A creepy crawl through the Haunted Mansion queue!
The Walt Daily
Underneath the Tombstones of the Haunted Mansion
Hi everyone! The Haunted Mansion wouldn't be complete without its iconic graveyard and signature crypts on the ride exterior. Let's take a creepy crawl through the queue and conjure the hidden tributes in the tombstones. Like so many things in Disney parks, the little details are often references back to the people who made it all happen. The Haunted Mansion queue graveyard and crypts in Magic Kingdom is the perfect cadaverous example. Let's start at the tombstone that reads, "At peaceful rest lies Brother Claude, planted here beneath this sod." This is a tribute to Disney legend Claude Coates. He started his career at Disney as a background painter. His work was so well regarded, Walt Disney himself asked him to paint the backgrounds for the groundbreaking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Before being appointed to wet enterprises, what would ultimately become Walt Disney Imagineering? His work on the Haunted Mansion included creating the creepy vibes and atmosphere on the interior of the ride. Another small tribute to him can be found in the library scene, where he's listed as the author on the book, titled The Art of Deception. Heading over to the crypt area, you'll see the engraving, while Brother Roland here reposes, his souls above once opposes. This crypt is dedicated to Imagineer Roly Crump, who is tasked with designing a museum of the weird as a companion attraction to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. And although the museum never came to be, its legacy can be seen in many scenes that ended up in the final attraction, including a seance room, a creepy coffin clock, and the mansion's signature wallpaper designs bearing a haunting resemblance to creatures created by Crump. Now, back over to the tombstone area, you'll see a tall ornate stone, with a small Viking hat imprint and the engraving. First Lady of the Opera, our haunting Harriet, searched for a tune, but never could carry it. This monument is a tribute to Harriet Burns, the first woman hired at wet enterprises in a creative role and is considered the first female Imagineer. For the Haunted Mansion, she not only worked on models that mocked up the attraction, but also figure finishing, which included applying face paint and final touches to the mannequins and animatronics. And we can gather that the Viking helmet and opera references are a nod to the opera singer apparition in the final graveyard scene of the attraction. Finally, back over at the crypt area, above Brother Rowland's resting place, you'll read "Farewell Forever, Mr. Freeze. Your voice will carry on the breeze." One of the punniest graves of all is dedicated to the iconic voice of the Haunted Mansion, Paul Freeze. The American voice actor is the ghost host of the attraction, and is responsible for taking you on the spirited tour into the realm of the supernatural. "I forgot to mention, beware of hitchhiking ghosts!" These grim, grinning ghosts are tagging along, determined to establish a permanent alliance with a favored mortal, you.