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Like many of the original Magic Kingdom attractions, the Haunted Mansion began as an idea for Disneyland. Before the park was even built, Walt Disney and artist Harper Goff were working on an idea for a haunted house type attraction. The original sketch by Goff was titled, "Church Graveyard and Haunted House" and featured a Gothic style mansion on top of a hill <ref> http://blogs.disney.com/insider/2015/06/08/the-horrifying-history-of-the-haunted-mansions-hatbox-ghost-part-1/ </ref>. The original haunted house attraction was originally envisioned as a walkthrough attraction, in which guests would see various haunted scenes <ref name= "DoomBuggies1"> http://www.doombuggies.com/history1.php </ref>. Some of the original ideas for the attraction included: a ghostly sea captain who killed his wife, an unfortunate family living in the mansion, and a ghost wedding which would have featured various Disney villains including, Captain Hook, the Lonesome Ghosts, and the Headless Horseman <ref name= "DoomBuggies1"/>.[[Image:MansionConcept2.png|350px400px|thumb|The idea of a ghostly bride was a part of the Haunted Mansion's early design]]When the addition of the Haunted Mansion was being planned for Disneyland, the Mansion was to be located off a crooked alley on Main Street <ref name= DoomBuggies1/>. Soon however, plans for the Mansion were put on hold and when Disneyland opened in 1955, The Haunted Mansion was nowhere to be found. Despite this, shortly after Disneyland opened the Haunted Mansion project was brought back into the spotlight. In 1958, Walt Disney decided that he wanted to create an expansion for Disneyland called “New Orleans Square”. The Haunted Mansion was chosen as one of the attractions for the new area <ref name= "DoomBuggies1"/>, and construction began in 1962 <ref name= "DoomBuggies2"> http://www.doombuggies.com/history3.php </ref>. From the beginning however, problems began to plaque the Haunted Mansion. Story line problems were a constant for the Haunted Mansion, and in 1964 Disney's attention was turned towards the New York World’s Fair. Another blow to the struggling project came in 1965 when Walt Disney, the driving force behind the project, died <ref name= "DoomBuggies2"/>. With Walt gone, Imagineers were divided about what tone to give the Haunted Mansion. Imagineer Marc Davis wanted to present the ride in a comical matter (giving the attraction a lighter tone) while Claude Coats thought the Haunted Mansion should be a real haunted house with a dark and ominous tone. Eventually, Imagineers decided on a compromise. The beginning of the attraction was given a darker tone while the latter half would be more "silly" and feature a "swinging wake" <ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history4.php </ref>. Imagineers also decided to make the Haunted Mansion a dark ride, with "Doom Buggies" as the attractions vehicles (the change from walkthrough to dark ride helped solve the problem of guest capacity) <ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history4.php </ref>.

With When the story line and tone finally decided, addition of the Haunted Mansion officially opened was being planned for Disneyland, the Mansion was to be located off a crooked alley on August 9Main Street <ref name= DoomBuggies1/>. Soon however, 1969 plans for the Mansion were put on hold, and when Disneyland opened in 1955, The Haunted Mansion was nowhere to be found. Despite this, shortly after Disneylandopened the Haunted Mansion project was brought back into the spotlight. In 1958, Walt Disney decided that he wanted to create an expansion for Disneyland called “New Orleans Square”. The Haunted Mansion was chosen as one of the attractions for the new area <ref name= "DoomBuggies1"/>, and construction began in 1962 <ref name= "DoomBuggies2"> http://www.doombuggies.com/history3.php </ref>.

