The Haunted Mansion ride at Disney has always been one of my favourite things, and Phantom tops the list at #1 fave thing. And a while back I started noticing really heavy similarities between the two things and I found many of them interesting. I thought I would share these observations here, so that others might enjoy the coincidences, or homages if you'd care to take it that way.
We will begin in the Foyer. Above the fireplace hangs a portrait where a young gentleman (presumably Master Gracey) hangs. It is here that the unseen guide for the attraction first makes his presence known.
"When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candle lights flicker where the air is deathly still. That is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!"
During this speech the portrait over the fireplace changes to that of a corpse, readily resembling Erik from the novel. Though that could be said of most skeletons. The only comparison I can make of this room is that of the 'ghost host' establishing himself as an unseen presence as Erik did so many times in the opera. However, more prominent connections await!
"Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion! I am your host, your ghost host. Kindly step all the way in please and make room for everyone. There's no turning back now."
Next the guests are ushered by surley maids or butlers into the Portrait Gallery. And here is where it really starts getting fun. The chamber is a hexagontal room with no openings. This should start to ring a bell with Leroux fans, as the torture chamber in Erik's home is--you guessed it!-- a hexagontal room with no openings. Only difference being the lack of mirrors and an iron tree in the corner. However, the Portrait Gallery also mucks with a person's perception. The oil paintings that adorn the wall stretch into darkly comical scenarios of how each subject met their ultimate fate.
"Our tour begins here in this gallery where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state.
Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination, hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: This chamber has no windows and no doors, which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!
Of course, there's always my way."
'My way' is displayed via the ceiling. Where a scrim is backlit to show the tableu above. A rotted corpse is hanging from the rafters. Which, incidentally, is also the usual method of leaving Erik's torture chamber.
The tour continues as a panel in the wall slides open, leading guests into the load area for the ride proper. Of course the secret passage being revealed through the wall is quite Phantomish.
"Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you prematurely; the real chills come later. Now, as they say, look alive, and we'll continue our little tour. And let's all stay together, please. There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts from all over the world. Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here, but there's room for a thousand. Any volunteers? If you insist on lagging behind, you may not need to volunteer. The carriage that will carry you into the moldering sanctum of the spirit world will accommodate you and one or two loved ones. Kindly watch your step as you board, please. We spirits haunt our best in gloomy darkness, so remember, no flash pictures, please.
And now, a carriage approaches to carry you into the boundless realm of the supernatural. Take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step. Oh yes, and no flash pictures, please! We spirits are frightfully sensitive to bright lights.
Do not pull down on the safety bar, please; I will lower it for you. And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times."
And with that the ride portion begins. The Doom Buggies make their way at a leisurely pace down a corridor where various creepy things are occuring. A candelabra floats down a hall upheld by unseen hands, which always reminded me of the ratcatcher scene. It appeared that a flaming head was floating about the lower levels of the opera house because of a trick that the lantern the rat catcher played with the eyes.
"We find it delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat. Every room has wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Shhh, listen!"
In the next series of vignettes there is a piano playing by itself, very reminiscent of the ALW Don Juan rehearsal where the piano plays of it's own accord. A body trying to escape from a coffin, which tends to remind me of a very bad practical joke on Erik as in the novel he sleeps in a coffin. (Quirky man, eh?) As well as a vast array of doors with spirits shrieking, moaning, and knocking behind.
"All our ghosts have been dying to meet you! This one can hardly contain himself!
Unfortunately, they all seem to have trouble getting through. Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact. She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied."
And as the Doom Buggies round the bend we see Madam Leota. A disembodied head in a crystal ball on a table. Around the room musical instruments float. As an interesting note for those who care, Madam Leota was voiced by the same actress who voiced Lady Tremane from Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. And the character was named after Leota Toombs (ironic name, eh?) who provided the face and voice for 'Little Leota' at the end of the attraction. But I digress.
Madam Leota recites incantations as you drift through the room.
"Horntoads and lizards, fiddle and strum. Please answer the role by beating a drum!
Ghost fiends and furies, old friends and new! Blow in a horn, so we'll know whether it's you!
Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call in the spirits, wherever they're at.
Rap on a table; it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond.
Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween. Awaken the spirits with your tambourine.
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond; let there be music, from regions beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!"
If you want to stretch it you could think of the divination Erik learned form his time with the gypsies in the Kay novel, but there are better connections to be had.
"The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize. They're assembling for a swinging wake, and they'll be expecting me. I'll see you all a little later."
Masquerade!
