Chapter 19 - Magic Kingdom - Liberty Square Part 5

                                Haunted Mansion                                           Updated 7/30/22
We promised that we would be back to finish our tour of the Haunted Mansion. In the last Chapter the spirit had stopped our Doombuggies by the Ballroom on our way to the Attic. So let’s head there and complete our journey through the chills.

Haunted Mansion

 Then the tour will continue on to check out the rest that Liberty Square has to offer:

Memento Mori
Columbia Harbour House
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
Meet & Greet
Now to continue, our tour of the Haunted Mansion will take us through:

The Attic
The Graveyard
Unloading
Servant’s Quarters - Cast Members Only!
The Exit Crypts
Pet Cemetery
Picture
http://legendofthehauntedmansion.tripod.com/id8.html
The Doombuggies have started again and are leaving the Ballroom to proceed toward the Attic.

The Attic

Guest should watch carefully, because as their Doombuggies turns away from the Ballroom, on the wall is the last of the Sinister 11 portraits.
 
The portrait is a mysterious blonde lady holding a black cat in one hand and a pair of opera glasses in the other—it’s based on the concept art for a character that would eventually evolve into the Bride.
 
Quite apropos for what’s to come in the Attic.




And to set the right mood for entering the Attic:
As the guests enter the attic the melody changes from the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" to Wagner's "Bridal Chorus." It intends to create an atmosphere that reinforces the tale of the greedy and homicidal bride who once ruled the mansion.

Note: Buddy Baker, who composed and arranged the music for the Haunted Mansion, had modified the wedding song's harmonies to match the music we begin to hear emanating from the Graveyard.
 
The Doombuggies proceeds up one floor into the attic. Guests enter a crammed and dusty area full of wedding gifts and furniture. As the Doombuggies continue into the attic, guests are confronted by five wedding portraits of a Bride, Constance Hatchaway, and her five different ill-fated husbands. Next to each portrait are wedding gifts, each seeming to increase in quality after each subsequent marriages.
The details of each portraits as we pass:
  • Ambrose Harper & Constance Hatchaway
Ambrose was the son of successful farmers. For this particular occasion he wears a sensible woolen suit and bowler hat. Constance's wears a stylish wedding gown and a single strand of pearls. As you pass their portrait, Ambrose's face fades into nothingness and then reappears - signifying that Constance outlived him for some reason.
 
Near this portrait are a number of modest wedding gifts such as a music box, china, crystal, and various household goods. A nearby wedding album reads:
 
                               OUR WEDDING DAY
                          Ambrose and Constance
                                           1869
  • Frank Barks & Constance Hatchaway (1872)
There are more wedding gifts by the portrait and they seem to be of better quality than those given on her first marriage. A nearby banner reads:

                                    Constance and Frank
                                   TRUE LOVE FOREVER

Frank is an Eastern banker and well placed in his community. He proudly wears a stovepipe hat. Constance wears the same wedding dress as before, but displays two strands of pearls around her neck.

Look closely at the cabinet in the foreground. On it you'll see a porcelain figurine of a well-to-do French woman looking down at a second, toppled figurine of a gentleman, who apparently lost his head in the fall. On the shelf below you can see a broken ceramic heart-shaped box.
Here to Frank’s head seems to vanish was you pass.
  • Marquis de Doom & Constance Hatchaway
The Marquis De Doom is a foreign diplomat. In the wedding portrait, The Marquis wears a military uniform, complete with sash, assorted medals and a formal hat with plume. Constance once again chose to wear the same dress; however three strands of pearls are now evident. There wedding album reads:

                           The Marquis Constance
                                           1874

Again, the Marquis head disappears as you pass.
  • Reginald Gaine & Constance
Reginal was a railroad baron and dressed the part. For his wedding he sports wears a brocade vest, fancy shirt, costly jacket and dons a fine hat. Reginald also wears a large ring on his little finger and a sizable stone in his lapel. Constance, as usual, chose the same wedding dress. The only change was a fourth strand of pearls has been added to her ensemble.
 
A nearby frame says:

                           Reginald & Constance
                                        1875
 
As previous husbands, Reginald head fades from the portrait as we pass.
  • George Hightower & Constance
George was one of the owners of the manor house that would later come to be known as The Haunted Mansion. Constance most likely inherited the Mansion after George's death.
 
George should look familiar to you as you have seen him on the gravestone in the stretching room. Before his demise, George owned the stately mansion you are now visiting.
 
As in all her previous weddings Constance wore the same bridal gown, plus an additional strand of pearls.
 
The gifts for this final wedding are by far the most expensive. In keeping with her growing wealth, their wedding portrait is displayed in a very ornate frame.
 
An inset reads:

                                            George & Constance
                                                       1877
Note: Constance holds a rose while posing next to her groom George Hightower. This echoes the portrait (in the stretching room) of a much older Constance holding a rose as she sits atop the tombstone of her late husband George, whose stone bust has a hatchet lodged in its head.
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When the Doombuggies pass each portrait the head of the grooms disappear. The story goes that, Constance married and killed her husbands in order to gain money and social status. And after each wedding she gains a string of pearls.
 
As the Doombuggies approach the far side of the attic, the guests will confront the ghost of the ghost of Constance.
 
