First-Ever D23 Expo Japan To Be Held October 12-14, 2013!

FIRST-EVER D23 EXPO JAPAN TO BE HELD OCTOBER 12–14, 2013

The Official Disney Fan Club’s Signature Event Makes Its International Debut

Meguro-ku, Tokyo, February 25, 2013—The Walt Disney Company Japan announced today that it will stage the first-ever D23 Expo Japan, a special event for Disney fans created by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. D23 Expo Japan, the first Expo to be held outside the U.S., will feature an array of engaging presentations, hosted by senior Disney creative executives, showcasing what’s on the horizon from across The Walt Disney Company, including theme parks, movies, television, music, and interactive gaming. Fans will enjoy unique experiences; have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind merchandise and collectibles; meet many of their favorite Disney characters; and delight in countless other surprises. D23 Expo Japan will take place October 12–14, 2013, at the Tokyo Disney Resort^® in the Maihama area. Expo ticketing and program information will be announced in March.

D23 Expo Japan will also feature two special exhibitions celebrating landmark Disney milestones. First, to pay homage to The Walt Disney Company’s 90th Anniversary, D23 and the Walt Disney Archives will present Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, featuring nine decades of treasures from the Archives’ vast collection. Plus, the Tokyo Disney Resort will celebrate its 30th year with a special retrospective exhibit.　This special exhibition, presented by Oriental Land, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, celebrates this milestone year by making D23 Expo Japan possible. Further details will be posted at http://disney.jp/D23 as they become available.

“We are thrilled to host this extraordinary, three-day event where all the wonderful worlds of Disney come together,” said Paul Candland, president, The Walt Disney Company Japan. “2013 marks The Walt Disney Company’s 90th anniversary, Disney Channel’s 10th, Disney Mobile’s fifth, the Disney–JCB Card’s fifth, Dlife’s first, and Tokyo Disney Resort’s 30th! The D23 Expo Japan allows us to show Disney’s tremendous appreciation to its fans.”

This event is supported by JCB Co., Ltd, and The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited as official sponsors.

Disney fans from around the globe flocked to Anaheim, Calif., for the first D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, in September 2009, followed by a second in August 2011. The next D23 Expo will take place August 9–11, 2013, at the Anaheim Convention Center and will feature: the 2013 Disney Legends Ceremony; a special exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives; the Collectors Forum, where Disney fans can buy, sell, and trade Disney collectibles, memorabilia, and merchandise; an all-new Fan Art Contest themed to the upcoming 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins, and a massive show floor full of special opportunities to see what’s on the horizon for Disney around the world.

Disney discovers unreleased Mickey Mouse sketch from 1938

"Mickey's Toothache," from 1938 shows the famous mouse being chased

by a dentist's chair and nemesis "Pete" during …

More than 80 years after his creation, Mickey Mouse continues to surprise.

The Disney archives have released a newly discovered sketch from 1938, Mickey’s Toothache, part of an incomplete cartoon that was part of an effort to make Mickey a more complete character.

In Mickey’s Toothache, created in April 1938, artist Ferdinand Horvath has the newly adventurous Mickey experiencing something akin to a psychedelic nightmare. In the words of Disney Archives Director Becky Cline, Mickey has traveled to the dentist and fallen under the influence of too much laughing gas. The overdose sends Mickey into a “nightmarish world inhabited by living teeth, dental floss, a psychotic dentist’s chair and a vengeful pair of dental pliers," said Cline.

Mickey’s then-nemesis Pete also makes an appearance in the nightmare scenario. It culminates with Mickey being put on trial led, of course, by a judgmental wisdom tooth, who charges Mickey with tooth neglect.

The previously forgotten piece of artwork was discovered in the Walt Disney Archives, hiding out in a folder lost for more than 74 years. It was unearthed just a few months ago.

Mickey’s Toothache is just one of several unveilings being planned as part of this year’s D23 Disney Fanniversary Celebration, an event that began last year as a way to include members of Disney’s official fan club in some of the company’s milestone events. The Horvath image will be included in a 90-minute presentation showcasing some of this year’s other major Disney anniversaries in 10 different U.S. cities (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.).

