The Haunted Mansion | 50th Anniversary Celebration | D23 Expo | D23 Expo Arena Stage | Walt Disney World | Disneyland | Muppets | 2019

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion opened August 9, 1969, over fifty years ago.  And what better opportunity to pay tribute to the classic attraction than “Haunted Mansion: Celebrating 50 Years” at the D23 Expo 2019.  According to the Event Guide: “Celebrate the rich history of Disney’s famed home of 999 happy haunts, joined by a procession of bodies you will die to meet”.

Walt Disney Imagineering Story Editor, Kevin Lively, is our Ghost Host for the hour-long D23 Panel celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.  This is the full panel.

The panel kicks off with a tribute video showcasing multiple Disney Imagineers and the influence the Haunted Mansion had on them as creators.  The Panel covered how some of the illusions are made, a look at Marc Davis and X. Atencio’s impact on the Mansion, including X. Atencio’s granddaughter.  A unique guide to the Mansion featuring Jungle Cruise Skippers: A Skipper’s Tour to the Mansion, and a reading of the original story script written by X. Atencio in July of 1958 – read by X’s granddaughter, Sally Slater direct from the Mansion, and The Phantom of Muppet Theater, Uncle Deadly.

We get a look at how some of the Mansion’s illusions are created with Daniel Joseph, Imagineer Chris Merick talks about his adventures and the influence of Marc Davis on the Mansion.  As it turns out, both Kevin and Chris started their journey to becoming Imagineers as Jungle Cruise Skippers, and at least Kevin felt the urge to create, wait for it, A Skippers’ Tour of The Haunted Mansion.

After the tour, Jillian talks about the influence of Xavier “X” Atencio on the Mansion, including Grim Grinning Ghosts and the Haunted Mansion script the way we know it today.  While we know and love the script the way it is today, like everything at Disney, the script evolved over time.  Deep in the Disney Archives is an original draft script, written by X dated July 19, 1968.

Of course, this is the D23 Expo, so the talent needed to read that original script needed to “plussed”…  Playing the part of the “Medium”, not yet the Ghost Host, is a member of the Disney Technology Group and granddaughter of X. Atencio, Kelsey McCullough.  The second guest comes straight from the Mansion itself, tightrope walker extraordinaire and longtime Mansion resident and happy haunt, Sally Slater.  The final guest, playing the Ghost Host, none other than the Phantom of the Muppet Theater, Uncle Deadly.

Looking for more Muppets content?  Check out:  The Muppets at Walt Disney World 1990, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990), Lady Gaga and the Muppets, Muppet Family Christmas, and Great Moments in American history with The Muppets

Check out these other videos from the D23 Expo Archives Stage:  60 Years of the Jungle Cruise,  Great Moments with Walt Disney,  Digging Deeper Disney History,  Making Walls Talk, A conversation with Bill Farmer, Kevin Rafferty, Star Wars Music, Disneyland 1959, Haunted Mansion at 50, Disney and Pixar did That?, Legacy of Disney Products, Disney Park Maps, Marc Davis goes to WED, Legends of Imagineering, Voices of the Parks or 50 Years of Pirates! and a Kiss Goodnight with Richard Sherman

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