Team Mystic Presents
Welcome foolish mortals... To The Haunted Mansion: Halloween Hijinks .. Team Mystic will be your hosts... Your ghost hosts... Kindly step all the way in please... There's no turning back now... The happy haunts have gathered to celebrate the ancient holiday of Hallows Eve... And you're invited to join them, for all eternity... MUAH HA HA HA... Do you find that thought dreadful? Do you want to run to the comfort of family or friends? But consider this dismaying observation... This chamber has no windows and no doors, which offers you this challenge... To find away out!... Of course, there's always our way... As your ghost hosts, we invite you to observe on the action of this Haunted Hallow's Eve instead, from the comfort of your own mysterious mansion... While reading, perhaps listen to a tune created by your's truly, your ghost hosts, and prepare to be horrified for all eternity! MUAH HA HA HA...
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, as Team Mystic chillingly presents... The Haunted Mansion Holiday Hijinks...
During the daylight, guests walking up to the creepy old mansion will immediately notice the original placard has been replaced with a more Halloween themed appropriate design.
The mansion's exterior will remain mostly intact. Pumpkins will garnish the iron spires on the sloped roofs of the house. A few witch hats will adorn the concrete structures, and a wide banner reading "Happy Halloween" will be strung from one window to another. A large spider web can be seen attached to the eastern side of the mansion; a dancing cat and witch will be placed on the chimney tops, and some of the pointed concrete spires will be temporarily replaced with candy corn spires. The aesthetic changes, while subtle, will lend the mansion a conspicuous Halloween theme and presence. The bright, festive orange and yellow colors will draw guests in to the vicinity, and at nighttime, families will be treated to a brief light show utilizing projection mapping technology; the show will occur roughly every 45 minutes. Specific areas of the mansion will be utilized as focal points of projection, including the conservatory and the central tower. Guests will enjoy a brief narrative that involves some of the attraction's most famous tenants, including Madame Leota and the Hitchhiking Ghosts, celebrating the start of Halloween. The characters will come to life and, in true Haunted Mansion fashion, materialize and dematerialize in sync to the familiar tune of "Grim Grinning Ghosts." This, along with the bright violet and orange colors representing the Halloween overlay will help complete the attraction's Halloween overlay.
Interactive Queue
This new queue usually features a whole lot of buttons that play music, splash water, and add to the overall experience of the attraction. But with the new Halloween overlay, these new changes can be found in the queue:
Walking through the gravestones, the familiar text has changed! As a Halloween trick, the ghosts have gone back and changed the text to better scare the visitors of the mansion.
"Can candy really be poisoned?", "Fell off her broomstick", "Currently resides in the Grand Ballroom" are just some of the new epitaphs. Of course "Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat" makes an appearance. Under that gravestone is 2 AA feet that sometimes move, making guests wonder if it's one of the ghost's decorations, or something else.
Coming upon the musician’s crypt, the stone instruments that play when you touch them would get new sounds. These range from screeching cats, to ghastly howls, screams, and cackles, to thunder and lightning. And on top of that, some instruments play instrumental samples of Halloween classics like "Monster Mash" "Grim Grinning Ghosts" "Spooky Scary Skeletons" and "This is Halloween". The piano of the front end of the crypt has changed to reflect an older organ.
Captain Clyne's tomb with the water squirting uses lights in the cracks to turn the color of the water orange to keep in theme.
Prudence Pock has even gotten into the Halloween spirit with new spirited poems. One example would be "The Hitchhiking Ghosts went for some candy. As it turns out, this would be quite handy. For when the ghosts finally came back, they had to fill a giant... (sack)"
But now the time has come.. enter if you dare.. into the Haunted Mansion.
The guests are let in by a maid or butler into the Foyer.
Foyer
"When hinges creak, in doorless chambers. And strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candlelights flicker, where the air is filled with spirited celebrations, that is the time when ghosts are present. Practicing their tricks, with ghoulish delight!"
The somewhat familiar spiel begins immediately as guests enter. Upon seeing the portrait of Master Gracey, he is already in his skeleton form, but slowly starts to change showing his in an obvious human mask. It seems as if he wanted to dress as in a mortal guise.
Stretching Room
Ushered quickly into the Stretching Room, the guests notice that the portraits have changed.
The first portrait of the woman over the crocodile has a different appearance. The woman would be in the same position, but dressed as the Grim Reaper and with an ax instead of an umbrella. The crocodile would be a skeleton of one, and would be popping out of bloody red water against an orange sky.
The second portrait of the man would see him dressed as Theodore Roosevelt. And the dynamite would still be lighting, but would have the word "Soapbox" written over it like the mean was using it as a prop in his costume, before his untimely demise.
