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INDUSTRY
SpookyWorld Pulls Out the Stops!:
Hiring a virtual who's who of the Haunted Attraction industry, Spooky World has spared no
expense at their new location in Foxboro, MA, which is practically in the shadow of
Foxboro Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The site was originally the stables
for a horse race track also on the property. Returning for the 1999 Halloween season, are
the Tom Savini Haunted House, the Phantom Mineshaft, Cirque Macabre, 3D Disco Haunted House,
the Reaper's Hayride of Terror and three museums, which are the American Horror Museum, a
costume museum and the Hollywood of Horrors museum (this year without the "R" rating). The
majority of the set construction will be brand new, and the level of detail is exceptional.
the new walk-throughs are designed with wider hallways, to accept the larger capacity that
the event will have to handle due to its weekend only schedule. A large part of the hayride,
the London street section and the vampire's lair will be under roof, and all of the buildings
including the hayride buildings are sprinklered. For more information, call their 24-hour
Spooky Hotline (978) 838-0200 or check out their web page at www.spookyworld.com.
Haunted Attraction Magazine wishes Spooky World the best of luck in their new Foxboro home!
GOOD LUCK DAVID!
Halloween Convergence Haunts Salem: by Pam Liebson
My childhood memories of Salem, Massachusetts are vague. I remember a large statue,
staring at me with a stern expression on his face, his cloak swirling in an ever-present
wind as he watched the history of Salem unfold. I recall The Witch Museum behind it,
housing a red glowing circle on the floor, and intriguing books that I could not begin
to comprehend at the time. I remember gingerbread homes adorned with scrolling latticework
and wondered what secrets they held. These images seemed to beckon to me, to come back.
Come back to Salem…
It was not until over 20 years later that I returned to Salem, for the
First Annual Global Halloween Convergence hosted by the Halloween Global Alliance.
I approached this trip with some trepidation since I was going alone, but I wanted to meet
others like myself. Those who "Haunt" all year long, counting the days till October 31st.
Those who appreciate the beauty, the fun and the thrill that is Halloween. I was back in Salem,
the "Witch City," practically the capital of Halloween, with a group of people who loved the
holiday as much as I did. During the event, "Halloween all year round," was the reply anytime
someone asked who we were.
The gathering, held in the historic Hawthorne Hotel (which one little girl I met on the
elevator solemnly informed me was haunted), was not huge. Fewer than 50 people in all attended
the event and this added to its intimacy. I met people who I had only heard of by reputation.
Editors of Halloween related magazines, producers of Halloween videos, owners of haunted
attractions, Halloween antique dealers, authors and Home Haunters just like me, whose decorations
each fall, range from a simple wreath to elaborate garage filled walk-throughs. I was surprised
that these famous (and infamous) people were so accessible, so approachable, and so darn nice!
Whether in a large group for the ghost walk, or in smaller outings to various haunts and sites in
Salem, my wonder and pleasure increased at the cozy feeling of camaraderie. But maybe it should
not have been such a shock. After all, these are people who understand that in June, Halloween is
right around the corner and August is cutting it close. Those who visualize every building as a
potential haunt and take data on how many "trick or treaters" visit their homes on October 31st.
The lectures were few, and thank goodness. I did not want to miss anything. As it was, how could
I choose between a presentation on Cheap Scares and one on Vincent Price? And how does a Halloween
lover, who needs to know everything about the holiday, decide on whether to attend a lecture about
getting started in the Haunted Attraction business, or a discussion of home haunters across America?
What Halloween gathering would be complete without a costume party? We all assembled in the dungeon
of the Hawthorne for a night of dinner, dancing and masquerade. I felt a familiar tingle when I saw
the elaborate, creative costumes. The vampires were varied, from elegant and traditional to modern
gothic and eerie, staring at you from across the room licking their chops. Coupled costumed attendees
came in all forms. A chilling bride and groom. A stoic Lizzie Borden on the arm of her victimized
father. A suit clad dad accompanied by his wife attired in simple gown and cape, respectable in every
way until on closer examination I noticed that he had glowing red eyes. Fairies flitted, monsters
mashed and a dead pope blessed those in attendance. Even those few not in costume danced and sang
as much if not more than the rest anyone, and were given the honor of judging the costume contest.
