The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion: Second Edition

I am a life-long fan of the Haunted Mansion and have been following Doombuggies.com for many years, so I was extremely excited for the release of this book from none other than "Chef Mayhem"! This book is a very intricate look at the Haunted Mansion, through the development and planning, delays and setbacks, and amazing engineering and "imagineering" feats that were accomplished through its creation. For those who may have limited familiarity with the attraction, the descriptions and walk-through of the attractions in California and Florida (as well as some mention of differences in Tokyo and Paris) will help orient you in the discussion. This attraction was designed and influenced by some of Disney's best artists (in my humble opinion) and it's so much fun to read Baham's interviews with them and get their insight -- and even a little gossip! To be fair, you will have to have at least a basic knowledge of the attraction to find the appeal of this book. (I don't mean to frighten you prematurely) But if you've ever ridden it and wondered "how'd they do that?" or "what kind of person came up with the idea of haunted wallpaper?" this book will answer all those questions and more. I'd recommend to any fan of the Disney theme parks - or theme parks in general, as the Haunted Mansion is one of the penultimate "dark rides" found anywhere in the world. Fun reading, excellent material, wonderful insight and anecdotes -- perfect, all the way around!

As a Haunted Mansion fan, I must say I enjoyed this book. Most of the information I have learned through other books and various Haunted Mansion websites. Mr. Baham writes in a simple but entertaining manner. While I considered getting the book I was concerned with how factual the information contained in the book was. However all the facts are footnoted with a great index at the back of the book. The book is divided into two parts, the first being the history of the attraction and the second half of the book a walkthrough of the attraction with some behind-the-scenes facts thrown in. I purchased the book mostly for the first part, as I love to learn about the thought process that goes into the Disney attractions, however I must say the second half of the book was just as enjoyable. I learned some things about the mansion I didn't know before. If you're a fan of the attraction you will definitely enjoy this book. A quick, fun and enjoyable tribute to a classic Disney attraction.

If, like me, you are fascinated by the story and history of Disneyland's inner workings then this is a book you will enjoy. It covers the story of how Disney's Haunted Mansion ride came to be, how it was planned and developed, and how it has changed over the years. There are several things I did not like about the book. First, there are not enough photographs. Secondly, a plan of how the ride is laid out would have greatly complimented the text which at times can be confusing without something pictorial to refer to. Lastly, I would have liked to have seen more on how the ride differs between the various Disney theme parks. All in all this is an enjoyable and highly informative book. I'm glad I purchased it.

Really fantastic read! Just completed this book and it left me wanting more! I'm a big Disney fan and Haunted Mansion is by far my favorite ride in the park. I loved reading all about it's rich history and fascinating back story. Also being a loyal WDW visitor, this entire story made me more motivated than ever before to plan a trip out West to the original park. I would recommend this to any person interested in delving further into the world of past imagineering. Jeff also takes part in a very entertaining podcast called Mousetalgia, which is how I found this book. I would also recommend that for a fun listen. Keep up the great work!! My only comment is that I would have enjoyed learning more about the WDW and Disneyland Tokyo versions also, as well as their counterparts Paris and Hong Kong (Phantom and Mystic Manors? What's that all about??) But maybe that's for the third edition!

I loved all the stories and interviews of the Imagineers and all who worked for Walt Disney in the early days of Disneyland. My dad would take me for my birthday every year as that was the place I wanted to go. So even though this story is Haunted Mansion based I still ate all the history up with a sense of wonder. The "magic" kingdom is wrought by the fantastic talents of such creative minds and I would gladly sit for hours to hear all the stories. This in depth telling of how the Haunted Mansion came about is cool and exciting and the description of the ride really makes you feel like you are there. A don't miss for all D-fans, spooky or not.

How did I not know about this book before now? It's respectful. It's enthusiastic. And because it's unauthorized, it has behind the scenes stories and interviews with cast members that Disney's own authorized book on the Haunted Mansion doesn't have. Nothing too salacious, just more honestly talking about the legends that have cropped up around the attraction. I don't know if I should quibble with some timelines -- I remember seeing the short-lived live-action knight and am absolutely convinced that was on a marching band trip in 1982. But that was a long time ago and maybe I'm confusing trips. The only thing I miss is an acknowledgment of the Tokyo Disneyland version, still called the Haunted Mansion as opposed to Paris' Phantom Manor and Hong Kong's Mystic Mansion. But perhaps it's not as easy to get stories about that. Otherwise, fantastic history and many details I didn't know.

The writing style meanders a lot and overall the book could use tighter prose and organization. Much of the details in the book are things you can learn or hear about the Haunted Mansion by just reading the internet for a half-hour or so. There is very little direct quotes or interviews with the key Imagineers and artists involved. The book has strengths too, it finds interesting tidbits of Walt's life that likely influenced the Mansion's inclusion in the park and it illustrates why and how the ride wound up the way that it did with its unique blend of camp and ghoulish delight. The book makes no attempt to document the fan culture or collectibles associated with the ride and while it provides some technical details on the effects throughout the ride, at times these details are very high level. A very decent book overall, but I'm convinced the more definitive encyclopedia for this ride has yet to be written.

I LOVED reading this book--the inside story of what happens and why in Disney's Haunted Mansion. I was a Tour Guide at Disneyland during college and thought I knew quite a bit about it, but I was amazed at how much I learned. The interviews with the people who actually worked on the project were informative and explained so many things I had always wondered about. The book is detailed but easy and fun to read. It's the kind of book I will read again because there is so much information to absorb. Thanks to Jeff Baham, one of the foremost experts on this topic in the world, for clearing away the cobwebs and sharing the magic behind the Mansion.

I love this book, it's full of interesting and funny facts about the Haunted Mansion ( though many of them are featured in Jason Surrell 's book too ). My only complaint is that it doesn't have many pictures and it's a bit overpriced for such a small book.

Bought this as a Christmas gift for my 14 yr old daughter who is a Haunted Mansion fanatic. She can't wait to read it! Great quality book. It looks full of fun information and facts.

This was a great read. Packed with information and written in a clear and easy reading style. If you love Disney and the Haunted Mansion especially I highly recommend, you will not be dissapointed!

Love this book all the way through. Especially the stories of the special events at the haunted mansion. Didn't really need the section describing the attraction because I know it well but i read it anyways :) I would love more books like this on other classic attractions from the Disney parks!

Awesome book