She stands in peaceful tranquility as her hands move from her side toward her chest. An axe materializes in her grasp and her face changes to a menacing, macabre expression. All the while, she utters a number of well known, wedding phrases, each with a slightly different expression. With a twinkle in her eye she calmly says:


"'Till Death". Do Us Part

"Here comes the bride!"

"As long as we both shall live

"For better or for "WORSE."

"I do. I did!"

"In sickness and in "wealth!"

"You may now kiss the bride."

"We'll live happily ever "after!"

History of the Bride

The Bride, one of the Mansion's most enigmatic characters, haunts the Attic. Inspiration for the character can be traced back to legends including the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall. The Bride has been altered on numerous occasions over the years, appearing now at Disneyland and Walt Disney World as Constance Hatchaway—the "Black Widow Bride," using a digital projection effect.


The original incarnation of the Bride was a skeletal corpse with glowing eyes, clutching a candle in one hand and a bouquet in the other. The sound of her beating heart filled the attic, and it could be seen glowing red within her chest. Several "blast-up" and "pop-up" ghosts were also featured in the attic until they were removed with the "Black Widow Bride" 2007 update.
 
Constance is voiced by Kat Cressida. Probably best known for the voice of Jessie The Cowgirl for Pixar Toy Story video games and the voice of Dee Dee in Cartoon Network’s Dexter's Laboratory.
Julia Lee is the bride in the portraits of Haunted Mansion's attic. Lee has also appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and in feature films such as "A Man Apart" and "Grind."

Haunted Mansion Ownership Backstory (trying to make sense of the interconnections)

The Haunted Mansion was owned by a few people, including George Hightower, the very last one of Constance’s husbands. Upon George’s death, the Mansion had no heirs to transfer ownership to, thus it goes to Constance. George’s dad, George Sr., was married to a woman named Daisy Dread. Daisy’s sister was named Florence, as in Florence Dread.
This connects Constance with the Dread family from the Queue.
   Fabulous Photos of Haunted Mansion:      http://www.themagicinpixels.com/photo-gallery/index.php?/category/93

The Graveyard

After encountering Constance sinister chants, the Doombuggies "escape" from the attic and turn onto a short balcony that overlooks the overgrown expanse of the graveyard below. From beyond a line of trees, an endless stream of spirits rise into the night sky and vanish. These ghostly swarms are very resonant of Chernobog’s minions of darkness from the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence of Fantasia, not sure if it was intended or just coincidence.

Off in the distance is heard an eerie tune..........
As if thrown of the Balcony, the Doombuggies suddenly turn and descend a steep hill. On both sides, guests are surrounded by twisted trees with their long, contorted branches looking like grappling hands that are reaching for the buggies.  Even the trunks of the trees form grimacing, entangled faces. From one of the branches above, guests are again spied on by the RAVEN, who is cawing mockingly, with those glowing red eyes, as if forewarning what is coming ahead.
When the Doombuggies reach ground level, they slowly turn and a tall, wrought iron fence rises into view, ending in the crumbling brick columns of an arched gate. Beyond stretches a fog covered, gloomy graveyard. Outside the gates stands a character who appears to be a caretaker trembling in fear as his dog whimpers.
A lantern dangles from one hand, and he leans on a shovel with the other. The two are totally petrified by the sight before them.
Just to point It out these two are the only 'living' audio-animatronic seen throughout the attraction.


Note: Through search we’ve found that the fans have provided many names for the Caretaker and his dog, but since none have as yet been substantiated officially, we’ll leave them as the Caretaker and his dog.
 
Near the Haunted Mansion there was a crate addressed to a Silas Crump, seemingly the Caretaker at the Haunted Mansion. But the stenciling has been painted over. 
During the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party the Caretaker and his Dog can be seen in the Parade watching the Ballroom Dancers and all the other Ghostly characters.

More References on the Caretaker (Groundskeeper):
Picture
©MGM
The Caretaker may have been inspired by the Crusty Caretaker from the movie The Haunting (1963). Mr. Dudley, the caretaker only shows up in one scene, but there are similarities. (Remember the breathing door in the Corridor of Doors in Chapter 18, the concept was also taken from the same movie)

The Graveyard is the climax of the ride, where all of the Happy Haunts finally materialize and come out to socialize, while singing Grim Grinning Ghosts.
Note: The graveyard is filled with an outstanding collection of Disney voice performer’s who’s who. We would like to provide justice to them in this section.
As the Guests enter the graveyard there seem to be a swinging party going on. (A change from the more serious tone inside the Mansion)
 
As the Doombuggies travel through the Graveyard guests will encounter:

Pop-up Ghosts

These fiendish characters appear to be decaying corpses, recently unearthed get a ghoulish pleasure in popping up from behind tombstones to scare passers-by.
 
They are found throughout the Graveyard, there is an Old Hag near the Caretaker, Winking Skull in front of the band, Winking Skull in front of the tea party, Old Hag in front of the Mummy, Droopy Eyes in front of the Opera Singers, and another Droopy Eyes in front of the arm with the trowel.
 
Blood-chilling laughter rings through the graveyard while these ghouls unexpectedly emerge from behind their graves and retreat.

Pop-up ghosts were also featured in the attic scene until the 2007 renovation.

