| Dear Lou... | | | | Bud Martin was the director of the Imagineering |
| We just love the Haunted Mansion! Every time we | | | | special effects department. |
| go, we just love looking at the graves in front of the | | | | R.I.P. |
| entrance, and we just noticed the mausoleum at the | | | | In memoriam |
| exit. Were they always there (I don't remember the | | | | Uncle Myall,here you'll liefor quite a while |
| mausoleum). And are the names on the graves of | | | | Chuck Myall was a designer at WED Enterprises who |
| real people or just made-up? | | | | aided in the overall planning of the Magic Kingdom . |
| OK, first things first. I love the Haunted Mansion as | | | | Wathel R. Bender,he rode to gloryon a fender |
| well! To me, there is nothing else quite like it in any | | | | Peaceful rest |
| park in WDW. The nostalgia, the effects... it's great. | | | | An innovator in the area of Audio-Animatronics, |
| Now, on to the questions (posed to me by someone | | | | Wathel Rogers also helped program many of the |
| during a recent trip to WDW, but asked of me more | | | | figures in the Haunted Mansion |
| than once). | | | | R.I.P. |
| The mausloeum at the end of the attraction was | | | | Mister Sewell,the victim ofa dirty duel |
| always there, but may be overlooked by people who | | | | Peaceful rest |
| are still shaking, laughing, or running as they exit the | | | | Bob Sewell was one of the head modelers at WED |
| Haunted Mansion. As far as the tombstones, they | | | | Enterprises |
| have always been there... and always will be, I believe. | | | | Good friend Gordon,now you've crossedthe River |
| The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion | | | | Jordan |
| The tombstones at the entrance to the Dutch Gothic | | | | Gordon Williams designed much of the sound effects |
| home of the Graceys are there not just for show, | | | | for the Mansion and assisted with the |
| but are a silent, standing tribute to many of Walt | | | | Audio-Animatronics programming |
| Disney World's (and especially the Haunted Mansion's) | | | | Dear sweet Leota,beloved by all |
| contributors. As is often done in attractions | | | | In regions beyond now,but having a ball |
| throughout the parks, Imagineers honor those men | | | | The most recent addition to the "family plot", how |
| and women who have helped create some of the | | | | could we forget "little" Leota Toombs? She was an |
| true magic of WDW. Sometimes they are hidden, | | | | artist at WED whose face was used as the model |
| while other times, as here, they are more obvious. | | | | for the head in the crystal ball for the seance scene, |
| After you pass through the menacing wrought-iron | | | | and so the character was named "Madame Leota" in |
| gates surrounding the Haunted Mansion, you will | | | | her honor. Keep your "eyes" on the headstone for a |
| encounter the home's cemetery, (conveniently | | | | little surprise - it opens its eyes every so often to |
| located right outside the entrance). Here you will find | | | | see who's coming over, then closes them again in |
| a number of witty headstones with epitaphs (written | | | | silent vigilance. |
| by Disney Legend Xavier Atencio), not to the "dearly | | | | As you exit the Haunted Mansion, you will also find a |
| departed", but in tribute to the many Imagineers who | | | | crypt on the left hand side. The names found on the |
| helped develop the Haunted Mansion. | | | | two crypts (with their tongue-in-cheek pronunciations |
| Here is a list of the tombstone inscriptions and the | | | | in parentheses) are: |
| Imagineers who inspired them: | | | | Asher T. Ashes (ashes to ashes) |
| Requiescat | | | | Wee G. Bord (ouija board) |
| Francis Xavier,no time off forgood behavior | | | | I. Trudy Dew (I truly do) |
| R.I.P. | | | | Dustin T. Dust (dust to dust) |
| Legendary Imagineer Francis Xavier "X" Atencio | | | | Manny Festation (manifestation) |
| helped develop the Haunted Mansion story line, wrote | | | | Metta Fisiks (metaphysics) |
| the theme song's lyrics, and helped come up with the | | | | Pearl E. Gates (pearly gates) |
| tombstone inscriptions. | | | | Rusty Gates (rusty gates) |
| Dear departed | | | | Hail N. Harty (hail and hearty) |
| Brother Dave,he chased a bearinto a cave | | | | C.U. Later (see you later) |
| This stone was named after Dave Burkhart, who | | | | Hal Lucinashun (hallucination) |
| was the model builder for the Haunted Mansion . | | | | Rustin Peese (rest in peace) |
| At peaceful restlies Brother Claude,planted | | | | I.M. Ready (I am ready) |
| herebeneath this sod | | | | Hap A. Rition (apparition) |
| Claude Coats was the Imagineer who came up with | | | | I. Emma Spook (I am a spook) |
| the layout of the OmniMover ride track for the | | | | Paul Tergyst (poltergeist) |
| Haunted Mansion, as well as numerous concept | | | | M.T. Tomb (empty tomb) |
| sketches | | | | Love U. Trudy (love you truly) |
| Some of the "dearly departed" | | | | Clare Voince (clairvoyance) |
| In memory ofour patriarch,dear departed | | | | Bea Witch (be a witch) |
| Grandpa Marc | | | | In Spiritual Repose... |
| Marc Davis, a legendary designer and artist for | | | | In Spiritual Repose... |
| Disney, as responsible for almost all of the concept | | | | Lastly, there is poor Bluebeard's final resting place. |
| art for the Haunted Mansion, including many of the | | | | Maybe he was a good pirate, but he was not the |
| humorous characters and scenes. | | | | luckiest guy when it comes to picking the ladies, it |
| Master Graceylaid to rest,no mourning pleaseat his | | | | seems... |
| request | | | | 1440 |
| Farewell | | | | BLUEBEARDhere lieth his loving wives |
| Yale Gracey was responsible for many of the special | | | | Penelope - died 1434 |
| effects seen in the Haunted Mansion , including the | | | | Abigail - 1435 |
| stretching portraits and the séance room, as | | | | Anastasia - 1436 |
| well as for a number of attractions throughout Walt | | | | Prudence - 1437 |
| Disney World. | | | | Pheobe - 1438 |
| Rest in peace | | | | Eugenia - 1439 |
| Cousin Huet,we all knowyou didn't do it | | | | Lucretia - |
| Cliff Huet was an architect and lead interior designer. | | | | Seven winsome wives |
| Here liesgood old Fred,a great big rockfell on his head | | | | Some fat, some thin |
| R.I.P. | | | | Six of them were faithful |
| This inscription is a tribute to Disney Legend Fred | | | | But the seventh did him in |
| Joerger, an art director that created numerous | | | | Hope you enjoy the Haunted Mansion as much as I |
| plaster effects for the Haunted Mansion. He is also | | | | do.. and remember... |
| honored with his name on a window above Main | | | | Hurry baaaaacccck.... hurry baaaaccckkk.... be sure to |
| Street, USA . | | | | bring your "Death Certificate", if you decide to join |
| Here lies a mannamed Martin,the lights went outon | | | | us! |
| this old Spartan | | | | |