The third portrait would be a funny one. The heads on the women and the man would switch, showing an ironic and haunting scene of a man who had been axed. Beside him on the stone would be a crow.
The fourth portrait would have the three guys on top of each other each as a third of a totem pole.
"Welcome! Foolish Mortals, to the haunted mansion, I am your host, your ghost host. Hmmmm. Kindly step all the way in please, and make room for everyone. There’s no turning back now... “(room is now stretching)
“We spirits have noticed the strange and daft disguises you mortals where the time of year, and we were just dying to try it for ourselves. We have selected you to take our resident spirits out to the mortal coils for this…trick or treating. Your cadaverous parlor, betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense the terrifying journey ahead. You will not be harm, but you will not be released until you join us in our Halloween festivities in the graveyard. Which offers you this chilling challenge, to find A WAY OUT! HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!! Of course, there's always my way..."
Lightning flashes and the ceiling fades away to reveal the hanging corpse of the ghost host. Pumpkins line the border grinning down on the astonished guests. As the lightning flashes once more, the image of a demonic looking cat with one, big glaring eye yowls.
Load Area
"Oh, I didn’t mean to frighten you prematurely, hhhmm. the real chills come later. Now, as they say, "look alive", and we'll continue our little journey, and lets all stay together, please."
Guests emerge from the stretching room, to find a long hallway. This hallways has been decorated by the happy haunts for Halloween. The various portraits along the walls have a Halloween twist, wearing costumes and various Halloween items.
Next, as guests are waiting to board their Doombuggies, they hear their ghost host:
"And now, a carriage approaches to carry you through the mansion to the Happy Haunts... They are waiting for you to teach them the frightening customs of Hallow's Eve... Take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step as you board your transport carriage..."
"Do not pull down on the safety bar, please; I will lower it for you. And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times, otherwise you will be trapped in our haunted mansion for all eternity..."
It is at this point that the darkness of the attraction swallows guests whole, as their transportation to the graveyard begins...
The Changing Portrait Hallway
"Oh yes, and no flash pictures, please! We spirits are frightfully sensitive to bright lights and we all know, Hallow's Eve is best experienced... In the dark... MUAH HA HA..."
The changing portraits of the ghosts are in their alternate forms, but turn back into their human form as the lightning flashes to show them gearing up in their costumes to Trick-Or-Treat in the mortal world once again. The pirate ship, alas, will not be participating as a kraken is seen attacking the vessel. When lightning strikes, it disappears.
The Library
The library gets a truly frightening reinvention. The busts littered along the shelves get a festive addition. Some of them are replaced by Jack-O-Lanterns. Some busts are wearing masks and hats while books on the shelves seem to slightly move off of the shelves.
“We have spent many of our restless nights toiling over the ghost stories written by the greatest ghost writers the literary world has ever known.”
The Music Room
A evil grinning pumpkin sits on the piano with the spectral pianist trying his hand at a familiar haunting refrain. The one eyed cat turns to glare at the passing guests.
“We have 999 happy haunts here in this ghostly retreat eagerly awaiting your presence in the graveyard. Best hurry along now..”
Staircase
The doombuggies travel up the staircase nearly heading face first into one of the many spider webs that have taken over. There seems to be an endless stream of spider webs. Several small AA spiders wiggle at guests and their eyes glow blood red.
“Whatever you do, do not betray your presence by screaming. Just follow my voice. They are hungry for the taste of..candy. Please, do hold onto you treats tightly. Lest you find yourselves ensnared.”
The guests exit the staircase and come face to face with a trick or treater stuck in a huge web off to the side.
“Ahh, it looks as if someone was lagging behind”
A huge AA spider crouches over the trick or treater’s bag of candy, hissing threatening. It arms raise in warning and it’s eyes glow. One the other side, the wallpaper eyes blink and glare at the passing guest. If guests listen closely, they can hear several dark voices chanting, “Candy, candy.”
Endless Hallway
We come across the endless hallway. The knight standing guard has the phrase, “This is my costume” written across his armor. Down the hall, one ghost struggles with his costume. The pumpkin head laughs and cackles as the ghosts tries to pry it off his head.
“Poor soul. We haven’t quite finished preparations, but he seems dead set of this disguise.”
Before the next room, a spider in his giant web has spun a ghastly grinning skull into its web.
The Conservatory
In the conservatory, another spider web has taken over the room, further trapping the coffin occupant inside. He struggles to raise the lid. With each push, his trick or treat bag can be seen. The one eyed black cat smirks and the lid rises up and down. It seems as if this particular ghost will not be joining in this year.