Phantom Five

As Doombuggies move along to the left, a group of five phantoms play a flute, a horn, a bagpipe, a harp, and pound on a tombstone to create an unearthly version of the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" song.
From left to right, a cadaverous drummer drums on a gravestone (using bones), a hunchback plays a flute, a ghost plays the bagpipes, another a harp, and another a horn of sorts.
 
Surrounding the Phantom Five are a trio of cats sitting on a tomb and owls in the desolate trees harmonizing with the band.
 
Behind all this a skeletal wolf can be seen howling at the moon, while nearby tombstones shake and quiver, from their struggling inhabitants below.
They are not known for being the best musical ensemble.

The Music as performed:
  • for the Bagpipes (played by Gordon Schoenberg) were actually provided by the sounds of an oboe played out of tune
  • The drumming came from (by Chet Ricord) banging stones together
  • The Trumpet (by Cappy Lewis) and Flute's music (by Art Smith) is played in reverse to make unnatural breathing sounds
  • The Harp (by Doris Hultz Johnson) is the only instrument played normally. 
     
    The ghostly drummer's design greatly resembles a character from an art piece of Marc Davis that was labelled as being the Drummer of Tedworth.
    The Drummer of Tedworth is a case of an alleged poltergeist manifestation in the West Country of England from a book called Saducismus Triumphatus (1681) by Joseph Glanvill. The tale is about a ghost named William Drury who haunted his former landlord by tormenting him with the sound of his drumming after being evicted for his association with a Romani Band. 
Orvis

King, Queen, and Duchess

Near the band a king and queen atop a teeter-totter balanced on a tombstone. Behind them their spectral princess rides a swing in the background, sipping from a cup of tea.

Note: In the concept art by Marc Davis, the king and queen would alternately disappear and reappear on the teeter totter. 

Singing Busts

The Doombuggies descend a short hill past a large tomb, on the right, from which an unseen occupant is attempting to escape.
As the Doombuggies move through the graveyard, they pass a group of singing marble busts. Located on guest’s right hand side, these marble busts sing (and express) the song "Grim Grinning Ghosts".
 
Then pass five stone busts perches beyond a short tomb wall, the faces have come to life and glowing weirdly in the darkness. They are singing...the words to the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" theme.
When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake,
Spooks come out for a swinging wake!
Happy haunts materialize, and begin to vocalize...
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!
These busts have names which are (from left to right): Rollo Rumkin, Uncle Theodore, Cousin Algernon, Ned Nub, and Phineas P. Pock.
Here’s who the busts represent:

Rollo Rumkin
"Lived and died a friendly bumpkin," according to his tombstone in the queue (spelled Rolo on the stone). His name is a tribute to Imagineer Rolly Crump. He was played by Verne Rowe.

Uncle Theodore
The broken bust head is Uncle Theodore. Often mistaken for Walt Disney, but is Thurl Ravenscroft. The lead singer, known for singing “You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and providing the voice of Tony the Tiger.
He has provided his voice to many of the attractions in Walt Disney World.
He also has a tombstone in the queue cemetery that reads "In memory of Uncle Theodore.

Cousin Algernon
The bust with the Derby hat is Cousin Algernon’s. He was played by Chuck Schroeder.
An epitaphless tombstone with the name Cousin Algernon sits on the hillside adjacent to the queue.

Ned Nub
Next comes a bust not wearing a necktie, who’s representing Ned Nub, played by Jay Meyer. Jay had appeared live in Disneyland, entertaining audiences with Irish tunes in the historical Golden Horseshoe Revue.
A tombstone with the name Ned Nub can also be found on the hillside adjacent to the queue.
 
Phineas P. Pock
Relative of the poetess Prudence Pock (crypt backstory in Chapter 17) He was played by Bob Ebright. The name Phineas Pock has appeared elsewhere in Haunted Mansion lore. A souvenir magic book, released in 1970, was authored by a ghostly magician named Phineas J. Pock.
Robert Ebright is an actor, known for The Great Caruso (1951), So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cinderella Jones (1946).
Phineas has a tombstone with the rest on the hillside adjacent to the queue.
Note:  In the original concept art by Marc Davis, Aunt Lucretia was part of the group.
Disney's animated film Hercules features a homage to the Singing Busts. During the song "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)", the five Muses appear as the Busts.

Duke and Duchess


Microsoft
Back on the left is a peculiar scene, a small table draped with a festive picnic cloth stands among the tombstones, with a few flickering candles on it. Seated opposite from each other, a British lord and lady are toast to the night, a bottle of wine sitting in a nearby ice bucket. An arm emerges from a crypt, also holding a glass of wine and joining in on the toast. They join in the singing...

Now don’t close your eyes and don’t try to hide
Or a silly spook may sit by your side.
Shrouded in a daft disguise, they pretend to terrorize!
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize...

The duchess is voiced by Betty Wand, a long time Hollywood singing dubber. Her credits includes a vocal dubber for Leslie Caron in Gigi, for South Pacific, and for Rita Moreno in West Side Story. She also sings for one of the female birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room.
 
The duke is voiced by Bill Lee (1916-1980), a multi-talented Disney singer and voice actor. Lee was the baritone singer for the Mello Men quartet, singing on the soundtracks for Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book.