“Mickey has been a superstar from almost the beginning. He was immediately popular,” Cline told Yahoo News. “By 1938, he was just about to step into a finished version of himself. He was boyish and impish. During this period of his growth he became larger than life in some ways.”

Cline says the artwork showcases the transformation of America's favorite mouse from popular fad to American icon. It's one that can be seen as well in released cartoons of Mickey engaging in various adventures in locales including the deepest jungles of Africa, or in the 1936 cartoon Through the Mirror.

“Mickey was kind of growing and stretching. He left the barnyard, and he started to become more adventurous,” Cline said.

Though most people think of Walt Disney himself in relation to his most-famous individual creation, Horvath was a significant part of the early Disney years. Born in 1891 Horvath spent time in a Russian concentration camp where he taught himself to draw before immigrating to America on Armistice Day 1921. He worked for the studio from 1934 through 1944, producing between 70 and 80 animated shorts along the way and working on the production of Snow White.

Last year, we brought you the story of a newly discovered, 85 year-old Oswald the Rabbit sketch, Harem Scarem. Since then, Disney has pushed forward with efforts to bring Oswald, a Mickey prototype of sorts, back into the Disney fold.

So, will we ever see a complete version of Mickey’s Toothache?

“It’s possible,” Cline said. "The animation research library still goes back and refers to those older cartoons. ... Even though we’re still discovering some of this material for the first time in decades, they’re not lost.”

Return To Oz In The All-New Spring Issue Of Disney Twenty-Three On Stands February 12th!

RETURN TO OZ IN THE ALL-NEW SPRING ISSUE OF
DISNEY TWENTY-THREE ON STANDS FEBRUARY 12

A Dazzling Behind-The-Scenes Look At Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful,

The 15th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,

Never-Before-Seen Concept Art from Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen

BURBANK, Calif. – January 30, 2013 – The spring issue of Disney twenty-three, the flagship magazine of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, hits stands February 12, loaded with articles to delight both Disney fans and the general public. The cover story, “A Great and Powerful Odyssey,” gives readers an exclusive tour of the land at the end of the road of yellow bricks in Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful releasing in theaters this March. The article features interviews with stars Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Zach Braff. In addition, there’s a sneak peek of 2014’s Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie, which offers a new take on the legendary Sleeping Beauty story.

The Emerald City theme continues with a second story illuminating the many connections between Disney and Oz, including Walt Disney’s early attempts to bring Oz to the big screen. The story includes rarely seen images from the Walt Disney Archives and a fond look back atDisney’s 1985 release Return to Oz.

In celebration of the 15th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we sit down with Imagineer Joe Rohde as he reflects on the evolution of Disney’s wildest and most spiritual park.

“Frozen in Time” includes concept art from the upcoming film Frozen, due in theaters this November. Walt Disney Animation Studios brings an ice-covered world to life as Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) seeks to reverse a curse put on her kingdom by a cold-hearted snow queen (voiced by Idina Menzel), who also happens to be her sister.

Disney twenty-three also offers the latest on exciting new projects from the world of Disney and a look at some celebrated classics. The spring issue:

• Celebrates the 30th anniversary of Disney Channel from the original show Good Morning Mickey through the High School Musicaltrilogy;
• Reveals the secrets and hidden delights to look out for when exploring New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom ;
• Catches up with Bob Baker, a legendary Los Angeles puppeteer whose exquisite artistry is threaded throughout Disney history;
• Tells the story of master glass craftsmen, the Arribas brothers, who now have art in 14 (and counting) different Disney park locations around the globe.

The Disney discoveries do not stop at the end of the publication this spring. In conjunction with the release of this spring issue of Disney twenty-three on February 12, www.D23.com will feature original and exclusive stories that complement the contents of D23’s glossy magazine. Only available on D23.com: 

• An exclusive Q&A with Brian Henson about his first film, Return to Oz;
• An off-road tour of Kilimanjaro Safaris with the head zookeeper in celebration of Disney’s Animal Kingdom 15th anniversary;
• An in-depth look at Disney Channel’s schedule, stars, and shows and an exclusive look back at the first day of programming as the Channel turns 30. 

