Disneyland Maine: Revitalized

[DisneyManOne]

Cinderella's Midnight Journey

At the edge of the Enchanted Forest, visible from Storybook Village, sits the abode of the foreboding Lady Tremaine. This is where we begin Cinderella's Midnight Journey, a pastoral voyage through scenes and moments from the 1950 masterpiece. To be honest, I’ve always wanted to see how Cinderella would be translated in a dark ride form, so this is my chance to see how it would work.

Unlike most dark rides, the ride's queue is entirely outdoors. We pass along a beaten path toward the old barn shed, where animatronics of Major the horse and Bruno the dog are there to greet us. Lucifer the cat can also be seen, maliciously preparing to sneak up on the old dog. Inside the barn, we come across our ride vehicle: half-pumpkins, decorated with ivy, and rolling about on wooden wheels. Basically, it’s a more “rustic” approach to the iconic pumpkin coach from the story.

Once all are aboard the pumpkin, we set off. We head out of the barn and into a simulated outdoor environment, where we see Cinderella herself, feeding the animals (1).

Heading inside, we pass through the manor’s grand foyer. The calm, peaceful mood is instantly shattered as we are soon greeted by the sounds of the stepsisters shrilly calling for Cinderella. Fortunately for us, this doesn’t last long as we head towards Cinderella’s room to meet the mice. Inside, we see the mice and the birds preparing a dress for Cinderella to wear to the ball. They work quickly and happily; singing “The Work Song” as they go.

However, this joy is soon snuffed out like a light. As we head out of the manor, we see the silhouette of the stepsisters, tearing Cinderella’s dress apart (2). Heading out into the garden at night, we see an animatronic Cinderella, crying (3). “There’s nothing left to believe in”, she says through tears. Suddenly, through the magic of Pepper’s Ghost, her Fairy Godmother appears before her. “Dry those tears, my child”, she says. “You can’t go to the ball looking like that. Now, let’s see...what are those magic words again?”

As we hear the Fairy Godmother sing “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”, we pass through the garden as she works her magic...her Pepper’s Ghost magic, that is. A pumpkin turns into a magnificent coach (4). The mice turn into gallant steeds (5). The dog and the horse turn into coachman and footman, respectively (6). And last but not least, we watch as Cinderella’s rags turn into a magnificent gown! (7)

As we head out of the scene, we hear the Fairy Godmother’s voice: “Remember, Cinderella: On the stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken.” We pass by Cinderella in the coach, waving goodbye to the Fairy Godmother (8). On the other side of the track, we see her wave back, before disappearing (9).

Ahead of us are “crash doors”, painted with a mural depicting the Castle in the distance. Passing through the doors, we find ourselves in a beautiful garden. The trees gently sway in the breeze, a river gently burbles, and up ahead, we see Cinderella and Prince Charming sharing a romantic waltz to the instrumental strains of “So This is Love” (10). All in all, the mood is very pastoral and romantic. In fact, our pumpkin even slows down to take it all in.

Unfortunately, the mood is once again shattered by another unpleasant sound: the sonorous chime of the clock tower. “Oh, no!” we hear Cinderella’s worried voice say. “It’s midnight! Good-bye!” This is soon followed by the Prince’s voice: “No, wait! I don’t even know your name! How will I find you again?”

Picking up speed as we leave the garden, we find ourselves before the staircase of the castle. We see Cinderella rush down the staircase (11) (or rather, glide down, ‘cause she’s a static animatronic), but as she passes by one step, we notice that one of her glass slippers has fallen off. The Prince’s silhouette is at the top of the staircase, desperately reaching out towards her. The clock tower stands a few feet behind the staircase in forced-perspective, both hands reaching towards the 12.

Making a left, we find ourselves heading towards the Tremaine Manor once more. We hear the voice of a herald: “Hear ye! Hear ye! The Prince has decreed that he shall marry the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper!” Heading inside we see the stepsisters, each with one bare foot and sour looks on their faces. It is obvious that their attempts to try on the slipper failed. The Grand Duke is preparing to leave. “Well, if there are no other ladies here...” “Wait!” we hear a voice call out to him. It’s Cinderella, at the top of the staircase (12). “May I try it on?”

However, as we pass by this scene...a third unpleasant sound hits our ears: CRASH! Indeed, on the wall, we see the silhouette of the Footman trip upon Lady Tremaine’s cane. We hear the anguished wail of the Grand Duke. “Oh, no! What shall I do now?” Cinderella responds: “Perhaps, if it would help...” “No, nothing can help now”, the Grand Duke says through his tears. But then, we hear Cinderella say: “But, you see, I have the other slipper.”

At last, we see it: Cinderella is seated, as the Grand Duke slides the slipper onto her foot. It’s a perfect fit! (13) Leaving the manor at long last, we see a glorious celebration: Cinderella and the Prince have been married! As a triumphant instrumental of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” fills the air, we see Cinderella—once again in her ballgown—and the Prince waving farewell to us (14). The King and the Grand Duke stand nearby, throwing rice. The mice wave goodbye from atop a railing. The birds, the dog and the horse stand nearby. And just before we leave, we see the Fairy Godmother appear before us, saying: “Remember: the dreams that you wish will come true.” (15) With that, we pull into the manor's backyard garden; our midnight journey complete.

Oh, and I should mention: the backyard garden is the perfect place to meet Cinderella, the Prince and the Fairy Godmother.

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How are you all liking the ride-throughs so far? Are there any you'd like to see? If so, leave a comment! For our next ride-through, I propose we go on an adventure most hair-raising...

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Cinderella's Midnight Journey

At the edge of the Enchanted Forest, visible from Storybook Village, sits the abode of the foreboding Lady Tremaine. This is where we begin Cinderella's Midnight Journey, a pastoral voyage through scenes and moments from the 1950 masterpiece. To be honest, I’ve always wanted to see how Cinderella would be translated in a dark ride form, so this is my chance to see how it would work.

Unlike most dark rides, the ride's queue is entirely outdoors. We pass along a beaten path toward the old barn shed, where animatronics of Major the horse and Bruno the dog are there to greet us. Lucifer the cat can also be seen, maliciously preparing to sneak up on the old dog. Inside the barn, we come across our ride vehicle: half-pumpkins, decorated with ivy, and rolling about on wooden wheels. Basically, it’s a more “rustic” approach to the iconic pumpkin coach from the story.

Once all are aboard the pumpkin, we set off. We head out of the barn and into a simulated outdoor environment, where we see Cinderella herself, feeding the animals (1).

Heading inside, we pass through the manor’s grand foyer. The calm, peaceful mood is instantly shattered as we are soon greeted by the sounds of the stepsisters shrilly calling for Cinderella. Fortunately for us, this doesn’t last long as we head towards Cinderella’s room to meet the mice. Inside, we see the mice and the birds preparing a dress for Cinderella to wear to the ball. They work quickly and happily; singing “The Work Song” as they go.

However, this joy is soon snuffed out like a light. As we head out of the manor, we see the silhouette of the stepsisters, tearing Cinderella’s dress apart (2). Heading out into the garden at night, we see an animatronic Cinderella, crying (3). “There’s nothing left to believe in”, she says through tears. Suddenly, through the magic of Pepper’s Ghost, her Fairy Godmother appears before her. “Dry those tears, my child”, she says. “You can’t go to the ball looking like that. Now, let’s see...what are those magic words again?”

As we hear the Fairy Godmother sing “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”, we pass through the garden as she works her magic...her Pepper’s Ghost magic, that is. A pumpkin turns into a magnificent coach (4). The mice turn into gallant steeds (5). The dog and the horse turn into coachman and footman, respectively (6). And last but not least, we watch as Cinderella’s rags turn into a magnificent gown! (7)

As we head out of the scene, we hear the Fairy Godmother’s voice: “Remember, Cinderella: On the stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken.” We pass by Cinderella in the coach, waving goodbye to the Fairy Godmother (8). On the other side of the track, we see her wave back, before disappearing (9).

Ahead of us are “crash doors”, painted with a mural depicting the Castle in the distance. Passing through the doors, we find ourselves in a beautiful garden. The trees gently sway in the breeze, a river gently burbles, and up ahead, we see Cinderella and Prince Charming sharing a romantic waltz to the instrumental strains of “So This is Love” (10). All in all, the mood is very pastoral and romantic. In fact, our pumpkin even slows down to take it all in.

Unfortunately, the mood is once again shattered by another unpleasant sound: the sonorous chime of the clock tower. “Oh, no!” we hear Cinderella’s worried voice say. “It’s midnight! Good-bye!” This is soon followed by the Prince’s voice: “No, wait! I don’t even know your name! How will I find you again?”

Picking up speed as we leave the garden, we find ourselves before the staircase of the castle. We see Cinderella rush down the staircase (11) (or rather, glide down, ‘cause she’s a static animatronic), but as she passes by one step, we notice that one of her glass slippers has fallen off. The Prince’s silhouette is at the top of the staircase, desperately reaching out towards her. The clock tower stands a few feet behind the staircase in forced-perspective, both hands reaching towards the 12.

Making a left, we find ourselves heading towards the Tremaine Manor once more. We hear the voice of a herald: “Hear ye! Hear ye! The Prince has decreed that he shall marry the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper!” Heading inside we see the stepsisters, each with one bare foot and sour looks on their faces. It is obvious that their attempts to try on the slipper failed. The Grand Duke is preparing to leave. “Well, if there are no other ladies here...” “Wait!” we hear a voice call out to him. It’s Cinderella, at the top of the staircase (12). “May I try it on?”

However, as we pass by this scene...a third unpleasant sound hits our ears: CRASH! Indeed, on the wall, we see the silhouette of the Footman trip upon Lady Tremaine’s cane. We hear the anguished wail of the Grand Duke. “Oh, no! What shall I do now?” Cinderella responds: “Perhaps, if it would help...” “No, nothing can help now”, the Grand Duke says through his tears. But then, we hear Cinderella say: “But, you see, I have the other slipper.”

At last, we see it: Cinderella is seated, as the Grand Duke slides the slipper onto her foot. It’s a perfect fit! (13) Leaving the manor at long last, we see a glorious celebration: Cinderella and the Prince have been married! As a triumphant instrumental of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” fills the air, we see Cinderella—once again in her ballgown—and the Prince waving farewell to us (14). The King and the Grand Duke stand nearby, throwing rice. The mice wave goodbye from atop a railing. The birds, the dog and the horse stand nearby. And just before we leave, we see the Fairy Godmother appear before us, saying: “Remember: the dreams that you wish will come true.” (15) With that, we pull into the manor's backyard garden; our midnight journey complete.

Oh, and I should mention: the backyard garden is the perfect place to meet Cinderella, the Prince and the Fairy Godmother.

===========================================================================

How are you all liking the ride-throughs so far? Are there any you'd like to see? If so, leave a comment! For our next ride-through, I propose we go on an adventure most hair-raising...

Your writing shines as always!

For your ride through map, that was the blueprint for WDW's Snow White, right? Such a great basis for a classic style dark ride layout!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Your writing shines as always!

For your ride through map, that was the blueprint for WDW's Snow White, right? Such a great basis for a classic style dark ride layout!

Thank you very much! And yes, the ride was originally created for a prompt for SYWTBAI: Purists vs. Innovators, where we had to create new rides to stand in for Snow White, Peter Pan and Mr. Toad.

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A Tangled Tale

In the middle of the Enchanted Forest, a cave, almost hidden from sight, leads the way to a dense valley, where Rapunzel's tower stands proudly. This valley is, of course, home to A Tangled Tale a dark ride themed around this beloved film. The queue path winds down the lush valley, over a stream, past the tower base, under a waterfall that proudly falls into the stream and into the rockwork caverns. There are two different starting points for the queue: the stand-by queue circles the base of the tower, while the FastPass queue immediately heads into the caverns. Taking a cue from the queue for Ariel's Undersea Adventure, the indoor, cavern features mini-games with Pascal. Successfully completing mini-games would illuminate a starburst above on the ceiling.

At last, we finally reach the loading area. A mural seemingly drawn by Rapunzel is shown, depicting the Kingdom at night. Drawings of Rapunzel, Flynn, Pascal and Maximus stand on a grassy ledge next to the Kingdom. But unlike other Fantasyland dark ride murals, this one has animation. At certain times, floating lanterns appear in the sky and magically float away. The ride vehicles themselves are floating lanterns. They seat four to five guests and use the Kuka arm system with a 270 degree horizontal rotation and a gentle, pneumatic lift of about 3-5 ft. The entire ride is on one level, since there are no major drops that can’t be achieved with screens and movement of the vehicles’ lifts.

Anyways, once all are aboard their floating lantern, they pass through some trees and into the first scene. The first scene takes place in the woods. An AA Flynn Rider stands next to his wanted poster, lamenting how they never get his nose right. The neigh of a horse, aka Maximus, sounds and he tells riders "Gotta run!" Vehicles then pass an AA Mother Gothel calling Rapunzel to let down her hair. The lanterns then entirely face left and pneumatically rise. A screen shows Rapunzel's hair, Mother Gothel climbing, followed by Flynn, who motions for you to keep it a secret. The lanterns move into the Tower chambers, where an AA Rapunzel and Pascal paint the walls. The vehicles move through the tower interior with quick scenes of Rapunzel singing "When Will My Life Begin", Gothel singing "Mother Knows Best" and, finally, Rapunzel confronting a tied up Flynn. The lanterns then turn backwards to exit the tower, pneumatically lowering in sync, as another screen-room simulates returning to the forest level.

In the forest, Rapunzel swings around the tree in celebration as she happily yells "Best day ever!" and Flynn rolls his eyes. The lanterns then head towards the open doors of the Snuggly Duckling. The Duckling is filled with AA ruffians, all of them singing “I’ve Got a Dream” with Rapunzel. Also present are the Stabbington Brothers, eyeing Flynn and cracking their knuckles. Maximus’ neigh will sound behind us as the lanterns approach the hidden passageway.

In the underground escape tunnel begins in a keg room then enters a cavern that has an opening to the tower clearing and forest beyond and castle in far distance (achieved through a scrim effect). The lanterns re-enter sunlight in the very large quarry/dam/canyon room. We see Flynn and Maximus fighting along with the Stabbington Brothers. Rapunzel swings across a ravine using her hair. It becomes clear that the dam is about to burst (water sprays out of it) and the canyon collapses. A boulder almost slams into the turning ride-vehicle, at which point an on-ride photo is snapped.

The excitement of the quarry is followed by a mellower moment at a nighttime campfire with Flynn & Rapunzel. But nearby Gothel discourages Rapunzel and the Stabbington Brothers prepare to grab Flynn. Back in the tower, events unfold in a magic mirror as Rapunzel and Gothel look on (screen): Gothel reminds Rapunzel, "The world is a cruel place." Flynn is hurt. A sunburst in the mirror and Rapunzel gasps, exclaiming she is the lost princess. The lanterns enter the main Tower room where a short-haired Rapunzel weeps over a dying Flynn. She sings the healing incantation as sunbursts light up all around them. A harrowed Gothel can be seen falling out the window, as we hear Flynn's recovering voice. The lanterns enter a royal chamber where we see Maximus standing proud with a bag of apples with Pascal looking on from the horse’s head and Rapunzel and Flynn embracing the King and Queen. The lost princess has come home.

The lanterns exit the castle balcony and enter the Grand Finale of the attraction where "I See the Light" plays and a super-detailed miniature of the castle, the city and the boat-filled bay are laid out before and below them (in perspective: closer boats are larger). It is evening and glowing lanterns, fiber-optics and projected lanterns surround the gently rising/lowering/rotating vehicles to create a mesmerizing effect.

In the denouement scene, the lanterns pass the entrance to the castle. Rapunzel and Flynn wave goodbye as Maximus stands nearby, smiling and occasionally winking at guests. Pascal waves goodbye using his tail. The lanterns pull back into the loading station.

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And there we have A Tangled Tale! What do you all think? I must say, I got this idea from one of many posts deleted from the famous Ideal Buildout blog. I loved it so much, I was able to copy it onto an old Word document before the post was deleted. It's one of my favorite ideas S.W. Wilson has put out, so much so that it just had to be part of Disneyland Maine.

Now, I think our next stop in Fantasyland can't be described as a singular. On our next stop, we'll be going on not one, nor even two, but many adventures...

 

[DisneyManOne]

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

At the northernmost corner of the Enchanted Forest, you'll find yourself in the "enchanted neighborhood" of the 100 Acre Wood like never before. Hopping aboard a hot-air balloon, we'll take off for the magic, the music, and the memories of Winnie the Pooh's timeless adventures.

