The Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride. Then again, I've also been told that I'm a somewhat morbid Disney fan, too!
As you enter the Mansion through the front doors, you are faced with two sets of doors. You are greeted by your Ghost Host, as he opens one set of doors for you. He then continues speaking to you as he closes the doors behind you.
Your Ghost Host continues to speak to you, as the room magically starts stretching! Soon, the paintings on the walls start to show a more grim version of themselves. You see what has caused the lovely ladies and dignified gentlemen portrayed in the paintings to become residents of this lovely manor!
Magically, the walls then slide open and you see a long hallway ahead of you. As you walk down the hallway, to your left you can see that the "dark and stormy night" description definately fits in this Mansion ... but wasn't it bright and sunny when we came in here? To your right are more pictures of the Mansion's inhabitants.
Just follow the velvet ropes down to the loading area for the Mansion. Watch out! The floor is moving! Your Host or Hostess will now show you to your Doombuggy. As you get in, don't pull down on the bar, your Ghost Host will do it for you.
Now you are moving through a dark stairway which leads to an endless hallway where invisible hands are seemingly holding a candelabra in mid-air. This hallway seems to go on and on, never ending.
You continue down the hallway towards the Conservatory. It seems to be all set up for a funeral ... including the coffin! But what's this? Is there someone trying to get out?
You continue on into the next corridor. There are family photos on the walls, stitching samplers (reading "Tomb Sweet Tomb") and on into the corridor of doors. Most of these doors seem to have someone ... or some THING attempting to get out into the corridor ... let's just hope they don't succeed, shal we? At the end of the corridor is a tall, stately grandfather clock. But something seems amiss ... is this clock striking 13?
Next you will proceed into the Séance Room, where Madame Leota's disembodied head calls upon the deceased to make a special appearance just for you. "Goblins and Ghoulies from last Halloween, awaken the spirits with your tambourine!" She cries, and she seems to be on the up and up, for there are musical instruments and other floating objects, all being held up by the floating spirits.
You leave the Séance Room, now, and head into the banquet room where there seems to be a party going on. One of the ghosts seems to be celebrating her birthday with a grand banquet and ball! The ghostly organist plays a haunting melody on the massive pipe organ. Are those two portraits in the middle of a pistol duel?
Now you're leaving the celebrations and heading into the attic. A ghostly pianist plays a ghoulish bridal march, while various ghosts jump out at you. Just before you leave the attic, a ghostly bride stands there, awaiting her groom.
You head out of the attic and move down into the graveyard. The groundskeeper and his faithful companion look into the entrance to the cemetary with a look of abject terror on their faces. You enter through the gates, and gaze upon a veritable overload of the inhabitants who have all "come out to socialize"! There are ghosts all over the place, playing board games, flying around, performing in an opera ... they're all out for a night on the town!
You exit the graveyard through a large crypt, and are met on the other side by three "hitchiking" ghosts. They're thumbing for a ride, beware or you may just have to give them a lift! EEK! You weren't fast enough! As you come around the corner you realise that you have picked up a hitchiker! You look beside you and he's not there, but look in the ornate mirrors hanging in the corridor and there he is, just smiling his thanks to you for the lift!
You get to the end of the corridor where you will disembark from your doombuggy. There is another host or hostess waiting for you. You exit your ride vehicle and proceed up the moving sidewalk past a recessed alcove paralleling the corridor with a small ghostly woman standing at the end entreating you to "Hurry back... hurry back! And don't forget your death certificate! We're just... dying... to have you..."
Click on the following icons to see more images of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland
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