Welcome foolish mortals

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope everyone had a good time!

This week as it has been Halloween we are going to visit the Grim Grinning Ghosts and look at the gravestones of the Haunted Mansion!

As you queue up to enter the Haunted Mansion make sure to look at the gravestones and read what they say. These gravestones are for the imagineers who contributed to the rides creation.

Have a read of these funny inscriptions.

Requiescat



Francis Xavier,


no time off for


good behavior


R.I.P.

Francis Xavier “X” Atencio developed the storyline for the Mansion, wrote the lyrics for its theme song “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” and also wrote the inscriptions on the tombstones.



Dear departed


Brother Dave,


he chased a bear


into a cave

Dave Burkhart built the model of the Haunted Mansion.



At peaceful rest


lies Brother Claude,


planted here


beneath this sod

Claude Coats was a show designer who created a number of concept sketches, and also designed the track layout for the attraction.



In memory of


our patriarch,


dear departed


Grandpa Marc

Disney Legend Marc Davis did most of the concept design for the attraction, starting back when the Mansion was to be a walkthrough attracton housing the Museum of the Weird.



Master Gracey


laid to rest,


no mourning please


at his request


Farewell

Yale Gracey was WED's resident special effects wizard, and designed such Mansion effects as the dancing ghosts, changing portraits, and the séance room.


Rest in peace


Cousin Huet,


we all know


you didn't do it

Cliff Huet was one of the lead interior designers, and also worked on some of the Mansion's architecture.



Here lies


good old Fred,


a great big rock


fell on his head


R.I.P.

Fred Joerger was an art director who specialized in special finishes - rockwork, distressed timbers, etc. He created special plaster work effects for the Mansion.



Here lies a man


named Martin,


the lights went out


on this old Spartan

Bud Martin was a lighting designer who later served as head of WDI Special Effects Department.


R.I.P.


In memoriam


Uncle Myall,


here you'll lie


for quite a while

Chuck Myall was a designer at WED Enterprises who also helped in the overall design of the Magic Kingdom.



Here rests


Wathel R. Bender,


he rode to glory


on a fender


Peaceful rest

Wathel Rogers was the grandfather of Audio-Animatronics, and he designed and programmed many of the A-A figures in the Mansion.


R.I.P.


Mister Sewell,


the victim of


a dirty duel


Peaceful rest

Bob Sewell of the WED model shop did a lot of modeling work on the Mansion.



Good friend Gordon,


now you've crossed


the River Jordan

Gordon Williams was one of the resident Audio-Animatronics experts. He also helped design the sound effects for the Mansion.



Dear sweet Leota,


beloved by all


In regions beyond now,


but having a ball

Leota Toombs was an artist at WED who served as a stand-in model for the head in the crystal ball during concept testing of the Mansion. She did such an excellent job that the test performance was used in the final version, and the character was named “Madame Leota” in her honor. The voice for the head was done by Disney voice veteran Eleanor Audley.

Well thats it for this week and i hope you have enjoyed these brilliant details. Next time your in line have a look at the stones and now you will know who they are for.

Until next week.... Look Closer