Disney twenty-three is delivered directly to the doorstep of all D23 Gold Members, along with a special gift. The gifts for this issue are reproductions of vintage Disney Valentine's Day cards, which will be attached exclusively to member issues. This special gift will be received by members just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Beginning February 12, Disney twenty-three magazine will be available at retail locations across the country for $15.95, and can also be purchased online at DisneyStore.com and throughout the Disneyland^® and Walt Disney World^® Resorts.

Walt Disney Classics Collection Moving Forward in 2013 with New Licensee

As most aware, December 31, 2012 would mark the end of the current contract between Enesco, LLC and the Walt Disney Company for the Walt Disney Classics Collection. 

On Thursday, December 6th, Enesco, LLC released the following announcement that they were passing the torch back to Disney and the line will continue in 2013 under a new licensee to be announced in early 2013.

Many, like myself have been collecting the line since its inception and wondered if the line would continue beyond this year.  It's bittersweet, as it great news the line will continue but not moving forward with the current team that many of us have gotten to know personally over the years, who have put their heart and soul into the collection, will not be moving forward with the line.

To the Enesco Team, the talented sculptors, mold makers, artisans and painters, to those involved in the packaging and shipping of the product, a well deserved Thank You for giving us collectors 20 Years of pure magic!

It will be interesting to see what direction the new licensee will take the line, seeing the collection through a different vision and the complexity of sculptures they will release.  

The announcement released by Enesco, LLC on Thursday, December 06, 2012:

From its introduction in 1992, the award-winning Walt Disney Classics Collection has celebrated the artistry and legacy of Disney’s animated and live-action shorts and films by faithfully recreating memorable moments and beloved characters in innovative and exquisitely hand-crafted porcelain sculptures.  In 2004, Enesco was entrusted with continuing the collection as the Walt Disney Classics Collection’s first licensee and we are honored to have played a part in helping the brand reach its 20^th Anniversary this year. 

The past several years have been challenging for luxury products and we’re proud to have maintained the brand’s artistic integrity and complexity while keeping the line relevant and desirable to reach this year’s milestone.  And now, after nine amazing and creatively fulfilling years, Enesco is handing the torch back to Disney to appoint a new licensee to re-imagine the next chapter for the Walt Disney Classics Collection.  In order to not disrupt your business, and to allow your customers time to complete their collections, we will continue to sell the limited inventory of Walt Disney Classics Collection sculptures we have remaining.

Enesco would especially like to thank the dedicated team of sculptors, artists, painters and mold-makers who started with the line at Disney and joined us for this journey.  Their unparalleled talent established the high standards of artistry and attention to detail that have always been the hallmark of the Walt Disney Classics Collection and have contributed immeasurably to its longevity. 

Throughout its long and celebrated history, the Walt Disney Classics Collection has drawn inspiration from Walt Disney’s legendary creativity, inventiveness and vision.  Ensuring that Walt’s legacy of artistry and excellence continues to be preserved and celebrated throughout the collection has been the mission of Disney Creative Director and Master Artist Dave Pacheco.   From a tiny field mouse reaching up for a crystal dewdrop to a dashing prince sweeping Snow White into his arms, Dave has provided a consistent vision and meticulous attention to detail that has made the line what it is today. 

While our collaboration on Walt Disney Classics Collection in nearing a close, Enesco will continue to provide Disney magic through many of our other lines, including Disney Traditions, Disney by BRITTO™, Grand Jester Studios, and Disney Showcase Collection. 

Finally, it has truly been an honor to play a significant role in the history of the Walt Disney Classics Collection.  We thank you for your loyalty and support of the collection and your contribution to the success of the line.  Everyone at Enesco who has worked on - and added to - the collection has taken enormous pride in the line, and we wish it every success going forward.

The New Fantasyland: Storybook Circus

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Part of the New Fantasyland expansion, Storybook Circus invites you to explore a lively world inspired by the Disney animated film Dumbo. 

Storybook Circus dazzles with a glittering array of classic Disney characters and classic Disney storytelling! From the colorful big-top circus tents to the interactive line queues to the animal footprints that pepper the pavement, Storybook Circus offers imaginative touches at every turn.