"It has been delightfully unlivable here in this ghostly retreat, every room has wall-to-wall creeps, anxious to be released to meet you. Shhh, listen..."
Corridor of Doors
The sound of door knockers continuously bangs against the doors. But instead of growls and other unnatural sounds, the creeps knock and ask “trick or treat”. It seems that they don’t quite understand trick or treating yet. The breathing door chants candy as it bends and heaves. The ghostly portraits on the walls have been turned into pumpkins, still retaining their ghastly features. The last door has a pair of aged hands bending the top of the door, trying to desperately to get out into the hall. His pumpkin pail sways with each push.
“Ahh, it seems as if they are having a problem getting through. Perhaps Madame Leota can assist them.”
A spider has made its web at the end of the corridor, a simple message woven into the web, “Got Candy?”
The striking of the demon clock draws the attention of the guests. The green clock face has been replaced with a ghost face with slowly morphs into a skeleton face, then into a happily grinning pumpkin face, ending with the pumpkin grinning an evil grin. On the back wall, a giant eye ball blinks. As it pulls away, the image of the one eyed black cat appears before leaping away.
Séance Room
Madame Leota’s chanting draws the doombuggies into her séance room. Floating candles and jack o lanterns are floating among the instruments. The one eyed cat is perched on the chair wasking it’s paw as if unconcerned about the floating objects.
Madame Leota’s new supplications are designed to help the ghosts with their Halloween preparations.
“Horntoads and lizards, demons who fell. Join us tonight before the clock strikes 12!
Ghost fiends and furies, old friends and new! Put on your costumes, we'll know if it's you!
Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call out to greet us, wherever you're at.
Rap on a table; it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond.
Goblins and ghoulies from this Halloween. Awaken your spirits and haunt all our dreams.
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond; let there be fun and frights, from worlds beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you be, let us roam on All Hallows Eve!”
“The spirits have been freed from their unnatural confinement. They are assembling in the graveyard for their turn to trick or treat in the mortal world. And they’ll be expecting me. I’ll see you all a little later.”
Ballroom
A Halloween party is taking place in the ballroom. Wraiths are flying through the windows carrying trick or treat bags or pumpkins for the pumpkin carving on the dining table. The ballroom table is covered in pumpkins and pumpkin bits. Obviously the ghosts are trying their hands at the foolish mortal custom of carving gourds. The rest of the table is filled with an assorted Halloween themed foods like, candied apples, candy corn, greenish punch "witch's brew" with some spiders floating on top, and "landyfingers". The ghost lying under the table clearly has had too much apple cider. The ghost peeking over the edge of the table is reaching for a candied apple, hoping that no one will notice him pilfering the treat.
The chandelier ghosts are holding candied apples instead of drinks. Pickwick is dressed as Zorro still swaying dangerously on the chandelier.
The organist has even dressed as the Phantom of the Opera still pounding away a haunting melody that the endless waltzers forever dance to. Each dancer sports a mask, too busy dancing to put on full costumes. On the other end of the hall, several ghosts have gathered to bob for apples, but one ghost is trying to take a bath. The blindfolded ghosts are dipping their heads in the bucket and completely oblivious to a ghost who's in the bucket itself, dodging the bites of the contestants.
The old woman in the rocking chair is still putting the finishing touches on her costume.
The dueling portraits are dressed as a union and confederate soldiers still determined to finish their feud despite the holiday.
The Attic
Taking the place of the wedding junk, boxes and trunks are filled with costumes, some spilling out onto the floor. The pop-up ghosts jump up, eager to show off their costumes to the passing guests. Constance has stayed true to her desire to always be a bride and dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein. The one-eyed cat arches and hisses at her. The bride screeches and alternately coos, “Her, kitty, kitty.” She turns to the guests and menacingly asks, “trick or treat?”
Graveyard
The guests escape through the window falling backwards. The one eyed cat sits among the tree branches, having escaped too.
The caretaker has a sheet covered over him and his dog with little eye holes cut out. The sheets are too short and his shovel is resting in a trick or treat bucket. The caretaker seems to be trying to fit in among the ghosts, although the sheet isn’t fooling anyone. The pop-up ghosts are dressed as a very familiar bellhop and hat box carrying host.
The singing busts have dressed up as the universal monsters: the creature from the black lagoon, the mummy, Frankenstein’s monster, the werewolf, and a vampire, They belt out a new tune made especially for this holiday overlay: The Mansion Mash.
Nearing the crypt, having passed the graveyard ghosts in various costumes, guests will also see the decapitated knight is dressed as Shakespeare, reciting Shakespeare. On the left, a skeletal hand is hanging out of the tomb he is sealed in, holding out a pumpkin pail. It seems as he doesn’t quite realize that he needs to leave his tomb to go trick or treating.