Tea Party Ghosts

Next on the left is a tea party group, all dressed in Dicken’s fashion are gathered around a hearse stuck in the mud, enjoying a spot of tea. Their all singing in hushed monotone voices. The voices belong to Betty Wand, Ernie Newton and Bill Days. Ernie Newton and Bill Days we'll encounter again later in the graveyard.
A rotted old wood hearse seems to have veered off into the graveyard and lodged itself in a mud puddle a while back. The hearse driver wears a top hat, coat, vest, cravat and high boots, he also hold a driving whip.
Sitting on and around the hearse are a number of ghosts, chatting and sipping tea. The unburied occupant of the hearse sits up in his spilled coffin and next to him a woman appears to be dressed in mourning.
 
A nearby pot of tea hovers, pouring glowing tea into a cup and saucer.

Other ghost’s materialize, gathering around a hearse and drinking tea. 

Bicycle Ghosts

 Behind the tea party, up on a grassy knoll, a group of ghostly cyclists ride around the tombstones. One of them rides a tandem bicycle.

Mummy

An Egyptian-styled tomb has been opened and a Mummy sits in his sarcophagus, stirring tea with one bandaged hand. Over him stands a bearded old man holds a hearing-horn to his ear. The mummy (voiced by Allan Davies) is mumbling the song "Grim Grinning Ghosts" through his bandages, but the old man (Dallas McKennon) is continually, loudly complaining he can’t hear him, which frustrates the mummy.
 
As the moon climbs high ‘ore the dead oak tree,
Spooks arise for the midnight spree
Creepy creeps with eerie eyes start to shriek and harmonize
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

A skittish, thin dog (probably the caretaker's dog) sniffs the mummy's sarcophagus.

Allan Davies worked as a choral arranger for Disney with Buddy Baker, his two most notable projects being the Mansion and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. He contributed as a music contractor for the new soundtracks for the dark rides in the New Fantasyland. Davies can also be heard on the soundtrack for Mary Poppins.
Dallas McKennon, a prolific voice actor for Disney. McKennon appeared on screen in dozens of films and television shows. McKennon's credits include one of the pound dogs in Lady and the Tramp, the owl hooting in Sleeping Beauty, and the fox in Mary Poppins. For the theme parks, McKennon can be heard as the voice of Zeke in Country Bear Jamboree, Ben Franklin for Epcot's The American Adventure, and perhaps his best known "This here is the wildest ride in the wilderness!" for Big Thunder Mountain.
 

Opera Singers

The far end of the graveyard wraps around in an elevated line of crypts. At the top of stone stairs stand two opera singers. An overweight woman with pig tales and is wearing a Viking helmet and next to her thin man, bearing a mustache, also clad as a Viking.
A nearby open crypt reveals a shimmering spirit beckoning from beyond...

The opera singers join in the singing of "Grim Grinning Ghosts," with the female wailing and ad-libbing on the third verse.

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell,
Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell!
Happy haunts materialize,
And rise as spooks of every size...
They are voiced/performed by Loulie Jean Norman (soprano) and Bill Reeve (tenor). The female opera singer may be named Harriet, as there is a tombstone in the queue attributed to "first lady of the opera, our haunting Harriet." The opera singers are a visual pun on Phantom of the Opera.
 
Note: Other references to opera (and specifically Phantom of the Opera) have appeared in the Mansion. One of the Sinister Eleven characters holds a pair of opera glasses. For years, in the attic, a poster of Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera could be found among the rubble.
 
Loulie Jean Norman credits include as a backup singer for Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Randy Newman, Dean Martin, and many, many others.
 
Bill Reeve was a chorus singer for the Enchanted Tiki Room, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and America Sings.
 

Decapitated Knight, Masked Executioner and Prisoner

Next to the Opera singers on the raised stone walk in front of several crypts stand a decapitated knight (Ernie Newton) and a hulking but high-voiced masked executioner (Bill Days) with a blood-stained axe, and a short prisoner still bound to a ball and chain.
 A Beheaded Knight, his Executioner, and his Prisoner all sing as a trio,

Beheaded Knight
Holding his singing head in an extended hand the knight sings in a German accent, suggesting he is a Germanic knight.
 
Ernie Newton provided the thick German accent for the decapitated knight. His other vocal work for Disney includes Great Moments With Mr Lincoln, and as the voice of Pierre in the Enchanted Tiki Room, and several singing pirates with Thurl and Frees in the burning city for Pirates of the Caribbean.
 
Prisoner
Next to them is a hairy, gravelly-voiced dwarf prisoner (Candy Candido, also a hitchhiking ghost), with a long beard and holding a file to use on the ball and chain shackled to his ankle.
 
The name of "Gus" for the Prisoner was initially coined by Cast Members and fans. It has since become adopted by some extensions of the Haunted Mansion media.
 
He to sings "Grim Grinning Ghosts" with some lyrics slightly differently, i.e., "When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake, Spooks come out for a screaming wake", as opposed to the normal "Spooks come out for a swinging wake".
  
A tombstone with the name Gus debuted on the hillside adjacent to the queue.
 
Candy Candido as the voice of the gravelly prisoner/Gus. Some of his best-known vocal parts include the angry apple tree in Wizard of Oz, the Indian Chief in Peter Pan, one of Maleficent's goons in Sleeping Beauty, the Awful Dynn in Chuck Jones' classic The Phantom Tollbooth, the Captain of the Guards in Robin Hood, and Fidget in The Great Mouse Detective.
 