Delight in the following circus-themed attractions:

* Dumbo the Flying Elephant
* The Barnstormer
* Casey, Jr. Splash and Soak Section
* Pete's Silly Sideshow
* Big Top Souvenirs 

Photos from the Storybook Circus Area

The New Fantasyland: Construction Continues

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We're wrapping up an awesome week in Walt Disney World today. Hard to believe we haven't been here since May, 2011 and when we were last here, Fantasyland was still intact and construction walls were up and work had begun on the New Fantasyland!

The lay of the land had really changed since that last visit. Snow White's Scary Adventure was gone, Dumbo the Flying Elephant had been moved, construction walls were still up in the center area. Toon Town was no more and now a new area called Storybook Circus. The Chalet near Peter Pan's Flight was gone and new construction was going there and Disney's latest heroine was now represented with the Tower from Tangled.

The area were the Tower is located was behind walls as they were constructing the new restroom area and once complete, work will began on Peter Pan's Flight, expanding the queu area into the area where the restrooms currently are.  Below are construction photos taken yesterday.

What a difference an hour makes.  Within an hour of the above photos being taken, the cupula was covered with roofing paper.

Not long after, while riding the Liberty Square Riverboat, I could see where roofing shingles were starting to be applied to the roof.

To the right of the construction you were given a glimpse of things to come as this new area will tie into the building where It's a Small World is located.

Looking forward to our next visit to see the end results!

Looking Back: Pocahontas

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There are not many Walt Disney Classics Collection releases that would qualify as Thanksgiving themed releases as compared to Halloween and Christmas.  Each year, one piece that I consider seasonal is Pocahontas with Meeko and Flit from Pocahontas. Unfortunately am unable to display year-round, so always look forward to this time of year to incorporate into our Thanksgiving displays.

Animators working on the film regarded Pocahontas as being one of the hardest films ever produced by the studio. The complex color schemes, angular shapes and facial expressions meant that the film was in production for 5 years. The hard work paid off, however. Pocahontas herself is now frequently cited as being one of the most beautifully and realistically animated characters in the Disney canon, her fluid movements mainly being attributed to rotoscoping.

The film's premiere was a huge event in Central Park. With over 100,000 people attending, it holds the record for the largest movie premiere. The film received critical praise for both the animation and art direction. The film utilizes very different colors than in previous Disney films, which resulted in a beautiful color palette from the Art Department at Disney. Colors that symbolized different emotions, such as red for anger/hate, blue for love and pink and purple for nature were purposely used. The animators also decided to be unconventional when they decided to use the "mother spirit in the leaves" motif, which consisted of leaves floating in the wind during significant scenes in the movie that represented passion and beauty.

Originally the animal characters had dialogue, just like in previous Disney features. This was dropped when the filmmakers pushed for a more realistic treatment of the story. One character, a turkey named Redfeather, was dropped entirely. John Candy had provided a large amount of voice work for this character who was to be Pocahontas's sidekick. However after Candy's death in 1994, the concept was scrapped.

In the very first draft of the script the character of "Grandmother Willow" was written as a male character who was the spirit of the river, the character was named "Old Man River". The song "Just Around the Riverbend" was written for this character to be sung. Gregory Peck was offered the role and as much as it pained him to do it, turned down the role because he felt the title character needed a motherly figure to turn to for advice. Soon the filmmakers agreed with him and the character was changed.

The Walt Disney Classics Collection released "Listen With Your Heart" (a non-member commission release) sculpted by Gwen Dutcher in 1996 following the film's Fall 1995 release.  The sculpture featured Pocahontas with her trusted friends, Meeko and Flit.  Prototypes shipped to retailers, prior to the sculpture's release had a thinner base. It was the second release in the Tribute Series. The redemption period was March 01, 1996 thru May 31, 1996.

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Happy Halloween!

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Today is the day when pumpkin shells cast evil spells and witches, ghosts and goblins by the score, who will be knocking at your front door!

It reminds me of my favorite Halloween shorts and unpacking each year, one of my favorite WDCC releases .. Trick or Treat!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection put everyone into the "Halloween Spirit" in Fall 2001 with the release from the 1952 animated short, "Trick or Treat," one of the most beloved and well-remembered of the Duck cartoons. Trick or Treat marked Witch Hazel's debut and the first screen depiction of trick or treating.

