Setting Design...

Liberty Sq. takes place during colonial America. Disney World is the only Disney park  to have a Liberty Sq.

The Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, five years ahead of the 1976 American Bicentennial. With this historic landmark in the near future,
Imagineers decided it would be a great addition. The idea for Liberty Square actually goes back to the planning of Disneyland but never
made it.

Don't miss...The crooked shutters on the buildings. Imagineers made this historically-accurate to the time period. Shutters
were usually cooked because leather straps were used to hang them --all in an effort to conserve metal for the American
Revolution. Disney's shutters are made of metal though.

The beige concrete "path" that runs throughout this land references the waste trenches that would have existed in Colonial America. With no
indoor plumbing, people simply threw waste (of all kinds) into the trench and waited for rain to come and wash it away.  

The music that can be heard was recorded using only instruments that were available at the time. (From Magic Kingdom: An Imagineers Eye Tour)
Liberty Square Setting...
Williamsburg, VA -- near the Ye Old Christmas Shoppe
New Amsterdam -- near entrance from the Central Hub
New England -- near Columbia Harbor House
Northwest Territory -- near Frontierland
(Courtesy Magic Kingdom: An Imagineers Eye Tour)
The Liberty Bell...

The bell is made from the same
cast as the original in located in
Philadelphia. There are 13 flags
surrounding it, representing the 13
original colonies. Only red, white,
and blue flowers are planted in here.
Liberty Tree...

The liberty tree near the Hall of Presidents is a real tree.  It was from brought in from  
another location on Disney property by crane. After developing an infection and
beginning to rot, limbs had to be cut, leaving holes that were then filled with cement to
prevent the infection from spreading.

The tree is actually made of two that were fused together. 13 lanterns hang from the
tree to represent the 13 original colonies. Liberty trees were gathering places for the
Sons of Liberty resistance group during the Revolutionary War. Members could be
identified by the hanging lanterns. The first liberty tree was an elm located in Boston.
Haunted Mansion...

Marc Davis, one of the lead Imagineers on the Mansion, insists that there was no storyline to this attraction (prior to the 2007 refurbishment).
This however, didn't stop loyal fans and cast members from creating their own. There were several versions such as the one below:

Master Gracey's fiancé locked herself in a trunk in the attic as a practical joke. Unfortunately, she ran out of air and died trapped in the
trunk. Guests on the attraction play the role of Master Gracie as he searches the house looking for his fiancé. He finally discovers her ghost
in the attic (the wedding gown with the beating heart) and the sight so unbearable to him, he jumps out the window to his own death (this is
when the "doom buggy) turns backwards and descends the slope into the graveyard.) The trembling man and the dog we see at the bottom
of the slope are terrified because you've become a ghost --passing right in front of them.  

Yes, the room is stretching. No you're not really going down. The ceiling and parts of the wall are actually moving up. This is evidenced by
the missing gap in the floor that is normally found in elevators. The Disneyland version, however, is an elevator because the Disneyland RR
tracks are in the way. Guests have to go down under the tracks to gain access to the loading platform.

The Imagineers modeled the WDW Haunted Mansion after 19th century Dutch architecture found in many Hudson River communities in New
York State. This helps the mansion blend with the theme of Liberty Square.

The song "Grim Grinning Ghosts" was written by X. Atensio who also wrote "Yo Ho, Yo Ho A Pirates Life for Me at Pirates of the Caribbean.

The singing bust in the graveyard scene of Thurl Ravenscroft is often mistaken for Walt Disney (the one that's broken).  Ravenscroft voiced
several characters including Tony the Tiger from Frosted Flakes ads and several attractions in WDW. Other Disney work includes Fritz in the
Enchanted Tiki Room and several voices in Pirates of the Caribbean.

The attraction itself takes place in a large industrial style building backstage. The facade of the mansion is just that...there to create the
illusion that it's a real mansion. It's interesting that the ride building is actually next door to It's a Small World in Fantasyland. When guests
exit the Mansion, they'll notice a high wall and pet cemetery on their left which is to hide the fact that they're actually standing along the It's a
Small World building and the now defunct Fantasyland Skyway station.

Don't Miss...the Mr. Toad statue in the pet cemetery as you exit the attraction (it's all the way in back on the left. This is a
reference to the now defunct, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction in Fantasyland. It was replaced by the Many Adventures of
Winnie the Pooh

Inside the "horse drawn" hearse outside the Haunted Mansion guests might find a rotting bouquet of flowers inside along with an invitation to
be the 1000th ghost by visiting the "ghost relations department". Also, Imagineers set the ghostly scene with a horse bridal positioned as
though attached to a horse only, no horse is visible.  

Don't Miss...Leota has her own tombstone outside. Look to the left just before entering the mansion. Be sure to catch her
blinking eyes.

For an out-of-this world website about Disney's Haunted Mansion, be sure to visit DoomBuggies.com
Hidden Mickey Alert...
One of the most recognisable hidden mickeys can be found in the ballroom scene. Three plates form
a classic hidden mickey at the left side of the table. The cast members set this arrangment without
permission from the Imagineers, who moved them back to their original location. As if moved by
ghosts, the plates were mysteriously moved back to the hidden mickey position over night. This
moving of the plates back and forth went on for some time and it eventually started a war between
cast members and Imagineers.  When management intervened, cast members simply blamed happy
haunts in the mansion. Knowing that it was an endless battle, Imagineers have since surrendered and
the plates remain in the hidden mickey  position -- for now.  
Haunted Mansion Ghost Host

Paul Frees is your "ghost host"
on the attraction. He is one of the
singing busts in the graveyard
scene. Frees can also be heard
as the auctioneer in Pirates of the
Caribbean.
Stars of the Haunted Mansion (and some ghostly names)...