Alice's Curious Labyrinth and the Mad Tea Party provide an excellent transition from one British story to another. The ride's entrance is marked by a bridge, above which stands a wooden-carved sign featuring the Pooh characters bearing the name of the attraction.

We step across the bridge passing over a river and find ourselves standing before an old English farmhouse, presumably the one Christopher Robin lives in. A verdant garden takes up residence in the backyard, marked by a tall oak with a blue balloon tied to one of its branches. A small cottage nearby the garden plays host to Hundred Acre Goods, a Pooh-themed outdoor eatery. Pooh and his pals make meet-and-greet appearances in the backyard, fittingly enough, right next to an outdoor playground.

It should be noted that we don't actually go into the farmhouse through the front door. Instead, the ride's queue winds along the edge of the garden and towards an old toolshed built into the side of the farmhouse, looted with all sorts of odds and ends and bric-a-brac.

From the toolshed, we head down a hallway towards Christopher Robin's bedroom, decked out as it was in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh's opening sequence, right down to the last detail. Even the hall itself is well-detailed, featuring old pictures of Christopher Robin and his family.

At the farthest end of Christopher Robin's bedroom is an large open book, large enough to step through. As in the film's opening sequence, our eyes are met with a large map of the 100 Acre Wood. An instrumental arrangement of the Sherman Brothers' inspired music plays on an endless loop. In the map's foreground is the ride's loading area. Riding along an aerial track, a la Peter Pan's Flight, are a series of hot-air balloons. These hot-air balloons seat four to five people within their baskets, and are decorated to look like different characters from the Winnie the Pooh stories (ex. half-red, half-yellow for Pooh, orange and black stripes for Tigger, half magenta and half light-pink for Piglet, etc.)

As we board, we hear none other than Tigger doing the safety spiel: "Halloo out there! It's me, Tigger: T-I-double-guh-er. And being safe is what Tiggers like best, so please stay in your seats with your hands, arms, feets and legs inside that balloon of yours. And grown-up types, please watch your adora-ba-ble children. Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! T.T.F.N.! Ta-ta for now!"

Once all are aboard their balloon, we pass through an arch in a nearby page of the book, and soon find ourselves face-to-face with an illustration of the sun shining happily over the trees of the wood. Suddenly, the balloon rises and sails over the trees, thus marking the transition from the pages of a book into the Hundred Acre Wood itself. Much like every other version of the ride, we are taken through the story of the 1968 Academy-Award winning featurette Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. "A Rather Blustery Day" plays as an instrumental, as wind blows across the land (slightly shaking the balloons a bit).

We first pass by Pooh as he flies his balloon over to the Hunny Tree in order to get a small smackarel, as he says, "I’ve got a rumbly in my tumbly. It must be time for something sweet!" Like in the Tokyo Disneyland version, the audio-animatronics used on this ride not only blink and move their mouths when they speak, but they’re also quite fuzzy, like real stuffed animals. As we move around the room, Pooh flies above our heads as we travel through the wood, and in the middle of the room is Owl’s house, where Owl sits outside in his rocking chair blabbering about his relatives.

Across from Owl’s house, we find Rabbit’s garden, where Rabbit is clinging to his wheelbarrow for dear life. "Oh, why do these things always happen to me?" he groans. "Why oh why oh why?" Just then, Pooh flies through his garden, knocking some vegetables into a nearby wheelbarrow. "Thank you, Pooh!" the rabbit says. "Next time, I hope he blows right through my rutabaga patch."

Nearby, we pass by Gopher's hole. He pops up and says "If I was you, I'd think about skedaddlin' out of here..." He heads back into his hole and finishes his sentence: "...'cause it's Winds-day!" As Gopher says “Winds-day”, a bunch of leaves pop up from his hole. Nearby Gopher's hole is the home of Kanga and Roo. Kanga is desperately holding on to Roo's kite, lest he blow away. "Hang on tightly, Roo!" she calls up to him. But Roo isn't fazed in the least. "Look, Mama, look!" Roo shouts ecstatically. "I'm a kite!"

Pooh flies past us once again, wishing us a Happy Winds-day as he flies by, heading past the home of Piglet before passing through the nearby trees. Coincidentally, the home of Piglet is our next stop. He can be found sweeping up leaves in front of his house, Trespassers Will (named after his grandfather, Trespassers William). As he sweeps, the wind keeps bringing more leaves on, and occasionally blowing him a few inches away. "I don't mind the leaves that are leaving, it's the leaves that are coming", Piglet says.

Next, we pass by Eeyore, sitting outside his little stick teepee. Suddenly, we hear Pooh call "Watch out, Eeyore!" as he floats past, knocking his stick house down to the ground. Eeyore simply states "If you ask me, he'll never reach that tree."

Drifting past Eeyore, we find ourselves getting back on-ground. The aerial track stops, and your usual dark-ride track picks up. At the exit to the room, we pass by a pair of swinging doors, decorated to look like forest foliage. To our right, in front of a tree, is a clump of bushes. Suddenly, Tigger pops out from the bushes and says "Come on, everybody! Let's bounce together!" Now, this is where things start to get interesting. Built into the honey pots is a new Kuka-arm system. This allows the pots to actually move up and down, like it was actually bouncing, unlike the "bucking-bull"-esque bouncing movement used in the Florida, Hong Kong and Shanghai versions of the ride. Anyways, this new take on the Tigger scene utilizes screens that surround us on both sides, like Tokyo's version. However, instead of him singing his song, the song plays as an instrumental as we follow Tigger around. Tigger bounces from one screen to the next. And yes, even the screens do a bit of bouncing! However, as we make a right turn, we see him bounce so high...but he doesn't come back down. The sound of angry buzzing doesn't help much, either…

As we make a right turn, we find out what happened. We see Tigger, clinging on to a tree branch, with a beehive on his head. Is he fazed? Nope. Instead, looking around, he smiles and says "Phew! I almost bounced right outta the ride!"

Passing underneath Tigger, we pass through another pair of swinging doors and find Tigger and Pooh outside Mr. Sanders. The moon shines high overhead as Tigger says "Watch out for Heffalumps and Woozles. They steal honey." "Steal honey?" Pooh repeats, obviously worried. "Yep, sure do." Tigger responds. We find ourselves heading towards the front door of Pooh’s house. Inside, we find Pooh, fast asleep, his faithful balloon sitting right beside him.

Suddenly, our car stops. The room fades away and a starfield forms. The balloon turns into a Heffalump head. Pooh starts to float away. All the while, we hear the sound of Tigger's ominous warning: "Heffalumps and Woozles...Heffalumps and Woozles steal honey...beware...beware!..." We travel through the starfield and find ourselves inside Pooh's mysterious and wacky dream world haunted by Heffalumps and Woozles.

The eerie yet catchy refrain of the honey thieves' theme fill the air. Many effects and gags are scattered around the room. Heffalump-Bees and hot-air balloons with eyes on them fly above our heads. Woozle-headed jack-in-the-boxes pop right out of their boxes and laugh at us. We pass by a mirror, where a different effect happens us, often involving us getting playfully tormented by these creatures. We nearly get trapped in a whirlpool of honey. A Heffalump with a very engorged stomach wearing a boater hat spins around and around, sucking up as much as he can. If we time it right, we pass right underneath him!

We pass by a honey tree with three Heffalumps at the top of it. A hot-air balloon carries Pooh over to it, but a gust of air within the hole of the tree blows him away. We even pass by a Heffalump and Woozle band, using their bodies as their instruments, accompanying a couple dancing about in a pool of honey. Soon, we escape the madness via a very unusual transport. We turn to face a Woozle soldier, lighting a fuse on top of a Heffalump. The resulting blast launches us backwards through a large tunnel made from a Heffalump's trunk. As we pass through it, the sounds of thunder are heard as lightning flashes along the tunnel walls and we see a projection of Pooh flying past on an umbrella. At the end of the tunnel, we slightly dip backwards and find ourselves along a water flume track, a la Pirates of the Caribbean or "it's a small world". We find ourselves once again in the 100 Acre Wood. However, we find that this isn't the 100 Acre Wood we began the ride in. It has now become victim to a flood-inducing rainfall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPG22TcKZqM

Turning forward again, we float along the waters of the flooded Wood as projected rain falls along the walls of the area. An instrumental version of "The Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down" plays. This is basically like the Blustery Day scene, but we’ll seem to be higher due to the flood. Once we enter the flooded wood, the first thing we see is Pooh, who is sitting on a tree branch that we go under. He sits with ten honey pots as he says "Oh, no! I must rescue my supper!" Passing under Pooh, we set off to see how the other residents of the Wood are holding up. Seeing as how their residencies are unavailable at the time, this leads to an all-new immersive experience. The things the characters float on have an LPS system, so it truly feels like we're really floating along with them. First, we pass by Piglet, standing on a chair, bailing water with a saucepan. He floats right out of his house towards us. Next, we pass by Owl, sitting on a rocking chair, still talking about his relatives. Then, we pass by Eeyore, sitting on a doorframe. "First the wind, and now this..." he moans. The final group we float by are Tigger, Kanga, Roo and Rabbit, sailing along in a turned-over umbrella, which Tigger rows. Much like before, Roo isn't fazed. "Whee! This is fun!" he says. Rabbit, on the other hand, is far more anxious. "Goodness gracious!" he says. Then, things take a decidely darker tone.

First, we pass by Pooh, stuck head-first in a spinning honey pot. Then, we pass by Tigger and Piglet, the former is trying to save the latter from a log. "We’ll save you, Piglet!" cries Tigger. "Oh, please hurry, Tigger!" says Piglet. "There’s a very big waterfall up ahead!" And just as Tigger says "... Did you say...'waterfall?'" ...we plummet down one. The waterfall is about the same size as the drops on Pirates of the Caribbean back in Adventureland, and it's guaranteed that we'll get splashed a bit.

A few inches away from the waterfall, we leave the water flume behind for one final stretch on the dark-ride track and come back ashore. The skies clear, the sun comes out, a triumphant instrumental of "Winnie the Pooh" starts to play, and a rainbow spreads overhead. We see that our Hundred Acre friends are throwing a party. "Hooray!" they all yell. "Hooray for Pooh, too!" pipes up Piglet. "Speaking of which, where is that silly ol' bear?" asks Tigger. "Over here, everyone!" Pooh replies from inside the honey tree. "But you can start the party without me." And with that, he happily starts to enjoy his favorite treat. Passing through an arch made of forest foliage, we find ourselves once again within the pages of the book. We pass by a giant animated storybook page, featuring the characters waving goodbye and text reading, of course, "The End". After passing through the unloading area, we leave the book-world behind and head back into the real-world.

Heading down another farmhouse hallway, we find ourselves in Pooh Corner. Located in a cottage just nearby the farmhouse, this shop -- which the ride exits out into, of course -- sells all things Pooh. The shop is most notable for its elegant window display, featuring the famous Pooh doll, the storybook and various other small toys. It'll surely bring back memories of visiting the toy store at Christmas time as a kid, sure to bring kids inside. Once you walk through the doors, you're overwhelmed with color and the fun atmosphere that is set up in the store. Available for purchase are a wide variety of toys aimed at younger children, in particular rows and rows of stuffed animals and books. There is also a bakery portion of the store, with different sweet treats much like you'd find at the Main Street Confectionery, but with a Winnie the Pooh theme, including Disneyland's popular "Tigger Tails". In addition, there will be seating available like a small coffee shop for you to relax with your snacks in the air conditioning. (Or in the heat come winter!) So, while you make your way through this charming forest, be sure to stop by Pooh Corner and take a honey-sweet break. (And maybe sneak a present for the little ones!)

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Y'know, guys, this concept holds a special place in my heart. This was the very first full project I proposed as an Armchair Imagineer back on Visions Fantastic in 2012. And ever since I started doing Disneyland Maine, it's always been there, no matter how many times I edited it. I've even proposed it for many an open brainstorming thread!

With the Enchanted Forest behind us, where to next? Well, I suggest we take a magical adventure inspired by that tale as old as time...

 

[Suchomimus]

tale as old as time

 

[DisneyManOne]

Belle's Storybook Journey

As we head away from the Enchanted Forest, we find ourselves heading towards a quaint, rustic set of houses and shops reminiscent of those found in the French countryside. Smoke gently billows from the chimneys and rooftops, various merchant carts and stalls left by their lonesome amid the storybook structures. On the horizon, we catch glimpse of the distant castle of the Beast. This can only be the "poor provincial town" as seen in Disney's 1991 masterpiece Beauty and the Beast.

This particular adventure takes us to the outskirts of the village, where we come across the cottage of "crazy ol' Maurice." Walking up towards the cottage certainly sets the stage, so to speak, for what is to come. The paths are lined with pieces and parts that are easy to imagine came from Belle's father's workshop filled with his many inventions. In the distance, the spires of the Beast's majestic castle presides over the French town and its people. Guests pass through the living room of the cottage, passing by stacks of books and portraits, and featuring such unique details as a portrait of Belle with her mother, and that book Belle loved reading so very much -- the one with "far-off places, daring sword-fights, magic spells and a prince in disguise." It's even open to the page that sheep bit into! From the living room, we enter a room quite familiar to Disney fans: Maurice's workshop.

This area has even more detailed theming, giving guests plenty to study while they wait to board. Maurice's drawing board and sketches are evident, his tools are scattered throughout the space, and his creations are perched on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. The ride vehicles are themed to Maurice's bizarre wood-chopping invention, complete with a hatchet at the front. The voice of Lumiere gives the safety spiel which goes a little something like this: "Bonjour! Welcome to France! For a safe trip, we kindly ask you to remain seated, keeping your hands, arms, feet, legs, candlesticks, feathers, handles, and other mechanisms inside the wood-chopper. Oh, and parents, please watch your little ones. And please, no flash pictures or smoking. The master would be most upset with you. Bon voyage!"

Upon boarding our wood-chopper, we head off for the world of Beauty and the Beast. However, the way we begin our journey is quite interesting. We begin by leaving the workshop, doing a brief circle around the foliage, and going under a bridge that separates the village from the Beast's castle. As we get closer to the Beast's castle, we find ourselves heading towards an opening in the rockwork that sits nearby. Once on the other side of the rockwork, we find ourselves in the Dark Forest, covered in a blanket of thick, eerie fog. According to Tony Baxter, the first scenes of a dark ride should always help guests adjust to the darker tones of the ride (hence why the O.G. Little Mermaid concept began with a trip through shipwreck graveyard). Greeting us upon entry is a trio of snarling red-eyed wolves, Belle appearing just up ahead on her horse Philippe, the poor horse rearing back with a terrified neigh. Suddenly the Beast emerges from darkness with a mighty roar, ready to fight the attacking wolves. Beast is shown fighting the wolves off. He looks at us and tells us "Quick, get to the castle. You’ll be safe there." Our vehicle makes a right towards the Beast's Castle standing tall above us, its drawbridge lowering for us to enter. Behind us we can clearly hear the Beast fighting with the wolves, saving Belle's life. A dim glow bounces around within the castle, beckoning for us to enter.

Upon entering the castle we are greeted by none other than a rather cheerful Lumiere and a very upset Cogsworth, Lumiere greeting us with a friendly "Bonjour, ladies and gentlemen! It is our deepest pride and our greatest pleasure that we welcome you here tonight. And now we invite you to relax as the dining room proudly presents: your dinner!" Quickly turning right we find a wonderful party at hand, a full-on representation of the famous "Be Our Guest" number. Our wood-chopper takes us in a loop around the entire scene which features a collection of dancing silverware, sweeping feather dusters, rolling trolleys (one of them home to Mrs. Potts and Chip), swinging chandeliers, delicious almost unrealistic food, self-opening bottles of champagne, and just about anything else you can imagine, everything taken directly from the film.

The magnificent show scene ends in a set of crash doors leading into the castle's large Library where Belle and the Beast read together, an instrumental of "Human Again" playing in the background. Belle seems to be teaching the Beast how to read Romeo and Juliet, both reading it out loud, Belle always correcting the Beast. Chip hides behind a bookshelf across the way, giggling at the adorable sight. Making a sharp right, we head pass a very excited Lumiere. "It is working! The spell will be broken in no time! Go on! Take a look!" "Beauty and the Beast" begins to play, sung by Mrs. Potts who rests near Chip on a hidden trolley. We've rolled right into the Grand Ballroom where the Beast and Belle waltz about the dance floor.