Huey, Dewey and Louie visit Donald's house for Hallowe'en, but Donald turns the tricks on them. Sorry to see that Donald Duck is playing tricks on his nephews, Witch Hazel sets out to help them have the happiest Halloween ever. And if the boys "Unca" Donald doesn't want to give out any treats, he better be aware the tricks Witch Hazel has brewing in her cauldron!

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It was this moment that the Walt Disney Classics Collection depicted in their scene release which consisted of Donald's Nephews (dressed respectively as a ghost, witch and devil), Witch Hazel and a very detailed Cauldron Base where Witch Hazel begins to brew her potion. The complete scene was sculpted by Chris Peterson.

Witch Hazel's Spell: "Double double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Eye of needle, tongue of shoe, hand of clock that points at two... This is the real thing you know, right out of Shakespeare."

The 'Trick or Treat' Scene (Witch Hazel, Donald's Nephews (Huey, Dewey and Louie) and Cauldron Base) was honored with retirement on Friday, October 29, 2004. The Opening Title was NOT retired.

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As a special treat, below is the animated short for your viewing pleasure (courtesy of YouTube.com).

So grab your favorite witch's brew and some candy treats and Enjoy!

Trick or Treat is a Donald Duck Cartoon ©Disney

Lyrics to 'Trick or Treat'

"Trick or Treat" is also the title for the great bouncy song in this cartoon written by Paul Smith. It is sung by the great "Mellomen" which included the voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft. I promise you will be singing this all evening and into tomorrow, once you hear it ]:)

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat for Halloween

Better give a treat that's good to eat

If you want to keep life serene

Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)

Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)

Trick or Treat the whole night through

Little scalawags

With fiendish gags

Can make it tough on you

So when ghosts and goblins by the score

Ring the bell on your front door

Better not be stingy or

Your nightmares will come true

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat for Halloween

When the pumpkin shells

Cast evil spells

Your little white house turns green

Your little white house turns green

Your little white house turns green

Every post

Is a ghost

If you've got a witch's brew

And if you want your gate to circulate

Ho ho! We can do that too!

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat for Halloween

When ghosts and goblins by the score

Ring the bell on your front door

You'd better not be stingy or

Your nightmares will come true

So when ghosts and goblins by the score

Ring your bell or pound your door

Better not be stingy or

BOO!

Latest Press Release from 'Disney Twenty Three'!

DISNEY TWENTY-THREE GETS INTO THE GAME 

WITH AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE MAKING OF THE 3D ANIMATED ARCADE COMEDY "WRECK-IT RALPH" 

IN ITS ALL-NEW WINTER ISSUE

Diane Disney Miller Gives Fans a Sneak Peek Of The New Snow White Exhibit At The Walt Disney Family Museum

Go Behind The Scenes With Epic Mickey Creative Director Warren Spector And Discover How Disney Creates Blockbuster Video Games

Exclusive Interviews With Alan Menken And Sarah Silverman

BURBANK, Calif. – October 30, 2012 – It’s time to get your game on, as the winter issue of Disney twenty-three, the flagship magazine of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, takes readers on a vivid journey through the world of Wreck-It Ralph, the sensational new film from Walt Disney Feature Animation. The hilarious and touching film begs the question, What would happen if a video game bad guy decided he was tired of being bad?

Available nationwide on Nov. 13, Disney twenty-three answers this question through exclusive interviews with director Rich Moore, writer Phil Johnston, star Sarah Silverman and more. The naturally animated Silverman also offers her personal take on getting toon-ed into the sassy character Vanellope von Schweetz. Along with the new issue, D23 Gold Members will receive a special member-only gift: a vibrant set of pixelated Wreck-It Ralph window clings featuring Ralph, Fix-It Felix, Jr. and the Nicelanders.

“Wreck It Ralph is an imaginative, heartfelt adventure that connects many of our favorite classic video game characters with a host of new ones and is sure to delight Disney fans of all ages,” said Steven Clark, head of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. “In the winter issue, we invite D23 Members to get in the game as we take them behind the scenes with the stars and creative team of the film.”

The winter issue also celebrates the opening of the new Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs exhibit at the Walt Disney Family Museum with an in-depth look at the collection with a peek from Walt’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller, and an exclusive interview with Snow White’s live-action reference model, Marge Champion. Plus, Epic Mickey creative director Warren Spector writes about digging into the Walt Disney Archives to create blockbuster Disney video games.