Microsoft
Executioner
The Executioner is the figure in the middle, between the Prisoner and the Beheaded Knight.
He sings a duet with the Prisoner, having a high-pitched voice, while the Prisoner's voice is low and gravelly. He however sings the "Grim Grinning Ghosts," with some of the lyrics differently, for instance "They begin to terrorize" instead of "They pretend to terrorize".
 
The executioner is voice by Bill Days. Days worked with Thurl starting back in the 1930s, when both of them were vocalists for The Sportsmen quartet.

Bricklayer

Next to the trio before exiting the graveyard we pass one more spirit, from a crypt a skeletal arm holding a trowel dangles out of a partially bricked-in tomb skeleton it is seemingly paving the crypt, entrapping himself inside.
 
While other ghosts attempt to escape their tombs in the graveyard, the bricklayer appears to be doing the opposite by walling itself in.
 
As we approach the end of the graveyard from above the crypt the RAVEN squawks.
 

The Crypt

The exit from the graveyard takes the Doombuggies through a crypt.
Upon entering the crypt The GHOST HOST once again joins the guests:
"Aaahh, there you are! And just in time, there’s a little matter I forgot to mention, beware of hitchhiking ghosts! They have selected you to fill our quota, and they'll haunt you until you return! hahahaha".

While hearing this warning, guests pass three hitchhiking ghosts, the prisoner, the skeleton, and the traveler, the trio are standing together inside a crypt, with thumbs extended.
 
They are looking to hitch a ride with guests traveling in Doombuggies.
While moving further into the crypt. The guest then pass in front of a mirror, they will notice that they are no longer alone. One of the three hitchhiking ghosts has joined the guests inside their Doombuggies, and mischievously interact with the guests.
The names of the Hitchhiking Ghosts are: Gus (left), Ezra (skeleton), and Phineas (traveler). Each are designated with a tombstone in the queue cemetery.
Hitchhiking Ghosts
The Hitchhiking Ghosts are considered the Haunted Mansion’s mascots.
 
The Prisoner is a short, hairy little ghost with a ball and chain shackled to his ankle.
Gus is has been previously seen standing next to the masked executioner in the graveyard.
 
The Skeleton is a tall, dapper, grinning ghost.
Ezra has the same face as the Hatbox Ghost, though they are not regarded as the same character.
In Marc Davis' original concept art, the character was a stereotypical "sheet ghost" with no clothes, save for the bowler hat he lifted above his head. By the time the attraction opened, the character had evolved into the fully clothed skeletal ghost seen in the Mansion today.
 
The Traveler is an overweight hunchback wearing a top hat and holding a carpet bag.
Phineas is possibly the ghost of a carpetbagger.


NOTES:
Imagineer Jason Surrell said, "Their names are not Ezra, Phineas, and Gus. I don't know where it came from. I know at one point, Cast Members contributed to this website that names all the ghosts and gives them backstories. None of those have any basis in Imagineering story, or anything like that. But somehow Ezra, Phineas, and Gus managed to stick. When the interactive queue was installed outside of the Walt Disney World attraction in 2011, tombstones with the names Gus and Ezra were added. Also added was a tombstone for Phineas Pock, though this is a reference to the singing bust character, and not the Traveler hitchhiking ghost.”
 
See section below called Ghost Gallery, which discusses the backstories developed by the Haunted Mansion’s cast members over the years.
 
The vocals for the Hitchhiking ghosts were provided by actor Kurt von Schmittou.
Kurt von Schmittou originated the roles of Bruce the Shark in the original cast of FINDING NEMO; THE MUSICAL and Baloo in the original cast of JOURNEY INTO JUNGLE BOOK at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as performed in the original cast of several other Walt Disney World shows including THE AMERICAN IDOL EXPERIENCE and FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER: A FROZEN SING-ALONG CELEBRATION.

As the Doombuggies approach the exit of the crypt, guests are hailed from the right upper corner of the crypt by a miniature lady ghost in white, the GHOSTESS (Little Leota) says:
“Hurry back!.... Hurry back!....
 Be sure to bring your death certificate, if you decide to join us…..
 Make final arrangements now!.....
 We've been dying... to have you...”


Little Leota is played (face and voice) by Leota Toombs. The character is said to have been inspired by the "arrangement hostesses" from the 1965 film The Loved One. Little Leota was created as being separate to the medium Madame Leota, however due to being played by the same woman, both characters are sometimes linked.
 
The Loved One is a 1965 comedy film about the funeral business. It was directed by British filmmaker Tony Richardson and the film stars included Robert Morse, Jonathan Winters, Anjanette Comer and Rod Steiger with cameos from John Gielgud, Roddy McDowall, James Coburn, Milton Berle, Dana Andrews and Liberace.

Unloading Area

Following Little Leota’s speech, the Doombuggy reaches the unloading area and the GHOST HOST tells guests one final thing:

“Now, I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home! Hahahaha”
We apologize for a quality of some of the photos. The Haunted Mansion is a very dark ride. Taking Flash photos is not acceptable.
We have limited capability with the current equipment, which is excellent for most conditions. In order to improve we would need to upgrade (expensive) and have a little more luck. This is a very fast ride. As we are able to take better photos, we will return to add and replace the current ones. Thank you for bearing with us.
Just a little side tour that most guests may not see or may even not know about.
As guests exit the Haunted Mansion through a long Hall, they’ll may notice a door on their right.