The second day of festivities included a Murder Mystery Luncheon themed as an audition, and everyone
got involved by either singing or dancing for the "director" (if you call doing impressions of
kitchen appliances dancing). Conversations were peppered with hints of the impending crime, as the
cast left clues to set up motive. We watched carefully, and waited for the murder to occur.
Finally, bang! A gun went off and the director died. But who dunnit? Prizes where given to those
among us who where able to solve the case.
The festivities wrapped up with a Halloween banner contest where teams of 3-4 people painted
and glued various materials on fabric, showing what the holiday meant to them. There was The
Haunted Mill, a depiction of that team's actual attraction, a spooky Victorian haunted house any
"trick or treater" would fear, an ominous graveyard complete with a witch flying across the moon
and a festive scene that cleverly included Halloween postcards in an autumn setting.
When I arrived home I listened to my Halloween Hootenanny CD, counted the days till Halloween and
consulted my crystal ball. I see a strong future for the Halloween Global Convergence, attracting
more Halloween enthusiasts, more presenters and more vendors. I think it will expand beyond
expectations as the industry grows and the holiday becomes even more popular. More people who
embrace the season will jump out of the woodwork, knowing that they are in a safe environment to
wear black and orange and to talk about fake blood and props over dinner. But I think this one will
have special meaning to those who were able to attend. Being able to say in years to come, "I was
at the first one" will bring back the memories of closeness, the laughter shared and the magic of
Halloween that we all took home from Salem.
Pam Liebson has been a Halloween enthusiast all her life and haunts her home every October.
A production manager in the documentary film industry for ten years, she is currently conducting
research for a program about Halloween. She can be reached at
midnyte@bestweb.net.
Retail Halloween 1998:
Here are the results of a survey sponsored by the National Costumer's Association,
It looks like the market for Halloween retail in 1998 was 'BOOming.'
Each year the National Costumer's Association (NCA) conducts a survey of its members
to see where their industry is going. Last year was no exception, and with the permission
the NCA, the following are the results of the recent survey for Halloween 1998.
Presidential scandals sparked many costume creations in 1998, Titanic costumes sank and many
costumers had a record sales/rental year. This Halloween continued to ride a wave of solid,
steady consumer spending despite stock market swings and uncertain political events. Looking
ahead to a new century, the costuming business may be headed for continued good times.
Of the respondents to the survey, only 11% had a decrease in 1998, while a whopping 98% had
some kind of sales increase. 24% of respondents reported an increase of between 10 - 30%.
Halloween 1998 was ranked the best retail season in the last five years by 80% of respondents,
while only 2.5% rated it as the worst year in the same time period.
"Our industry seems to be growing at a quick pace, more and more each year. The Halloween costume
of a sheet for a ghost and your grandmother's shawl are long gone. Simply put, I think adults
want fun and release from the day to day stress of our lives. We find that customers have more
money and are willing to spend more of their income for a one-time special occasion. Our members
that are willing to roll with the punches and accept the inevitable changes in the industry
will survive and prosper." - Jim Miller, NCA Publications Director
Survey results provided by the National Costumer's Association, Inc., Publications Office,
Jim Miller, NCA Publications Director c / o Center Stage, 420 2nd Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Top Ten Rental Costumes
1. Medieval/Renaissance
2. Flappers/Gangsters
3. 60s Spy/Retro
4. Harem
5. Spanish Man
6. Warrior Princess
7. Wizard of Oz
8. Superheroes
9. Anthony/Cleopatra
10. Titanic
Top Five Retail Products
1. Wigs
2. Makeup
3. Scream Mask/Costume
4. Teeth
5. 60s Spy
The IAAPA Trade Show:
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) 81st
Anniversary Convention and Trade Show will be held November 17th through the
20th, at the Georgia World Congress Center and Georgia Dome, 285 International
Boulevard, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30313
More than 1,200 companies will exhibit their wares over more than 600,000 square
feet during the four-day event and trade show. There will be more than 40 workshops,
three specialty training courses, seminars, lots of special events, and networking
opportunities galore.
This trade show is the main event for everyone in the amusement, attractions
and entertainment industry. There will be major ride manufacturers demonstrating the
latest in amusement ride technology. New products and concepts designed to grow your
attendance. Live demonstrations and gigantic "theatre" film presentations, by leading
simulation and virtual reality companies. A 'High Tech' Area devoted to latest advancements
in animatronics. Amusement and theme park merchandise to sell at your event, and consulting
services for everything under the sun.
