surprise. Keep your eyes on her visage long enough... and she'll open her eyes on you!

When Hinges Creak in Doorless Chambers

Ever since Gracey Manor became a "retirement home for ghosts," most Guests daring to pay the place a visit have chosen to avoid using the front doors, taking the more discreet side entrance instead. Sure, it's near the graveyard, but it leads straight to the Foyer.

Of course, the ghosts aren't the only ones here. Among the remaining living residents are the butlers and maids who continue to tend to the place. They come and go via the service entrance at the back of the house.

This door leads to an area few visitors ever see, a mysterious corridor opening into even more mysterious chambers. The space is furnished with antiques and illuminated by wall sconces that would look odd just about anywhere but here. (Note the sculpted arms holding out the torches.)

On one wall of the Servants Quarters is a board on which are hung keys used to access (or secure) various rooms in the Mansion: The Stretching Room, Endless Hallway, Conservatory, Foyer, Grand Hall, Corridor of Doors, Picture Gallery, Seance Circle, Attic, Music Room, Library and Grand Stairs.

Also nearby is a row of bells, each connected by wire to a bedroom of one of the Mansion's residents. When the home was occupied by the living, a tug on the wire would ring the appropriate bell here in the Servants Quarters, letting the staff know who needed their assistance. Although pretty much everyone in the house has crossed over, the bells still ring occasionally. It seems there's never any rest for the help.

Those who pause to read the labels above the bells are rewarded with the discovery of previously unseen rooms in the Mansion, not to mention a bit of Hidden Disney. Each of the residents named here is actually an Imagineer who worked on the original development of the Haunted Mansion. There's Master Gracey's Bedchamber (special effects designer Yale Gracey), Ambassador Xavier's Lounging Lodge (writer Xavier Atencio), Madame Leota's Boudoir (the face of the disembodied medium, Leota Toombs), Grandfather McKim's Resting Room (artist Sam McKim), Uncle Davis' Sleeping Salon (animator and designer Marc Davis), Colonel Coats' Bivouac Berth (background painter and designer Claude Coats) and Professor Wathel's Reposing Lounge ("father" of Audio-Animatronics Wathel Rogers).