Good morning MW! This day in Disney history August 9th, 1969. The Haunted Mansion opens to the public! An attraction that was connected to several myths & urban legends. Since the facade had been up for nearly five years, rumors began making their way through schoolyards & across back fences.
My favorite, a "test patron" had supposedly been literally "scared to death!" 👻 Madame Leota, the medium in the séance room & the tiny talking figure @ the end of the ride, is modeled after Imagineer Leota Toombs (also known as Leota Thomas). It was the first attraction developed & opened without Walt Disney (he had passed away two years before). What's YOUR favorite thing about HM?
Here's a story: A few months after the Mansion opened in 1969, it closed for a mysterious reason. People thought that it was so scary that someone actually was killed inside. Well actually, the floors of the stretching room where collecting mold and were damaged from a small leak from the water of the Rivers of America, thus, they had to replace the flooring. :) - BaseballMickey_CM
2848.0 #15 11:33AM
Interesting!!! Thank you for sharing that BMCM!! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 12:59PM
The woman at the end, telling me to " hurry back.. and don't forget your DEATH certificate" love it! - erinten
236.1 #1151 8:01AM
When the doom buggies come down the stairway before you get on, I've always wanted to ride it all the way around - rescueranger77
153.4 #2245 1:47PM
Mystery of the Hatbox ghost! :D. - CduckettC
8.5 #7327 7:47AM
When I was a kid it closed for awhile for refurb. I remember hearing a rumor that it was too scary, and they had to make it more kid friendly. My favorite thing about HM is the singing statues in the cemetery. - ScooterMike
1959.8 #35 8:05AM
Really?! Did you notice anything that changed after? - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 9:46AM
I always wondered what they changed, if anything. - ScooterMike 1959.8 #35 11:30AM
my goodness! Up for 5 years!? That's a long time. As for my favorite part...maybe the attic and falling out of it. I wanna just walk around there and look at stuff - HandMeAChurroImmaFaint
1798.4 #42 8:27AM
Right?! It's no wonder so many stories were started about it. A DL promotion team dream come true I'm sure! Oh the anticipation! The attic is my favorite as well! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 10:15AM
Here is the original recording of the story of the Mansion starring a young Ron Howard. We now sell this on CD if you're interested: http://tinyurl.com/9z8xl3m - BaseballMickey_CM
2848.0 #15 1:18PM
^^^R A D! Thank you my friend!! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 1:25PM
They really are fascinating! 👀 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 1:00PM
My favorite part is the "stetching room". I love the dialogue and the tight rope girl. - aprilinjune4
380.8 #355 8:16AM
Definitely the ball room - there's so much to look at in there. I always hope the ride either stops for a second or goes a little slower so I can see everything! Happy Birthday HM! - Oinker34
867.7 #105 8:17AM
Sooo much going on in there! I always hope for that as well! 😉 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 8:41AM
The hat box ghost was only in the attraction for a couple of days and was replaced by the wedding dress with the red beating heart in the attic scene. - snakeinmyboot40
270.4 #821 8:38AM
Thanks for the informative post! 😁 - SquishyGlamazon
115.5 #2805 8:51AM
You're very welcome my friend! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 9:11AM
I enjoy the ballroom scene and always look forward to see who are hitch hiker is. ✨ - IBelieveInFairies
254.1 #971 8:55AM
I love the anticipation of getting on the ride itself. Good morning every one. ☀ - WishIWereThere
227.4 #1277 9:00AM
I love the HM. The dinner scene is one of my favorite parts of the ride. Thanks for the post. - PrincessLeia
263.4 #885 9:00AM
Thanks Duchess. I always love this attraction but I especially love it during the holiday transformation and can't wait to experience it with Danie for her first time. - MightyWhitey
648.3 #165 9:18AM
I also love the story about the Imagineers setting all the props and animatronics on a motion sensor when they were in a warehouse during testing. When the janitor came in at nigh, everything came on and gave him a good scare. Imagineers said there was a broom in the middle of the floor the next morning and that individual never came back to work there again. - MightyWhitey 648.3 #165 9:21AM
