Bet You've Never Seen These Pieces of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Concept Art!

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion- a stellar attraction in New Orleans Square that has been bringing guests into the world of spirits since 1969. There's nothing like it! Imagineer Marc Davis created an enormous amount of concept art, and I bet you've never seen these two pieces. 

With their honor at stake, the two men above agree to a duel, and they're condemned to take action over and over again for all eternity. The Ballroom scene in the attraction may be the highlight of the whole experience, and it takes dozens of rides past it to see many of the details both large and small. 

 

Is this haunted room actually stretching? I thought I'd throw in this bonus piece of the original four posters just for fun.

Due to the investment of a very, very gifted team of first generation Imagineers- everyone from Claude Coats to Ken Anderson, X. Atencio, Harper Goff, Leota Toombs, Holly Crump, and perhaps many more unsung heroes, the long empty manor at the end of New Orleans Square continues to draw guests even after almost six decades. Incredible!

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Walt Disney on the It's A Small World Construction Site

Walt Disney was certainly a visionary, but he was also very hands-on! When it came to building the Disneyland version of It's a Small World,  he relied on two of his most distinctive Imagineers to bring it all together: Mary Blair and Rolly Crump. Mary was chiefly responsible for the style and color palette of the interior, while Rolly contributed to the attractions iconic exterior. 

Walt directed the ship- and the park was better for it- but he also knew what it took to "sell" his projects. Not only did he get Pepsi to invest in the attractions creation when it came to the New York World's Fair, he got the rights to bring it home to Anaheim's Fantasyland, and his team brought in yet another sponsor there. Smart guy! In the photo above, he's shown with sponsor Bank of America's head honcho as the attraction's exterior was being completed. 

Walt was savvy! He wanted to best for his guests, and he creatively found ways to enhance the park. The focus on excellence resulted in happy investors in the company. It's certainly a strategy that paid off. Something that future CEO's did at times understand and sometimes not at all. Where would you rank the three most recent: Michael Eisner, Robert Iger, and Bob Chapek? I'd say it was most definitely a mixed bag. Truth is, there is still no one like Walt!

Disneyland's New Orleans Square As You've Never Seen It

New Orleans Square as you've never seen it. This is a bird's eye view Imagineering style, but if you're like me, you get the sense that this piece of concept art for Disneyland is only a slice of something bigger and better. I had this filed away, and while searching for something very different, I discovered this unceremoniously misfiled. Pirates of the Caribbean's original one level entrance if off to the left, and the Haunted Mansion is farther afield on the right. Even with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Indiana Jones Adventure, and Splash Mountain in the park, these two iconic attractions in New Orleans Square remain the epitome of the art this is Imagineering- and the land they reside in is every bit as stunning with its alleyways to get lost in, mix of dining options, and scores of shops and entertainment all set in layer upon layer of design detail. Newer Stateside lands try to be this good, but they only come close and never do truly measure up.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

It's A Small World Attraction Poster for the 1964 New York World's Fair

The title above says it all. Here is a very pretty attraction poster for the classic It's a Small World from the 1964 New York World's Fair. Artist Joseph Marsh created this tribute poster featuring Imagineer Rolly Crump's great Tower of the Four Winds standing atop of very retro looking building with the Pepsi Cola logo above it all. Just love these type of posters! And I can't wait for Disney's volume two coming this Fall.

Disneyland's Ghost Relations Department

Do you have a complaint to make about Disneyland? Make sure you go to the right place! Making a mistake and going elsewhere could be interesting...and scary! 

This sign from the 1960's seemed to catch everyone's attention. Restless spirits? Ghosts? What were those Disney Imagineers up to? Creating an enduring "E Ticket" iconic attraction, that's what! Would the journey be scary or funny or both? Imagineer Claude Coats envisioned one style and Marc Davis another. The end result would be a combination of each. One casualty: Rolly Crump's Museum of the Weird never made it off the drawing boards, however.

Marc Davis tried to tie in the Mansion

 to a previous blockbuster attraction.

The elegant old Southern home found in New Orleans Square sat empty for many, many, years until 1969. Then, the Haunted Mansion opened its doors to long lines of guests more than anxious to go inside.

Imagineer Claude Coats produced this piece.

Almost 50 years later, visitors to the park make their trek into the abandoned house and into mysterious unknown realms. Foolish mortals? Not really. The ongoing popularity of the Mansion proves once again that artistic high quality and a great story results in guest satisfaction and continued profitability.