Formed in 1918, IAAPA is made up of professionals who own, manage and operate amusement
parks, waterparks, family entertainment centers, attractions, and the manufacturers and
suppliers that serve them. Dedicated to the preservation and prosperity of the entertainment
industry, IAAPA is made up of more than 4,500 members in 80 countries around the globe.
IAAPA works through a series of volunteer committees to create services, educational
products, and opportunities for exchange between members worldwide. Membership benefits
and goals include improved efficiency, marketing, safety and profitability, together with
the highest possible professional standards in the amusement industry.
You may contact them at: IAAPA, 1448 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-9512, Phone
USA Hot Line (888) 774-2272, International Hot Line: (301) 570-0800 Fax 703-836-4801.
Web site: http://www.globetrottermgmt.com/iaapa
or email: gttr@aol.com
DESIGN LAB 2000:
Coinciding with the last day of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
(IAAPA) 81st Anniversary Convention and Trade Show (See Related Article) November 20th at the
Georgia World Congress Center and Georgia Dome 285 International Boulevard N.W., Atlanta,
Georgia. Haunted Attraction Magazine will host DESIGN LAB 2000 an all day
educational seminar on the design of Haunted Attractions. The single topic of each 60-minute
session during the day-long event will be "SCARE THEORY: How we Design for Fright!"
Tentative speakers for this one of a kind opportunity include:
Ben Armstrong –Netherworld
Allan Clifford – Bad Dreams, Nightmare Forest
Kevin Dule - Darkworld
Keith Duncan – Terran Entertainment Group, Shock Asylum
Joe Jensen - Nightscape Productions, Haunted America, Inc.
Aven Warren – Frightland
Do not miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to pick the brains of today's biggest
names in Haunt Design. Learn the "How's and Why's" behind the personal terror techniques
of each 'master d'fright.'
ALSO!
After the seminar there will be a networking social mixer where you can meet and
mingle with other industry professionals. The all-inclusive fee to attend this extraordinary
event is $175 for IAHA members, $225 for non-members and others. This price includes: $50
discount to the IAAPA Trade Show, continental breakfast, a box lunch and snacks at the social,
and six hours of instruction from the industries best designers. This all day seminar will devote
itself to the ins and outs of Haunted Attraction Design, as explained by some of the best Haunt
designers in the country.
For further information contact: Haunted Attraction Magazine, PO Box 3675, Myrtle Beach,
SC 29578 or email info@hauntedattraction.com
or visit our web site at: www.hauntedattraction.com
The Devil Made Me Do It: by Mark Cline
"All you Halloween people are going to hell, you're leading people away from God."
Each of us has heard things like this much too often. I have even had people hand out
religious pamphlets to customers and threaten them with bodily harm if they enter the attraction.
The extent to which people celebrate Halloween has evolved immensely in recent years.
Fifteen years ago you did not see bank tellers, grocery store workers, or anyone in the
workplace dressing up at work for Halloween. Now it is commonplace. Halloween decorations
are seen in the office as often as Christmas decorations. The country seems to be going
Halloween mad! Is this all just innocent fun, or has the devil really tricked us into
believing that it is all just harmless?
We could argue forever about why countries go to war, or why kids shoot their classmates.
Free Speech is one of the things that make the United States such a great country. Freedom
of Religion is a cherished right. I, myself, attend church every Sunday, but I do not blame
Halloween for the ills that our society must endure.
Last year I received a call from the Salem Avalanche, a minor league baseball team in
Salem, Virginia that is. They had been on a losing streak for the past nine years and asked
if I could stage a seance to expel the bad demons of baseball before their game on Friday,
June 13th. Seances are normally more intimate and I thought long about how I could pull off
such an act in front of several thousand people. I decided on an escape act in the tradition
of David Copperfield. I would pick 13 people from the audience, handcuff and shackle
one member inside a six by six by six foot crate (six, six, six - no pun intended), and drop
a curtain, while the remaining twelve audience members held hands around the covered box.
There was to be some chanting about funneling the bad energies through the guy in the crate,
and "Presto" - the curtain falls, and he is gone! The man then reappears in the stands, a
cleansed man, and a new winning season for the team would begin.
