Haunted Mansion Holiday Opens October 2001
(c) Disney
Haunted Mansion Holiday Open October 2001: 'Merriest Place On Earth' Celebration Begins In November
What happens when holidays collide?
Guests are going to find out the fun way, when Disneyland® park in Anaheim, California, introduces its quirky "Haunted Mansion Holiday" attraction in October.
The Haunted Mansion Holiday headlines this year's holiday celebration at Disneyland. The new attraction opens early October 2001, and continues operating throughout the annual transformation of Disneyland into the "Merriest Place On Earth."
In a well-intentioned attempt to celebrate the Christmas season, Jack Skellington from the film "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas" will descend upon the world-famous Haunted Mansion attraction to bring his vision of the holidays to life.
A unique Holiday overdressing of the Haunted Mansion will take place, complete with hilarious gags and playful twists upon the original Haunted Mansion storyline.
Jack Skellington, donning his holiday "Sandy Claws" outfit, will set the stage by welcoming guests to a Haunted Mansion now decorated with stalks of hay in the shapes of Christmas trees, a coffin sleigh, a spider webbed countdown clock reading "0 days 'til Christmas," and hundreds of flickering candles along the mansion's rooftop.
Inside, the fun begins in earnest as guests enter the familiar "stretching" room of the Haunted Mansion, only to find it decorated for Christmas. New holiday paintings adorn the walls, but later stretch to become hilarious images of Halloween Town's vision of Christmas.
Guests will board the attraction's "Doom Buggies" and be treated to a fun-filled tour of the mansion's many rooms, all decorated for Christmas by Jack and his dog Zero. But as one can expect, when Halloween celebrates Christmas, there might be some flaws.
"The Haunted Mansion Holiday will be packed with fun gags and laughable images," notes Steve Davison, creative director for the project. "Jack Skellington's vision of Christmas is going to be a scream."
Sharp-eyed Disney fans will find some notable twists to their favorite attraction: Madam Leota will deliver a chilling new holiday greeting from the séance room, and the famous ballroom scene will be transformed into the ultimate Christmas Ball, decorated with bizarre images and strange Christmas toys inspired by Jack's creative mind. Even the finale scene through the mansion's graveyard will look strangely familiar - except now it will be covered in ghostly white snow, where playful ghosts are making their own unique Christmas trees.
The sound track throughout the attraction will also be completely changed, encouraging guests to scream along on cue.
The extensive transformation leaves no gravestone unturned, with scores of surprises and two new Audio-Animatronic® figures, thus creating a one-of-kind experience for the 2001 holiday season.
Disneyland makes its annual transforms into the "Merriest Place on Earth" in November, with a whole slate of other holiday experiences on tap for guests.
Included in the holiday magic will be the "it's a small world holiday" attraction, a New Orleans Square Christmas celebration, the park's traditionally decorated 60-foot Christmas tree, and beginning Thanksgiving day, "A Christmas Fantasy" parade will perform daily along Main Street, U.S.A.
The holiday season will also feature "Believe… In Holiday Magic," a special version of the park's popular fireworks spectacular. Three times larger than past fireworks shows, this colorful aerial production combines an enchanting Yuletide storyline, holiday music and a shimmering array of pyrotechnics launched from 13 backstage locations.
On New Year's Eve, December 31, Disneyland park will extend its operating hours from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. and will present a special midnight fireworks spectacular above Sleeping Beauty Castle to ring in the New Year in dazzling fashion.
Additional Notes
- The Haunted Mansion's last day of operation before the transformation begins is September 9th
-- Posted July 23, 2001
Source: Company Press Release