(Art and photo copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Imagineer Rolly Crump's Midway of Life for Epcot

Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump is quite the character! And he's quite the innovative artist when it comes to bringing to life new ideas. Rolly's perhaps best known for his work at Disneyland and The Enchanted Tiki Room, the unrealized Museum of the Weird (for the Haunted Mansion), and It's a Small World's Tower of the Four Winds (for the World's Fair). 

The concept art you're seeing here was not designed for Disneyland, however. Instead, this Midway of Life was created for EPCOT Center's long gone Wonders of Life. (I guess I should say, the space itself is still used but as an event center for Epcot's ever increasing festivals.) It's quirky Victorian era charm was not to be as the art direction for the Future World pavilion took a more contemporary but eventually dated looking turn.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.) 

Shiny New Metallic Tomorrowland

From the Wally Crump Exhibition and Auction at Van Eaton Galleries: The Story of Aluminum brochure for Kaiser Aluminum, a sponsor in Disneyland's sparkling new Tomorrowland. The image by this renowned Imagineer is just too cool not to keep a copy of!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Dinner in the Enchanted Tiki Room

Had Walt Disney's original plans come to pass for his park, the very lovely Enchanted Tiki Room would have come to life as a sit down restaurant in Adventureland. For the day, this would have been quite the unique experience. Imagine sitting under in the beautiful Hawaiian inspired room enjoying a meal while the Tiki Birds serenade. The concept art shown is a fairly rare piece as it portrays tables placed inside the room and guests walking around in it. 

Personally, I'm quite pleased the Disneyland Imagineers went an entirely  different direction. Had they made this a high end restaurant, only select number of paying guests would have been able to experience the earliest incarnation of Audio-Animatronics. As a continual show, Disneyland guests had a chance to see the latest and greatest Imagineering technology without having to pay more.

A more thrilling show could be found in Adventureland anyway. A full on South Seas revue at the famous Tahitian Terrace- complete with hula girls and fire dancers providing more excitement than a group of machine birds could ever compete with!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

In Fact It's a Very Cute Story

At long last my copy of Imagineer Rolly Crump's It's Kind of a Cute Story arrived. I was very skeptical as it seemed every review of the book was glowing. I'm here to tell you, what you've read is true. It's one great book! Whether it's Rolly dishing on what he really thinks about Dick Irvine, John Hench, or Tony Baxter, you get the feeling the man is sitting across from you at the local bar, telling stories about his life without caring who knows what. It's a refreshing change from the Walt Disney Company hype and publicity machine that would have you believe all is constantly rosy at the company Walt built. And speaking of Walt Disney, it's safe to say he and Rolly had a real true friendship. Be it working on the Haunted Mansion, the Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World or even EPCOT or Knott's Berry Farm, you get the sense Rolly always carried Walt's philosophy with him. The stories he weaves as told to Jeff Heimbuch are alternately funny, charming, sweet, and ribald. It's a great read... and a very cute story indeed.

Imagineering's Crown Jewel

Much has been written, and rightfully so, about the new and beautiful book, The Art of Walt Disney World. As I have drooled over all the beautiful renderings from the geniuses at Walt Disney Imagineering, visions of stunning but unrealized World Showcase pavilions at Epcot have danced through my head.

In California, Disney Imagineers of olden times were no less adept at creating some of the most gorgeous lands ever conceived. As seen in The Art of Disneyland, it is easy to understand that New Orleans Square remains at the top of the list of anything designed for the Disneyland Resort. (We can only hope that the poorly named Carsland at California Adventure turns out so well!)

It is not just the original attractions found here- the masterworks of Marc Davis, Rolly Crump, Claude Coates and company- Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion- that make New Orleans Square what it is. It is the combination of ground breaking and beloved attractions surrounded by excellent storytelling. There is painstaking attention to detail and beautiful shops and restaurants. Lush landscaping and elegant lighting. The Imagineers had a clear love for the city of New Orleans, its people, its landscapes, and its lore.

Sam McKim's original 1957 concept (above) for the land entices. Yes, there is still a wax museum on the painting, a different street layout, and the alternate exterior of the Haunted Mansion, but the essence of the land is what was finally built. The painting and the end result: sheer artistry. This Disneyland original is both a beacon to park guests and the long enduring standard of comparison for anything built on the East Coast. Or Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, or soon, Shanghai.
(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)