Disney Animated Movie Representation at the Disney Parks: Part 3

21. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh/Winnie the Pooh (2011)

OK, so I decided to combine these two movies, even though they are far apart in terms of release dates. Both movies contain the same characters, so there's no point to covering them twice. Winnie the Pooh is one of the more popular Disney characters and the Disney Parks tend to give him and the other characters a lot of love. Disney apparently found that they didn't have a big enough representation for Winnie the Pooh at the Magic Kingdom, so they destroyed Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to make way for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Less distressing is the fact that the Winnie the Pooh ride took over Country Bear Jamboree in Disneyland. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Country Bear Jamboree, but it doesn't affect me as much since the only park I visit is Disney World. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a dark ride that follows the 1977 movie's plot, with a little added nod to Mr. Toad in the Disney World version. The ride can also be found at Hong Kong Disneyland. Winnie the Pooh is the second most requested character meet and greet at the Disney Parks (the first being Mickey), proving his staying power in the parks. Tigger, Eeyore, and sometimes Piglet can also be seen wandering the parks. Another dark ride based on Winnie the Pooh can be found at Tokyo Disneyland, this time called Pooh's Hunny Hunt. Pooh's Hunny Hunt operates on a trackless ride system and has much more advanced audio-animitronics than the ones in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Opened in 2000, it remains one of the most popular rides at Tokyo Disneyland. Disneyland Paris has a show dedicated to the bear, called Winnie the Pooh and Friends, Too! Pooh's popularity also finds him in various parades, finale shows, and inside many of the shops inside the parks.

22. The Rescuers/Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers was a popular film at the time of its release, but that hasn't translated to many appearances at the Disney parks. Its sequel, which I decided to combine, even though they have some different characters, Rescuers Down Under has almost no representation at the parks. Bernard and Bianca are meet and greet characters at Tokyo Disneyland. They, along with Evinrude and Orville have appeared at one point or another as meet and greet characters at Disney World and Disneyland, though they have all since disappeared completely. Orville used to host a pre-show at Disneyland's World Premiere Circle-Vision film, "All Because Man Wanted to Fly". The only representation I could find for Rescuers Down Under was its soundtrack being played at the Fountain of Nations in Epcot. At least its something! I'm actually a little surprised that Jake wasn't at lease a meet and greet character back in the early 90's, though the movie was basically snuffed out by being sandwiched between The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

23. The Fox and the Hound

Sadly there is no representation for The Fox and the Hound at the Disney Parks. Disney was planning on putting a Fox and the Hound dark ride in Disneyland inside Critter Country, but the idea apparently didn't pan out. That, or the movie wasn't popular enough to warrant a ride.You can find vinylmation figures of Tod and Copper at the park stores and some plushes, but that is about as close as Disney will get to representing Fox and the Hound at its parks.

24. The Black Cauldron

During the release of The Black Cauldron in 1985, Taran and Princess Eilonwy were walk-around characters, though disappeared soon after. Gurgi had his own fast service restaurant when the film released called Gurgi's Munchings and Crunchings, though its name was changed in 1993. The last appearance by a Black Cauldron character was the Horned King at Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour in Tokyo Disneyland. Guests would walkthrough the castle and at the end face off against the Horned King, with one guest uttering the magic words to defeat him. The attraction unfortunately closed in 2006, thus killing the last representation that The Black Cauldron had in the Disney Parks. I don't really blame them, The Black Cauldron was one of Disney's biggest flops, and if a movie doesn't do well, it won't be represented at the parks, because its all about popularity and characters that will make Disney money. The Black Cauldron doesn't make money, it's just loved by the few who like to see something different from Disney.

25.  The Great Mouse Detective

The Great Mouse Detective is another Disney gem that doesn't get the respect it deserves. In typical Disney fashion, they have decided to completely bury this film at the parks, only allowing Basil and Ratigan to appear as walk-around characters for the 80's before retiring them. I know, not popular, not profitable, so unfortunately you won't see any representation for this film anywhere.