The Salem Avalanche sent out a press release a couple days before the game, announcing the
seance. Immediately, calls began pouring in. More than 150 people called the team, accusing
them of using witchcraft, and flirting with Satan. These people threatened to boycott the games.
Two Christian radio stations pleaded with their listeners not to attend the Avalanche's games
if they conducted the seance. A bishop even called from Colorado in an effort to convince me
not to perform the stunt. Some of these "good" people even made bodily threats! The media was
in a frenzy over the story. It even made national news. The team's manager called the day before
and told me to go through with it, but to convert it into a 'good luck ceremony.' The crowd was
much larger than usual that night. People were curious to see what all the commotion was about.
All of the 'negative' publicity turned out to be good for attendance. I re-scripted the act and
changed my wardrobe, but I performed the act exactly as I had planned.
"If you can't beat 'em…"
When television was new, it was considered by some to be the work of the devil. Now it is a tool
used, if not abused, worldwide by evangelists. Rock and roll was once considered devil music,
now 'Christian rock' is frequently on the pop charts. Likewise, religious organizations are
beginning to capitalize on the popularity of Halloween. Jerry Falwell's Liberty Baptist University
in Lynchburg, Virginia has been operating their very successful "Scare Mare" Haunted Attraction
for several years. Their modus operandi is to depict scenes of sinners going to hell because of their
evil ways. Graphically violent reenactments of drunk driving accidents and abortions are used to
"get their point across." Similarly, other church organizations have joined Falwell running thousands
of "Hell Houses" all over America in the name of their religion. Some do it just for fun, but
many of these organizations make big bucks by exploiting the commercial value of Halloween.
As more and more people celebrate Halloween, by decorating their yards or offices, and dressing
up in the workplace, I see the Satanic stigmatism attached to Haunted Attractions decreasing.
Halloween has always been just innocent fun to me, and the Devil did not make me do it. And so what
if not everyone approves of your Haunted Attraction. The free publicity that the protesters generate
will, at least, save you some money in advertising costs.
Mark Cline is owner/artist of Enchanted Castle Studios, in Natural Bridge, Virginia.
He can be reached at 504-291-2353.
A Real Nightmare on Grayson: by Gordon Wise
The Flood of 1998, San Antonio, Texas.
I was the first person to put keys in the front door on the morning of Saturday, October 17th.
It was about 8:30 AM and I had a very restful night. A hard rain always puts me in a deep sleep.
The sidewalks in front of the building were covered with inches of mud; the first signs that
there had been high water the night before. I called Natalie De La Fuente, our general manager,
and Robert Allan, our production designer and told them that they needed to get down here early
today because we had been flooded last night. 2 feet of mud and water came in through the front
of the building. Don Braden, partner/owner of Nightmare On Grayson in San Antonio Texas, and I
went to get some cleaning supplies. The attraction was a mess and we would need extra help getting
ready to open that night.
Almost 100 years ago, San Antonio flooded with nearly 12 feet of water in the downtown area. Just a few years
ago, the City Council approved a budget to construct a 40-foot diameter tunnel under the city and an extension
to the existing Olmos Dam to keep San Antonio from flooding again. The project had just been completed and was
quite impressive with tunnels, locks and filtering rakes, to the tune of $111 million dollars. Worth every penny!
*If it works*
Don and I had gone to pick up a wet/dry vacuum to remove the large puddles of water that lurked in every corner
of our haunted house. In retrospect, our money would have been better spent on a canoe, hip-waders and fishing
poles. As we were leaving with our purchases, the rain came, and it fell like I had never seen it fall before.
Attempting to drive back to the Haunted House, I could not see beyond the hood of the truck. The radio announcer
spoke of the 15 inches of rain that had fallen this hour and warned of street closures, but we could not hear it
because of the pounding water. It took all of our concentration to just drive in this chaos. The route we chose
to return was blocked on every street. Water was rushing through the streets 2-3 feet deep at about 30 miles an
hour. Abandoned cars were everywhere, stranded and washed away like toys. We were in a big heavy truck, so watching
others attempting to navigate the waters in their GEOs and TOYOTAs was mildly amusing. Don thought the situation
was crazy but I told him I would get us back even if I had to break the traffic rules. We laughed together as we
roamed through the city looking for high ground to get us to our destination.
