Day 2 - October 20, 2013
One of the key components of any
Disney attraction, shop, restaurant, land, etc.
is story. While creating a haunted house style
attraction could be fairly easy for Disney, they
of course decided to try and focus around a
central story that would help guests understand
how the mansion and the ghosts tie together.
Disney opted for the story of Captain Bartholomew
Gore, a ship captain that disappeared out at sea. While the story
may have changed throughout the years, the original idea still has
remains creeping around the mansion to this day. For instance, from
the very start the idea of butler and maids guiding guests was
present along with the idea of guests coming into contact with the
ghost of the mansion owner's bride. While the storyline of Captain
Gore was eventually dropped, two nods to the original story can
still be found in the Haunted Mansion to this day.
Disneyland's Mansion is set on the rivers in New
Orleans Square, a perfect home for a captain of a ship to live!
While the mansion doesn't exactly seem like the home to a ship
captain, pay close attention to the weathervane on the exterior of
Disneyland's mansion. Here guests will see that the weathervane is a
ship (similar to the one found at the Liberty Square Riverboat's
landing weathervane). In addition to the weathervane, to this day
you can still find a painting of a ship captain found in the
hallways of Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion.
As time went by several other ideas were tossed
around involving characters like the Headless Horseman from The
Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, scenes from the Mickey Mouse
short Lonesome Ghosts, and many other ideas. Eventually the ideas
from different variations began to combine together while the
Disneyland Mansion's exterior was under construction. The overall
storyline still wasn't in tact, postponing when the attraction would
actually open from its original planned 1963 opening.
Walt would eventually explain to viewers on his
television show that they were searching the world to give ghosts a
home at the Haunted Mansion. A sign was placed outside of the
mansion which read:
"Notice! All ghosts and restless spirits.
Post-lifetime leases are now available in this Haunted Mansion.
Don't be left out in the sunshine! Enjoy active retirement in this
country club atmosphere - the fashionable address for famous ghosts,
ghosts trying to make a name for themselves...and ghosts afraid to
live by themselves! Leases include License to scare the daylights
out of guests visiting the Portrait Gallery, Museum of the
Supernatural, graveyard, and other happy haunting grounds. For
reservations send resume of past experience to: Ghost Relations
Dept. Disneyland. Please! Do not apply in person."
Things were starting to come around for the mansion
and the mode of transportation was decided upon! Guests would join
their maid or butler on a tour in groups of 10-20 as spooky mayhem
would occur. How did the attraction go from walking tour to a self
guided Doombuggy? Stop by tomorrow to find out!
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