The Disney Haunted Mansion Attraction You've Never Seen

This one took some digging into my files. We all know that Disney's Haunted Mansion is one of Imagineering's finest achievements and an enduring fan favorite. At Disneyland, it takes it's classic look from the mansions around the South and is found in the park's gorgeous New Orleans Square. It's known as Phantom Manor in Paris. 

My guess, however, is that most Disney park visitors have seen it in its Gothic form at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World or in Tokyo Disneyland. But they've never seen it like this! This piece of rare concept art by Imagineer Ted Rich in 1967 gives us the very first looks at ideas for what the attraction exterior might look like for its inclusion in Liberty Square. In contrast to its earlier sibling, this version takes on a wood clad look and is more similar to its French cousin. Just imagine what's in those Disney vaults that we haven't seen! 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

One Rainy Day at Disneyland Paris

As I'm wandering through the maze of Disney internet sites, there are three pretty sure fire links I will click on: Epcot, Tokyo Disneysea, and Disneyland Paris. While I have yet to visit the park in Japan, I can say with certainty that the most beautiful castle park is found in France. In fact, I wrote an entire article on at: The Theme Park as Work of Art. Imagineer Tony Baxter and team deserve all the accolades for creating a park where you could not go on a single ride and still feel deeply satisfied after spending the day there.

So, on to the photo above: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in all its glory! Paris' Frontierland is the best version ever created perhaps on par with the early Anaheim version when it was stuffed with attractions. The wildest ride in the French wilderness begins on the landside before riders are taken under the river onto the island. A truly unexpected and spectacular setting my a fan favorite attraction.

This photo by Gregg Jacobs is taken from the porch of the Phantom Manor. It is part of his trip report posted on the Mouse Planet site. (Speaking of that, I'm still finishing up my trip report to Anaheim.) In a park drenched in atmosphere, the weather certainly added a special dimension, resulting in one terrific photo!

 

Olga's Cantina was Not the First in Disneyland

Given all the publicity, it'd be very easy to think that Oga's Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge would be the very first cantina in the park. This concept art proves otherwise. Frontierland was it's home, and in the days of the rollicking Wild West, there was more than just Slue Foot Sue's Golden Horseshoe to whet the townsfolk's whistle. Now, the truth of the matter is neither place served adult beverages. That honor would first go to New Orleans Square's private Club 33 (where I had the pleasure to dine once with my wife/soon-to-be fiancee).  

In other Disney theme parks, Frontierland is either renamed and/or re-Imagineered. The best version is found in Disneyland Paris. In France, it feels like a real town and not a theme park land. A single IP land if you will long before The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It's bigger, bolder, better, and filled with consistently thematic excursions into the Phantom Manor (a western themed Haunted Mansion) or a journey into the "wildest ride in the wilderness" which has the distinction of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad going under the river and onto an island. Talk about an exciting beginning and end to a classic attraction! And they said it couldn't be done. Imagineer Tony Baxter proved them wrong.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)