Disney twenty-three also offers the latest on exciting new projects from the world of Disney and a look at some celebrated classics. In its pages, Disney fans will be able to:

• Take to the stage as D23’s Billy Stanek and Radio Disney DJ Jake Whetter step into roles in Newsies and Mary Poppins on Broadway
• Learn “30 Thing You Just Might Not Know About Epcot” from never-built attractions to roaming eight-foot-tall dolls
• Enter the Magic Kingdom for a look at Walt Disney World’s spectacular Fantasyland expansion
• Get answers to “23 Questions” with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Newsies composer Alan Menken
• Enjoy a tour D23 Presents Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives and see some of the iconic pieces now on display at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum  

In conjunction with the release of winter issue of Disney twenty-three, www.D23.com will feature original and exclusive stories that complement the contents of D23’s beautiful, glossy magazine. Only available on D23.com, beginning November 13:

• Exclusive outtakes and insights from Warren Spector’s revelations about the creation of Disney video games.
• In celebration of The Lion King on Broadway’s 15th anniversary, Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher reflect on the opening night of what has become the fifth-longest running show on Broadway.
• Expanded interviews and behind-the-castle-walls photos of the Fantasyland expansion at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom 

Disney twenty-three is delivered directly to the doorstep of all D23 Gold Members, along with a special gift.  Disney twenty-three magazine is also available at retail locations across the country for $15.95, and can also be purchased online at DisneyStore.com and throughout the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Resorts.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 brings its members a host of exclusive benefits, including a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; free gifts throughout the year; and exclusive, member-only special events.

Disney fans can join the world’s only Official Disney Fan Club by visiting www.D23.com, or at select shops at the Disneyland® Resort, the Walt Disney World® Resort and www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow “DisneyD23” on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

History of the Haunted Mansion

Back when Anaheim was a sleepy town filled with orange groves, Walt envisioned a haunted mansion for the "Mickey Mouse Park" he planned to build near his California film studio. When that small park morphed into the larger Disneyland in the mid-1950s, a haunted house concept remained part of the plans, but never made it past the drawing boards.

According to Marty Sklar, vice chairman and principal creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, the Haunted Mansion spawned many ideas and went through a number of revisions during its long gestation period. Like the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Disney creative team initially designed the attraction as a walk-through experience. The plans included an old sea captain's seaside manor and a more unsettling "Bloodmere Manor" concept with some bloody shenanigans. The Headless Horseman even galloped his way into one of the plotlines.
The treatments piled up, and a slew of Imagineers developed a gaggle of illusions and effects through the years. When the project finally got the green light in the late 1960's (it opened in 1969), Sklar said that the story was in danger of getting lost amid the effects. Since Imagineering rule number one is that the storytelling is paramount, it was up to Imagineer X. Atencio to cobble together a coherent story.

"There was a sign I created in 1963 that keyed the whole thing," Sklar explains. After Walt came back from a trip to London, Sklar asked him what he was doing overseas. "He said that he was searching old mansions and manor houses for ghosts that didn't want to retire." Even though there was no consensus about the attraction, Walt went ahead and had the exterior of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion built in 1962. Inspired by Walt, Sklar created a large help wanted sign inviting ghosts that wanted to continue practicing their trade in active retirement at the mansion to send their resumes to the "Ghost Relations Dept." The sign hung for many years in front of the empty building. "When X. Atencio started working on the project," Sklar says, "the sign became the thread of the Haunted Mansion."

Even with Atencio's focus, Sklar says that there were many different ideas about what the Haunted Mansion should be. The attraction was the first major theme park project developed after Walt died, and without his final say, many of the Imagineers clashed over its direction. "Marc Davis and Claude Coats polarized attitudes," Sklar explains. Davis, one of Disney's "Nine Old Men" of animation, wanted a lighter tone, while background artist Coats pushed for a scarier attraction. "In the end, Marc's cartoony attitude carried the day," says Sklar. "And he probably pushed it in the right direction."