Back in Dallas, Gene Braden, the principal owner, got his first call from Natalie about the water at the
front door. Gene told her not to worry. He said that if it came in we would have to expend a little effort to
clean it up. Gene got his second call to find out that the water was up to Natalie's ankles. He asked where Don
and I were, and asked her to move anything that might get wet, important files, computers and stereos to the
upstairs. The water had now risen to Natalie's knees and she told Gene that my car had floated away. Gene
instructed her to go through the house and save everything that she could. By this time Don and I found our
way back to Grayson by way of alleys, parks and front lawns. It was hairy but we managed to get about a block
away from the haunted house before the water was too deep to continue.
As we waded across Grayson Street, waist deep in water, Don and I became concerned when we did not see our
cars in front of the building. We assumed they had been moved, but Robert, who was standing outside in front
of the building in chest deep water, told me my car was gone. I asked what he meant by gone. He told me that
it just floated away! He would have tried to save my car if he had had my keys, but in the raging waters there
was no time to save his own car. I pointed to a small shape floating in the street and asked if it was my car.
He told me that it belonged to a couple that tied their car to a street sign to keep it from washing away.
All of the cars looked the same, only about 2 square feet of the tops were visible above the water.
He told me the house was flooded and they saved what they could. Everyone was confused and distraught. It was
like walking through a river with a building in the middle. At this point, the water was about 2 1/2 feet deep
at the front door my 2-month-old '99 Saturn was who knows where, and our whole crew was wading around in disbelief.
In my head, I was screaming. I waded into the office. All of the furniture was floating amidst sticks, leaves,
rubber body parts and years of paperwork. Natalie and her husband Hector were still carrying computer equipment
upstairs. I joined the effort as we moved the remains of Grayson to higher ground. It was catastrophic. Everything
was everywhere when Gene called. Luckily, the phones were still working. He asked me how bad it was and if I thought
it would be OK. I was heartbroken. How could he comprehend? Words still cannot describe what I saw in front of me.
I didn't know what to say. I told him I would look around and call him back. I grabbed my Polaroid camera, a
flashlight and an armful of film. Robert and I went to fully survey the damage. There was not one area spared.
Every scene, bathroom, closet, nook and cranny had water.
I never would have imagined that when the water goes over the bare ground and rises, it not only lifts all of the
obvious objects in its path, but also every poor insect that will float. So, now we have millions of terrified
biting buddies scrambling to climb onto anything they can attach themselves to get out of the water. The bugs
were all over everyone. (Note to self: This would make a good scene for next year's show). We had been through
our show a thousand times and we knew our way round, but now all of the things that had gotten shifted by the
surge of water were cluttered at our feet beneath the murky water, making even the shortest walk a definite "trip".
After we finished taking pictures, the water began to recede. We discovered a new problem. We had closed all the
doors to slow the incoming water and now that water was trapped in the building. We had to force the doors open
and when we did all the props and valuables that were buoyant came rushing out. We were chasing arms and severed
heads as they floated into the streets.
The water receded from the building, then eventually from the street. Now I could see my car. It was wedged between
two columns under an elevated warehouse down the street. Mud was all over everything. Everything was damaged for as
far as the eye could see and beyond what the mind could imagine. That night we went to bed wondering if we would be
able to open our doors 5 days later on October 22nd. We were on the verge of "Hell Week". Our biggest money nights,
half of the season's revenues, come in that week and if we didn't make it we were going to lose BIG.
Then the miracle began. We called in a few people, and then a few more showed up. A total of about 12 people formed
the clean-up crew. We worked for about 72 hours, scrubbing, sanitizing and rewiring. It was incredible. I never
expected such dedication. It was almost ready but would the people come? How can we let the people know we are
open without seeming insensitive to the tremendous loss that every person in the entire city had gone through?
We had to salvage what we could for the rest of the season. If we didn't get some people in we were going to
take another "bath", this time financially. We quickly orchestrated a media campaign with a press release and
video footage. We wanted to let our community know that we at "Nightmare on Grayson" had also experienced damage
from the flood and we understood the toll that it had taken on the entire city. In spite of the tragedy, we wanted
San Antonio to still enjoy Halloween. We had a food drive where donations were good for a discounted ticket price
during a time in our season when we don't normally accept coupons. The public responded. It was a success. We had
almost record turnout at the show. We were able to deliver thousands of pounds of food to the San Antonio Food Bank.
