31 Haunting Days: Haunted Mansion & Phantom Manor

To celebrate the Halloween season, we decided to take a look at two of Disney's spookiest attractions: the Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor.  To the casual observer, both rides may pass as a Disneyfied version of a haunted house, and in some regards, that's exactly what they are.  But the rides have just as many differences as they do similarities.  In creating Phantom Manor, Imagineers sought to design something that would distinguish itself from the Haunted Mansion.  We take a look at both attractions and will delve into the similarities and differences, and in doing so, explore what makes each version so memorable.   

A quick word of caution:  this article goes into detail about both attractions.  If you have not ridden either and want to be surprised, then close out now and check out some of our other posts.  In other words: SPOILERS AHEAD. 

The Haunted Mansion 

There are currently three versions of the Haunted Mansion located at Disney Parks around the world with the original residing at Disneyland in California.  The original concept for the Haunted Mansion was to be a walk-through style attraction with guides taking guests around the mansion.   Construction for the Haunted Mansion began in 1961 but the attraction did not open until 1969.  Marc Davis, X Atencio and Claude Coates were tasked with bringing the Haunted Mansion to life (although Ken Anderson had laid the groundwork for the attraction years prior).  Guests are taken through various scenes in the mansion on doom buggy's designed by Bob Gurr. 

Following the Disneyland opening in 1969, a second Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.  It is situated in Liberty Square.  A third incarnation of the ride (which is largely similar to the version in Orlando) was built in Tokyo

Disneyland in 1983.  That version of the Haunted Mansion is located in Fantasyland.  While each version of the Haunted Mansion has elements which make unique to the others, by far the most noticeable difference is the exterior of the Disneyland version and the Disney World/Tokyo Disneyland designs.

Phantom Manor

When Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris) came into existence, a fourth Haunted Mansion would have been almost a guarantee.  But Imagineers decided to go in a slightly different direction.  Just as they did with re-framing Tomorrowland as Discoveryland, Imagineers decided against putting in a replica of the Haunted Mansion rides at Disneyland/Disney World/Tokyo, and instead chose to re-theme the popular attraction.  

Tony Baxter and the team created a new attraction (which incorporated elements from the original Haunted Mansion) called Phantom Manor.  Perhaps the most noticeable difference is the derelict condition that visitors will find Phantom Manor when they arrive - much to the chagrin of older Imagineers like Marc Davis who did not think Walt would ever have approved of such a building in one of his parks.  In fact, when discussing the outside appearance of the original Haunted Mansion, Walt famously said, "We'll take care of the outside and let the ghosts take care of the inside."  With Phantom Manor, it looks like the ghosts took care of both. 

Let's explore what makes these rides both unique and exceptional...

Story

What distinguishes Disney Parks from nearly all other amusement and theme parks around the world is that there aren't too standalone "rides."  Nearly every attraction at Disney tells a story.  

Given Disney's large media catalog, this isn't terribly difficult to create attractions such as Peter Pan's Flight, Flight of Passage, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, etc.  But even  attractions that were designed and originated for the Disney Parks have a level of storytelling that is unique.  That's not to say that some stories are better told than others. 

The Haunted Mansion features, at best, the outline of a story.  The Ghost Host takes you through a tour of the home where you meet a variety of happy haunts including Madame Leota, Constance Hatchaway, Master Gracey, and The Hatbox Ghost.  Some of these characters, such as the Ghost Host and Constance have a more developed backstory than others, but in the end, the ride is a grand tour of a haunted home where the rider joins the other 999 ghosts after being thrown from the window  and descending into the graveyard. 

Early on when Disneyland was being designed, Disney animator Ken Anderson proposed a backstory featuring Captain Gore .  This backstory would have connected the Haunted mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean as both attractions are located in New Orleans Square.  Ultimately, Disney scrapped this idea, but imagine how cool it would have been to have a backstory featuring two of Disneyland's most iconic attractions. 