Servants’ Quarters - Cast Members Only!

The Servant’s Quarters is really just an area for cast members to change between positions in the rotations, there isn’t much to it anymore sadly. It used to be a lot more detail before they installed the new Queue in 2011. It is now an access point for wheelchair-bound guests.

Marc Davis concept arts for the Stretch Room portraits used to be located here, along with a unique yellow/white striped wallpaper (wallpaper has also been removed) and a board that has “keys” to different rooms in the Haunted Mansion.
There’s also an armoire of sorts with a clock on it.
Also on the wall in this “secret” hallway are a set of bells.  Each bell corresponds to a location in the building.  By ringing the bell, servants would know where they are needed. 
 
There are names of characters on these bells who may or may not appear in the attraction. Most of the names are actually tributes to Imagineers who were involved in the creation of the Haunted Mansion.
Ambassador Xavier's - Lounging Lodge
Madame Leota's - Boudoir
Grandfather McKim's - Resting Room
Uncle Davis' - Sleeping Salon
Master Gracey's - Bedchamber
Colonel Coats' - Breakfast Berth
Professor Wathel's - Reposing Lounge
Ambassador Xavier
In the Servants' Quarters, there is a bell for Ambassador Xavier's Lounging Lodge. A tribute to Imagineer Xavier Atencio. The name Xavier appeared on a tombstone in the queue.

Madame Leota
We’ve met Madame Leota several times in the cemetery and within the Haunted Mansion.

Grandfather McKim
In the Servants' Quarters, there is a bell for Grandfather McKim's Resting Room. A tribute to Sam McKim.
Sam McKim is best known to Disney fans today as the creator of the Disneyland souvenir maps.
Sam also developed inspirational sketches for the Disney-MGM Studios.

Uncle Davis
There’s a bell for Uncle Davis Sleeping Salon. Uncle Davis is Marc Davis. Marc Davis was one of the major Imagineers who contributed considerably to the concepts in the Haunted Mansion.

Master Gracey
And there’s a bell for Master Gracey’s bedchamber. Mater Gracey is named after Imagineer Yale Gracey who create many of the effects for the Haunted Mansion

Colonel Coats
In the Servants Quarters, there is a bell for Colonel Coats' Bivouac Berth. A tribute to Claude Coats.
Claude Coats is generally considered to be responsible for the atmospheric first half of the attraction. He also has a tombstone tribute in the queue.

Professor Wathel
In the Servants Quarters, there is a bell for Professor Wathel's Reposing Lounge, named after the character Wathel R. Bender. A tribute to Wathel Rogers. He has a tombstone tribute in the queue as well.
Facebook Friends who’s information assisted in putting this section together:

Drew Brandon Vogel
Beth Lammers Brooks
                                                                                                                                                                                     Thank you!

The Final Crypts

As you exit the Haunted Mansion, there are three crypts. The crypts are inscribed with clever witty puns, they are quite funny so you should take the time to read them on your way out of the Mansion.
The first crypt contains the following dearly departed:


  • C. U. Later (See you later)
  • Dustin T. Dust (Dust into Dust)
  • Asher T. Ashes (Ashes to Ashes)
  • M. T. Tomb (Empty Tomb)
  • Hail N. Hardy (Hail and Hearty) 
  • I. M. Ready (I am Ready)
  • Love U. Trudy (Love you truly) 
  • I. Trudy Deui (I Truly Do)
  • Rusty Gates (Rusty Gates)
  • Pearl E. Gates (Pearly Gates)
  • Rustin Peece (Rest in Peace) 
The second crypt, which bears the inscription 'In Spiritual Repose', contains the bodies of:



  • Hal Lusinashun (Hallucination)
  • Be a Witch (Be a Witch)
  • Hap A. Rition (Apparition)
  • Manny Festation (Manifestation)
  • Metta Fisiks (Metaphysics)
  • Clare Voince (Clairvoyance)
  • Wee G. Bord (Ouija Board)
  • I. Emma Spook (I am a Spook)
  • Paul Tergyst (Poltergeist) 



The final crypt pays homage to Bluebeard. Bluebeard is a character in a French folktale who had an inclination for murdering his wives and his crypt is an apparent tie-in to the early sea captain/bloodthirsty pirate story line.
 

 It contains his loving wives, and it reads:


1440
Blue Beard
Here Lyeth his Loving Wives
Penelope - died 1434
Abigail - 1435
Anastasia - 1436
Prudence - 1437
Pheobe - 1438
Eugenia - 1439
Lucretia -

Seven winsome wives
some fat, some thin
Six of them were faithful
But the seventh did him in

Haunted Mansion Dining Experiences

In 2002, Table in Wonderland (then called Disney Dining Experience) held a special event, dining in the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion. It must be been a wonderful experience, wish they would have one again.

Then in 2013, Club 33 held a special event to celebrate 100 years of Marc Davis by hosting a dinner party in the Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, several Imagineers were there.

The Pet Cemetery

Just before leaving through the Iron gates of the Haunted Mansion, up on the hillside to the left is one last cemetery, a Pet Cemetery. Some of the tombstones feature humorous epitaphs. The animals laid to rest in the Pet Cemetery include:

  • A snake named Eric, who's epitaph reads
    "Here lies my snake whose fatal mistake, was frightening a gardener who carried a rake"





 
  • A poodle named Fi Fi.
    “So prim and proper and never lazy, all you do now is pack or double”
     
 




 

  • An unnamed monkey who died in 1871.



