Interesting news for Haunted Mansion fans - Master Gracey has flipped!

Phineas85

Member
Original Poster
OK, what I really mean is the aging man portrait has been flipped around - so it now faces the way it did from 1971 to 2007 once more.

This does mark the first time the digital version for the portrait has faced this way!

Who knows why, could be anything from a Haunted Mansion enthusiast on the maintenance team wanting to put things back as they were, to someone in charge asking for it to be done seeing all merchandise continued depicting him the old way, or perhaps it's even a throwback reference seeing WDW is nearing it's 50th Anniversary.

But someone clearly decided to give the portrait some attention! Now if only they will next get rid of that silly head start the portrait has over the intro spiel, as it just doesn't work well that way!

See the vid:

 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
There are other ways the term is used. Master is also used to signify a man who is in charge of a property who has servants working for him and has control or authority over others.
Master Gracey is also the name that appears on his tombstone so Disney has relegated the title to him.
 

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Unrelated question... is that actually "Master Gracey"? I always thought "Master" was an honorific title given to children, especially children of aristocrats.
Believe it or not, after my parents opened a bank account for me as a child, I would receive letters addressed to “Master [first name] [surname]”. It made me feel very aristocratic, though my family is anything but! This was in the ’80s and ’90s, though I believe my 12-year-old nephew receives similarly addressed correspondence from his bank even today.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
Believe it or not, after my parents opened a bank account for me as a child, I would receive letters addressed to “Master [first name] [surname]”. It made me feel very aristocratic, though my family is anything but! This was in the ’80s and ’90s, though I believe my 12-year-old nephew receives similarly addressed correspondence from his bank even today.
I had the same. 😀✌️
 

Phineas85

Member
Original Poster
Unrelated question... is that actually "Master Gracey"? I always thought "Master" was an honorific title given to children, especially children of aristocrats.
The official name for the portrait is THE AGING MAN. It was intended as an ambiguous effect, but thanks to fan and cast member fandom, merchandise and the like now refer to him as Master Gracey.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
The official name for the portrait is THE AGING MAN. It was intended as an ambiguous effect, but thanks to fan and cast member fandom, merchandise and the like now refer to him as Master Gracey.
At DL he doesn't age he just turns to his skeletal form in the hallway instead with the lightning flash..
c4534f1af3964e1b79ba5fb8cdf47c9b.jpg
 

Phineas85

Member
Original Poster
At DL he doesn't age he just turns to his skeletal form in the hallway instead with the lightning flash..
c4534f1af3964e1b79ba5fb8cdf47c9b.jpg
I was never keen on him going there, I liked the fact that each HM had something unique. Seems a bit pointless to reduce a 6 stage portrait to just a lightning flash effect. It was a shame April/December went, but nice to hear she's back now in a spot of her own!
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
Are you also British? I forgot to specify that this was in the UK.

By the way, I just checked your profile (to see if it said where you’re from), and you’re currently at 999 posts—very appropriate given the topic of this thread!
Well there’s always room for one more 😀✌️

Yep I’m British, your post reminded me of my eccentric uncle Charlie who would always put master on my birthday cards. He was the only person I ever knew who wore a pocket watch and sent telegrams
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
That's how the first people in often see it. I really wish they'd put it back to beginning to change AFTER the spiel has begun, there'd be better consistency as Cast Members who care have no point of reference when they open the doors as to when it is starting.

That's how it's done in Tokyo. Everyone gets loaded into the room and then the spiel starts and the painting changes.
 

cheshiresmile

Active Member
Believe it or not, after my parents opened a bank account for me as a child, I would receive letters addressed to “Master [first name] [surname]”. It made me feel very aristocratic, though my family is anything but! This was in the ’80s and ’90s, though I believe my 12-year-old nephew receives similarly addressed correspondence from his bank even today.
That's how my grandmother addresses my son's mail!
 

cheshiresmile

Active Member
OK, what I really mean is the aging man portrait has been flipped around - so it now faces the way it did from 1971 to 2007 once more.

This does mark the first time the digital version for the portrait has faced this way!

Who knows why, could be anything from a Haunted Mansion enthusiast on the maintenance team wanting to put things back as they were, to someone in charge asking for it to be done seeing all merchandise continued depicting him the old way, or perhaps it's even a throwback reference seeing WDW is nearing it's 50th Anniversary.

But someone clearly decided to give the portrait some attention! Now if only they will next get rid of that silly head start the portrait has over the intro spiel, as it just doesn't work well that way!

See the vid:


The first time I went on the HM I was with my grandmother and really nervous to go on. In the parlor I was hypnotized by this and fell in love with the mansion. A big reason I still love spooky stuff now!
 

Phineas85

Member
Original Poster
That's how it's done in Tokyo. Everyone gets loaded into the room and then the spiel starts and the painting changes.
I would say since at least the 80s, the foyer spiel plays approx 30 secs after the stretching room has closed. Most Cast Members can open the door in time for this, but as the portrait now changes ahead of the spiel there is only about 20 seconds until it ages again. On the rare occasions I have seen it in default, the Cast Member must have literally been standing ready to open the door as the previous group's door closed. Overall, not very good presentation as the slightest hold up means even the first in will miss out. Walt Disney World's timed loops are timed so that as you enter your stretching room, the other has just opened to exit the guests. If Tokyo's (which also works on a timed loop) allows most guests to enter before the foyer begins, then I'd imagine it's set up so the Foyer Sequence begins as the previous group is exiting their stretching room, giving over a minute's extra time.
 
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Phineas85

Member
Original Poster
The first time I went on the HM I was with my grandmother and really nervous to go on. In the parlor I was hypnotized by this and fell in love with the mansion. A big reason I still love spooky stuff now!
Same! I make sure all the kids in the family see the whole portrait sequence when they go for the first time as it's something I remember also from the 80s.
 

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