We soon after exit and suddenly find ourselves outside the castle on its drawbridge, an Angry Mob standing proud nearby. Gaston stands front and center upon his monstrous horse, a torch at hand. "Take whatever booty you can find! But remember - the Beast is mine!" "The Mob Song" plays in an intense orchestration. Our vehicle quickly turns and reenters the castle, a frantic and quirky rendition of "Be Our Guest" filling the air. An Attack on the angry villagers (who have foolishly entered the castle) is underway, the living household objects humorously attacking them, Lumiere burning LeFou's butt, Babette flirting with men, the wardrobe sings opera to scare off some invaders while wearing a viking hat and braids, and various other objects performing comedic attacks.

But the comedy ends rather quickly as we roll into a deserted ballroom, one of its large windows overlooking an intense battle between the Beast and Gaston in a thunderstorm, via projected silhouettes. The battle moves from window to window as we move along, Gaston eventually stabbing the Beast, much to the dismay of a recently entered Belle, who screams. Gaston becomes distracted by her and in his distraction his struck by a powerful bolt of lightning which illuminates the entire room, causing him to fall off the side of the castle and into the abyss below, his horrified scream filling the air. Turning right we pass by a cloud of sparkling pixie dust and a triumphant orchestration of victory music. A large stained-glass window appears on the wall showing Belle and the dying Beast. The window comes to life in stunning animation, Belle leaning down to hug the Beast, her voice being heard saying "I love you." Strobe lights go off and a mighty roar is heard, a flash of pixie dust shining before our eyes.

We reenter the ballroom once more for a romantic Finale, finding that the Beast has become human again -- Prince Adam. Belle and Adam share another waltz as Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere, Cogsworth (all of whom are also human again) and Maurice look on. A moving chorus of "Beauty and the Beast" plays. We head back into the loading area and step out of our wood-chopper once it has stopped, a mural reading "True love is the greatest magic" to our right, a picture of Belle and Adam waltzing about, his human servants and Maurice happily standing in the background. We exit through a tunnel and find ourselves in the grand foyer of the restored castle. From here, we can enjoy a dinner fit for a beast at Be Our Guest or even meet Belle and Adam up close and personal at the Royal Reception. But for now, let's head back out into Fantasyland and continue exploring.

===========================================================================

I must admit, guys, most of this concept came from @MANEATINGWREATH back from the Visions Fantastic days. I had saved the original ride-through to a Word document and that's how I was able to share this with you. Another piece of the Visions Fantastic legacy lives on!

How are you liking things so far? Be sure to keep that feedback coming! Now, where shall we go next? Well, I propose we set sail aboard the "happiest cruise that ever sailed." Prepare yourselves: here there be earworms.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Belle's Storybook Journey

As we head away from the Enchanted Forest, we find ourselves heading towards a quaint, rustic set of houses and shops reminiscent of those found in the French countryside. Smoke gently billows from the chimneys and rooftops, various merchant carts and stalls left by their lonesome amid the storybook structures. On the horizon, we catch glimpse of the distant castle of the Beast. This can only be the "poor provincial town" as seen in Disney's 1991 masterpiece Beauty and the Beast.

This particular adventure takes us to the outskirts of the village, where we come across the cottage of "crazy ol' Maurice." Walking up towards the cottage certainly sets the stage, so to speak, for what is to come. The paths are lined with pieces and parts that are easy to imagine came from Belle's father's workshop filled with his many inventions. In the distance, the spires of the Beast's majestic castle presides over the French town and its people. Guests pass through the living room of the cottage, passing by stacks of books and portraits, and featuring such unique details as a portrait of Belle with her mother, and that book Belle loved reading so very much -- the one with "far-off places, daring sword-fights, magic spells and a prince in disguise." It's even open to the page that sheep bit into! From the living room, we enter a room quite familiar to Disney fans: Maurice's workshop.

This area has even more detailed theming, giving guests plenty to study while they wait to board. Maurice's drawing board and sketches are evident, his tools are scattered throughout the space, and his creations are perched on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. The ride vehicles are themed to Maurice's bizarre wood-chopping invention, complete with a hatchet at the front. The voice of Lumiere gives the safety spiel which goes a little something like this: "Bonjour! Welcome to France! For a safe trip, we kindly ask you to remain seated, keeping your hands, arms, feet, legs, candlesticks, feathers, handles, and other mechanisms inside the wood-chopper. Oh, and parents, please watch your little ones. And please, no flash pictures or smoking. The master would be most upset with you. Bon voyage!"

Upon boarding our wood-chopper, we head off for the world of Beauty and the Beast. However, the way we begin our journey is quite interesting. We begin by leaving the workshop, doing a brief circle around the foliage, and going under a bridge that separates the village from the Beast's castle. As we get closer to the Beast's castle, we find ourselves heading towards an opening in the rockwork that sits nearby. Once on the other side of the rockwork, we find ourselves in the Dark Forest, covered in a blanket of thick, eerie fog. According to Tony Baxter, the first scenes of a dark ride should always help guests adjust to the darker tones of the ride (hence why the O.G. Little Mermaid concept began with a trip through shipwreck graveyard). Greeting us upon entry is a trio of snarling red-eyed wolves, Belle appearing just up ahead on her horse Philippe, the poor horse rearing back with a terrified neigh. Suddenly the Beast emerges from darkness with a mighty roar, ready to fight the attacking wolves. Beast is shown fighting the wolves off. He looks at us and tells us "Quick, get to the castle. You’ll be safe there." Our vehicle makes a right towards the Beast's Castle standing tall above us, its drawbridge lowering for us to enter. Behind us we can clearly hear the Beast fighting with the wolves, saving Belle's life. A dim glow bounces around within the castle, beckoning for us to enter.

Upon entering the castle we are greeted by none other than a rather cheerful Lumiere and a very upset Cogsworth, Lumiere greeting us with a friendly "Bonjour, ladies and gentlemen! It is our deepest pride and our greatest pleasure that we welcome you here tonight. And now we invite you to relax as the dining room proudly presents: your dinner!" Quickly turning right we find a wonderful party at hand, a full-on representation of the famous "Be Our Guest" number. Our wood-chopper takes us in a loop around the entire scene which features a collection of dancing silverware, sweeping feather dusters, rolling trolleys (one of them home to Mrs. Potts and Chip), swinging chandeliers, delicious almost unrealistic food, self-opening bottles of champagne, and just about anything else you can imagine, everything taken directly from the film.

The magnificent show scene ends in a set of crash doors leading into the castle's large Library where Belle and the Beast read together, an instrumental of "Human Again" playing in the background. Belle seems to be teaching the Beast how to read Romeo and Juliet, both reading it out loud, Belle always correcting the Beast. Chip hides behind a bookshelf across the way, giggling at the adorable sight. Making a sharp right, we head pass a very excited Lumiere. "It is working! The spell will be broken in no time! Go on! Take a look!" "Beauty and the Beast" begins to play, sung by Mrs. Potts who rests near Chip on a hidden trolley. We've rolled right into the Grand Ballroom where the Beast and Belle waltz about the dance floor.

We soon after exit and suddenly find ourselves outside the castle on its drawbridge, an Angry Mob standing proud nearby. Gaston stands front and center upon his monstrous horse, a torch at hand. "Take whatever booty you can find! But remember - the Beast is mine!" "The Mob Song" plays in an intense orchestration. Our vehicle quickly turns and reenters the castle, a frantic and quirky rendition of "Be Our Guest" filling the air. An Attack on the angry villagers (who have foolishly entered the castle) is underway, the living household objects humorously attacking them, Lumiere burning LeFou's butt, Babette flirting with men, the wardrobe sings opera to scare off some invaders while wearing a viking hat and braids, and various other objects performing comedic attacks.

But the comedy ends rather quickly as we roll into a deserted ballroom, one of its large windows overlooking an intense battle between the Beast and Gaston in a thunderstorm, via projected silhouettes. The battle moves from window to window as we move along, Gaston eventually stabbing the Beast, much to the dismay of a recently entered Belle, who screams. Gaston becomes distracted by her and in his distraction his struck by a powerful bolt of lightning which illuminates the entire room, causing him to fall off the side of the castle and into the abyss below, his horrified scream filling the air. Turning right we pass by a cloud of sparkling pixie dust and a triumphant orchestration of victory music. A large stained-glass window appears on the wall showing Belle and the dying Beast. The window comes to life in stunning animation, Belle leaning down to hug the Beast, her voice being heard saying "I love you." Strobe lights go off and a mighty roar is heard, a flash of pixie dust shining before our eyes.

We reenter the ballroom once more for a romantic Finale, finding that the Beast has become human again -- Prince Adam. Belle and Adam share another waltz as Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere, Cogsworth (all of whom are also human again) and Maurice look on. A moving chorus of "Beauty and the Beast" plays. We head back into the loading area and step out of our wood-chopper once it has stopped, a mural reading "True love is the greatest magic" to our right, a picture of Belle and Adam waltzing about, his human servants and Maurice happily standing in the background. We exit through a tunnel and find ourselves in the grand foyer of the restored castle. From here, we can enjoy a dinner fit for a beast at Be Our Guest or even meet Belle and Adam up close and personal at the Royal Reception. But for now, let's head back out into Fantasyland and continue exploring.

===========================================================================

I must admit, guys, most of this concept came from @MANEATINGWREATH back from the Visions Fantastic days. I had saved the original ride-through to a Word document and that's how I was able to share this with you. Another piece of the Visions Fantastic legacy lives on!

How are you liking things so far? Be sure to keep that feedback coming! Now, where shall we go next? Well, I propose we set sail aboard the "happiest cruise that ever sailed." Prepare yourselves: here there be earworms.

Whoa, what a trip! Do you have anything else saved?

 

[DisneyManOne]

Whoa, what a trip! Do you have anything else saved?

I've used your concepts for The Great Muppet Movie Ride whenever I talked about that (namely the queue, Beakerstein, Peter Frog, Men in Plaid and King Animal scenes) and my earliest versions for an updated Snow White's Scary Adventures came from your early dream resort threads. But, if you want more, just hop aboard the Wayback Machine.

===========================================================================

"it's a small world"

Standing proudly at the northernmost tip of Fantasyland is an in-depth musical cruise around the world accompanied by seemingly thousands of children, toys, and animals from and representing nearly every nation. This cruise is naturally the one and only "it's a small world", Walt Disney's cherished and beloved classic from the 1964 to 1965 World's Fair, reborn and reimagined for a new audience in Disneyland Maine.

Having found ourselves in the colorful esplanade of Small World Plaza, our attention is first pulled towards that of a large fountain in the shape of the globe, topped by a boat filled with laughing children. On board, each child represents a different nation: Saudi Arabia, China, England, Australia, etc., whilst Renaissance-era flags bearing the title of the attraction and its slogan protrude from among their two-dimensional shoulders. "Join the happiest cruise that ever sailed!" Forming a semi-circle around the fountain are additional flags, bearing the ride's name in a language other than English. (ex. "que le monde est petit", "es is eine kleine welt", etc.), not to mention speaker-towers covered in abstract paneling pointing the way towards Small World Palace, the not-so-humble abode of our impending adventure. Quirky instrumentals straight from the 1964-1965 World's Fair fill the air.

The magnificent pastel spires of Small World Palace stand tall above the surrounding plaza, a lasting tribute to the universal concept of peace on earth and goodwill towards men (especially when the palace is decorated for Christmas). From within the palace walls, the triumphant sounds of that all-too-familiar song ring out, majestic fountains spewing on either side of the crystal-clear lagoon in the forefront. Topiaries crafted into the shape of various animals serve as a perfect compliment to the various landmarks and familiar icons crafted into the palace walls; the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney Opera House, the Temple of Zeus, Big Ben, the Temple of Heaven, Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Windmills of La Mancha, etc. Front and center is the smiling purple face of the iconic Clock Tower, the Rolly Crump-designed landmark.



As with other takes on the venerable tower, every fifteen minutes, the constantly churning cogs and gizmos on the facade begin to protrude and sound off like a cuckoo clock, halting the ongoing music. With a dramatic drumroll, a sextet of musical tin soldiers emerge from the tower's walls, signaling a parade of dolls to emerge from the tower's base and circumnavigate the smiley-faced structure to the tune of the titular song. Each doll represents one of twenty-four countries, dressed in garbs respective to their country. At the conclusion of the parade, the Clock Tower concludes with a series of gongs and chimes in beat with the current time (like a grandfather clock), the time itself displayed from an opened-panel beneath the tower's "face."

After meandering a bit through a series of switchbacks, past animal-shaped topiaries, wavy-hedges, and colorful flowerbeds, we make our way down to the covered docks of the aforementioned lagoon where brightly-colored boats gently pull in and out of the densely-populated harbor. The loading area takes its inspiration from Paris’ ride, with green gates, staircases and arches to sail under, and best of all--it’s all covered to shield guests from the harsh Floridian elements. Being gestured to the first row by a friendly dockhand in a straw hat and polo shirt, we patiently wait our turn to set sail with the happiest crew to ever sail around the world. Finally, our own boat floats into position, allowing us to board. As our boat departs from the dock, an unseen woman states, "Welcome to "it's a small world!" For your safety, please remain seated throughout your voyage, keeping your hands, arms, feet and legs inside the boat. And please, watch your children. Thank you." This same safety spiel is played several more times and in multiple languages, including but not limited to Japanese, German, French, Mandarin, Maori, Cantonese, and so on. As our boat draws closer to the palace, John Debney's sweeping instrumental of the Sherman Brothers classic begins to draw closer and closer, gradually overpowering the quirky instrumentals of the World's Fair.

In a mere matter of seconds, we gently drift inside the palace walls for our tour of the world as seen through the eyes of a child, starting with the Hello Room. Like the Paris attraction, the Hello Room is a simple straightaway into the main show building beyond. Mary Blair-styled flowers bear greetings in various languages. At the end of the Hello Room is a stylized banner reading "Welcome", held up by four birds.

The titular song, having been heard in instrumental form for the past few seconds gives way to its first sung incarnation: Scandinavian. Passing under the banner, we drift into the expansive continent of Europe, where the song is sung not just in a British-accented English, but also in Scandinavian, French, Italian, German, Spanish, etc. From the "heavens" above, clowns in hot-air balloons, acrobats on tightropes, and children attached to balloons soar about in hectic directions, a visual compliment to the scenes below.

Immediately facing us is Scandinavia, represented not through ice and snow, but through colorful mountains, giant flowers and hills given the markings of abstract Swedish art, also done in the Mary Blair-style. A large clock-like sun overlooks the area (actually telling the time), whilst Scandinavian children sing the titular song from opened-songbooks, swaying in perfect unison. Shimmering waterfalls pour down from an overhead ice-skating rink where a boy and girl in warm, winter clothing go for a perpetual skate. More children do a traditional Scandinavian folk dance, accompanied by a three-piece band. Norway finds its representation in the form of a Viking ship swaying back and forth upon the high seas, a trio of Viking children singing from on deck. Non-Frozen trolls, a la Maelstrom, happily pick flowers and relax under the clock-like sun. Nearby, a musical band of toy soldiers guard the gates to Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens.

On the other side of the canal, we are treated to a glimpse of the United Kingdom, starting with the Emerald Isle of Ireland, represented through a multitude of massive shamrocks, a glistening rainbow, clogging Irish children, and several leprechauns, one leprechaun poking in and out of a large pot of gold. Closely following Ireland is Scotland, represented by a bagpipe-player atop an old tower. In the background, a Highland cow munches on a kilt from a plaid-colored hillside ridden with ancient castles. In time with the music, the goat and the hillside change colors. Nearby, the massive serpentine neck and head of the Loch Ness Monster protrudes from the waters, slowly rocking from side to side. From atop the beast's nose, a child sits a boat, his telescope pointing directly towards the monster's eye. London Bridge appears up ahead, topped by a double-decker bus filled with children, a pair of flag-waving boys sporting the colors of their favorite football team, and guarded by two beefeaters, who stand in front of the towers. Just to the right of the bridge is a checkerboard-colored Big Ben with a rapidly-spinning clock. A large checkerboard laid out before the skyline plays home to several large chess pieces, including a stylized-king and queen whom spin around wildly. Directly above London Bridge hangs a smiling crescent moon, stood upon by three carolers, almost hidden among the aforementioned tightrope-walkers and hot-air balloons.