From the beginning however, problems began to plaque the Haunted Mansion project. Story line problems were a constant for the attraction, and in 1964 Disney's attention was turned towards the New York World’s Fair. Another blow to the struggling project came in 1965 when Walt Disney, the driving force behind the project, died <ref name= "DoomBuggies2"/>. With Walt gone, Imagineers were divided about what tone to give the Haunted Mansion. Imagineer Marc Davis wanted to present the ride in a comical matter (giving the attraction a lighter tone) while Claude Coats thought the Haunted Mansion should be a real haunted house with a dark and ominous tone. Eventually, Imagineers decided on a compromise. The beginning of the attraction was given a darker tone while the latter half would be more "silly" and feature a "swinging wake" <ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history4.php </ref>. Imagineers also decided to make the Haunted Mansion a dark ride, with "Doom Buggies" as the attractions vehicles (the change from walkthrough to dark ride helped solve the problem of guest capacity) <ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history4.php </ref>. With the story line and tone finally decided, the Haunted Mansion officially opened in Disneyland on August 9, 1969. ====Museum of the Weird====One of the other ideas for the Haunted Mansion that Rolly and Walt explored, was the Museum of the Weird. The museum was to be a part of the entrance and queue to the Haunted Mansion. Showing guests various oddities "discovered" around the world, the Museum of the Weird would also have doubled as a restaurant (similar to Disneyland's Blue Bayou restaurant which is connected to [[Pirates of the Caribbean]]) <ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history2.php </ref> [[Image:Crump.jpg|350px400px|thumb|Rolly Crump working on models for the Haunted Mansion]]. Rolly Crump came up with various ideas for the museum including: coffin clocks, candle men, man-eating plants, tiki busts, a mirror with a face, and a "living gypsy cart". With the death of Walt Disney and the subsequent uncertainty about the tone of the attraction however, the Museum of the Weird portion of the attraction was eventually scrapped.

During the time the Haunted Mansion was being finalized in DisneylandOn July 11, plans were made for 2022, Disney announced that the creation of an identical version in (Hatbox Ghost would be added to the not yet open) Magic Kingdom. Unlike the Disneyland’s 's Haunted Mansion however, the Haunted Mansion Manson in Walt Disney World was set in the American Northeast, not New Orleans (due to the fact that Liberty Square replaced New Orleans Square in the parks design). The change in location is evident when looking at the attraction’s architecture, which took on a colonial or Hudson River Valley style 2023 <ref> httphttps://www.haunteddimensions.raykeimwdwmagic.com/index335attractions/haunted-mansion/news/11sep2022-hatbox-ghost-coming-to-walt-disney-worlds-haunted-mansion.html htm </ref>. The Hatbox Ghost was originally designed for Disneyland's Haunted Mansion , but was removed shortly after the attraction opened with as the rest intended effect did not work. In 2015, the figure was returned to the Disneyland version of the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971 <ref> http://thisdayindisneyhistory.homestead.com/disneyworldgrandopening.html </ref>Haunted Mansion.

[[Image:Busts.jpg|thumb|350px400px|The family of busts in the new Haunted Mansion queue.]]If guests choose the graveyard queue, one of the first things that they see is a family of marble busts. Besides showing the faces of the various family members, the busts have also a depiction of a small weapon, and a humorous epitaph. When guests pass, each bust will whisper a clue as to who killed them. It is up to guests to solve the mystery and find out who killed who.

Continuing on through the queue, guests pass by a series of crypts, beginning with the Composer's Crypt. Here, musical instruments are carved into both sides of the a crypt and when they are pushed; the instrument plays a portion of the attractions theme song "Grim Grinning Ghosts". One side of the crypt features basic instruments (such as those used by the band in the graveyard scene), while the other side features more ghoulish looking instruments. The Composers Crypt also features a large pipe organ (identical to the one in the Ballroom scene) with banshee heads and a red-eyed raven sitting atop it. When guests gut push the keys to the organ, it plays “Grim Grinning Ghosts” while also shooting guests with a blast of mist. The organ is engraved with the name "Ravenscroft", which is a reference to Thurl Ravenscroft who is , the lead vocalist of the singing busts in the Graveyard scene.