26. Oliver & Company

Oliver & Company is another one that was represented at the parks for a short time after the film was released, but has since disappeared. The film even had a float in one of Disney World's parades to help promote the film in 1988. Dodger, Georgette, Tito, Oliver, and Jenny were all walk-around characters in the various parks until the mid-90's. The funny thing is that the characters made an appearance at Hong Kong Disneyland's opening in 2005.





27. The Little Mermaid

OK, so this is where the representation will go way back up again. The Little Mermaid was the beginning of Disney's Renaissance, and has remained a very popular film, especially with little girls. Ariel in her mermaid form is a difficult meet and greet, seeing as she can't exactly walk around, so Disney World and Tokyo DisneySea have Ariel's Grotto, where guests can visit with the mermaid and get pictures taken with her. In her human form she is at various princess meet and greets at Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Ariel can also be seen at various live shows, such as Fantasmic!, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and Mermaid Lagoon Theater. Ariel also makes cameos in Peter Pan's Flight among the other mermaids, and in It's a Small World at Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland. Ariel also makes an apperance in animated form in Mickey's PhilharMagic. The Little Mermaid has its own dark ride called The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure. Ariel, Ursula, Flounder, and Sebastian can be found all over the place at the Disney Parks, and it would take many pages to list them all, but I just wanted to hit the main ones.

28. Beauty and the Beast

Belle is a meet and greet character at all the parks, mostly part of the princess meet and greets. Belle and Beast can also be seen in the various Disney parades, inside shops, live shows, and just about anywhere else you can think of. This is another incredibly popular Princess movie, and Disney loves to push it at the parks. Belle can be seen at Disneyland's Fantasy Faire telling the story of Beauty and the Beast with the help of Lumiere, Mr. Smythe, and Mr. Jones. Beauty and the Beast: Live is a shortened Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Disney World. Beast makes appearances around the parks, mostly in meet and greets, but also in live shows and parades. All the characters can be seen in New Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, where there is a little corner dedicated to the movie. There's the Be Our Guest restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, Bonjour! Village Gifts, and even Beast's Castle set against a mountain.

29. Aladdin

Aladdin has its own ride, The Magic Carpet's of Aladdin, a ride that exists in Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland. It is the same ride as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, so you know exactly what to expect. There's also a camel in front of the ride that every once in a while will spit water at guests passing by. Aladdin and Jasmine are meet-able characters at each of the parks and remain quite popular. Genie, Abu, and Jafar also makes appearances, though not as much as the two main characters. Aladdin can be seen in It's a Small World in Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland. Aladdin has a Broadway-style show at Disney California Adventure which is, like Beauty and the Beast, a shortened version. Jafar makes appearances more during Halloween and at the various villain celebrations in the parks.

30. The Lion King

The Lion King also gets a lot of love at the parks, even more with Disney's Animal Kingdom. The main attractions are Festival of The Lion King, a live Broadway show using puppetry, which takes place at Animal Kingdom and Hong Kong Disneyland, and Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, a short video about the dangers of pollution and not protecting our Earth. A former attraction that was pretty popular was The Legend of the Lion King, which told the story of The Lion King, but was all audio-animitronic. It was replaced by Mickey's PhilharMagic in 2002, which also includes characters from The Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa have their own restaurant called the Hakuna Matata Restaurant at Disneyland Paris. The Lion King has no meet and greets, instead having the characters in live shows and parades. Most of The Lion King's representation comes from Animal Kingdom, where there is heavy merchandising for all its characters.

Disney Animated Movie Representation at the Disney Parks: Part 2

11. Cinderella

Cinderella happens to have one of the biggest representations at any of the parks, due to the fact that her castle is the main icon at the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. The castle is a tad misleading, as it is much shorter than you think. When viewed from afar, it appears to be a tall majestic building, but when you get closer, you realize it's only about 189 feet high. It's still a big building, don't get me wrong, a full 100 feet higher than Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. The Disney Imagineers used forced perspective to give the building the illusion of being bigger and grander from afar. As the castle gets higher, the smaller its proportions are. Pretty cool, right? There's not much to do inside the castle, at least for visitors. Cinderella's Royal Table, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the Cinderella Castle Suite, and of course the mosiacs inside the archway leading through the castle are all there is. Sorry, no running through the halls pretending to be Cinderella. As you can expect, Cinderella's Royal Table is one of the more expensive places to eat at Disney, though the kids have a chance to meet and greet with various Disney Princesses. The Cinderella Castle Suite is a luxury room reserved for contest winners. The room was first meant for Walt Disney himself, but it was left unfinished after his death in 1966. It was finally opened as a luxury room in 2007. Cinderella is a staple throughout all the Disney Parks, showing up as a character, and being seen in most shops. Her voice can also be heard during the Stitch's Great Escape! ride.

12. Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland has two major rides in the Disney Parks. Alice in Wonderland is a dark ride that appears at Disneyland, and like many of the other movie dark rides goes through the general plot of the movie. It is interesting how many of Disneyland's rides didn't make it over to Disney World. It's good for Disney that they don't copy it completely, otherwise there would be no reason to visit Disneyland. The other major ride is the Mad Tea Party, though it goes by different names in each of its incarnations. It is one of the rare rides that appears at every single Disney Park in the world, and like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, it's a pretty simple ride. You sit in a teacup and it spins around in circles while the ride as a whole spins. You've ridden this type of ride many other times at other parks, but the fact that its at Disney makes it fun. I'm not down on either Dumbo or the Mad Tea Party; they are wonderful rides that are fun for kids and offer more excitement than many of the dark rides. The various characters of Alice and Wonderland can be seen around the parks and haven't lost their appeal after all these years.

13. Peter Pan

Peter Pan has probably one of the most popular rides in all of the Disney Parks: Peter Pan's Flight. It's just another dark ride going through the plot of the film, but for some reason it's just so cool! Try to ride it without a Fastpass, I dare you. Peter Pan's Flight is at every park except for Hong Kong Disneyland. Peter Pan and its characters are still immensely popular to this day, so it isn't rare to see the characters walking around the park. The Art of Animation attraction once had a short called Back to Neverland, which saw Robin Williams being turned into an animated lost boy who explores Neverland with Peter and the gang. Peter Pan and the other characters can also be seen in Dream Along with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom, and Mickey's PhilharMagic at the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland.

14. Lady and the Tramp

Lady and the Tramp is one with only a couple representations in the park. You can see Tramp and Lady at the Pop Century Resort in the 1950's area (that's where my wife and I stayed), and at Tony's Town Square Restaurant at Disney World's Magic Kingdom. You can see various items inside shops, but unfortunately Lady and the Tramp isn't one of the movies that Disney seems to care too much about having in the parks.

15. Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty also has her own castle, but in Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. The Disneyland version is, of course, the oldest of the castles and also employs forced perception to look taller. The castle had a lot of wasted space in the upper floors, so Walt challenged the Imagineers to create something special for the guests. Visitors were allowed to walk through the upper area of the castle, which housed dioramas that depicted the story of Sleeping Beauty. The walkthrough abruptly ended in 2001, which many think has to do with the September 11th attacks (I guess it has a lot of unlit and un-monitered hallways). The walkthrough opened once again in 2008, with much more features, so Disney probably wanted to just give it a face-lift. Other than the castles, Sleeping Beauty and the other characters from the movie, namely Maleficent, make regular appearances around the park.

16. One Hundred and One Dalmatians

Surprisingly, there isn't a lot of love for One Hundred and One Dalmatians at the Disney Parks. Cruella De Vil's character can be seen at meet and greets at the various parks, though more often at Disneyland Paris. She also makes appearances during Halloween. Pongo and Perdita make an appearance at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, and Pongo is a main part of the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom interactive game in Disney World.



17. The Sword in the Stone

The literal sword in the stone makes an appearance at every single park in front of their carousels. While not on the map as an attraction, the sword is actually part of a show. Each day, Merlin picks a child to try and pull the sword out of the stone. Each kid becomes the ruler of Fantasyland after pulling the sword out. A fun inclusion for The Sword in the Stone, though that's where it ends. Turns out that it's not a very popular Disney film.

