The Haunted Mansion wouldn't open until the summer of 1969, but the impressive exterior of the house was the subject of many photos. I can only imagine how strange it was for regular visitors of Disneyland to see this big elaborate structure sitting there for years and years; it would be easy to imagine that it really WAS a haunted house.
We've all seen haunted houses at other amusement parks, but nobody builds them like Disney. There is nothing cheap or half-assed about it! As a kid I always fantasized about exploring the Mansion after the park had closed - this was before I realized that most of the ride was actually inside a huge structure beyond the railroad tracks. To be honest, I still want to do that!
DITTO!!
ReplyDeleteTalk about a build up in anticipation to opening day. I remember (at four) in the summer of 67' looking through the bars and aking my parents when it was going to open. Then they read me the sign about the search for residents to the happy haunt.
ReplyDeleteThere's always room for one more...insert Paul Frees evil laugh here.
And to think that just a few years earlier the train tracks use to run just in front of the steps under the pillars. It seems by 1966, Walt was already saying himself "I should have bought more land." I know he was saying it much before 1966, but I can only imagine as the realization that they were running out of room to expand the park.
ReplyDeleteThat top one has always been one of my very favorite exterior shots (yes, you've posted them before; not that I mind!). The haze makes the building itself look ghostly. You can easily imagine it just fading away, as if it were never there.
ReplyDeleteConnie, !!!
ReplyDeleteAlonzo, in a weird way, the construction of the exterior and the long wait, which was unintentional, turned out to be a great piece of the Haunted Mansion's mystery.
OC Native, one can only imagine what Disneyland would have been like if Walt could have had a LOT more room to build more of his dreams.
HBG2, as far as I know (and I could very well be wrong), this is the first time that these have been posted. They were scanned quite recently, but it is possible that in some strange mixup I had already scanned them. After 5000 to 6000 scans, I can't recall!
Friday, October 31, 2008
ReplyDelete"Boo"
Strange mix-up,
or is it?!
Or is it your imagination? And consider this
dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows, and no doors.
You posted them on Halloween in 2008. But hey, no one minds when that sort of thing happens, I am sure, and considering the volume you (and Dave and Matterhorn etc.) have posted, it's probably inevitable. We are deeply indebted to you guys and very grateful.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, WEIRD. Oh well, it WAS almost four years ago...!
ReplyDeleteAh I remember the top pic, because it's one of the best of the DL HM I've ever seen! Eerie how it quietly looms - part of the genius of the design/concept and this pic might be the best illustration. Revisiting it is very welcome. :)
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, it's hard to imagine anything sitting that long without any information leaking out!
ReplyDeletedefinitely lends an aura of foreboding....
ReplyDeleteps: I prefer this HM to the one we have in WDW if I had to make a choice, tho I do love ours as well. We dont get much of a preshow, right into the stretching room and then thru the doors to the antechamber where you board the Doombuggies, no fun hallway to walk down and see some cool spooky artwork