It was a win-win situation at this point.
We are still cleaning the water lines from the walls and we are still replacing the swollen panels and doorways,
but in retrospect, we fared OK. I am not sure what the lessons are here: make sure all of your electrical is above
the 100-year flood mark; don't ever take a good season for granted...
I do know this: You should always treat your employees like the valuable commodity that they are, because they are
the ones that can and will save you when the going gets tougher than you ever dreamed. And if you give your patrons
a good show with a good heart, they will support you when you need them to. The flood of '98 left a lot of scars,
but behind those wounds that will never really heal, lie the memories of the love and dedication that pulled us
through, despite the seemingly impossible.
Just a footnote: Insurance helped some of us, FEMA helped a few of us, but we all helped each other through a
time that we will never forget.
Gordon Wise is the production designer for Nightmare on Grayson. He can be reached at scary_in_sa@hotmail.com
A Midsummer Night's Scream:
Haunters from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Pennsylvania attended "Crazy" Bob Turner's
"A Midsummer Night's Scream" at the Haunted Hydro property in Fremont, Ohio. It was a
weekend of relaxed conversation with fellow haunters that is hard to come by at the fast-paced
conventions like IAAPA and TransWorld. Many haunters remarked that they liked the idea
of non-haunt related activities for spouses and children.
As a storm blew in Friday night, scheduled events were battered into postponement and the guests were
suddenly pressed into service to tie down tarpaulins and move things out of harm's way. Undaunted,
the schedule picked back up Saturday morning with a make-up presentation by the talented Roger
and Tawny Miller in which Jerry Hoffman from the Haunted Castle in Fort Wayne, Indiana was transformed into a werewolf. The artists used their own hand-crafted foam latex appliances to perform the menacing transformation. Ideas and experiences about newspaper advertising for Haunted Attractions were shared during Rex Hamilton's seminar on Saturday evening. The hit of the whole event was sitting around a blazing bonfire telling ghost stories at midnight on Saturday. Bob Turner himself closed out the event Sunday morning with an open forum on the future of the Haunted Attraction Industry. Originally planed as an hour and a half wrap-up, the discussion was still going strong after five hours. With the event a success, 'Crazy' Bob announced that "A Midsummer Night's Scream" will become an annual event and the next one will be in August of 2000.
For more information contact Bob at 419-334-2451 or via email at tei@nwonline.net Look for event updates on the Haunted Ohio Web Site at www.hauntedohio.com
The Haunted Mansion 30th Anniversary: by John Huges
Anaheim, CA June 26, 1999
Imagined as an attraction since the early days of Disneyland, The Haunted Mansion went through many design changes. The building appeared on the banks of the Rivers of America in 1963, but the show itself was not opened to the public until August 9, 1969. This year, Disneyland celebrated this 30th anniversary of the popular attraction with a special ticketed event, "The Art of the Haunted Mansion."
Each guest who purchased the special ticket, received a packet that included a 'Death Certificate' that entitled guests to VIP viewing of Fantasmic! and a special commemorative Haunted Mansion pin that reads, "Dead end. Prepare to exit to the living world." The pin, sure to be a collectors item, is a reproduction of the illuminated sign that is mounted just before the attraction's unload area. The event included a panel discussion with some of the original Imagineers and a midnight ride in the Haunted Mansion promising "Special surprises."