Passing beneath London Bridge, we stumble upon France to our right and Germany to our left. Germany finds its representation through a Bavarian-style house with a clock tower, and three singing children below the clock face. In the foreground, an Oktoberfest-type polka-band provides accompaniment for dancing German children whilst a train filled with toys chugs by along the vast mountain range. A large dachshund-inspired slinky toy stands on top of the train, wagging its tail and panting. Nearby, the Netherlands is marked by a series of colorful windmills, giant flowers, and wooden shoe-wearing children clicking their heels from within giant flower buds. A girl with a shepherd's crook conducts a trio of ducks quacking in time with the music. The windmills of the Netherlands make a seamless transition into the Windmills of La Mancha, situated upon the grassy hills of Spain. And who should we find but Don Quixote on wooden-horseback, tilting at one of those windmills. After all, he believes windmills are ferocious giants! Quixote's faithful squire, Sancho Panza, also on a wooden horse, looks on in alarm. Under a gazebo, a girl in an elaborate dress clicks castanets as she twirls, a Spanish boy on the guitar nearby. Our views of Spain soon change to Italy, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Colosseum, and seaside homes of Venice appear. Naturally, a large gondola appears right nearby us in the canal, rocking back and forth with its pilot on board. Several Italian girls sing the song from opened songbooks, swaying with the music. A bridge spans across both sides of the river, upon which three more singers appear.

Back on the right-hand side, France is marked by the Eiffel Tower, decked out in shades of red, white and blue. In the forefront, a slew of cancan dancers "weeing" and "ooh la-la-ing" in time with their kicks perform a routine. A ballerina spins around in circles with her dance partner, much to the enjoyment of a nearby French poodle. As a nice nod to history, under the Eiffel Tower is a doll representation of Mary Blair, the woman who served as the inspiration for "it's a small world".

Passing under the aforementioned Italian bridge, The Alps of Switzerland welcome us with the mighty Matterhorn, not to mention a yodeling-boy and several cuckoo clocks marked by bell-ringing dolls in lederhosen and mountain goats rocking their heads from side to side. Back on the left-hand side, Greece is seen, marked by flying pegasus horses overhead, the Parthenon, Mount Olympus, and a pair of sheep listening to the pan flute-stylings of their master. As we prepare to depart Europe, we pass through a cave beneath Russia's Saint Basil's Cathedral where a trio of Cossack dancers twirl in circles to the musical accompaniment of a fez-wearing bear playing a street organ. On the right-hand side of Saint Basil's, the nearby mountains serve as a backdrop for the Red Square, where a group of girls dance. Nearby, Russian musicians provide an eerie musical transition between Europe and the next scene: exotic Asia.

The Asia scene here is an exact replica of the Asia scene in Hong Kong Disneyland's version of the ride. save for the fact that the Disney characters found here don't show up; as well as the Shanghai skyline replacing that of Hong Kong's. Oh yeah, not to mention Mount Everest and a cartoonish Yeti making their Small World debut near Taj Mahal. The song itself alternates between Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Tagalog. Passing beneath a bridge, we enter the next major show scene...

The Middle East transports us into a bazaar straight from the pages of 1,001 Arabian Nights...well, sort of. Much of the Middle Eastern segment is enclosed within a close-knit passageway covered by overhead tarps and tapestries. Israel finds its representation in the form of a boy and girl dancing beneath a wedding canopy, the boy wearing a Hebrew prayer shawl and the girl wearing a wedding dress. On the adjacent side, a boy clutching a magic lamp sings in Arabic with a child-like genie who also sings in Arabic. A trio of boys in desert-protective clothing stand with their arms folded, swaying and singing in Arabic. A belly dancer and several sheep point the way to the not-so-distant figure of the Ras el-Tin Palace of Alexandria on the right-hand side, fronted by a fruit-filled marketplace. On the left-hand side, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphynx (rocking its head back and forth) appear alongside a boy playing drums atop a pink camel, naturally representing Egypt. A mysterious throne room of sorts entangled by a googly-eyed snake sits on the right-hand side following the market, the residence of a Cleopatra-lookalike reclining on a sofa and giving us a wink.

Tribal drums fill the air as the desert setting subdues into that of the colorful jungles of Africa, where technicolor animals and children alike jam out to the titular song on both sides of the canal. However, there is a stark contrast between both sides. To the left, we have a tropical rainforest being absolutely pelted by an ongoing thunderstorm, and to the right we have a jungle jamboree that has thus far stayed in the sunshine. Starting with the left, we find umbrella-shaped trees amid the falling "rains," several exotic birds chirping and crying out everytime thunder strikes. Many of these tropical birds spin their heads in complete circles, roll around in their eggshells, or perform other weird feats, all surrounding a beady-eyed crocodile clutching an umbrella that is far-too-small for its body. The crocodile (who appears to shake his head "no") is neighbored by a flower-spotted leopard with a much larger umbrella (who shakes his head "yes") as well as several frogs residing in a lily pad-filled pond, two flower-spotted giraffes swaying in the background foliage, and a series of huts painted with tribal mask-type markings and fronted by a trio of tribal musicians in ceremonial masks. An African elephant (who appears to be pink) perpetually sprays "water" from its trunk, unintentionally creating a heart-shaped fountain as it frolics in the rain. Multicolored chimpanzees connect the two sides of the canal via overhead vines, leading our attention to the right-hand side

First and foremost, a pair of hyenas wildly laugh at the rainy misfortune of the animals across the way, closely neighbored by a black and green-striped zebra, a flower-spotted rhino, and a green chimpanzee pounding away at their own individual bongos. Additional frogs and a secondary crocodile float amid the swampy waters in the foreground, whilst several African children sing the song in English from an island, joined by a red and yellow lion hosting a flute-playing boy atop his head. A sheltered-dance floor features several African girls dancing in a circle, also singing in English. A droopy-eyed hippo covered in flowers rests near the exit of the scene, gleefully being pecked by a couple of "peck-peck birds" on its back. Two more flower-spotted giraffes also appear in the dense foliage. Before departing from the scene, we pass beneath the head of a pink African elephant swaying its head back and forth, several children sitting on its tusks and playing instruments. In fact, those four giraffes actually flank the elephant.

Our next stop takes us to the Islands, starting with Australia's Great Barrier Reef tastefully mixed with the other regions of the Pacific Ocean. Greeting us first are several mermaids singing the song in gurgled English, joined by several other underwater creatures donning sunglasses, straw hats, and leis. An arch made of water leads the way toward the left-hand side of the canal: Australia. Starting with the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, we see a collection of Easter Island-type heads surrounded by a line of platypuses shaking their eggs like maracas, a kangaroo and her baby rocking back and forth, a Crocodile Dundee-type boy waving a boomerang at a puppy-like dingo, and several koalas munching on eucalyptus trees protruding from the water. An Aboriginal boy sails the high seas in his canoe, while several other Aboriginal children perform the song on instruments, including that famous didgeridoo. Uluru, the major butte seen in nearly all images of the Outback, makes an appearance here, as does the skyline of Melbourne. On the right-hand side, Hawai'i and Polynesia find representation in the form of rapidly-shaking hula dancers, a boy on a teetering surfboard, and Polynesian boys spinning around in the flames of twirling volcanoes. Tiki heads and tribal masks line the water's edge, leading the canal path into the mouth of a Tiki Room-like structure, our entrance into Latin America & South America.

Latin America & South America is an exact replica of the Latin/South American scene in the Walt Disney World version, save for the addition of an Incan temple with children in Incan garbs placed in between the spinning penguins and the Andes, as well as a new adobe-built archway dividing Latin America from the next scene: North America. Children in the garbs of a Mariachi band sing in Spanish from atop the archway, but are quickly drowned out by the sounds of the song being sung in American-accented English. To our right, coyotes yip and yowl from atop red-rock buttes and clifftops, welcoming us to the Old West.

A Plains Indian Chief pounds a drum from a nearby butte, joined by several Native American girls dancing and a trio of large kachina dolls opening and closing their mouths. A Conestoga wagon appears nearby, shortly thereafter backed by a small western diorama featuring a saloon, hotel, and bank. Several cacti wearing bandito clothing rock back and forth among the desert rocks, while saloon showgirls perform a kickline on the saloon's rooftop, a cowboy tipping his hat to us from in front of the hotel. A horse and mustachioed cowboy roast weenies over a crackling campfire, subduing the right-hand side of the scene into the Midwest where rolling green hills, twirling sunflowers, and a colorful barn house appear. A smiling horse takes several children on a hayride, while a trio of scarecrows move their heads back and forth in time with the music.

Back on the left-hand side we are treated to the sights and sounds of Canada, where a child dressed as a Mountie waves at us, a smiling moose standing nearby. A pair of Kwakiutl totem poles move their "wings" up and down, standing in the foreground of a tree-capped mountain range. An ice-skating rink painted with Kwakiutl symbols also resides in the foreground, two hockey-playing children engaging in a match. In an alcove above the mountain range, an Eskimo and a polar bear are seen sitting upon blocks of ice, each with a fishing pole in their hand. Behind them, an igloo sits atop another mountain, with a red-and-white barbershop pole emerging from it. I guess you could say that makes this little alcove the North Pole. Nearby, a large ship stands tall, its sails billowing in the breeze. Children dressed as sailors sing proudly from aboard the ship. One kid sits up in the crow’s nest, waving to us.

At the end of the room is the Golden Gate Bridge, which spans from the end of the Canadian scene to the end of the Midwestern scene. Flanking the bridge on both sides are buildings from two different cities. On the left-hand side, San Francisco. On the right-hand side, New York City, complete with the Statue of Liberty. Passing under the bridge, we come face to face with the Hollywood Hills, which serves as the exit of this scene, backed by searchlights. On a platform in front of the iconic Hollywood sign, a couple dressed to the nines waltz about, while four chorus girls (two on either side of the couple) sway in time to the music, as the canal passes through a replica of the Hollywood Bowl built into the mountain and into the next scene. The ride's only hidden Mickey is created by the searchlights when cast upon the ceiling. The Hollywood Bowl serves as our entrance into the Finale

Almost all the children of the world have gathered together in a pink, gold and white room, singing the song in English unison. For the first time in any Small World, some of the more recognizable animals make appearances in the finale. Each child, animal, and toy wears all-white to symbolize peace and unity in a world that can at some times be so divided. A carousel appears to our immediate right, several children riding in circles on all-white animals. A hot-air balloon filled with happy children lowers down from the ceiling before going back up, several international instrumentalists standing beneath its landing zone. On the adjacent side, children rock back and forth on a swing set, while other children sing from opened-songbooks aboard a slow-moving riverboat, a la Splash Mountain on a smaller scale. Africa's droopy-eyed hippo floats in the waters near the riverboat, still being pecked, whilst the umbrella-clutching crocodile returns, this time wearing a white tuxedo and not clutching an umbrella. The cow, mule, and yellow-bird from Latin America make an appearance on the side adjacent to the hippo, standing before an all-white castle filled with singing children. From the ceiling above, Chinese kites and acrobats on tightropes wheel by, including a magnificent Chinese dragon built in hues of white and gold. Before our boat departs from the finale, we pass beneath a large sun taken straight from the 1964-1965 World's Fair, a bird-carried banner beneath it reading "Come Again." Our boat then drifts through the Goodbye Room, a short passage filled with animated postcards bidding us farewell in their respective country's language. We then drift back outside, return to the loading dock, and depart to continue our day at Disneyland.

===========================================================================

And there we have "it's a small world"! Most of this concept came from the 2016 draft of @MANEATINGWREATH's dream resort thread. I added in a few things myself, but a good chunk of what you read came from his mind.

Now, I think I'll take some time off from this thread for a while. Since Halloween is fast approaching, the next major post in this thread shall come on October 31st, detailing exactly what Disneyland Park does to celebrate this most spooky of holidays.

 

[Suchomimus]

a strange goat-like creature

Again, that would be a Highland cow.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Again, that would be a Highland cow.

Just edited it! Thanks!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Again, that would be a Highland cow.

Houston, we have a species.

Would you by chance know what the giant yellow bird is in the Latin America Room? It's only in the Disneyland version, but it's a yellow bird with closed eyes and I believe a red Mohawk.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Would you by chance know what the giant yellow bird is in the Latin America Room? It's only in the Disneyland version, but it's a yellow bird with closed eyes and I believe a red Mohawk.

Punk Rock Big Bird?

 

[Suchomimus]

Big Bird

 

[DisneyManOne]

Happy Halloween, my frightful friends. The midnight hour is upon us. To celebrate this most haunting occasion, let us see how Disneyland Park gets into the, forgive the pun, spirit.

===========================================================================

Halloween at Disneyland Park

When it comes to the holidays, Disney is known for how it celebrates two: Halloween and Christmas. And when the chill of October fills the air, Disneyland Park celebrates in style with Mickey's Halloween Spooktacular! If the fun of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was mixed with the fright of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights (albeit on a much-more family-friendly level), this is what you'd get. In this spooky celebration of tricks, treats, monsters, and ghouls, Disneyland Park undergoes a haunting transformation as the denizens of Halloween Town, the Disney Villains, and other creepy and kooky happy haunts take over to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve. Mickey Mouse serves as the ghost host, celebrating both the frights and fun of Halloween. Of course, for a party of this magnitude, Winifred Sanderson's "Hocus Pocus Party Potion" was utilized, consisting of three ingredients: sinister shadows, nefarious nightmares and frightful friends. Expect to see all three here.

Now, this being Disney, its own Halloween celebration won’t be as macabre and frightening as HHN. No masked lunatics running around with chainsaws. But, it will be scary, complete with scare zones, or "Frightful Friends Zones" and haunted houses in each land. Some rides will undergo themed layouts for the season, and there will be an abundance of Halloween-themed merchandise and food to purchase in most of the shops. But, we’ll be mostly focusing on the atmosphere, Frightful Friends Zones, houses, attraction overlays, and what attractions and dining will be open during the party.

Right out of the gate, the spirit of Halloween hits you. The music that plays throughout Disney Square is a mix of instrumental arrangements of famous villain songs, as well as instrumental arrangements of songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and dark, instrumental scores from the Disney films.

Disney Square Area Music (September-October)
1. "Be Prepared" - Elton John & Tim Rice, The Lion King
2. "This is Halloween" - Danny Elfman, The Nightmare Before Christmas
3. "Grim Grinning Ghosts" - X. Atencio & Buddy Baker, The Haunted Mansion
4. "I've Been Tricked/The Queen's Transformation" - Paul J. Smith & Leigh Harline, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
5. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" - Alan Menken & Howard Ashman, The Little Mermaid
6. "Friends on the Other Side" - Randy Newman, The Princess and the Frog
7. "Cruella de Vil" - Mel Leven, 101 Dalmatians
8. "Mother Knows Best" - Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, Tangled
9. "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" - Henry Mancini, The Great Mouse Detective
10. "Trust in Me" - The Sherman Brothers, The Jungle Book
11. "Jack's Lament" - Danny Elfman, The Nightmare Before Christmas
12. "Come Little Children" - James Horner & Brock Walsh, Hocus Pocus
13. "The Bells of Notre Dame" - Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
14. "Pink Elephants on Parade" - Ned Washington & Oliver Wallace, Dumbo
15. "Heffalumps and Woozles" - The Sherman Brothers, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
16. "Battle with the Forces of Evil" - George Bruns, adapted from Tchaikovsky, Sleeping Beauty
17. "Far into the Forest" - Paul J. Smith & Leigh Harline, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
18. "Oogie Boogie's Song" - Danny Elfman, The Nightmare Before Christmas
19. "To Die For (The Stampede)" - Hans Zimmer, The Lion King
20. "Tiger Fight" - George Bruns, The Jungle Book
21. "The Battle" - Alan Menken, Aladdin
22. "Sally's Song" - Danny Elfman, The Nightmare Before Christmas
23. "The Firebird Suite" - Igor Stravinsky, Fantasia 2000
24. "The Mob Song" - Alan Menken & Howard Ashman, Beauty and the Beast
25. "Savages" - Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, Pocahontas
26. "New Spring Grass/Tragedy in the Meadow" - Edward G. Plumb, Bambi
27. "West Wing" - Alan Menken, Beauty and the Beast
28. "Transformation" - Paul J. Smith & Leigh Harline, Pinocchio
29. "Night on Bald Mountain" - Modest Mussorgsky, Fantasia
30. "Hellfire" - Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

After travelling under the train station, now covered in giant pumpkins of Mickey and pals, guests step foot onto Mean Street. Taking inspiration from Buena Vista Street in DCA, Main Street, U.S.A.’s turn-of-the-century theming takes on a more darker feel. Bats are bursting out of every window in sight, pumpkins and cobwebs cover the sidewalk and lampposts, and a sinister statue of the Headless Horseman has found its way into the square. Mean Street celebrates The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Hocus Pocus, since both have a similar colonial feel to them, and celebrate the darker side of the original colonies.