Overhead, the one eyed cat glares one last time at the guests.
Crypt
"Ah, there you are! And just in time; the next group of ghostly trick or treaters is ready to leave. But beware, they may decide to play a trick on you instead!"
The doombuggies enter the crypt to see Phineas, Ezra, and Gus standing in their usual positions. However, all three have gotten into the Halloween spirit. Phineas, dressed in bright orange pumpkin costume, clutches an empty plastic pumpkin pail. Sadly, ol' Phineas cannot commit completely to the roll as he still insists on wearing his top hat.
Ezra, however, has gotten fully into his roll. The skeletal like figure is dressed in a gaudy Hawaiian shirt complete with board shorts and sandals. A camera hangs around his skinny neck. And a pair of sunglasses perches on his nose. He holds his own pumpkin pail aloft as if to indicate he's ready to go. The other ghosts may not understand his costume, but Ezra says that tourists are the scariest things he's ever seen.
Gus, unable to separate himself from his ball and chain, has decided to use it to his advantage. He is dressed as a pirate, holding his "cannonball" in his hand. And something is very familiar about his costume; could it be Gus is a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie?
Moving past the three ghosts, the doombuggies turn to face a familiar set of mirrors, but we are too late to head the ghost host's warning. The hitchhikers has already started playing their tricks. Upon first glance one hitchhiker will appear and in a poof of spectral dust, the guests find themselves transformed into monsters (pumpkin head, sheet ghost, witch, mummy, and one especially humorous transformation is the Bride of Frankenstein complete with the crazy hairdo). But the ghosts are not just satisfied with that, sometimes, the guests will completely disappear only to be replaced by a cloud of bats or sometimes the ghosts will throw eggs at each other and at other doombuggies. Be careful you don't end up with egg on your face.
Going up the ramp, the doombuggies are nearing the exit, but not before they see the one eyed cat on and a leadge inspecting a bag of candy with great interest.
“Now, I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you out, kindly watch your step please, watch your step...”
Exiting the doombuggies onto the moving walk way, the guest exit the mansion and pass the pet cemetery.
Pet Cemetery
At the exit to The Haunted Mansion: Halloween Hijinks, guests will find a newly decked out Pet Cemetery. The souls of the pets in this chillingly creepy graveyard have decided to join in on the Halloween action and have decorated their tombstones with various costumes.
But beware, occasionally, the gravestones will move! That's right, the classic (stationary) tombstones will be replaced with low-range-of-motion Audio Animatronics that move and glow once every few minutes, as if their former spirits are taking control!
Your ghost hosts, Team Mystic, chillingly thanks you for lending your mortal souls to reading... Now, as they say, look alive...
Mansion Mash Lyrics:
The Mansion Mash
It's All Hallows' Eve at the mansion tonight
And the happy haunts are taking flight
The ghosts so pale and the witches, green
Are celebrating Halloween
We did the mash, we did the mansion mash
The mansion mash, it was a graveyard smash
We did the mash, our worlds are sure to clash
We did the mash, we did the mansion mash
From the conservatory and the séance room
To the endless hallway of our tomb sweet tomb
Grim Grinning Ghosts from our familiar lair
Bound to trick-or-treat everywhere
We did the mash, we did the mansion mash
The mansion mash, it was a graveyard smash
We did the mash, our worlds are sure to clash
We did the mash, we did the mansion mash
Playful spooks out and about
Having fun and crying out
Trick-or-treat, it's us, come look
The living, oh so shook.
The graveyard busy, not a stone standing still
A ghost dressed in witch garb, cauldron to fill
Creepy creeps take to the streets, eyes glowing bright
Haunting happily this Halloween night.
They played the mash, they played the mansion mash
The mansion mash, it was a graveyard smash
They played the mash, our worlds are sure to clash
They played the mash, we did the mansion mash
Hitchiking ghosts you'll be sure to see
Moon climbing high o'er the dead oak trees
And those creepy creeps with their eerie eyes
Will soon give in to the fun and materialize
It's now the mash, it's now the mansion mash
The mansion mash, and it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash, our worlds are sure to clash
It's now the mash, it's now the mansion mash
Now the mansion is vacant, no easy feat
On this special night of mischief, trick, and treat
We'll knock, trick or treat, laugh then disappear,
We can't wait to show you what we've planned for next year
Then you can mash, then you can mansion mash
The mansion mash, and join the graveyard smash
Then you can mash, our worlds they sure did clash
Then you can mash, they you can mansion mash