What?!!! Danie hasn't seen the NBC version!!!! Oh my goodness how exciting! That was a fun story! I hang heard the one about the broom! Scary!! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 10:17AM
Yeah we're pretty excited, gonna be booking our trip very soon. We're just waiting to make sure she can get the days off. - MightyWhitey 648.3 #165 10:23AM
My favorite parts are the dialog and the music. - Twitterpated
230.9 #1228 9:19AM
Yay for you and your wonderful info!!! My favorite part about haunted mansion is the elevator!!! I feel super nerdy but I can recite the whole thing the ghost host says in the elevator!! 😄 - CourtyAstroBlisters
439.9 #282 9:23AM
Thanks girl! Me three! 😘 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 11:27AM
The haunting music during the beginning and the voice of Paul Frees. - Bo22
331.1 #468 9:26AM
I don't think I could pick just one favorite thing. I love it all from the que to the end. I really like as you travel in the hall way and see the doors moving and hear snarling. I hear that those are the ghosts of mw trolls trying to escape, but I am pretty sure that's just rumor :) - DownTheRabbitHole
310.2 #558 9:27AM
I like to recite the whole beginning intro and then scream when the lights go out. 😁 - AshleyLynn22
747.6 #136 9:34AM
Me too! Especially with a elevator full of MWers! 😉 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 1:27PM
I love HM my favorite part is the ballroom and also love when they change it to NBC for the holidays:) thanks for the history lesson again Duchess - SpaceRAYnger
2402.7 #25 9:36AM
I was a senior in HS in the SFV. We ditched school and went to DL for it. - splashphotoCM
880.9 #101 9:39AM
that is a PERFECT excuse for ditching school. PLUS...you still remember that day so much better than you would have had you not gone, right? Can you share with us? - HandMeAChurroImmaFaint 1798.4 #42 9:41AM
I'd like to hear this too you rebel you! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 1:30PM
Thanks Duchess another great history class. ( hands you a apple) - BeagleBoy12
167.3 #2047 9:47AM
:D ::gives you an A+:: you're such a good student! Thanks for paying attention! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 1:31PM
My fav part still has to be the ballroom dancing ghosts. Ever since I was little they have fascinated me, and the NBC transformation only makes it better! - dccp
348.3 #417 9:50AM
Ever since I was little I would always look forward to see what ghost would sit next to me lol - annjay07
134.6 #2526 10:30AM
I always hope to stop in the cemetery before the singing heads :) - Squirtortue
311.1 #552 11:21AM
Can I say everything? If i have to pick 1, I'd have to go with the attic. I love the photos of the head-less grooms changing back and forth and all the detail in that room. - DisneyRose
240.8 #1103 11:33AM
I think "everything" is a totally acceptable answer! 😉 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 6:50PM
I LOVEEE the dining room scene, and the hitch-hiking ghosts :D - MEHlanie_Mouse
690.9 #146 1:09PM
haunted mansion is my absolute favourite thing at the parks. happy birthday to my favourite place! - nicoleface
1248.1 #65 1:58PM
My favorite time is when they transform the mansion to Jack Skellingtons haunted holiday! - luvtburton
8.3 #7405 2:54PM
Nightmare before Christmas 😉 - nickb92 69.6 #3408 3:12PM
Ahh, you got it covered! I copied my post from last year and reposted mine. Hope you don't mind! 😊 - Tom
3849.4 #7 3:18PM
I haven't been on all day. Busy! - Tom 3849.4 #7 3:18PM
Of course not Tom! I'm ganna go look for yours now! 👏😉 - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 7:14PM
Thank you for the very nice compliment SMK! 😊 Happy birthday HM! - Tom 3849.4 #7 7:45PM
I love the grave yard scene. There is so much to see and I love the music. I also love when they convert it to the Nightmare before Christmas. Then I love the dinning room scene. - PrincessAuroraMomma
393.0 #340 5:03PM
Thanks for posting this! My favorite is the Grim Grinning Ghosts song. "Where the crypt doors creek and the tombstones quake..." - Alicewhoareyou
536.0 #209 8:05PM
That's a great song! I totally get why it's your favorite! - Duchess_SMK 3274.5 #11 8:28PM
Awesome post as always! My fave is the dining room, love the HM! 👻 - MinnieMousewife
570.3 #194 9:08PM
My favorite is the dining room and ballroom when it's changed to NBC. I love the gingerbread smell. I was so happy when the doombuggies stopped for a minute or so in the dining room. - ima-pirateswife
432.3 #289 9:31PM
I love the part after you exit the attic, and are going backwards and are looking up at the spooky trees with the faces, and then the old man with the skinny dog! - MoreGumboPlease
201.1 #1613 9:51PM