 




And tucked in the back corner is a statue of Mr. Toad. Added in 2005, this headstone is a tribute to the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride which closed at Disney World in 1998 and was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction.

Reference:

Logo
wine.com




  • Waddle the duck who died in 1928. The epitaph reads
    "Little Waddles saw the truck, Little Waddles didn't duck"




  • A cat named Miss Kitty who epitaph reads
  • “After losing eight lives you still had no fear.
    You caught a snake in your mouth and that's why you're here"

  • Rover the dog who died in 1898,
“Every dog has his day, too bad today was your last”
 


 
  • Jed the Cockatoo who died in 1882.
Note: Imagineer Kim Irving redesigned the Pet cemetery is the daughter of Madame Leota (Leota Toombs).
Picture
2012
Picture
2018
Going through the Haunted Mansion attraction takes about 8 minutes, about half is the queue. It’s amazing how much detail, special effects and history is in this attraction. There is no way guests and possibly absorb it all do it just one time. That’s way we’ve included so much detail, information and references in this Chapter.
References:

Ghost Gallery
The Ghost Gallery is a loose-leaf notebook written by several Cast Members at the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion. These character biographies were written partially by former Cast Member R.C. Loveland, who later transferred several of the stories from the Ghost Gallery itself to digital.
The book itself was an effort by Cast Members to write a cohesive back story for the Mansion, since the original script lacked a narrative plot. Though it was an unofficial work, based on no official documents, the Cast Members tried to keep events logical and interrelated.  
If you still haven’t had enough of the Haunted Mansion and you miss being there, here is an excellent video. It’s an in-depth video tour taken before the 2011 interactive queue addition. However the interior of the Haunted Mansion had changed very little. It’s a long video, but I think you’ll agree it’s very well done.
We recommend that you check out Martin’s website. He has put together some amazing videos of the Disney Theme parks.
Script
IF your interested in a complete Haunted Mansion script, here are two location for the transcript of the what the guests hear as they tour through the Haunted Mansion.
Layout
Also a layout of the Haunted Mansion attraction (the one you see at the beginning of this Chapter):  
Characters
List of Haunted Mansion Characters:  
Literature and Articles
No other attraction in Disney parks has as much written about it than the Haunted Mansion. Throughout this Chapter we have include many links to some of the websites that covered the Haunted Mansion. Below is just a very short list of additional websites, articles, and book written about the Haunted Mansion.
If these aren’t enough, just enter Haunted Mansion in any search engine.
A Library filled with literature on the Haunted Mansion:  
A Haunted Mansion Reading List for Foolish Mortals:  

Interesting short video on the History of the Haunted Mansion (Since the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansions were designed at the same time the History effected both)
QUIZ: Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park
The Haunted Mansion is a favorite attraction for many guests. How well do you know the history and theming of this attraction? Test your knowledge!

Memento Mori

As most things change at Disney in 2014, The Yankee Trader Gourmet Shoppe located in Liberty Square next to the Haunted Mansion, became a store selling just merchandise themed to the Haunted Mansion attraction. The Yankee Trader was where you found colonial (and Mickey Mouse) themed kitchenware, coffee, candy and other foodstuffs, most of this merchandise can now be found in the Emporium.
Memento Mori offers the largest selection of Haunted Mansion merchandise at Walt Disney World, but is much more than it seems. Memento Mori name was taken from an inscription on a tombstone in the Haunted Mansion’s Graveyard. Memento mori literally means "Remember you must die". In Colonial America Puritan tombstone would often display a memento mori intended remind the living that death is imminent. Well with 999 Haunts right next door looking for one more, it probably a good reminder. (It's also similar to the Roman phrase "Remember thy art Mortal")
Also if you check out the marquee, you may notice that it employs a visual trick used in the Mansion’s original portrait gallery. The large “eye” incorporated into the marquee appears to follow you as you walk by.
 
Inside, Memento Mori’s themed around Madame Leota. The shop is an attraction in itself so careful inspection tour would be recommended.
Picture
Madame Leota is watching
Picture


Madame Leota, our medium from the Haunted Mansion’s Séance Circle, is the disembodied spirit inside her crystal ball, summoning spirits “from regions beyond.” Imagineers used Leota as inspiration for the shop and continued to develop her storyline within it. According to backstory of the shop, Memento Mori had been the home of Madame Leota during her earthly years. Although she vacated long ago, many of her belongings are still located in the shop, including a portrait of someone assumed to be Leota back in her “corruptible, mortal state.” And if you get close enough, you just may recognize a familiar face on the cameos worn by female cast members in the shop. Notice that the gold trim around the cameo features roses and even Leota’s Raven. The shops mirror features the same golden frame – and Leota’s face appears within the mirror, looking out at us from the world beyond.
 
You may also notice framed antique looking photographs decorating the walls. The style is called Daguerreotypes which was one of the earliest forms of commercial photography from the 1840s. Early photographers learned they could add in “Spirits” and a side business was invented. The images in Memento Mori are very faithful recreations of this early photography. Daguerreotype portraits can be made and purchased.
 
Memento Mori sells unique merchandise, clothing, housewares, and accessories, which is themed around the Haunted Mansion and its inhabitants.