[[Image:sea.jpg|350px400px|thumb|The Sea Captain's crypt]]

The final crypt guests come across in the Haunted Mansion queue is the library crypt. Two sides of this crypt look like the bookcases found inside the mansion, which hold haunted books that move in and out by themselves. Guests can also push the books themselves, adding some entertainment for younger guests. More importantly however the books on the cases are marked with ghostly symbols, which gives guests a letter, giving guests them the task of deciphering the message that the books spell out.

The third side of the library crypt features a glowing book surrounded by decaying flowers. In the book, the ghost of the "Poetess Prudence Pock" is working on her poetry. Prudence will usually need guests to help her finish the poems, by giving her rhyming words. Guests can speak to Prudence by using the "Spectrecom" which lets guests “speak with the nearly departed." A sign above the book says:

{{Quotation| "Her plaintive pleas can still be heard: O ' muse provide the perfect word"}}

NOTE: If you want a key, to figure out what the haunted books are trying to tell guests, check out Inside the Magic's guide below:

The original graveyard in the Haunted Mansion queue is still in place, however during the 2010 refurbishment the headstones that paid homage to Marc Davis and X Atencio have been moved from the hillside to the middle of the interactive queue. Likewise, the tombstone marking the resting place of Master Gracey has been moved into the queue. Added to the hillside graveyards graveyard at this time were headstones for Gus, Erza, and Phineas (the Hitchhiking Ghosts) and Neb Nub (one of the singing busts found in the Graveyard scene)<ref> http://www.  For more information about the graveyard including a list of the tombstones and their meaning go to the [[Haunted Mansion Tombstones]] pageinsidethemagic.net/2011/03/videophotos-inside-new-haunted-mansion-interactive-queue-at-walt-disney-worlds-magic-kingdom/</ref>.

[[Image:Stretching.jpg|thumb|350px|The full portraits guests see after the room has "stretched". ]] At this point, lighting flashes above the room to show the corpse of the Ghost Host hanging in the rafters (having apparently committed suicide). Finally, during the 2007 refurbishment of the Haunted Mansion, the gargoyles that light the room were given dialog<ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/secrets_foyer.php </ref>. After the Ghost Host tells guests to "stay together please" the gargoyles whisper "stay together" and then giggle like haunted children.

[[Image:sinister.jpg|thumb|250px|A portrait of Jack the Ripper, one of the Sinister Pictures found in the load area (Photo: Hoot Gibson)]]The Ghost Host gives riders instructions in the Loading Area loading area saying:

Now in their Doom Buggies, guests exit the loading area and go up a stairwell which leads to a landing. Here two more of the sinister portraits can be found, and various "changing pictures" can be seen. The changing pictures appear to normal enough at first, but when lightning strikes , the pictures become much more ghoulish (an example of this: A portrait of a young lady changes into a portrait of Medusa when the lightning strikes). Guests also can see a floating candelabrum in the room, a precursor of things to come.

The first room that guests tour in the mansion is the Librarylibrary. In the library, books seem to be flying about by themselves, and unseen ghosts stand on rocking ladders moving books between the shelves. Nearby, another ghost is seemingly reading on a rocking chair in the corner of the room. The Ghost Host introduces the library to guests by saying:

As guests pass by, the marble busts of the ghost writers seem to turn their heads and follow guests the Doom Buggies as they move through the library, and into the music parlor.

When the Haunted Mansion was renovated in 2007, a new scene was added to the attraction. Known as the staircase scene, the new room is located after guests leave the music parlor but before they reach the Endless Hallway. The staircase room is a space filled with various staircases and doorways that apparently lead to other dimensions. The staircases look like a maze, and some even seem to defy gravity, as they twist and turn, and or even go upside down. On the staircases, ghostly glowing footprints appear going up or down the stairs, before fading away.

After seeing the staircase scene, the Doom Buggies move past the Endless Hallway. The hallway seems to go on forever, and only a floating single candelabrum populates the hall. Next to the halls entrance is a moving suit of armor, which used to house a cast member who would jump out and scare guests.