The same cannot be said for Phantom Manor.  While it incorporates many elements of Haunted Mansion (more on that below), Phantom Manor tells the story about Henry Ravenswood who founded the Thunder Mesa Mining Company at Big Thunder Mountain.  Ravenswood, his wife Martha and their daughter Melanie live in the home Ravenswood builds overlooking Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Henry was overly protective of his daughter.  Melanie's first four suitors (who you will meet in the manor) all met their demise at the hands of Ravenswood.  When Melanie becomes engaged to Jake (who was removed from the attraction during the 2019 refurbishment), powerful tribal forces caused an earthquake resulting in Henry and Martha's death.  Henry Ravenswood (whose name pays homage to Thurl Raenscroft who voiced a number of Disney characters) continues to haunt the home as The Phantom.  As you leave the portrait gallery, you enter the manor to find Melanie in her wedding gown- still waiting for her groom.  Unfortunately, Melanie will be waiting for a while because The Phantom coerced Jake into taking his own life on his wedding day.  

Not only does Phantom Manor tell an elaborate story, it also connects two of Disneyland Paris's biggest attractions:  Phantom Manor and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  The entirety of Frontierland is known as Thunder Mesa, and Henry Ravenswood's mining company is the backdrop to both attractions.  As you ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (which in Paris is contained entirely on an island), you can see Phantom Manor overlooking in the background. 

None of this is to suggest that the Haunted Mansion isn't a phenomenal attraction - it is one of the truly iconic Disney attractions and has withstood the test of time (51 years and counting).  But we can't help but think how much more amazing both Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean could have been (particularly at Walt Disney World where Pirates is far too condensed).

Similarities

While the rides are very different, they do share many of the same scenes.  If you go to Paris looking for your favorite segments from the Haunted Mansion, odds are you'll find them.  Both attractions feature: 

• Portrait Gallery/Stretching Room 
• Haunted Hallway/Grandfather Clock
  
• Madame Leota Seance 
• Ballroom 
• Singing Busts 
  

Differences 

And while so many familiar scenes can be found in both Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor, the later features different show scenes and twists on the classic: 

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  As your Doom Buggy arrives to take you through your tour of the manor, you see Melanie at the
  top of the staircase looking outside at a storm.  
• There is no dueling portrait in the ballroom of Phantom Manor, instead, there is a portrait in the hallway of Henry Ravenswood cheating in a duel and killing his opponent.  
• Instead of the bride in the attic, we find Melanie in her wedding dress crying at her vanity with the face of he father, The Phantom, standing behind her.  
• While there is a graveyard scene featuring the singing busts, guests are transported to a haunted Thunder Mesa where you encounter The Phantom and other townsfolk who now inhabit  that afterlife.  
• Hitchhiking ghosts?  Nope, not at Phantom Manor.  Instead, you find Melanie joining you in your Doom Buggy as she looks to leave her home with a new groom. 

Music

The iconic music that echos throughout the Haunted Mansion was composed by Buddy Baker.  The lyrics to Grim Grinning Ghosts were written by X. Atencio.  The music perfectly illustrates the line that Disney walked in creating Haunted Mansion:  spooky and fun.  The music goes from dark tones to lighthearted and upbeat. 

And while you may think that the haunting melody of the OG is hard to beat, well, we've got some news for you.

The Phantom Manor suite composed by John Denby might actually be better.  Yes, it might sound like blasphemy, but just listen.  The Phantom Manor suite has a more cinematic feel than Haunted Mansion.  

The best part of the score comes you hear Melanie begin to sing the theme from Haunted Mansion. It has the feeling as though Phantom Manor is paying homage to the Disneyland original. 

So which version is the best?  Impossible to say.  Haunted Mansion definitely has history and nostalgia on it's side.  Phantom Manor is far more macabre with a more compelling backstory and arc.  If you have been fortunate to visit both attractions, leave us a comment and tell us which one you liked more and why.  

Also, be sure to click on the links to visit all of the amazing content creators whose source material and knowledge was used to create this Halloween post.