Well, not exactly. But there is a fabulous ghost party going on. And there is a chandelier, only it stays put and has some drunk ghost dangling off of it. Two portraits on the wall come to life and duel with pistols. Spectral dancers whirl about the floor and through the furniture. An endless parade of partygoers come and go from a hearse parked by the entrance. Why, there's even a birthday party! But what you're interested in is in the far corner. A skeletal figure playing the pipe organ, and having a wonderful time of it! There are heaps of publicity stills of this guy. The effect used to create the 'spirits' is also something I'm sure Erik took advantage of from time to time to freak out the ballet rats. It's called Pepper's Ghost. link
Moving right along we are now in the attic. This is also where the cheap scare tactics come into play. There are piles of junk all over the attic, and from behind several of them ghouls and skeletons pop out, which can be a little startling if you're not expecting it. And right before you leave is the Bride. There is a new effect there now, and the Bride talks and so forth, but she used to just float there, with her heart beating. The really old version of the Bride was beautiful and creepy and reminded me of the Christine mannequin from the stage show.
The Doom Buggies then pass out the window, and down into the family cemetery out back. The descent from the attic to the ground is exactly 6 feet, another macabre little joke on the imagineers part.
Now the graveyard is a bit more Masquerade-ish. Ghosts in every period garb are frolicking about the cemetery singing! This is where the famous busts are located. And no, one of them is not Walt Disney. That is an urban myth. But once again, what you want is at the end of the scene. There is a diva ghost who reminds me of Carlotta, a tenor ghost with a severed head, and in one of the crypts a very creepy looking spectre all in black with glowing eyes. They're red, not gold. But still pretty awesome.
As the Doom Buggies depart the graveyard the ghost host is there waiting.
"Ah, 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! Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!"
And there they are. 3 ghosts, no waiting. A short hairy little convict, a medium sized older spirit, and a tall lanky skeleton. And one of them is getting in the Doom Buggy with you! It's a variant of the Peppers Ghost, and it appears when you look in a mirror in front of your buggy that one of the ghosts is sitting right next to you! Makes one want to burst into Angel of Music if it's the skeleton.
And right before you unload, there's Little Leota, dressed in a bridal gown, beckoning you to return.
"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!"
To make things even more interesting in Disney Paris the variation of the ride is Phantom Manor. There is a skeleton in evening clothes that follows you all throughout the ride, stalking the bride. The French ride has a fantastic orchestral score as well. And the 'Phantom's laugh is provided by the late great Vincent Price. (not really Phantom related, but awesome)
There are lots of other little details that are really hard to describe unless you've seen the rides first hand. But the next time you're in Disney, make sure you don't miss this ride.
Also, check this site out. There are pictures, sound bytes, and videos, as well as a lot of really interesting random information. www.doombuggies.com
We will begin in the Foyer. Above the fireplace hangs a portrait where a young gentleman (presumably Master Gracey) hangs. It is here that the unseen guide for the attraction first makes his presence known.
"When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candle lights flicker where the air is deathly still. That is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!"
During this speech the portrait over the fireplace changes to that of a corpse, readily resembling Erik from the novel. Though that could be said of most skeletons. The only comparison I can make of this room is that of the 'ghost host' establishing himself as an unseen presence as Erik did so many times in the opera. However, more prominent connections await!
"Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion! I am your host, your ghost host. Kindly step all the way in please and make room for everyone. There's no turning back now."
Next the guests are ushered by surley maids or butlers into the Portrait Gallery. And here is where it really starts getting fun. The chamber is a hexagontal room with no openings. This should start to ring a bell with Leroux fans, as the torture chamber in Erik's home is--you guessed it!-- a hexagontal room with no openings. Only difference being the lack of mirrors and an iron tree in the corner. However, the Portrait Gallery also mucks with a person's perception. The oil paintings that adorn the wall stretch into darkly comical scenarios of how each subject met their ultimate fate.
"Our tour begins here in this gallery where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state.
Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination, hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: This chamber has no windows and no doors, which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!
Of course, there's always my way."
'My way' is displayed via the ceiling. Where a scrim is backlit to show the tableu above. A rotted corpse is hanging from the rafters. Which, incidentally, is also the usual method of leaving Erik's torture chamber.
The tour continues as a panel in the wall slides open, leading guests into the load area for the ride proper. Of course the secret passage being revealed through the wall is quite Phantomish.
"Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you prematurely; the real chills come later. Now, as they say, look alive, and we'll continue our little tour. And let's all stay together, please. There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts from all over the world. Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here, but there's room for a thousand. Any volunteers? If you insist on lagging behind, you may not need to volunteer. The carriage that will carry you into the moldering sanctum of the spirit world will accommodate you and one or two loved ones. Kindly watch your step as you board, please. We spirits haunt our best in gloomy darkness, so remember, no flash pictures, please.
And now, a carriage approaches to carry you into the boundless realm of the supernatural. Take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step. Oh yes, and no flash pictures, please! We spirits are frightfully sensitive to bright lights.