Click on photo to enlarge

Columbia Harbour House

Columbia Harbour House is one those Magic Kingdom’s gems hidden in plain sight. (This is not a review of the restaurant, just a comment on the theming. In the website you'll noticed that we will not review the food, just what is served and the theming in the restaurant)
 
The Columbia Harbour House is located in Liberty Square across from Memento Mori Shop.
Columbia Harbor House restaurant is technically located in Fantasyland and Liberty Square. If you look at the architecture of the building you may notice that the side facing Liberty Square has an early American décor. When you proceed under the archway to Fantasyland you’ll notice it take on a European appearance. The same for the Inside the restaurant, the closer to Fantasyland, the restaurant has a Bavarian inn theme. As you move through the restaurant toward the Liberty Square side it changes to a Colonial revolutionary-era theme.
Guests who dine at Columbia Harbour House are treated to nautical setting with dark wood paneled rooms and curved ceilings will make you feel like you’re onboard a ship. There is a second floor for additional seating areas with windows that overlook Liberty Square.
 
Many of the props scattered throughout the restaurant look as though they came directly off of a ship, from the model ships, scrimshaw, and fishing spears to ship wheels, flags, and nautical maps.
Historic nautical maps hang the walls throughout the dining areas. A ghostly map of the hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast from the Chesapeake Bay to the Outer Banks of North Carolina hangs next to a window on the second floor, right next to the view of the Haunted Mansion. After finishing eating, be sure to wander through the entire restaurant to check out the unique nautical décor!
The Columbia Harbour House is a quick service dining location which serves up fresh fish or chicken platters, shrimp baskets, lobster rolls, New England clam chowder, and vegetarian chili, the menu has something for everyone.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Aahh yes! The battle for saving the Magic Kingdom goes on even through Liberty Square.
So get your map and spells ready. There are two portals in Liberty Square. One in a side window of the Liberty Belle boarding area and the second is at a Hall of President’s window near the Liberty Square Market.

Note: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom ended in Jan 2021 and is no longer available. Disney has introduced an online Magic Kingdom interactive game.

For those not familiar with the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom interactive game check out Chapter 4 Town Square – West Side for details or following links: 

Meet & Greet

Behind the Christmas Shoppe is a gazebo in a small garden area that is sometimes used as a character meet and greet area.
 
You may find:
  • Characters from Mary Poppins
  • Naveen and Princess Tiana
  • And during the Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween, Jack Skellington
 
Character appearances and times for the characters vary.
Be sure to consult the Times Guide when you arrive in the park or:
Liberty Square is the smallest of the lands in the Magic Kingdom, but the Imagineers have filled it with so much that it has taken us five Chapters to tour it.
We’ve seen and toured in:

Chapter 15 - Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square Part 1
  • Liberty Square
  • Liberty Square Riverboat
  • Liberty Tree Tavern
  • The Liberty Tree and Liberty Bell
     
    ****************************
Chapter 16 - Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square Part 2
  • Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe
  • Liberty Square Portrait Gallery
  • Sleepy Hollow
  • The Muppets Present – Great Moments in History
  • Hall of Presidents
  • Liberty Square Market
 
       ****************************
Chapter 17 - Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square Part 3 
Haunted Mansion
  • Cemetery – Queue

        ****************************
Chapter 18 - Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square Part 4
Haunted Mansion
  • The Foyer
  • The Stretching Gallery
  • The Doombuggies Loading Area
  • Hall of Portraits
  • The Library
  • The Music Room
  • Endless Staircase
  • The Endless Hallway
  • Conservatory
  • The Corridor of Doors
  • The Séance Circle
  • The Grand Ballroom
 
        ****************************
And in this Chapter

Chapter 19 - Magic Kingdom – Liberty Square Part 5
 Haunted Mansion:
        ****************************

Then on to:

Memento Mori
Columbia Harbour House
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
Meet & Greet

The next land in the Magic Kingdom that we will be touring is Fantasyland. Fantasyland has seen numerous changes and addition in the past 20 years. Our pictorial tours will try and capture the changes and transitions, as well as, provide the details that have gone into the attractions.
See you in the next Chapter 20 – Magic Kingdom – Fantasyland.
Afterword:
WDWMousing.com is designed to be a tour of Walt Disney World through photos. We have been to Walt Disney World countless times over the past 25 years and accumulated a magnitude of photos in that time. This website is an intention to combine two of our favorite pastimes, Walt Disney World and photography, inside an insightful pictorial tour.
While doing so, we've done an extensive research of the internet for background information on each area and atrraction. The information is available on the internet, but bits and pieces are scattered all over. WDWMousing doesn't intend to rewrite the stories, legends or data, but to try and collect it into one location with reference and links to the original articles and authors. And giving rightful credit. We've stumbled through quite a bit of mis-information, most of which came to life by fans because the origins were lost, forgotten or no one seems to remember. Over the past 25 years we've also lost most of the great Imagineers that helped develop, design and build the original concepts of Walt Disney World. So we believe it's extremely important to make sure that their efforts, intentions, details and creativity in making this Happiest Place on Earth isn't lost.
So we ask for feedback, insights, and suggestions.

Thank you
WDWMousing

    We would definitely like to hear from you.
    Let us know what you think, suggestions, ideas, and absolutely if we've missed anything.