30 years of the Haunted Mansion
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Haunted Mansion Mania
If you would like to join our jamboree
There's a simple rule that's compulsory
Mortals pay a token fee
Rest in peace; the haunting's free
So hurry back we would like your company
- Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion
With those words the guest departs the realm of the dead and undead and returns to the clean magical world of Disneyland. In many guests those words turn a spark of interest into a flame of fandom.
There is little doubt the Haunted Mansion is the Disney attraction with the most fans. It is certainly the attraction with the most web sites devoted to it on the web. The recent 30th Anniversary event at Disneyland offered more proof as tickets and special event merchandise were gobbled up as fast as Disneyland could stock the shelves with them. Then there are the magazines and articles that provide interesting glimpses at the magic that makes this classic attraction so marvelously spooky.
The Printed Word
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One of the most popular Disney related magazine issues has to be The E-Ticket Magazine #16. This issue includes a wonderful look at each scene in the original Haunted Mansion. Some of the pictures and concept art are not to be found anywhere else. But the real highlight is an interview with Marc Davis. Marc Davis’ influence on the attraction is explored in great depth and many of his unused concepts are included. Unfortunately, this issue is out of print and no longer available for backorder.
Paul F. Anderson’s Persistence of Vision Issue #9 features an article that provides a special look at the music of the attraction. Written by Tish Eastman the article features interesting tales from X. Atencio and Buddy Baker, the lyricist and composer respectively. This is a great read even if you’re not interested in the music as it explains a lot of the motivations behind the layout of the attraction. There is also an interesting story on Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion by Paul Smith. This issue is still available for backorder.
Other magazines that have done feature stories on the
Haunted Mansion at Disneyland include Storyboard, The Disney News, Disneyland
Line (two issues), and Haunted House Magazine.
The Digital Word
If you are ever away from the park and need your Haunted Mansion fix, Chef Mayhem’s tribute to the Haunted Mansion is the digital den you need to visit. The Doombuggies.com website combines elegant web design with volumes of pictures, stories, and history surrounding the Haunted Mansion, its myths and its legends. Although Chef Mayhem himself lives away from the mansion, he remains active in the online community that has built up around it.
This community extends itself right into email with the help of e-lists. Doombuggies site has it’s own list you can join. And there are are a couple of e-lists available at Onelist.com. Joining the e-lists will put you in touch with dozens of other aficionados and occasionally they will meet up at Disneyland or local haunted locales.
Many of the active participants of these lists have web pages of their own. Of special note are these:
- Doombuggies.com
The one and only. Mentioned several times in this article. - Jed's
Haunted Mansion Page
A virtual tour of the Haunted Mansion with many midis, lots of pictures and integrated descriptions, history, scripts and sounds samples. - Castle of the Spirits Rising
An online game based on the Haunted Mansion. Caution graphic intensive - Foxx's Haunted Mansion Page
Another graphic intensive site. But worth checking out if you have the speed. - The
MansionEARs
A new site featuring coverage of the 30th Anniversary event at Disneyland. It’s bare right now, but has potential.