As the Doom Buggies move onward, the Doom Buggies spin, they begin to rotate so that they guests are now facing backwards. Guests then enter a decrepit conservatory, which now only holds plants are all dead and the flowers have rotted. In the middle of the room a wooden coffin is laid with a banner that says "Farewell”. A large raven settles on the coffin and squawks as the corpse inside begins to push its way out. As guests pass by, the corpse inside begins to yell "let me outta here!", but the Doom Buggies continue on.

After leaving the conservatory, guests find themselves in the mysterious Corridor of Doors. The wallpaper in the corridor is filled with demon eyes, which seem to be watching the Doom Buggies as they pass. Also on the walls are various ghoulish family portraits which show different skeletons, ghosts and corpses. A sign next to the portraits reads "Tomb Sweet Tomb". A portrait of note features The Ghost Host wearing a noose around his neck as his shadow lifts a hatchet.

The final thing that guests see before leaving the Corridor of Doors is a glowing grandfather clock. The hour hand of the clock reads 13, and the minute hand is seen spinning out of control. The clock has bones for hands, and a demonic tail as its pendulum. The head of the clock looks like it has horns, and fangs that engulf the face. As guests pass, a shadow of a large claw swings over the face of the clock, giving the allusion that a large beast is swooping over the Doom Buggies.

[[Image:Leota.jpg|thumb|300px|Madame Leota in the Séance Room]]After escaping the Corridor of Doors, guests find themselves in quiet parlor. The Doom Buggies encircle a lone table sitting in the middle of the room, which features a floating crystal ball holding the disembodied head of Madam Leota. Madam Leota chants from inside the ball, trying to make a connection with the various ghosts in the mansion (One of her chants goes "Rap on a table, it's time to respond, send us a message from far beyond!). As Madame Leota chants her incantations, glowing objects and other items begin to fly around the room. If guests look closely at Madame Leota's table, they will notice her spell book is open to page 1313. This page shows the Grim Reaper, while page 1312 shows that the Hatbox Ghost and one of the Hitchhiking Ghosts.

[[Image:Dancers.jpg|thumb|400px|The ballroom dancers waltzing in the Grand Hall.]]After leaving the Séance Room, guests enter perhaps the most famous scene in the Haunted Mansion, The Grand Hall (also known as the Ballroom). Here ghosts have begun to gather for a "swinging wake" (apparently arriving by hearse). The Doom Buggies actually look down into the Ballroom where guests can see ghostly couples waltzing as they disappear and reappear. An Nearby, an organist plays a crazed version of the attractions theme "Grim Grinning Ghosts", on a large pipe organ. When the organist strikes the keys, ghostly banshees come flying out of the pipes, and then disappear.

On the right side of the room, various ghosts have gathered around a table to celebrate a birthday party. The cake has 13 candles, and at the ghost sits at the end of the table is apparently the ghost of honor. Directly across from him sits the ghost of Caesar himself. Two drunk ghosts (an Egyptian and a solider) are seen swinging on the chandelier, while another ghoul lays under the table. Another ghost can be seen hanging on the chandelier by his cane. Various other specters pepper the room, including one sitting on the mantle of the fireplace (who shoots flames out his mouth) and an elderly ghost sitting in the corner of the room knitting. If guests look up above the Ballroom they will see two portraits of duelists. The ghosts of these duelists emerge from their paintings from time to time and shoot pistols at each other. After passing the Ballroom, the Doom Buggies head upstairs to the attic.

 Following the Ballroom scene, the Doom Buggies go up one floor to the attic. Here guests see a crammed and dusty room full of wedding gifts and furniture. As the Buggies progress, guests see five wedding portraits of Constance Hatchaway and her different husbands. Next to each portrait are wedding gifts, which seem to increase in quality after each subsequent marriage. The portraits include:

*Frank Barks & Constance Hatchaway (1872) (If if guests look closely at the cabinet near this portrait, they will see a female porcelain French aristocrat looking down on a fallen porcelain man, whose head has been removed.)[[Image:Brideimage.jpg|thumb|300px|Constance Hatchaway in the Haunted Mansion's attic. Photo by Rain0975]]

*George Hightower & Constance (1877) -- (This may be the same George who's tombstone we see in one of the stretching room pictures. In the stretching room a widow sits atop a gravestone reading “Beloved George”, with a hatchet in it.)