Also decorating the streets are the annual Main Street Ghosts, appearing in and out of the shops, restaurants, and arcades to create a more comical story and environment. Characters dressed in colonial-era dress wander the streets, telling tales of the Sanderson Sisters, and the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Throughout Town Square, scheduled meet and greets occur with the Sanderson Sisters, Ichabod Crane, Katrina van Tassel, Brom Bones, Vampirina and the Lonesome Ghosts respectively. In Elias Park, Mickey and the gang meet guests, dressed in their finest Halloween costumes. The land also has street entertainment from the Dapper Dans (or, should I say, the Cadaver Dans), and plays host to the Halloween parade, which we’ll get to later.

What's Open?
Attractions

• none

Dining

• Candy Palace
• Casey's
• Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
• Main Street Bakery

Central Plaza becomes the Domain of Doom, with topiary statues dedicated to the greatest of Disney Villains circling the central spot – Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Ursula, Gaston, Hades, Dr. Facilier, and Oogie Boogie. If you’re wondering why Queen Grimhilde doesn’t have one, it’s because Snow White Grotto turns into a shrine to the original Disney villain. The figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs are removed in favor of a giant Magic Mirror. The wishing well appears faded and cracked. Of course, the Queen holds court with all those who wish to meet her here. Meanwhile, on the other side of the castle, Fantasy Gardens has been transformed into an elaborate meet-and-greet for Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Heading over toward Adventureland, you'll find that the Forgotten Kingdom seems a bit more...barren than usual. Maybe it's the result of the ghosts at the old Gracey place, or maybe the Four Winds are at it again. But no matter what, the locals who are still out and about are determined to give you a fun and frightful time. There are plenty of Frightful Friends Zones to be found here. In the center of town, the characters from The Jungle Book and Tarzan meet guests, joined by their stories' respective villain. Clayton joins Tarzan, Jane and Terk; while a puppet of Kaa joins Mowgli, Baloo and King Louie. Over at The Curious Giraffe, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Abu and Jafar continue to meet guests. Moana and Maui meet guests at the Grotto of Motonui, while the South Seas Theatre turns into Tamatoa's lair.

Even the Adventurers' Club gets in on the fun with their Halloween Hoopla! That's right, the club's famous president Pamelia Perkins presents her Halloween Spooktacular! Meanwhile, Otis discovers Halloween Carols, and the gang battles an evil spirit they accidentally conjure when Emil points out the club charter requires a seance in the Halloween show.

The area surrounding Legend of the Lion King celebrates African culture, with street entertainment, The Tales of Anansi. Dressed in traditional, colourful clothes of Ghana, the storytellers depict the various stories involving the spider god, using shadow puppets. Also found outside the cave theater, characters from The Lion King appear, including Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

When October comes, the shadow of night casts far across the treetops, perhaps a little darker than usual… The low rumble of the riverboats grows distorted and eerie, while the sound of pulsing native drums echo in a suspenseful crescendo. This can only be the Jungle Terror Cruise. Here, we sail down the cursed waters of a rainforest forsaken with the black magic of a voodoo priest. The normal innocence of wildlife and sight gags are swapped in favor of imminent dangers and frights, including “living” vines, skeletal zombies, mythical beasts, and upset spirits, all set to an original score by Mystic Manor’s own Danny Elfman.

A seemingly abandoned warehouse near the Temple of the Four Winds plays home to our first major haunted house: Dr. Jones’ Warehouse, a large, dodgy-looking government warehouse, like the one in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and open to guests, who are met as government agents. The warehouse route passes through shelves stacked with crates. (Most of which covered in stickers and easter eggs, and allow for a few Disneyland references to be made.) The latest addition is the Idol of Mara, said to be able to petrify anyone who looks into its eyes. An evil cult, the Order of Gnysixa, breaks into the warehouse to acquire it, but causes mayhem and activates other artifacts in the warehouse. Guests must aid Indiana Jones in repelling the invaders, but their possession of the idol may be their undoing anyway.

At the Uncharted Lagoon, pirates take over the land! Throughout the night, you'll be able to interact with the various characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean films: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Joshamee Gibbs, Hector Barbossa, Tia Dalma, Davy Jones, Philip Swift and Syrena. This corner of Adventureland plays host to a most unique Frightful Friends Zone: Curse of Smuggler’s Cove. Surrounding the area comprised by the Black Pearl and Shipwreck Bay, both the cursed crew of the Black Pearl, and Davy Jones’ crew of the Flying Dutchman, roam the bridges and caverns of the mysterious cove. A very immersive and spooky atmosphere, and maybe even an artificial fog is used to make the area look even more haunting and foreboding.



Of course, the Haunted Mansion plays a huge part in Disneyland's Halloween celebrations. On this most spooky time of year, the ghosts come out of the mansion and socialize with us living folk. We humble living folk can at last meet the Hitchhiking Ghosts, the Hatbox Ghost, the Tightrope Girl and even the Ballroom Dancers! We can also meet constantly-petrified caretaker Silas Crump, and seek solace in Ambrose and Emily, at last reunited. These two enjoy Halloween, and are more than willing to meet with all guests.

What's Open?
Attractions

• The Haunted Mansion
• Jungle Terror Cruise
• Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Four Winds
• Pirates of the Caribbean

Dining

• Tropical Imports
• Adventurers' Club
• Tortuga Tavern

Let’s move on to Frontierland, which intermixes several American-based hauntings. First up, the Mark Twain Riverboat plays host to Mama Odie's River Cruise, turning it into an outdoor dark ride of sorts, depicting scenery from The Princess and the Frog. Mama Odie narrates the story from the riverboat’s intercom. Dr. Facilier’s “friends on the other side” fly across the walls of Big Thunder Mountain. Mama Odie’s boathouse/treehouse appears on the other side of the river, with fireflies glowing within the branches at night. An animatronic of Louis bobs up and down in the river, playing jazzy tunes. The frog catchers are nearby in their boat. And one may even glimpse Tiana and Naveen in their frog forms on the small islands in the river. Of course, the French Quarter plays host to the Friends from the Other Side Frightful Friends Zone. Tiana, Naveen, Louis, Mama Odie and Dr. Facilier all make appearances here.

During Halloween, the Silver Horseshoe plays host to Ghosts of the Old West, featuring the cast taking on the personas of a line-up of icons from the American Frontier and folklore. These include Davy Crockett, Pecos Bill, Zorro, Captain Stormalong, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry. Goofy also shows up Rip Van Winkle. Casa Mexicana serves as another Frightful Friends Zone: A Celebration of Coco, featuring wandering characters from the Pixar film, and a mariachi band performing songs from Coco, and traditional ones from Dia de Muertos and Mexican culture. Expect to find Miguel, Hector, Mama Imelda, the rest of the deceased Rivera family, as well as the treacherous Ernesto de la Cruz.

To the northernmost reaches of Thunder Mesa, taking most of the area surrounding Cowboy Cookout Barbecue, you'll find signs and posters, welcoming guests to Gravity Falls, Oregon. This haunted house begins -- where else? -- at the Mystery Shack. Through the shop guests go, which is filled with many visual gags and references to the series. Bill Cipher has returned, causing reality to go a bit warped, and various monsters will jump guests in the corridors as they venture through the shop. The distortions in reality have caused various locations from the show to blur together. Dipper, Mabel, Gruncle Stan, Soos, Wendy, and others appear to aid guests on their way. In the final scenes, things go really crazy as Bill distorts the world, with the use of forced perspective and special effects to create some spooky illusions. The Cowboy Cookout Barbecue is re-themed for the Halloween season to match up with Gravity Falls, as Hoo-Ha’s Owl’s Pizzamatronic Jamboree, with subtle references to the Country Bears. There is also a M&G area where guests can meet Dipper, Mabel, Gruncle Stan, Wendy and Soos.

What's Open?
Attractions

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain
• The Rivers of Nature
• Mark Twain Riverboat
• The Princess and the Frog: Tiana's Tale

Dining

• The Silver Horseshoe
• Cowboy Cookout Barbecue
• River Belle Terrace

Fantasyland essentially becomes a giant Frightful Friends Zone, with the Disney Villains given free reign of the land. Fantasia swaps out its "exciting" and "humorous" pieces in favor of two additional "frightening" pieces: The Rite of Spring and The Firebird Suite. Honest John, Gideon, Stromboli, the Coachman and Lampwick can be met outside Pinocchio’s Daring Journey; and it's fortunate that the Blue Fairy is also there to ward them off! Of course, Pinocchio, Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket also put in appearances. The area around Dumbo becomes a hot spot for circus clowns dressed as firemen, and the Pink Elephants on Parade. If you want to come across more friendly faces, Snow White and Prince Florian, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip, Ariel and Eric and Rapunzel and Flynn can all be found at the Royal Gathering; while Elena of Avalor and Merida roam the streets of Storybook Village. In addition, Clef, Rosie and Louis can be found roaming the streets, as well, singing songs and telling Halloween tales.

In the Enchanted Forest, the Witch roams the forests near the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. All Seven Dwarfs can be found within their cottage. Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella can be found at their chateau; whilst Mother Gothel can be found at the base of Rapunzel's tower. The Alice in Wonderland area is flocked with the Wonderful denizens – Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, Mr. Walrus, the Carpenter, the Queen of Hearts, The King of Hearts, the Tweedles, and the Card Guards. Over at the 100 Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh and friends hold a honeybee party, dressed as bees, and guests can purchase British honey products. But beware: Heffalumps and Woozles come out to play at Halloween, and they may try to steal your honey! Gaston, Lefou and the Bimbettes can be found around their town; while a humanized Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts join Belle and Adam for meet-and-greets inside the castle foyer.

At Arendelle, Hans can be found on the town outskirts, unbeknownst to Anna and Elsa. In Fantasy Harbour, the open-air theater turns into a meet-and-greet for Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Phoebus, Clopin and the sinister Judge Frollo. Peter Pan, Wendy, Hook, Smee and Tinker Bell run about the harbor, making mischief. Mary Poppins, Bert and the penguins meet in a garden outside their attraction. With Ariel and Eric meeting at the Royal Gathering, Ursula takes over Ariel's Grotto, inviting all those who would come to visit her to come in and make a bargain. Over at Mt. Olympus, Hades, Pain and Panic scheme to try to take down Hercules, Meg and Phil.

As for the land's haunted house, a patch of land in-between the Royal Theatre and "small world" serves as the home of the Fantasyland Mystery Tour. Entering an old abandoned castle structure, the Magic Mirror transports us into the realm of the unknown... We have just entered the accursed, underground domain of the Disney Villains… Maleficent, having already transformed into a dragon, rests within a volcanic grotto, anxiously awaiting her next meal… The Horned King conjures the dead from his Black Cauldron… Madame Mim morphs into various creatures before our very eyes… Oogie Boogie’s lair sits aglow in fluorescent neon and blacklight... Jafar practices dark magic ... Dr. Facilier invites us to make a deal... Shere Khan is trapped in a dungeon, his audible growls and piercing, yellow eyes backing this claim with horrific confirmation...

What's Open?
Attractions

• Royal Gathering meet-and-greet
• Castle Carrousel
• Fantasia
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• A Tangled Tale
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Belle's Storybook Journey
• Royal Reception meet-and-greet
• "it's a small world"
• Frozen Ever After
• Arendelle Castle meet-and-greet
• Peter Pan's Flight
• Mary Poppins' Jolly Holiday
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Hercules: Zero to Hero

Dining

• The Snuggly Duckling
• Hundred Acre Goods
• Gaston's Tavern
• Arendelle Treats

Discoveryland is pretty bare. In addition to the Halloween overlay of the Gardens of Mystery, which I already described in the initial Discoveryland post, Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea also get new lighting effects and sound effects to make the voyages more mysterious and dangerous.

What's Open?
Attractions

• Aquatopia
• Soarin'
• Gardens of Mystery
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Dining

• Harbormaster's Grill

In Tomorrowland, Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy thrills guests, while Rockettower Plaza is turned into Jumba’s Experiment Encounter, where guests can meet Stitch and his numerous cousins, along with Lilo, Jumba and Pleakley. The final haunted house here is The Black Hole. Found nearby Hovercar Racers, your challenge here is to escape the Cygnus and its sociopathic captain Hans Reinhardt, or else you'll become a member of his zombie crew!

What's Open?
Attractions

• Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy
• The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Rescue
• Tomorrowland PeopleMover
• Hovercar Racers
• Journey Into Imagination

Dining

• Tomorrowland Terrace

As for entertainment, there's a lot to find here. Every good party needs a parade, and Mickey's Halloween Spooktacular finds its in the Parade of Screams. An obvious takeoff of the former Parade of Dreams in California, this procession is Halloween fun incarnate. Inspired by both the Boo-to-You Parade of Florida and the Frightfully Fun Parade of California, the parade celebrates various iconography associated with California. The parade is divided into five sections: Mickey's Costume Party; Halloween Town; The Haunted Mansion; Wreck-It Ralph's Sugar Rush and The Disney Villains. And, of course, we've got fireworks on hand. In Villainy in the Sky, watch as the Disney villains cast their frightful spell over the park. Utilizing projections, fire, lasers and pyro, you'll see if the kingdom will finally fall in their hands!

===========================================================================

How about that? I must point out that most of this concept came from @Evilgidgit's excellent ideas for Halloween at Disneyland Paris, as described in the One Little Spark Competition. In addition, some other concepts, including the Jungle Terror Cruise and the Fantasyland Mystery Tour, came from @MANEATINGWREATH, so credit is due to the both of them.

Now, in the spirit of Halloween, we might as well take another spin on The Haunted Mansion. Recently, @MANEATINGWREATH put out his own take on the ride, which inspired me to go back and update a few things for my version of the ride. So, as they say, "look alive", and let's explore Gracey Manor once again.

 

[DisneyManOne]

The Haunted Mansion (Revised)

Have you ever seen a haunted house? You know the kind I mean: that old dark house that’s usually at the end of a dimly lit street. The owners haven’t been seen for years; no one really knows why. The windows are dark and silent, yet the old clock tower still chimes. The gardens and grounds are well-kempt and groomed, though a single window appears cracked and disheveled. There’s a high moss-covered wall around the property. Is it there to keep somebody out, or is it there to keep something inside? It’s a house that people avoid walking past at night. Strange sounds come from within the walls, and it’s said that eerie lights have been seen both in the attic window and in the graveyard at the side of the house… It was always imposing, seemingly abandoned, and thoroughly rumored to be haunted. Well, our story revolves around such a house...

Hidden from view, far away from the Forgotten Kingdom, is the abandoned structure of Gracey Manor, the former home of the dearly departed Ambrose Gracey, a wealthy sea captain who spent the last years of his life in the exotic Paradise Kingdom. He had Gracey Manor specifically built in the style of the ancestral Antebellum mansions of the deep American south, where he spent the years of his boyhood. Rumor has it that Gracey Manor was built upon a burial ground sacred to the early natives...but those are just rumors, right?

Of course, it didn't really help matters once Captain Gracey passed on (and at such a tragically young age, too) and Indiana Jones disappeared into the Temple of the Four Winds. Within weeks, the Paradise Kingdom became the Forgotten Kingdom. And with it, Gracey Manor became bereft and abandoned. But yet, strange things have happened here. People said that lights were still on, ever flickering. People said that they could see shadows drifting past. People said that they could hear ungodly music being played from within the manor. And what's more, the door remained unlocked, meaning that anyone could enter and discover the mysterious secrets of Gracey Manor. And now, it's our turn.

Passing through a labyrinth of low-hanging tree branches and stagnant swampwater, we arrive at the gates of Gracey Manor...although it doesn't seem to be called that anymore. Bronze plaques on twin brick columns now refer to this place as "The Haunted Mansion". Atop either shield, a horned skull appears frozen in a scream amid writhing hair and gnarled ribbon, carved of bronze. Going through the gates, we begin our journey through the realms of the unknown with a trek through the Memento Mori Graveyard, a cemetery on the outskirts of the manor. A black hearse sits on the outskirts of the graveyard, decorated with ornate carvings surrounding windows which look into the casket area revealing a sign from the manor's Ghost Relations Department which reads, "Reservations Accepted. Ghost Relations Department, Disneyland. Please do not apply in person!" Its most distinguishing factor is a girdle mounted on what appears to be an invisible, phantom horse. Even stranger, there is also a lead attached to the girdle which appears to float in mid-air, as if a phantom driver is still sitting in the driver's seat. You can even see horseshoe prints in the pavement leading to the spot where the phantom horse is positioned!

Once past this hearse, we start exploring the graveyard itself. Not only does Memento Mori play host to the graves of the departed Graceys, it also is the final resting place of those who never emerged from the Temple of the Four Winds. In fact, there are twenty-six victims here, all with very macabre names...