Leota Toombs is the name of the woman who modeled for the disembodied head of Madame
Leota in the seance scene. Toombs, a Disney attraction costumer, also appears at the end
of the attraction who reminds us to "hurry baaack" and to bring our death certificates.

Our "ghost host" is played by voice actor Paul Frees

Thurl Ravenscroft is one of the singing busts in the graveyard scene.

The "deadicated" cast members. They are known to take this attraction very seriously to an
almost occult level. They are truly the life (or should I say death) of the attraction --greeting
guests with "we've been dieing to meet you" and "step into the dead center of the room
please." Almost no other attraction in the Magic Kingdom offers this level of cast member
interaction. They can be an attraction by themselves.
Surrounding the Liberty Bell, the flags of
the 13 original states.
The Liberty Tree is actually two trees
grafted together
Theme Transitions...

Notice as you pass under the bridge howLiberty
Square has some fantastic transitions from the
surrounding lands but one of the best of any in
the Magic Kingdom comes at the  Fantasyland
passage.

The transition is achieved at the Columbia
Harbor House Restaurant. We see the classic
Disney "bridge" so often used to make a
transition. On the Liberty Sq. side of the bridge
(which is actually the seating area for the
restaurant) we see theming consistent with New
England.

On the Fantasyland side, we see a more
European influence. English Tudor styling is
prevalent on both sides of the bridge as this
type of architecture is found in both Europe and
New England.
Notice as you pass under the bridge how the
background music changes slightly to help make
the transition.

The pillars that support the bridge are themed
to the land they are closest to aid in the
transition.
Propping for this Liberty Sq. Entrance is
used to remind guests that they're heading
into colonial New England.
As guests exit Liberty Sq. the
Contemporary Resort serves as an
impressive backdrop for Tomorrowland.
The Columbia Harbor House Restaurant is
often overlooked by guests and lines have
a tendency to be short.
From Liberty Square, the Columbia
Harbor House is based on a blend of
Hudson River Valley New York and New
England styling.
From the Fantasyland side, Columbia
Harbor House is based on classic
German village theming.
Hall of Presidents...

The Hall of Presidents displays the "Great Seal of the United States" in fine 100% wool
carpeting. The seal looks almost identical to the Presidential Seal that contains the words,
"Seal of the President of the United States." It is unlawful to present the Presidential seal
anywhere without the current President; Disney still needed permission to display the Seal of
the United States however.

The seal is cleaned periodically by White House appointed staff.

The Hall of Presidents is a federally recognized Presidential museum.

Former President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were the only presidents to record their
own voices for their animatronic "clones."

The animatronic of President George W. Bush used to be President Clinton. This particular
animatronic will be reserved for the current President of the United States.

President George W. Bush had an Oxxford suit made for his animatronic. Like his own suits,
a canvas mock-up is first made for fitting, then the actual suit is made. Both the President
and his animatronic wear a Timex watch from Middlebury, CT. It's inscribed with his first
inauguration date: Jan. 20, 2001.

Hall of Presidents is based on Disneyland's Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It first appeared
in the '64-'64 Worlds Fair in New York in the Illinois building.

The new A-100 Presidential animatronics are designed to "sit down" in the event they
malfunction so as to not create a humiliating experience

Disneyland's President Lincoln once malfunctioned in front of an audience of government
dignitaries.  The animatronic blew a hydraulic line filled with red hydraulic fluid and began
leaking out. Guests watching thought Disney had recreated Lincoln's assignation. Clear
hydraulic fluid is now used.
Above: The queue for Hall of Pres. was
designed to obtain recognition as an
official presidential museum.
Below: Similar to the Presidential seal,
special permission was needed to display
this seal in the Hall of Presidents. It can
only be cleaned by  White House
appointed staff.
The Liberty Belle River
Boat looks as if it were
once an authentic vessel
and perhaps brought
out of retirement for
Disney, but it was
actually built new on
Disney property in 1972.
Liberty Belle Riverboat...
The riverboat was built on Walt Disney Property although it appears that it might have been
restored.

 It's original name was the Richard F. Irvine but changed in 1996 to connect it to Liberty
Square.

 The boat rides along a track but relies on a genuine steam engine for propulsion.

 Belle's sister boat, the Admiral Joe Fowler accidentally fell from a crane in dry dock and
suffered extensive damage to it's bow and steam engine. The damaged boat was then stored
backstage for a number of years and then dismantled.

 In early 2006, maintenance workers discovered serious hull damage caused by corrosion on
the Liberty Belle. It was immediately taken out of service and scheduled for repairs. The
decision was made to make the repairs at the loading platform in the Rivers of America
because getting it to dry dock was too risky.  It reopened in September '06.

 Walt Disney was so passionate about having a riverboat in Disneyland that it was once
thought  it would become the icon of the park, not the castle.
Photo Courtesy of www.doombuggies.com
The chess pieces
on the roof of the
Haunted Mansion.
Claude Coats,
exterior designer
cleverly worked
them into his
design. It's said
that the reason
there is no knight is
because it's always
night in the Haunted
Mansion.
The Secrets of Disney's Haunted Mansion
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dark ride. Also includes a significant collectibles section and a
scrapbook of rare media.

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