When the Doom Buggies pass each portrait the head of the grooms disappear. The story goes that, Constance married and killed her husbands in order to gain money and social status. In fact, if guests look closely at Constance in the portraits they will notice that she gains a string of pearls after each husband. After passing all 5 portraits, guests come face to face with Constance herself, who is wearing a wedding dress and standing near the window. When the Buggies go by her, she says ominous phrases (such as: "Tell DEATH do us part"). While in the attic, guests may notice that a melancholy version of Wagner's Bridal Chorus can be heard (the only song besides Grim Grinning Ghosts heard in the attraction). After passing Constance, the Doom Buggies "escape" from the attic and fall below into the graveyard.

While in the attic, guests may notice that a melancholy version of Wagner's Bridal Chorus can be heard (the only song besides Grim Grinning Ghosts heard in the attraction). After passing Constance, the Doom Buggies "escape" from the attic and fall below into the graveyard. NOTE: It has been suggested by some, that guests actually "die" after falling out of the attic, thus allowing them to see the ghosts celebrating in the graveyard. This has neither been confirmed nor denied by the Disney Company however.

Following the close encounter with Constance, As the Doom Buggies fall out move through the window and turn backwardsgraveyard, they pass a group of singing marble busts. When they land Located on the groundguest’s right hand side, ghosts appear to be flying all around these marble busts sing (and guests now find themselves at express) the gates to a graveyard located near the mansion. Outside the gates, a caretaker named Dick O’Dell quivers in fear as his dog song "BoneyGrim Grinning Ghosts" whimpers. After passing some scary looking trees, guests enter All around the graveyard where the , ghosts seem pop up and try to be having a party. A ghost band known as the Phantom Five play a jazzy version of "Grim Grinning Ghosts"scare guests, as various while other paranormal beings specters simply enjoy themselvesthe party. The Phantom Five is made up of a drummer (banging on headstones)Those enjoying the party include, a flutistmummy who is drinking tea, a harpist, a bagpipe playerRenascence era oracle, and a horn player. Various cats and owls harmonize with the band, and demon dogs can be heard howling in the distance. Near the band, a king and queen teeter on see-saw, while a duchess sips tea behind themvarious ghosts riding bicycles around tombstones.

As Further down the Doom Buggies move through the Graveyardgraveyard, they pass a group of singing marble busts. Located on the guest’s right hand sidean executioner, these marble busts sing his victim (and expressa headless knight) and the song "Grim Grinning Ghosts"prisoner Hitchhiking Ghost stand singing. All around Standing next to the graveyard, ghosts pop up executioner are two opera singers. The female is overweight with pig tales and try to scare guestsis wearing a Viking helmet, while other specters simply enjoy the partymale is thin and wears a mustache. Those enjoying Near the party includeopera singers, a mummy who skeleton is drinking tea, seeing paving a Renascence era oraclecrypt, and various ghosts riding bicycles around tombstonesentrapping himself inside.

Further down After traveling through the graveyard an executionerguests come across another crypt, his victim (a headless knight) and the prisoner Hitchhiking Ghost stand singing. Standing next leading to the executioner are two opera singers. The female is overweight with pig tales and is wearing a Viking helmet, while the male is thin and wears a mustache. Near the opera singers, a skeleton is seeing paving a crypt, entrapping himself insideattractions final scene.