• Asher T. Ashes
• Clare Voince
• Dustin T. Dust
• Hail N. Hardy
• Hap A. Rition
• I. Emma Spook
• I. M. Ready
• I. Trudy Dew
• Love U. Trudy
• Metta Fisik
• Paul Tergyst
• Ray N. Carnation
• Rusty Gates
• Pearl E. Gates
• U. R. Gone
• Bea Witch
• C. U. Later
• G. I. Missyou
• Hal Lusinashun
• I. L. Beback
• I. M. Mortal
• I. Trudy Departed
• Levi Tation
• Manny Festation
• M. T. Tomb
• Rustin Peece
• Theo Later
• Wee G. Bord

At the northernmost reaches of the graveyard is the Family Plot, honoring the deceased members of the expansive Gracey family, as well as their closest acquaintances (most of which are named after the Imagineers who worked on this attraction).

• "Master Gracey laid to rest. No mourning please, at his request. Farewell." A rose can often be found upon this grave, which is always kept in pristine condition.
• "In memory of our patriarch, dear departed Grandpa Marc."
• "At peaceful rest lies Brother Claude, planted here beneath this sod."
• "Requiescat Francis Xavier. No time off for good behavior. R.I.P."
• "Here lies darling Cousin Victor, he brewed a batch of bad elixir."
• "Here lies Phineas Pock, laid to rest beneath this rock. R.I.P."
• "Rolo Rumkin live and died a friendly bumpkin."
• "Here rests Wathel R. Bender. He rode to glory on a fender. Peaceful Rest"
• "Rest in Peace, Cameron Irving. You probably should've thought of swerving."
• "In final rest, M. Dibjib. He had to eat that one last rib."
• "Loyal friend Esteban Pine no longer has to wait in line."
• "Julia Shrub, such a good sport when people would tease her for being so short."
• "Aqui descansa Bradford Clemente, demaisiado beber de la fuente." This Spanish tombstone translates to "Here rests Bradford Clemente, he drank too much from the fountain." The tombstone also has the inscription of a grape hinting at what sort of fountain he died drinking from.
• "Dear Sweet Leota, beloved by all, in regions beyond now but having a ball." Her tombstone has a mould of her face which occasional pushes out slightly and opens it's eyes to look at guests.
• "Here lies good old Fred. A great big rock fell on his head."
• "Rest in peace, Cousin Huet. We all know you didn't do it."
• "Dear departed Brother Dave, he chased a bear into a cave."
• "Here lies a man named Martin. The lights went out on this old Spartan."
• "R.I.P. good friend Gordon, now you've crossed the river Jordan."
• "In memoriam Uncle Myall, here you'll lie for quite a while."
• "R.I.P. Mister Sewell, victim of a dirty duel."
• "First lady of the opera, our haunting Harriet searched for a tune but never could carry it."
• "Colin died in the fall, it's a fact not withstanding. But the judges admired his form on the landing."
• "Farewell forever, Mr. Frees. Your voice will carry on the breeze."
• "Drink a toast to our friend Ken. Raise your glass and don't say 'when.'"
• "While Brother Roland here reposes his soul's above, or one supposes."
• "A train made a stain of absent-minded Uncle Blaine. Rest in Peace."

If that's not enough, there's also a pet cemetery, honoring their fallen animal friends.

• Kai the Koi Fish, whose epitaph reads, "He has gone to a Betta place."
• Penny the elephant. "Where pachyderms reside with worms within a tomb most elegant, you'll find long gone our mastodon, Beloved Penny, the elephant." Above the tomb is the statue of a mouse which presumably scared Penny to death due to the myth that elephants are terrified of mice. Penny's tomb is in reality a cleverly disguised exhaust chimney for the Disneyland Railroad.
• Big Jake the dog. "Here lies my good dog Jake. Chasing a toad down a well was his one mistake."
• Miss Kitty the cat. "In memoriam Miss Kitty. After losing eight lives you still had no fear, you caught a snake in your ninth and that's why you're here." Her tombstone even comes with dates marking all nine of her deaths!
• Old Flybait the frog. "You didn't drink, you didn't smoke, I just can't figure out what made you croak."
• Waddle, the duck. "Little Waddle saw the truck, but little Waddle didn't duck."
• Stripey the skunk. "In loving memory of our pet Stripey, you may be departed but your scent will linger on."
• Fifi the poodle. "So prim and proper and never lazy, all you do now is pack or double."
• Rosie the pig. "She was a poor little pig but she bought the farm."
• An unnamed cat with no epitaph which is surrounded by the small tombs of five birds.
• An unnamed pet rat. "In memory of my Rat whom I loved, now he resides in realms above."
• Long Legged Jeb the spider. "Got tangled up in his very own web."
• An unnamed fish.
• Eric, the snake. "Here lies my snake whose fatal mistake was frightening the gardener who carried a rake."
• An unnamed rabbit.
• An unnamed squirrel who's tomb resides underneath the shade of a tree.
• Freddie the bat. The epitaph is written upside down and says "We'll miss you."
• Buddy the dog. "Every dog has his day...too bad today was your last."
• Lilac the skunk. "Long on curiosity, short on common scents."
• Jed the cockatoo.
• An unnamed monkey.

Once past the graveyard, we find ourselves walking a path along the stagnant swampwaters of Adventureland, before finding ourselves standing before Gracey Manor itself. Disneyland Maine's Haunted Mansion gets its looks from the much-maligned 2003 film, (The film was garbage, but you can't deny it had amazing production design) which, in turn, was inspired by the original Haunted Mansion in California, with some attributes taken from Florida's mansion, like the visible conservatory built into the right side. Atop the doorway is a clock, eternally stuck at XIII. A cupola stands prominently atop the highest tower, topped by a bat-shaped weathervane. Two dour-faced servants stand at the doors to Gracey Manor, only allowing a certain number of people in at the times. At last, the ancient doors open for us with a slow and painful creak... "Enter, and make room for every body." We step tentatively inside...

Our first stop: the manor's grand Foyer. The dark foyer is littered with forgotten relics, many covered by a tarp or over-sized cobweb. An antique, cobweb-covered chandelier flickers little light into the dark room, all too fitting of a haunted house. At the farthest end of the Foyer, our attention is drawn to a formal painted portrait of Ambrose Gracey and his wife, Emily de Claire, hanging on the wall above a fireplace. A pipe organ plays a dirge in the distance. More and more people join us inside the Foyer. Suddenly, the doors that lead back outside shut. The lights dim. The pipe organ gets louder and louder. An ominous voice speaks...

"When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls... Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still... That is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight."

As this voice speaks, the image in the portrait transforms, Dorian Gray-style, from that of a former sea captain and his wife to that of a gruesome and decayed couple, now a pair of sorrowful corpses - a chilling premonition of the young lovers' fate… At the conclusion of this brief speech, panel in the cellar wall slides open to reveal the next room of the mansion: the Stretching Room.

In the Stretching Room, we find a private gallery of sorts. Standing proudly in this strange room are five paintings; two on either side of the room, and one in the middle. We have a bearded gentleman holding a document, a beautiful young maiden holding a parasol, an old woman with a rose, a man in a bowler hat, and in the middle, a proud-looking big-game hunter (this is one of many additions meant to tie the ride into its Adventureland setting). Candle-wielding gargoyles stand between each painting. Once all are inside this room, that voice that welcomed us speaks again...

"Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host, your ghost host. Our tour begins here in this gallery. Here, where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state. Kindly step all the way in please, and make room for everyone. There’s no turning back now."

A macabre servant of Gracey Manor bids one final world of friendly warning… "Kindly drag your bodies away from the walls and into the dead center of the room…" Suddenly, the panel slides shut, sealing us into the rectangular space complete with an evil glare from the gargoyles. Without warning, the entire room is cast in darkness… As we discover, there's a good reason to stay away from the walls... A hideous creak resounds through the room, thus prompting the portraits and all, to begin "stretching." The portraits - cast in an eerie light - elongate, revealing the cruel fate of their subjects: The bearded gentleman stands pantsless atop a lit keg of dynamite, the parasol maiden is standing on a frayed tightrope over the jaws of an alligator, the old woman is sitting upon her husband's gravestone (a bust of whom sits in the forefront with an axe in his head), the man in the bowler hat is sitting on the shoulders of another man, who himself is sitting on the shoulders of a man waist-deep in quicksand and the big-game hunter is waist-deep in the Amazon River, his legs skeletonized by piranha.

"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!" And with a chilling laugh, he adds on, "Of course, there's always my way..."

The lights ominously fade out. A crack of lightning illuminates the room! Thunder booms! The ceiling of the Stretching Room vanishes to reveal the mansion's cupola, where the skeletal body of the Ghost Host sways from a noose tied to the rafters! A piercing scream rattles our ears! The room goes pitch-black again, this time accompanied by the dreadful clatter of falling bones!

After the noise ceases, the lights just...come back on again. The ceiling is back to normal, as if the whole ordeal never happened. "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."

(Like the Stretching Rooms of California and Paris, Disneyland Maine's Stretching Room is a creative solution to an operational problem. In order to meet capacity, the attraction is housed in an enormous show building. In the Stretching Room, the ceiling remains in place while the floor lowers, taking guests fifteen feet underground to a large space that transports them under the railroad tracks and into the show building itself. In a note from the 2007 “Re-Haunting” of the Walt Disney World Mansion, the Stretching Room boasts a three-dimensional audio system to create the illusion that the Ghost Host is gliding around the room as he delivers his infamous narration. When the room begins to stretch, as I established above, a low rumbling emanates from the floor, and the walls begin to creak and groan as we hear and feel the chamber begin to stretch.)​

Another panel slides open, letting guests exit into the Portrait Corridor. The Portrait Corridor can easily be described as a cross between the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom equivalents. We begin in a similar corridor as Disneyland's. Here is a dimly lit corridor occasionally illuminated by flashing lightning. For example, the beautiful Medusa turns into a hideous Gorgon; a proud galleon devolves into a ghost ship; a gallant knight and his steed both become skeletons; a beautiful young woman reclining on a couch is transformed into a white tiger. On the left-hand wall are windows looking out onto a storm-tossed night, complete with rolling clouds and rain, while a set of portraits hang on the wall to the right; whenever the lightning flashes, these paintings flicker briefly into grotesque and macabre images. Brass bat stanchions flank to length of the corridor. At the far end of the corridor, we turn to the right and approach the loading area, which is, in itself, part of the Portrait Corridor.

The loading area takes its design directly from the Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion. (I really don't like the aesthetic of Disneyland's loading area.) Here, an endless procession of "doom buggies" emerges from the inky blackness of an unknown corridor and appears to head towards another. "And now, a carriage approaches to carry you into the boundless realm of the supernatural. Once on board, remain safely seated with your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside. And watch your children, please." We step onto a moving walkway that keeps us at pace with our doom buggy, thus ensuring a smooth boarding process. "Do not pull down on the safety bar, please. I will lower it for you", our Ghost Host says, as an invisible force does just that. "And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times. Oh yes, and no flash pictures, please. We spirits are frightfully sensitive to bright lights."

Safe and sound in our doom buggy, we head off down the way, towards the horrifying and mysterious world of the unknown...

 

[DisneyManOne]

Heading further into Gracey Manor from the loading area, our Doom Buggy travels beneath a staircase landing where a candelabra floats in inky blackness before we descend into the inner sanctums of the mansion. Oddly enough, an antique chandelier resembles that of a monstrous spider, complete with a "web." Passing underneath the staircase, an eerie wind howls well into a dark corridor before us, a rather sinister collection of macabre art and rare antiquities; Grecian statues, exotic instruments, tribal masks, and cobwebs galore. The portraits, however, the "Sinister 11," steal the show with their eerie, glowing eyes that follow our every move… The axe-wielding Ghost Host cut free of his noose; a lady with long golden hair, carrying a black cat and a pair of opera glasses with lens that resemble eyes; an eerie arsonist with a black flat-topped hat; the haggardly, once beautiful "December" in a formal portrait; a stern-looking man with a long white beard; the phantom of a Mariner lost at sea; Guy Fawkes with his favorite gunpowder; a fanged Dracula in his crypt; a stern and middle-aged couple; a grinning Jack the Ripper; the solemn Witch of Walpurgis and her trusted cat.

After passing through this unsettling hallway, we find ourselves in the mansion's Library, a chamber of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, crammed with dusty tomes. Invisible spirits pull books from the shelves, slide a rolling ladder back and forth, rock a chair and turn pages of a book on a side-table, while marble busts watch from alcoves among the shelves, seeming to turn and follow guests as they pass through. These busts are famous macabre authors: Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Victor Hugo, Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, H.P. Lovecraft, Lord Byron, and Gaston Leroux.

"Our library is well-stocked with priceless first editions -- only ghost stories, of course -- and marble busts of the greatest ghost writers the literary world has ever known," the Ghost Host tells us. "They have all retired here, to the Haunted Mansion."

From the Library, we move on to the Music Room, where a dust-covered piano sits in the center of the room, playing by itself. Or so it seems… Bright moonlight streams through a picture window, casting a shadow of the pianist onto the floor. A red-eyed raven makes its perch from a music stand, seemingly in welcome of our arrival. The expansive window looks into a moonlit, fog-enshrouded, decayed jungle, providing an appropriately sinister backdrop for the scene As we silently glide past, the Ghost Host continues his spiel from the Library. "Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here. But there’s room for 1,000. Any volunteers? If you should decide to join us, final arrangements may be made at the end of the tour."

Next stop: the Endless Staircase. As we travel deeper and deeper into the darkness, numerous staircases that seem to run in every direction fill our field of vision, some sideways and upside down; some ending in freestanding doors and others turning or leading off to points unknown. Occasionally, glowing green footprints manifest along these stairs, and any candelabras they pass flicker and sputter out before mysteriously relighting. At the top of the stairs, we enter a short, gloomy corridor in which glowing eyes stare from the shadow. Ominous whispering fills our airs. It is pitch black. Huge cobwebs house equally huge spiders aloft in their tomb of webbing… A horrid scream erupts from the since-silenced wind and whispering: a ghoulish, decayed skeleton, still in tattered clothing, remains trapped in a web! The glowing eyes blink and study our Doom Buggy, slowly revealing themselves to be coming from behind the iconic, purple-and-black wallpaper as the doom buggies pass into the Endless Hallway.

"We find it delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat," our Ghost Host tells us as we enter. "Every room has wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Shhh, listen!" Another bloodcurdling scream shatters a chill in the air. Our Buggy rotates slightly to point us down what appears to be an endless hallway. Down this corridor to infinity, mysterious orbs materialize gracefully in midair, spirits wishing to return to our mortal world. Their faint moans and cries for help send a chill down our spine. Somewhere beyond, chains rattle and a phantom cackles. Flanking the sight on the right-hand side is a slightly-moving suit of armor; and on the left-hand side is an armchair that seemingly has a "face." Both these things keep their eyes on us, the houseguests. Suddenly, we feel an actual chill and footsteps coming from the hall, getting closer and closer… (represented by a hidden air-conditioning unit and speakers in the floor to accomplish the effect)

"All our ghosts have been dying to meet you!" the Ghost Host says as we pass the next room. "This one can hardly contain himself!" Indeed, here in the Conservatory, an undead occupant is is trying to get out. "Let me outta here! Let me outta here!" he desperately cries. His skeletal hands attempt to push the lid open, which, based on the nails sticking through the wood, was meant to stay sealed. "Unfortunately, they all seem to have trouble getting through", the Ghost Host says in reply. A raven perches on top of a stand with a withered funeral wreath. The Conservatory is practically choked with decaying and overgrown plants and vegetation. In the large windows to the rear of the room, we see dense jungle vegetation--vines, thorns, branches, everything that brave jungle explorers have tried to get past. As we glide past the poor, struggling ghost, we notice that the vegetation is shifting... A long vine slithers past us, disappearing into shadow...

Suddenly, a number of bizarre, flytrap-like plants emerge from the dense vegetation, some leaning right out and snapping at us, some firing "poison darts" at our doom buggy! (represented by bouts of air being blown at the riders) Fortunately, we sail past the danger just in time… only to come across another jungle danger...

This is Captain Gracey's former Trophy Room. Now that the ghosts have taken over the joint, the jungle animals Gracey killed for sport have been made alive again, their heads desperately baying and bellowing. Tiki relics on a table in the center of the room come to life, their eyes glowing as they pound out a beat on their drums, which sounds like a more upbeat version of the dirge we heard in the Foyer, and belt a haka in time. In the center of the room, above the dead fireplace, is another portrait of Ambrose Gracey, dressed in khaki, proudly holding his rifle. When lightning strikes, the shadow of a fierce and very sharp claw appears ripping the picture... only to reveal that nothing has happened to it at all. The animals Gracey had mounted and stuffed still act like the predators they once were, but due to being nailed to their bases, they can't harm us. A taxidermied grizzly bear stands with fiery-red eyes and lingering, pointed claws. Is this haunted bear actually growling, or is it your imagination? Hmm? We don't have time to think, because a massive, snarling taxidermied lion tries to take a swipe at us!