Still, some of Coats' surreal, spookier backgrounds remain evident in the early scenes of the ride. Some of the other Imagineers who lent their ideas to the Haunted Mansion project through the years and whose touch can be seen in the final version include:

• Rolly Crump-- An artist and magic aficionado. His love of stage magic and illusions inspired effects such as the "Pepper's Ghost" trick used in the Grand Hall and hitchhiking ghosts scenes.
• Yale Gracey-- A mechanical genius and animator, Sklar says that he was a tinkerer who loved to play around with technology. Gracey and Crump developed the "Leota effect" that brings Madame Leota to life in the Seance Room.
• Walt Disney-- While Walt passed away before work began in earnest on the interior of the attraction, he played a major role in guiding the project along. One of his most important contributions was his insistence, despite the protests of most other Imagineers, that the exterior of the building remain pristine so as not to disrupt his beloved Disneyland. According to Sklar, Walt said, "Don't worry about it. We'll take care of the outside; the ghosts will take care of the inside."

The attraction opened at the Magic Kingdom in 1971, Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, Disneyland Paris as Phantom Manor in 1992. For each of these parks, the Haunted Mansion is an original attraction.The Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, opening in 1971. This attraction (pictured at left) was developed at the same time as the Disneyland version, resulting in a very similar experience to the Disneyland version, though the slightly larger show building allowed the addition of several new scenes. The attraction was placed in Liberty Square, a small land that was a tribute to colonial America, as the Magic Kingdom did not have a New Orleans Square. Thus, the Mansion was given a Dutch Gothic Revival style based on older northeastern mansions, particularly those in older areas of Pennsylvania and in the Hudson River Valley region of New York.

At Tokyo Disneyland the Mansion was placed in Fantasyland and was a near complete clone of the Magic Kingdom version. The only exterior differences from the Magic Kingdom are two bronze griffin statues guarding the main gates, as well as the left bottom and top windows being both smashed open, and the top having some velvet curtains hanging out. The narration is in Japanese.At Disneyland Paris, the attraction goes by a different name, Phantom Manor (pictured at right).

Courtesy of YouTube.com is a two-part clip on the History of the Haunted Mansion below:

Part I



Part II

Disney's Haunted Mansion Attraction is ©Disney

Disney's Halloween Treat!

While surfing the net, I came across mention of a Disney Halloween Special entitled Disney's Halloween Treat. This classic TV Special first aired Halloween October 31, 1982 and was shown every year after that up until 1995 (which is ironic since that’s when Disney bought ABC).

Originally it was hosted by a talking Jack O’ Lantern and was the unusual length of 47 minutes (a little over an hour if you count the commercials). Around 1990 the special was edited and several pieces clipped in order to fit a 30 minute time slot. The Jack O’Lantern host was also replaced by the Magic Mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Below is a sample of some of the shorts and tidbits that were included in the special:“Pluto’s Nightmare” - “Pluto’s Judgment Day” – Pluto (1935)
“Cat Nap Pluto” – Pluto & Figaro (1948)
“Puss Cafe” – Pluto, Milton & Richard (1950)
“Lonesome Ghosts” – Mickey, Donald, & Goofy (1937)
“Donald Duck and the Gorilla” – Donald, Nephews & Ajax (1944)
“Trick or Treat” - Donald & Nephews (1952)
“The Old Mill” – Silly Symphonies (1937)
“Malifacent the Dragon” – “Sleeping Beauty” (1959)
“The Blue Fairy” – “Pinnochio” (1940)
“Wizard’s Duel” – “The Sword in the Stone” (1963)
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (1958)
“The Wicked Witch” – “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)
“The Bomb” – “Peter Pan” (1953)
“Two Bad Cats” – “Lady and The Tramp” (1955)
“The Butler” – “Aristocats” (1970)
“Cruella DeVil” – “101 Dalmatians” (1961)
“Night on Bald Mountain” – “Fantasia” (1940)
“Skeleton Dance” (colorized, used as background for end credits) – Silly Symphonies (1929)

The original cut of “Halloween Treat” starring the Jack O’Lantern host was released on VHS around 1984 but has been out of print ever since. The copies are few and exceedingly rare.

Below is the intro of Disney's Halloween Treat (courtesy of YouTube.com):


Disney's Halloween Treat is ©Disney