After traveling through the graveyard, guests come across another crypt, leading to the attractions final scene. To hear the marble busts singing in Graveyard graveyard click below:

[[Image:Hitchiking.jpg|thumb|350px400px|The Three three Hitchhiking Ghosts: The Prisoner (left), The Skeleton (center) and the The Traveler (right)]]

To Hear hear the Crypt crypt and Unloading unloading narration click play below:

 Next to Bluebird Bluebeard's tomb, a large crypt which houses various bodies can be found. Each of the names on the crypt create a pun. The names on the crypt are listed below, with the pun the name creates in parenthesis. [[Image:Toad.jpg|thumb|250px|The statue of Mr. Toad located in the Pet Cemetery.]]

| Dustin T. Dust (Dust to into dust)

* A snake who's epitaph reads "Here lies my snake whose fatal mistake, was frightening a garner gardener who carried a rake".

==Cast<ref> http://voicechasers.com/database/showprod.php?prodid=95 </ref>==

*'''Graveyard Mummy'''- Akkan Allan Davies

*'''Renaissance Oracle (Graveyard)'''- Dal Dalllas McKennon

*Harper Goff (original sketches and design)<ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history1.php </ref>

*Ken Anderson (storyline)<ref> http://www.disneyhistoryinstitute.com/2013/01/ken-anderson-and-haunted-mansion.html </ref>

*Yale Gracy Gracey & Rolly Grump (special effects)<ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history2.php </ref>

*Claude Counts (plot/storyline)<ref> http://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blogspot.com/2011/12/claude-coats-art-of-deception-and.html </ref>

*Marc Davis (character design/storyline)<ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/insiders_davis.php </ref>

*Blane Blaine Gibson (sculpture of many of the ghosts, including the Hitchhiking Ghosts and the singing busts in the Graveyard)<ref> http://mouseclubhouse.com/?p=645 </ref>

*X Atencio (Writer of both the Ghost Host narration and the attractions theme song "Grim Grinning Ghosts".<ref> http://www.doombuggies.com/history5.php </ref>

*There are two books on the table at the end of the The library in the Haunted Mansionwas painted by R. They are both separate volumes from “The National Encyclopedia”L. Grosh and Sons, with book being open to the letter D, so that the word Inc who has also painted numerous Hollywood sets <ref name= "deathwdwradio" is shown./>

*The prisoner Hitchhiking organ played by the ghost can also be seen in the Graveyard Ballroom sceneis an exact replica of the one in Disneyland. This is important because the organ in Disneyland was the same organ that Captain Nemo played in the 1954 film, near 20,000 leagues Under the Sea <ref> http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/12/the-20000-leagues-under-the-sea-connection-to-the executioner-haunted-mansion-at-disneyland-park/ </ref>.

*Before To keep the 2011 refurbishment of the queueHaunted Mansion looking dusty, a fresh flower would be placed on the tombstone Disney buys 5 pound bags of Master Gracey every daytheatrical dust known as “Fuller’s Earth” <ref> http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/wdw/magickingdom/secrets/ls/mansion.html </ref>.

*Many If guests look at the pavement in the Haunted Mansion's queue's emergency exit, they will see the footprints of the real books Caretaker found in the library Graveyard scene are actually law books, including “Modern Legal Forms"as well as the paw-prints of his dog <ref> Baham, Jeff. The Secrets of Disney's Haunted Mansion. N.p.: Doombuggies, 2006. Print. </ref>.

*The organ played by According to small print found on the ghost device, the "Spectrocom" found in the Ballroom scene is an exact replica of the one in DisneylandHaunted Mansion's Graveyard queue was patented by R. H. Goff. This is important because the organ in Disneyland was the same organ that Captain Nemo played in the 1954 film, 20,000 leagues Under the Seaa reference to Imagineer Harper Goff <ref> http://www.mainstgazette.com/2012/01/speak-with-nearly-departed.html </ref>.

*To keep Tombstones found in the Haunted Mansion looking dusty's graveyard scene pay tribute to Imagineers Judy Gray, Fred Joerger and Harriet Burns. The letters that make up the names are scrambled however <ref> Yee, Keven. Walt Disney buys 5 pound bags of theatrical dust known as “Fuller’s Earth”World Hidden History Second Edition. N.p.: n.p., 2014.Print </ref>