The day started disappointingly for any late arriving Haunted Mansion fans as the more experienced Disneyana collectors lined up outside the park in the wee hours of the morning to buy up the limited edition collectibles. Many of the collectibles sold out within 3 hours including a limited edition gargoyle reproduction of the brass stanchion inside the attraction. Also coveted by many, was the limited edition (999 to be exact) compact disc, which included 13 tracks of various Haunted Mansion sounds. Sadly, many fans that just missed the opportunity to purchase their own CD were offered weak condolences to "just look for it on Ebay." However, attitudes of the fans became much brighter as the sun began to set. One of the main events of the weekend celebration was a panel discussion with some of the original creators of the mansion. Not to miss out again, many fans began to line up at the Fantasyland Theater hours before the 8:30 PM start time. Not your typical Disney queue (it more resembled a funeral march) with the majority of fans dressed in black, talking about the day's collectible conquests and disappointments. A beverage reception was held as fans entered the venue and found seating. An electric keyboard decorated as a grand organ was played to help set the mood. Traditional photo opportunities were available with both Mickey Mouse and the Haunted Mansion cast members posing nearby. As the organist belted out "Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," the red velvet curtains opened revealing a black lit background of tombstones lying in a fog. In mid-ground sat six gothic chairs flanked by tall candelabras, all of which were customarily covered in cobwebs. Arising from the green fog that covered the stage, Cynthia Harris, Disneyland Executive Vice President, did her best 'Vampira' pose showing off her beautiful black floor length cape. The VP welcomed the group of nearly a thousand fans to an informative evening full of ghoulish fun. She thanked everyone for arriving earlier "if we began any later the howling banshees and firing spirits, or in other words, Tinkerbell and the fireworks might interrupt our séance." She was about to make her first introduction of "five team members that created the attraction that has everyone howling from around the world." When who should appear from stage left but none other than Madame Leota herself! Leota informed Madam Harris that she would act as her familiar. "In that case, call me Cynthia," the VP joked. Leota performed a poetic incantation before each of the five Imagineers was introduced. Each poem contained hints about their past Disney career:
Sam McKim, Disney artist:
"This one's sketchy, but I see
Rendering of fantasy
Frontier scenes and cowboys too
Great memories of red, white, and blue
In a presidential hall he'll appear
If you will call!"
Roly Crump, Walt Disney Imagineer:
"Deep in slumber , this one dreams
of Tiki gods and other schemes
Pinwheels dancing, children glow
towers of the four winds blow
Call his name and he awakes
And his concentration breaks!"
Francis Xavier Atencio, Haunted Mansion lyricist:
"He once helped a wooden boy
Words became his favorite toy
Toots and whistle, clunk and boom
Ghosts agleam then came the gloom
Pirates shouting swinging beer
Call out the lyric muse is here!"
Buddy Baker, Haunted Mansion music director:
"Sheets of music by the scores
float like ghosts in days of yore
Dukes and ducks, New York and Rome
All have found their resting home
All come alive in him
Call his name, let him in!"
Marc Davis, Animator, designer and Disney legend:
"Call of nature, sound your cry
Now a legend is nearby
Cats and rabbits, pixies too.
Princesses in pink and blue
Now I know he's very near
I feel his presence
Call him my dear."
As Leota floated offstage she cried, " The trumpets are calling me back. I must depart. Farewells until we meet again."
Madam Harris then gave thanks to the men "for joining us in the mortal realm". She was interrupted again as she started to introduce the evening moderator. This time it was a trembling grave keeper carrying a lantern and whistling as he walked through the theatre. Ascending the steps of the stage, he asked the VP if she had seen his dog, Scotty, who had run off. The man shook as he asked, "He's quite bony, and he's g-g-got a t-t-errible ca-ca-case of the shish-shish-shakes?" The audience knew, of course, that when you see the grave keeper in the Haunted Mansion, the grim grinning ghosts are right around the corner. Lo and behold, an upright coffin appeared on stage, the lid opened and out stepped a tall hitchhiking ghost. From the opposite side of the stage the rest of the trio joined him. The three comically debated the canine's whereabouts. Then the tall one pointed above and asked in his baritone voice "You've been hanging around here for awhile, perhaps you know where he is?" Clutching a noose the ghost host descended from above. The parlor, pet cemetery, and graveyard were all suggested. When one of them mentioned the attic, the ghost bride made a brief appearance on stage, complete with a darkened face and illuminated heart. The audience exploded into applause, then began to clap in unison as the ghosts performed a lively rendition of "Grim Grinning Ghosts."
At the end of the song, the five characters loaded up into a doom buggy and were pulled off into the blackness. Tim O'Day, Director for Synergy and Communications for the Walt Disney Art Classics, was introduced as the evening's moderator. Although there were not any new revelations during the hour, the gentlemen provided many entertaining moments. Marc Davis drew the most applause as he commented on many of his concept drawings from the attraction that were displayed on a large projection screen overhead.