Escaping from this uncertain doom, we are carried backward down the ominous Corridor of Doors, which is exactly what the name implies: a series of doors on either side of the car. Doorknobs and handles twist and turn every which way, and knockers in the shape of spiked maces bang against their doors - by themselves. Unseen presences pound unmercifully on doors from the other side. Otherworldly creatures snarl, growl, howl, shriek, laugh, moan, and groan, dying for escape - loudly. One door appears to breathe, bulging out as a powerful force acts upon it from within the room. Another door even has the face and hands of a tortured soul pressing against the wood, bulging out in a perfect outline. Some of the entities are not confined to their rooms: countless eyes glare at us from the corridor’s sinister wallpaper… The music has silenced. Dreary, post-mortem “family photos” line the walls, which, in actuality are black-and-white photos of many of the “pop-up” ghosts found later in the Mansion. A monstrous arm bursts through one final door in a relentless attempt to break it open. Perhaps most frightening of all, we catch the visage of a sorrowful female spirit, wildly pounding from behind the glass of an ornate mirror… .

The Corridor of Doors is one of the darker and scarier regions of the Haunted Mansion, and clearly holds the influence of Claude Coats. His design of the original corridor and many of its effects, especially the "breathing" door, were inspired by Robert Wise’s 1963 thriller The Haunting. The eyes and faces in the wallpaper also reflect The Haunting’s influence, reinforcing the sense that the Mansion itself is watching you… This Corridor of Doors borrows much of what made the Walt Disney World version of the scene so spectacular in 1971 - each chandelier casts an eerie red light, almost as if the line between reality and imagination has been blurred. The sinister lighting and increase in three-dimensional sound stirs in one a sense of danger, as if the house itself is possessed, ready to attack at any moment…

As we depart the frightening Corridor, we pass an ornate grandfather clock that is perpetually struck on thirteen. The hour and minute hands spin madly around the face as the shadow of a claw scrapes over the clock. If one peers closely into the darkness, one might make out the top half of the cabinet to be the head of a demon; the clock’s face sitting inside its gaping maw, and the swinging pendulum the demon’s forked tongue… This clock marks the end of the corridor. "Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact," the Ghost Host suggests. "She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied."

Welcome to Madame Leota's Seance Circle, an eerie sanctum in which an age-old ritual is taking place. A mist-filled crystal ball floats high above a table littered with tarot cards. The Raven sits perched atop a chair directly behind the table. A large, ancient tome, Necronomicon: Book of the Dead, rests on a nearby bookstand, opened to pages 1312 and 1313 and a spell that summons those trapped in limbo. As we continue our slow circle around the table, we finally meet our medium, the disembodied spirit of Madame Leota, trapped in the crystal ball. She summons the Mansion’s restless spirits and encourages their arrival with a series of incantations.

"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 tambourines!
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond, let there be music from regions beyond!
Witches and wizards, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!"

As Leota chants, several instruments and other supernatural objects float through the darkness making noises to correspond with Madame Leota's spells, while a ghostly light seems to draw lines through the air on the far side of the room, perhaps even making the shape of a face.

From Madame Leota's, we find ourselves gliding before the mansion's Ballroom along a balcony. A big party is underway as a multitude of transparent spirits engage in all sorts of revelry. "The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize," the Ghost Host tells us as we enter. "They're assembling for a swinging wake, and they’ll be expecting me… I’ll see you all a little later." A long dining table covered with decayed floral arrangements and dusty silverware plays host to a birthday feast, and whenever the orange-haired birthday girl blows out the candles on her cake at the head of the table, the other ghosts seated there vanish, only to reappear when the candles light again; nearby, an old woman disappears and reappears in a rocking chair. Several haunts drift into the hall from a hearse parked in a doorway, while cloaked wraith-like phantoms fly in through the broken windows from a stormy night outside. Brilliant lightning flashes reveal the silhouette of Ambrose Gracey in the window above the staircase. It is truly a party to die for.

While a number of ghosts gad about on the chandeliers above the room -- including the notorious Pickwick, who hangs from a chandelier via his cane, a glass of wine in his free hand -- , a pair of duelists emerge from their respective paintings on the far wall and take shots at each other, forever reenacting their age-old feud. The open floor whirls with waltzing couples (who will face the right way this time) as a ghastly organist plays a waltz on a pipe organ, where tiny spirits emerge from the pipes. Upon reaching the end of the balcony, the doom buggies pass into the Attic.

The Attic is designed like you would design an attic in your home; strewn about with old, discarded junk--trunks, boxes, chests, bric-a-brac, discarded furniture, gilded antiques, and long-stored gifts and mementos of an illustrious life. Porcelain dolls, china clowns, harlequin toys, and a deliciously disturbed ventriloquist dummy hide among the clutter, most near an empty bassinet. The clock suddenly chimes thirteen. Bats madly flutter. As we enter, ghostly voices seem to murmur "I do...", seeming to mock a beautiful young bride, looking forlorn and taunted. She is a beautiful young thing, with a fair face and light blue hair. She holds a candlestick in one hand and a bouquet in the other. Her heart can be seen beating, eternally for her lost love. This is the ghost of Emily de Claire, lost love of Ambrose Gracey. A portrait depicts the happy couple, only for Emily to disappear. Occasionally, the ghost of Ambrose can be found nearby, giving his love a tender kiss on the cheek. Now that they are in the afterlife, they can remain together. But I wonder...what did happen that caused Emily and Ambrose to never tie the knot?

As we leave the Attic, we come across the Hatbox Ghost, who stands with an old, knobby walking stick in his right hand and his namesake hatbox in his left. As riders look on, his head vanishes from his shoulders and reappears inside the hatbox, his top hat floating above the space where his head should be, only to have the head fade back into its original position moments later. Creepy as he may be, he doesn't seem like the malicious sort. So then, what did happen to Ambrose and Emily?

Alas, we have no time to find out, because we find ourselves being "flung out" of the house and into the stagnant swamps below. A raven caws at guests from a tree branch. The shapes of rising spirits can be seen everywhere. Welcome to the mansion's Graveyard. Here, among the rotting jungle foliage and unearthly sounds, the "swinging wake" is really kicking into gear!

Upon reaching the ground, Silas Crump, the graveyard caretaker can be seen with his faithful dog, Bones, the two of them utterly petrified by the sight before them. Leaving them alone, we pass through the creaky gates of the Graveyard. This is a crazy place. Here among the rotting jungle foliage and stagnant, bubbly swampwater, hundreds of ghosts rise from their graves in a tour de force of Marc Davis designs and sight gags. Music is all around, while playful spooks pop-up from behind their tombstones. The ghosts cross all boundaries of space and time. First we encounter the Phantom Five, a band of medieval minstrels - a drummer (with bone-sticks), a flutist (upright in his coffin), a bagpipe player (in a kilt), a harpist (with a hook-nose), and a horn player (in his pajamas). A gathering of scrawny cats and plump owls join the revelry and add their own harmonies. A boney hellhound howls at the moon. Nearby, a trio of Lonesome Ghost relatives (in design only) eagerly await a mug of fresh brew - two transparent witches (ghost witches, respectively) stir a bubbling green elixir in their black cauldron. The witches cackle. In the distance, a grim quartet of decayed skeletons begin to reanimate and do a "Skeleton Dance" of their own… Of course, the minstrels would be unimpressive without the frightful vocals of those five singing busts coming into view, bearing very vividly lit, expressive faces as they sing the ride's theme, "Grim Grinning Ghosts".

"When the crypt doors creak and the tombstones quake,
Spooks come out for a swinging wake.
Happy haunts materialize
and begin to vocalize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

Now, don’t close your eyes and don’t try to hide,
For a silly spook may sit by your side.
Shrouded in a daft disguise,
they pretend to terrorize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

As the moon climbs high o’er the dead oak tree,
Spooks arrive for the midnight spree.
Creepy creeps with eerie eyes
start to shriek and harmonize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell,
Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell.
Restless bones etherealize,
rise as spooks of every size!"

Continuing on, we find a properly paranormal English tea party. Victorian-era spooks enjoy a chorus with a game of chess and a spot of tea alongside a cozy, crashed hearse - its occupant now upright and humming along (the infamous "La La" vocalist). In the background, a number of wraiths ride bicycles around a gnarled tree. A well-dressed gent tips his hat - and his head - to welcome our arrival. An Egyptian mummy sits upright in his sarcophagi, desperately trying to entertain a befuddled old man with an ear-horn. Suddenly, gunfire! A khaki-clad hunter and his sheepish camel (both ghosts) attempt their getaway - the cowardly ghost of a rival hunter hiding behind an obelisk ‘cross the cemetery, seldom firing back. Running around in circles like a dog chasing its own tail, is a ghost cheetah with a very frayed tail. Nearby is a ghost elephant with two hunters atop it, firing at a rather disgruntled ghost tiger, whose rear-end is now burnt. Behind some jungle bushes, a team of ghost headhunters try to time an attack on an innocent grazing ghost lion. However, a sudden rustle causes the lion to turn around, causing the headhunters to duck back down.

A flapper of the Roaring '20s enjoys a spot of tea with the chained ghost of a former convict. In the open coffin below, a boney arm pours tea into the flapper’s removed shoe. A former pirate captain (Bluebeard?!) raises a pint o’ grog in toast of the swinging wake, joined by an incredibly short Viking perched atop a small tombstone. A presumably drowned flight attendant (as evident by the life-jacket) sings solo to the sight of another ghostly big-game hunter and a phantom tiger - the hunter’s pants grasped in the tiger’s maw. A headless knight, executioner and tiny prisoner sing "backup" for a pair of opera singers dressed as Vikings, the duo madly warbling in time with the music. It truly isn’t over until the fat lady sings… Nearby, the occupant of a brick tomb attempts to seal himself within via concrete.

As we exit the graveyard into a Mausoleum, we hear a very familiar voice: "Ah, there you are! And just in time… there’s a little matter I forgot to mention — beware of hitchhiking ghosts!" Indeed, we come across a trio of hitchhiking ghosts: Ezra, Gus and Phineas. "They have selected you to fill our quota, and they’ll haunt you until you return!" We soon realize that the Ghost Host's warning is true. We pass by a series of mirrors, showing that the Hitchhikers are sitting in our doom buggy!

We turn around to find ourselves passing through another part of the mausoleum, we come across the mansion's "Ghostess", who invites us 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..."

At last, we come across an exit to the mausoleum, and to the Haunted Mansion as a whole. Our Ghost Host gives us one final farewell: "Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!" And with the eerie cackle of the Ghost Host ever fading away, we head out through a long, candle-lit hallway, towards the relative safety of Adventureland. As we pass through this hallway, we hear the singing busts sing a haunting, somber reprise of "Grim Grinning Ghosts".

"If you would like to join our jamboree,
there's a simple rule that's compulsory.
Mortals pay a token fee;
rest in peace, the haunting's free.
So hurry back, we would like your company..."

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Once again, all credit goes to @MANEATINGWREATH for all the new things I put in.

And oh my gosh, I just found out about this: In my Haunted Mansion, I gave Master Gracey the name Ambrose. Well, I found out that "Ambrose" comes from the Latin word Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Αμβροσιος (Ambrosios), which means... "immortal." Talk about irony, huh? I love it!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Thank you for providing credit! Happy Halloween!

Boy, I wish I had thought of Ambrose Gracey! What a completely macabre coincidence. I'll for sure use the name "Ambrose" in my personal yard haunt, just not with the Gracey name attached.

My Gracey, "Roland Gracey" of course is a combination of Roland Crump (Rolly) and Yale Gracey, the two key designers of the effects found in the Haunted Mansion.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Hello, everybody. I hope you liked the Haunted Mansion ride-through. Although Halloween has come and gone, I've decided to offer a follow-up to the updated ride-through. Inspired by @MANEATINGWREATH's post in his initial Dream Disney Resort thread regarding Gracey Square, I've decided to impart with you all the full backstory behind Disneyland Maine's Haunted Mansion.

With that in mind, I present...

===========================================================================

The Tragic Tale of Ambrose Gracey
The Backstory for Disneyland Maine's Haunted Mansion

Presented here for your own gloom and despair, is a look into the troubled past of the Gracey Family, as written by Dr. Ken Anderson, noted journalist and activist for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. This shocking narrative can still be read today, found in an article at the Adventurers' Club in the Forgotten Kingdom, but it has been preserved here.

Our story begins - as most often do - once upon a time, in a faraway land. Ambrose Gracey was born to Elizabeth and Malachi Gracey on Halloween night, 1910. Born and bred in New Orleans, Louisiana, he spent his boyhood in an Antebellum mansion deep in the bayous, a mansion that had been in his family for generations. As Ambrose grew, he yearned to explore the world. Upon completing his schooling at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the United States Navy, and quickly rose through the ranks, ending his service with the title of "Captain."

By 1930, he was one of the wealthiest of all former Navy captains, and once again grew restless. At the local movie-houses, he caught wind of a breakthrough discovery by the renowned archaeologist Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones. It seemed like all the world was flocking to a previously-unknown island to get a glimpse at the Temple of the Four Winds. Ambrose decided "What the heck?" and decided to go to the island--hereby dubbed the "Paradise Kingdom"--and see for himself. In the end, Ambrose was absolutely enthralled by what he saw, and soon, the letters home told his family that he was going to live on that island for the rest of his life!

To honor his family's legacy, Ambrose commissioned the building of a mansion just like the one he grew up just nearby the bustling center of the Paradise Kingdom. While Ambrose was home in America, finalizing things before the big move, an architect named Ward Edwards took the job of building the mansion--which was to be named "Gracey Manor"--and found a spot right along the rivers, where the Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. were sending people off on their "Jungle Cruises." Despite rumors of the site being on an ancient Indian burial ground, construction commenced, famously plagued with freak accidents and strange happenings, including the accidental death of a construction worker. Wishing to avoid involvement from the authorities, Ward quietly buried the deceased in the home’s infrastructure, paying off the others to stay quiet. Soon after, all of Ward’s architects had either fled the site or perished unwittingly, giving the greedy baron no other choice but to finish the house himself, sealing the deceased within the house.

Haunted by the memory of burying his own workers, Ward built false doors and endless hallways throughout his sprawling manor, wishing to lead the wayward spirits astray. Staircases led to nowhere - doors opened into walls - trapdoors dropped into chutes - secret panels led into dark, impenetrable chambers.

By 1931, the house was complete, but strangely, no one had seen or heard from Edwards in years. Presumably the guilt of burying construction workers in the infrastructure had caused old Ward to go mad. Rumor has it that Ward sealed himself within a crypt, still alive. In the years following, the abandoned mansion became a hideout for organized crime and runaway convicts. The Memento Mori Graveyard was built nearby the mansion, honoring those who died while in the Paradise Kingdom. Still, no one knows for sure what happened to old Ward…

When Ambrose finally moved into the Paradise Kingdom, he had no clue of what happened to Edwards. Although unnerved by the cemetery that had sprung up nearby his mansion, he soon paid it no heed. One day, while strolling through the bustling marketplace, he came across an old gypsy cart. Madame Leota, being forty-years of age at the time, never married. To those who knew her best, she was a false psychic, known only to make predictions based on particles of clothing and general sarcasm. Her only true talent was communication with the dead. Leota’s cart claimed to have “Over 999 Served,” whatever that meant. Being superstitious himself, he regularly turned to her for advice, becoming good friends with her in the process. He also became friends with Randall Pace, a milliner who had set up his own shop in the marketplace, offering the finest hats money could buy.

Before long, most of Ambrose's relatives had moved into the Haunted Mansion. Ambrose became the toast of Adventureland, holding elaborate parties and balls for all the socialites. Now, at one of these parties, Ambrose was introduced to Emily de Claire, a beautiful young debutante from his childhood home of New Orleans. Young, beautiful and kind, it was love at first sight. Before long, a wedding was set for October 1st, 1934. But unbeknowst to Ambrose, another man had eyes for her: Mortimer Richardson, a tall, sickly man with shocking white hair, a crooked nose and one eyeball that was surprisingly larger than the other. From just one look at the man, you knew that something was not right in his head. A man with a disturbing love of the macabre, he tried time after time to make Emily his, but she refused. And when word got out that she was to be wed, his mind completely dried up. It was either him or the groom...and he intended to live. Leota had sensed the restless souls trapped within the Mansion’s walls, who warned her that a man was going to kill Emily before the wedding. Teaming up with Randall, they set off to warn Emily of her fate.