Do not pull down on the safety bar, please; I will lower it for you. And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times."
And with that the ride portion begins. The Doom Buggies make their way at a leisurely pace down a corridor where various creepy things are occuring. A candelabra floats down a hall upheld by unseen hands, which always reminded me of the ratcatcher scene. It appeared that a flaming head was floating about the lower levels of the opera house because of a trick that the lantern the rat catcher played with the eyes.
"We find it delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat. Every room has wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Shhh, listen!"
In the next series of vignettes there is a piano playing by itself, very reminiscent of the ALW Don Juan rehearsal where the piano plays of it's own accord. A body trying to escape from a coffin, which tends to remind me of a very bad practical joke on Erik as in the novel he sleeps in a coffin. (Quirky man, eh?) As well as a vast array of doors with spirits shrieking, moaning, and knocking behind.
"All our ghosts have been dying to meet you! This one can hardly contain himself!
Unfortunately, they all seem to have trouble getting through. Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact. She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied."
And as the Doom Buggies round the bend we see Madam Leota. A disembodied head in a crystal ball on a table. Around the room musical instruments float. As an interesting note for those who care, Madam Leota was voiced by the same actress who voiced Lady Tremane from Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. And the character was named after Leota Toombs (ironic name, eh?) who provided the face and voice for 'Little Leota' at the end of the attraction. But I digress.
Madam Leota recites incantations as you drift through the room.
"Horntoads and lizards, fiddle and strum. Please answer the role by beating a drum!
Ghost fiends and furies, old friends and new! Blow in a horn, so we'll know whether it's you!
Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call in the spirits, wherever they're at.
Rap on a table; it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond.
Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween. Awaken the spirits with your tambourine.
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond; let there be music, from regions beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!"
If you want to stretch it you could think of the divination Erik learned form his time with the gypsies in the Kay novel, but there are better connections to be had.
"The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize. They're assembling for a swinging wake, and they'll be expecting me. I'll see you all a little later."
Masquerade!
Well, not exactly. But there is a fabulous ghost party going on. And there is a chandelier, only it stays put and has some drunk ghost dangling off of it. Two portraits on the wall come to life and duel with pistols. Spectral dancers whirl about the floor and through the furniture. An endless parade of partygoers come and go from a hearse parked by the entrance. Why, there's even a birthday party! But what you're interested in is in the far corner. A skeletal figure playing the pipe organ, and having a wonderful time of it! There are heaps of publicity stills of this guy. The effect used to create the 'spirits' is also something I'm sure Erik took advantage of from time to time to freak out the ballet rats. It's called Pepper's Ghost. link
Moving right along we are now in the attic. This is also where the cheap scare tactics come into play. There are piles of junk all over the attic, and from behind several of them ghouls and skeletons pop out, which can be a little startling if you're not expecting it. And right before you leave is the Bride. There is a new effect there now, and the Bride talks and so forth, but she used to just float there, with her heart beating. The really old version of the Bride was beautiful and creepy and reminded me of the Christine mannequin from the stage show.
The Doom Buggies then pass out the window, and down into the family cemetery out back. The descent from the attic to the ground is exactly 6 feet, another macabre little joke on the imagineers part.
Now the graveyard is a bit more Masquerade-ish. Ghosts in every period garb are frolicking about the cemetery singing! This is where the famous busts are located. And no, one of them is not Walt Disney. That is an urban myth. But once again, what you want is at the end of the scene. There is a diva ghost who reminds me of Carlotta, a tenor ghost with a severed head, and in one of the crypts a very creepy looking spectre all in black with glowing eyes. They're red, not gold. But still pretty awesome.
As the Doom Buggies depart the graveyard the ghost host is there waiting.
"Ah, 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! Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!"
And there they are. 3 ghosts, no waiting. A short hairy little convict, a medium sized older spirit, and a tall lanky skeleton. And one of them is getting in the Doom Buggy with you! It's a variant of the Peppers Ghost, and it appears when you look in a mirror in front of your buggy that one of the ghosts is sitting right next to you! Makes one want to burst into Angel of Music if it's the skeleton.
And right before you unload, there's Little Leota, dressed in a bridal gown, beckoning you to return.
"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!"
To make things even more interesting in Disney Paris the variation of the ride is Phantom Manor. There is a skeleton in evening clothes that follows you all throughout the ride, stalking the bride. The French ride has a fantastic orchestral score as well. And the 'Phantom's laugh is provided by the late great Vincent Price. (not really Phantom related, but awesome)
There are lots of other little details that are really hard to describe unless you've seen the rides first hand. But the next time you're in Disney, make sure you don't miss this ride.
Also, check this site out. There are pictures, sound bytes, and videos, as well as a lot of really interesting random information. www.doombuggies.com