Sam McKim reflected on Walt Disney's reaction to his first renderings of a dilapidated mansion. Marvin Davis told Sam "Well, your sketch was effective. He (Walt) doesn't want it to look like that." "Well, so much for the first sketch," joked Sam. Buddy Baker, when asked if there were any other Imagineers represented besides Leota Tombs' face, inside the attraction. "Not faces, voices. My voice is in the coffin. Let me out of here! Let me out!" X Atencio, recounted auditioning Japanese voice actors for the Tokyo Disneyland Haunted Mansion. After an exhaustive search he then offered the role to a deep voiced Tokyo land company executive, who become what Buddy called "the ghosta hosta".
Roly Crump recounted working with Yale Gracey, the Disney Imagineer credited for much of the attraction's illusions. "Working with Yale was just a hoot! He and I were given a huge room for a solid year. All we did was rebuild stories and go to see ghost movies. Yale and I just played around. So out of that, of course, came all the great illusions that were in the Haunted Mansion." Roly recounted a story about a prank that the two Imagineers played on the custodial staff in the animation studio. "We got a call from personnel one day. They said, please leave the lights on because the janitors don't want to come in there unless the lights are on. So what we did was we rigged the whole room. The plan was that we have the lights on. They were very dim. We hooked them up so there was an infrared beam halfway into the room and when they would break that beam the lights would go down and the black lights would come up. The ghosts would come up. A big monster would blow up and his head would fly around the room on a string. Sure enough, Yale and I came into work the next morning and the ghosts had been going all night. And the (monster's) head was hanging. And right in the center of the room was a broom! Later, we got a call from personnel, and they said they were never coming back."
Video clips were also shown including an interview with Disney Imagineer John Hench recounting the first time Walt Disney mentioned the haunted mansion to the BBC, displaying a large amount of knowledge about the supernatural. Later footage from the from the 'Wonderful World of Color' on the Disneyland Centennial show was shown featured Walt appearing to be "a kid in a candy store " as he gave a tour of some of his Imagineers' creations. The final clip featured a young Kurt Russell and even younger Donny Osmond checking out the audio-animatronic process that created the Haunted Mansion characters.
Overall the event seemed very genuine and at times almost spontaneous. When Tim questioned Buddy Baker regarding the length of time the whole process took to get the song and the score together. Buddy answered "Geez, you're asking me to remember something years ago." Buddy made his best guess at "About two or three months?" After the panel discussion the audience made their way over to the Rivers of America to a reserved area for the special effects show, Fantasmic! Only a few yards behind us stood the foreboding Haunted Mansion. That was the next stop once the show was over. In line, fans patiently waited for the final event of the evening, a midnight ride through the attraction. Many ventured guesses on what the "special surprise" would be. Others quietly listened to their collectible Haunted Mansion CD's to get them into the spirit of the evening. No one quite knew what to expect inside, and the 2-hour wait outside in line did little to damper anyone's enthusiasm. We were greeted by the seasoned cast members who had high energy and artful improvisational skills despite working way into the wee hours of the morning. Once inside the loading area we saw why it took so long to get inside. Each one of the Imagineers (minus Marc Davis) stood in the darkened portrait gallery and greeted guests as they exited the stretch rooms. It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. Some guests reported also seeing the Imagineers inside the ballroom scene waving to the fans. What a gratifying way to end the evening, but that was not all. Once inside the attraction we quickly realized more surprises awaited us. It started out like any other trip until the doombuggy rounded the turn after the never-ending hallway. Out of the darkness jumped a knight in creaky armor. Rare screams (of delight?) were heard throughout the ride as doombuggy after doombuggy was startled by live actors stationed throughout the mansion. In addition to the knight, 3 extra brides in the attic, a ghoulish keeper in the graveyard and a ghoul at the exit ramp provided scares.
The performance of this fright troupe succeeded in giving co-writer Judy Solomon, a case of nervous giggles. We hurried outside to the decorative fountain just beyond the wrought iron gates of the Haunted Mansion and sat down on one of the deserted benches for her to regain her composure. I had invited Judy, my sweetheart of three years, to share with me The Haunted Mansion 30th Anniversary Celebration, and as we sat in the shadow of the antebellum structure I asked her to spend the rest of her life with me as well. Okay, I won't leave you hanging (pun intended), as I knelt beside her holding up the ring, she said yes.
John Hughes & Judy Solomon(soon to be Mrs. John Hughes), both work for the Walt Disney Company in Orlando, Florida. They can be reached at:
Jhughesiii@netscape.net
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