The day of the wedding came. The upper-crust from all over the world came. Ambrose's distant cousins from Norway appeared in full Viking attire, providing an operatic take on the Wedding March. An internationally-acclaimed organist was hired, the reception was to be held at Gracey Manor, and Elizabeth’s roses were in bloom. Every wedding guest was assured to return home with a lifetime of "happy memories." Oddly enough, Emily did not appear at the ceremony. At first, it was believed to be a prank. But when hours passed, suspicions began to arise. Ambrose wept. Countless wedding guests and servants scoured the mansion in search of the missing bride, but to no avail. Little did they know that poor Emily had been locked within a trunk in the Mansion’s attic. Later that night, Ambrose heard a strange sound coming from the attic. He went up to investigate, and found a gift-wrapped hatbox. Looking inside...he found Randall's head! A disturbing cackle filled the air. Ambrose wheeled around to find himself face-to-face with Mortimer, who revealed the entire truth: he had murdered Emily so that Ambrose would never get the chance to marry her; and what's more, he had killed his two dearest friends in the world so that they couldn't warn the couple. (As for Leota's death, Mortimer had placed her head in her crystal ball!) Enraged, Ambrose tossed Mortimer into his private gallery, and replaced the door with a wall so that he may never get out.

When Ambrose discovered Emily's body in the trunk, he was absolutely distraught. He didn't live long shortly therafter. He refused to eat or drink. Instead, he spent his last days lying next to Emily's body, awaiting the day when the two could be reunited. He perished later that October, coincidentally on the same day Indiana Jones disappeared into the Temple of the Four Winds.

Ambrose wasn't the only one traumatized by Mortimer's dirty deeds: Another poor victim was Silas Crump and his puppy, Bones, the then-young groundskeeper of Gracey Manor. Having witnessed Mortimer's killings, Silas' hair became a shade of white. The frightened Bones stopped eating, growing scrawny and withered. As for the murderer...well, even shame and guilt can creep into the hearts of criminals from time to time. Ashamed of what he had done just to satisfy his sinful love, Mortimer hung himself, leaving behind this suicide note: "I am useless, forgotten, and ridden with guilt. There is no other way for me but this. I fully confess that I am responsible for the murders of Emily de Claire, Randall Pace and Leota Lind. It was foolish of me to kill them just so I could satisfy my narcissistic desires. I never should have done so, but alas, we all make mistakes. The only way out is this… My way."

With Ambrose and Emily dead, Silas was declared the new owner of Gracey Manor. Silas and Bones tirelessly work to this day, ensuring the grounds and exterior are kept in perfect condition. Ambrose and Emily were buried in the Memento Mori Graveyard. The few hundred friends and family who attended the funeral wept for ages. Every year on the anniversary of their deaths, a single rose is placed on both their graves.

In time, the Paradise Kingdom had become the "Forgotten Kingdom." Sure, they still get visitors from time to time, but the island has since been forgotten by the world at large. A year after the tragic events that occured on what was supposed to be the wedding of Ambrose Gracey and Emily de Claire, the Forgotten Kingdom Expedition Team (set up by Dr. Jones and his friend Sallah to explore the Temple of the Four Winds) received permission from Silas to explore the inside of Gracey Manor. A twenty-four hour investigation concluded in outrageous, near-nonsensical claims - talking marble busts, waltzing ghosts, breathing doors - the team uncovered everything about the tragic past of Gracey Manor, from the greed of Ward Edwards to the murderous jealousy of Mortimer Richardson, to the tragic "Romeo and Juliet"-esque deaths of Ambrose and Emily. Even more ridiculous, the team claimed that the Mansion had taken on a mind of its own, opening its doors to ghosts from all over the world, inviting them to retire amid the country club-like atmosphere. Famous ghosts, infamous ghosts, ghosts trying to make a name for themselves - all were welcome. Gracey Manor had literally become a Haunted Mansion. What's more, the ghost of Mortimer Richardson - which, upon his death, became enveloped by his sadistic, homicidal side - was said to be taunting them throughout their investigation, offering them the chance to become the mansion's 1,000th ghost...

Now, here in this Forgotten Kingdom, the Haunted Mansion remains open, inviting one and all to discover the dark secrets of the afterlife. It's truly a beacon for the Forgotten Kingdom tourism industry -- only, instead of being a beacon for the adventurous, it's a beacon for the undead wanderers of Planet Earth.

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Once again, my inspiration for this post came from @MANEATINGWREATH, so credit goes out to him.

As you can see, I changed up a few things for the mythos. First and foremost, the Hatbox Ghost is no longer implied to be Emily's murderer. That "honor" goes to the Ghost Host (That stuff about his ghost becoming enveloped by his homicidal side explains why the narration is so macabre.). And compared to the darker backstories for the Hatbox Ghost and Madame Leota, I wanted to paint them in a positive light. Both weren't really malevolent figures in the ride, so why not have them serve some good-aligned purpose?

And yes, I made sure to emphasize that Ambrose and Emily do reunite in death (thus explaining why Ambrose appears at Emily's side in the attic scene). Just once, I'd like to have a Haunted Mansion bride have a happy ending. (What about Constance?) One that deserves it, I meant. (If you don't get that joke, according to her backstory, Constance got away with her murders and spent the rest of her life in riches, dying of old age.)

So, that's all for now! November is here, and that means Christmas celebrations will soon be starting in Disney parks! And what better way to resume our ride-through tour than with a spin through the world of a certain Northern land? Are you ready? I know I am, because after all... the cold never bothered me, anyway.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Well, it's been a while. What say we resume our ride-through tour of Disneyland?

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Frozen Ever After

On the outskirts of Arendelle, you'll find yourself standing before the mighty North Mountain, with Elsa's ice palace sitting alongside it. A cave at the base of the mountain leads us inside and into an ice cavern, filled with interactive elements. First, guests come up to a large LED screen with various snow effects. When someone moves around in front of this screen, motion sensors capture their movement and make ice effects to the corresponding movement, making it seem like they have Elsa's powers. Next, there are musical icicles that light up different colors and make musical notes when touched by the guests. Then, guests use touch screens on the wall to pull snowflakes of different shapes and colors to their corresponding collection area.

Leaving this cavern, we find ourselves on the outskirts of Arendelle, with the castle and village in the distance. In the forefront of this view, a snowy path is trod upon by a parade of sleds. In fact, they look a lot like the sled Kristoff was given when Elsa named him "Official Ice Master and Deliverer" (complete with cup-holder).

The ride will begin like EPCOT's version of the ride. Upon boarding our sled, we first run into Olaf, who actually walks as he welcomes us to Arendelle. He sings...

"Do you wanna build a snowman?
C’mon, let’s go and play!
Elsa wants to give us all some fun,
She’s making everyone
A snowy summer day!"

"It's Summer Snow Day!" he jubilantly tells us. "The celebration's starting at the castle soon. And everyone's invited: you and you and you — all of you! It’ll be so beautiful! See ya there!" Next stop, the Troll Kingdom, where Grand Pabbie tells the baby trolls about Anna and Elsa. Unlike EPCOT, they are found on both sides of the track. From here, things change. We continue on through the forest. Wait...are those wolves? We can hear their growling and see their eyes glowing. But, we make it through and come across Anna on her own sleigh. "Oh, hello!" she says. "Glad to see you. My sister, Elsa, is up at her ice palace, and I've got to bring her back to Arendelle for Summer Snow Day.

We float under an snow covered rock arch and come up upon Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post, where he stands on the porch and offers us his winter sale. In the windows, we see projections of his family in the sauna, waving. We float past a nearby barn and meet Kristoff (playing his lute and singing about reindeer) and Sven (with his tongue stuck to an icicle sticking out of the snow), and then emerge into the Crystal Forest, filled with pointed ice spikes. The forest transitions to the rocky North Mountain. As "Vuelie" swells, we head up the North Mountain, snowflakes swirling above our heads. At the top, we turn left to a wall of pointed ice arches looking out over the frozen mountain landscape, just as a very familiar song begins.

Through a swinging set of doors, we finally enter the ice palace, the highlight of the ride and the main musical location. Hey, we can't leave out "Let it Go". However, the ride sequence that accompanies the song will be completely re-worked. Now, we'll actually see the castle growing and building right before our eyes. Above us, we see a grand ice chandelier growing and pulsing in time. Elsa, who we see projected in the balconies, uses her powers. We then float underneath it and the huge ice chandelier above, pulsing with the music. Then we continue out of the tower and under the icy arches and to the next scene, where we see Elsa on her balcony completing the song.

As we leave, we hear Anna calling out to her sister: "Elsa! Come on, it's time for the celebration to begin!" We pass by Marshmallow and the Snowgies. With a jubilant cry of "Let it go!", Marshmallow blows some ice breath at us as we head down the North Mountain and arrive back at Arendelle.



From here, the ride finishes like at EPCOT. We pass by a model of Arendelle Castle, with fireworks going off. Heading into the vast courtyard, we see the citizens of Arendelle joining Anna, Elsa and Kristoff in the festivities. All raise their voices in a jubilant rendition of "Making Today a Perfect Day". Though the sun shines as bright as ever, Elsa is making the snow fall in a jubilant display. Sven can be seen cutting an ice-cream cake, as he did in "Frozen Fever". As we turn to go, we see Olaf, who bids us a fond farewell.

Docking our sled in a barn on the outskirts of Arendelle Castle (Kristoff's own sled can be found nearby), we exit through a shack built into the other side of the mountain and emerge back in the daylight.

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Feels good to be back after so long! Hope you guys liked the post! Stay tuned, because in my next post, we'll be going on another seminal classic, updated just for Disneyland Maine. See ya then!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Peter Pan's Flight

Approaching Fantasy Harbour, our attention is first pulled towards a Tudor-style mansion, topped with blue patchwork roofs and lovely wooden decor. Our entryway into this building is through an old tower. Perched atop the tower is an old weathervane, with arrows pointing towards the different directions of the compass and the Jolly Roger, the ship of one Captain James Hook, atop it. Nearby is a similar weathervane, but minus the arrows and with a silhouette of the Crocodile atop it. Perched on the panelings of the tower's balcony is a sign bearing the title "Peter Pan's Flight". Longtime Disney visitors may notice it as the exact same sign as Florida's version: a giant cloud bearing the name and Peter Pan, the Darling children and Tinker Bell soaring past Big Ben. However, there's been an added bonus. The words have been embedded with LED lights, so when night falls, it will look as if the words are glowing with pixie dust.

Hanging from the tower are two signs, one to the left boasting the FastPass return time, and the one to the right boasting the current wait time. Stepping through the tower, we pass through ornate wooden switchbacks, much like California’s queue. Upon reaching the loading area, the first thing that catches your eye is an ornate mural. 80s and 90s kids may recognize the mural as taking inspiration from two notable Peter Pan VHS covers. On the left-hand side, we see the island of Neverland, the moon shining high above it. In the forefront, however, we see the Jolly Roger, and Captain Hook in a rowboat, menaced by the Crocodile. This part comes from the 1998 VHS cover...

Clouds separate Neverland from the next part of the mural, featuring Peter Pan and the Darling children flying above London town. This, of course, comes from the 1990 VHS cover:

The town of London, in turn, transitions into the quiet streets of Bloomsbury, leading up to a full-scale building made to look like the top floor of the Darlings' house, where the nursery is located. A large window sits in the middle of the building, allowing a bevy of flying pirate ships to pass through and begin their journey.

Speaking of the ships, let's talk about them. Disneyland Maine's fleet of pirate ships feature two rows of two (similar to the Disneyland Paris version), allowing for a doubled capacity and parties of two, three and four to ride together. However, the crown jewel of these ships is the additional Kuka arm disguised into the mast and sails. This new Kuka arm will allow the vehicle to be programmed with many new movements. Throughout the attraction, the vehicles will now tilt slightly forward, backwards or side to side. In addition, the Kuka arm allows the ship to rise or fall along the track. As our pirate ships soars out of the loading area, LED lights sparkle around us to simulate the feeling that our ship is being covered in "pixie dust". We fly over the chimneys and into the Darlings' nursery.

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The nursery is as ornately-themed as all the other versions are. Standing nearby another window in the nursery, we see Peter Pan holding Tinker Bell in his hand, shaking her so that pixie dust is seen falling down upon Wendy, John and Michael, who start to rise off the floor. You go out the window as an instrumental version of "You Can Fly!" starts up. We hear Peter's voice calling: "Come on, everybody! Here we go...! Off to Neverland!" Nana floats nearby (as we can see, some of the pixie dust must have gotten on her), waving good-bye with her paw. We sail past some of the neighboring houses on the Bloomsbury street the Darlings call home. The ships really come alive here bobbing, tilting and weaving through the scene to replicate the feeling of flight. Then the ships pass through a cloud (simulated by a fog effect) to unveil a glittering London beneath them.

The entire set has been revamped to make it glitter in the night while projections and LED’s add to the magic, including improved car effects on the streets and even the effect of the Thames' river's water "shimmering" in the moonlight. The entire room is surrounded by a large projection screen depicting the night sky. As we exit, we can see Peter and the Darlings flying past the moon (as they pass the moon, their silhouettes are seen). Peter is heard saying "There it is, Wendy. Second star to the right and straight on till morning." The ships then turn to face a giant mist screen, projecting the "second star to the right", which reveals itself to be the island of Neverland. Tinker Bell appears via projection and motions for them to follow her.

The ships pass through the mist screen and suddenly they are flying right over Neverland. Much like the Florida version, we do not merely just fly over the island itself, but rather soar over the hills and mountains, getting up close and personal with the people that call Neverland home. We begin with a rather un-warm welcome from the pirates on the Jolly Roger. As we fly over, we hear Hook shout "Here they come, Mr. Smee! Shoot 'em down!" To which Smee responds, "Aye-aye, Cap'n!" and then fires. The ship quickly swerves to dodge the cannonball but guest can feel the wind rush by them. From there, we descend further into the jungles of Neverland, and pass by more friendlier faces. First, we pass by Hangman's Tree, the hideout of the Lost Boys. The Lost Boys themselves, on the other hand, are "following the leader" as they march along a tree branch, which we pass under. From there, we pass through a waterfall, gliding by a hippo blending in with the rocks. From there, we pass by three monkeys--a boy, a girl and a baby--sitting on a bench, messing around with John's top hat, followed by a trek through the tall yellow grass where a rhino grazes, and a near-encounter with a bear resting on a rock.

Next stop: Mermaid Lagoon, where mermaids are seen preening themselves. Finally, we pass by an elevated plateau where Tiger Lily and her tribe sit around a campfire, playing their drums. Their teepees sit behind them. From there, things take a more ominous turn as we pass through Skull Rock, in a scene straight out of Shanghai's version of the ride.

Once out of Skull Rock, we come to the ride's big climax: the battle on Hook's ship. It's the same as all other versions: Wendy about to walk the plank of Hook's ship, John and Michael and the Lost Boys lashed to the ship mast, the pirates all looking on and Peter and Hook dueling on the cathead. Here, the figures of Hook and Pan are improved and more convincing as their blades somehow connect. All the figures have been updated to fully animated animatronics giving real life to the scene. Meanwhile, the crocodile waits nearby, ticking away as usual. Swinging around the ship, the pirates are all knocked out and the usual scene of a victorious Peter (now wearing Hook's hat and coat) and the Darling siblings poised at the ship's steering wheel as Peter tells Tinker Bell, "Cast off for London! Pixie dust!" Upon Peter’s command, the ship turns a bright shade of gold (in the form of fiber-optics which quickly covers the entire ship). You then see the usual scene of a defeated Hook standing precariously on the crocodile's jaws to avoid going into his mouth. Unlike previous versions, the jaws actually try to scissor shut (with Hook's legs with it). Hook calls out for help to Smee, who answers from a rowboat. The projected water effect will also be showcased in this scene.

Once past Hook, we pass through the foliage and head towards a giant moon, which turns into the face of Big Ben. We pass through the moon/face and find ourselves back in London. Above the buildings and trees, a screen depicts the gold-colored ship flying off into the night, trailing pixie dust behind it. However, once it passes the moon, we see it become a cloud. You then head to the unload area and get off to the right.

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Well, that's all the rides I wanted to focus on in Fantasyland. There's only two more attractions I want to talk about before we move on to the parades and nighttime spectaculars, so in the next post, we'll take to Discoveryland and enjoy yet another beloved classic in the Disney parks pantheon. See ya then!