18. The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book surprisingly has very little representation at the parks. You can see Baloo and King Louie walking around Animal Kingdom, and an over-sized statue of Baloo at Disney's Pop Century Resort at Disney World. Hong Kong Disneyland has a cameo of Baloo and Mowgli inside their version of It's a Small World, but that's about it. The movie is also represented in the various shops, but not very prominently. Animal Kingdom once had a show based around The Jungle Book when the park opened in 1998, but it was replaced by a Tarzan show after only a year of operation. I feel like there is a lot of opportunity, especially in Animal Kingdom, to have a ride based on The Jungle Book, or some sort of presentation. Besides The Lion King, it's arguably Disney most well loved animal-centric story.

19. The Aristocats

Marie appears to be the favorite of all the cats, as she is a meet-able character at Disney World and Tokyo Disney World. Toulouse and Berloiz eventually became meet-able characters in 2013. Marie also has a ton of merchandise in the stores, but nothing close to Frozen levels. Marie can also be found in It's a Small World in Hong Kong Disneyland. No love for Thomas O'Malley or Duchess it seems.

20. Robin Hood

Robin Hood is pretty rare in the parks. As you can tell, the representation for the last couple of movies hasn't been the greatest. It really doesn't get better until The Little Mermaid, so get used to it. Robin Hood himself is a very seldom character to meet and greet at both Disneyland and Disney World. They do, however, dust him and Friar Tuck, Prince John, and the Sheriff of Nottingham off for special "Long Lost Friends Weeks". I'm guessing that's where they take all the characters that they don't use anymore and let them wander around the parks, hoping a child will notice them.

Disney Animated Movie Representation at the Disney Parks: Part 1

Have you ever noticed that some Disney movies are just not represented at the Disney Theme Parks? The Princess movies seem to get all the love when it comes to representation, but while there are some Disney Animated movies that are not present anymore, there are more than you think at the parks. I'm going to go through all the Disney Animated Canon plus Pixar, to see what movies Disney still likes in their parks. There are a ton of instances of characters around the park, so I'm not going to get all of them, so deal with it!

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

While it may be the oldest full length animated feature, it has one of the newest attractions at Disney World. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened in 2014 along with the rest of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. The roller coaster takes the place that was left vacant after Snow White's Scary Adventures was closed to make room for the Princess Fairytale Hall. Snow White's Scary Adventures continues to operate at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Scary Adventures is a dark ride that tells the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, though it was a lot scarier than many patrons thought it would be. It was eventually re-done in 1994 to tone it down, including adding Snow White herself to the ride. Walt Disney wanted riders to feel that they were themselves Snow White, which is why she wasn't in the ride to begin with. Though it has been toned down, it continues to be a favorite at the various Disney Parks.

2. Pinocchio

Pinocchio has a dark ride of his own, called Pinocchio's Daring Journey. Another ride that goes through the events of the movie, you can find it at Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland. You can spot Monstro at the very beginning of the Storybook Land Canal Boats. Boat riders travel right through Monstro's open mouth! Pinocchio has his own dining establishment, named Pinocchio's Village Haus. Probably the most unique and unusual Pinocchio representation was Pleasure Island. Yes, unfortunately this area of Disney World is no longer with us, but it is fondly remembered as a place that parents could go to have a good time away from their children. It had comedy clubs, restaurants, a short-lived roller rink, and my personal favorite: The Adventurer's Club. I had only been in there once when I as a teenager, but I remembered the decor inside to be really cool. We didn't stay long enough to see any of the shows inside. Over the years, people stopped going to Pleasure Island, mostly because Disney had opened many other shops and restaurants close by and people with kids had to walk through Pleasure Island to get to them. Turns out kids are a drag in a place meant only for adults. It has since been shut down and rebranded as Disney Springs. It now has shops and restaurants, with the old clubs still standing vacant.

3. Fantasia

Fantasia is helped out a lot by the fact that the Sorcerer's Apprentice is included in the movie and has become an iconic part of Mickey's character. The most noticeable Fantasia representation was the Sorcerer's Hat at Hollywood Studios at Disney World. The hat was added for the 2000 celebration and stayed there until just recently. The hat has been met with both repulsion and admiration. The hat was set squarely in front of the "Mann's Chinese Theater" facade that housed The Great Movie Ride, which made it almost impossible to get a decent shot of the theater, but also kind of ruined the view in general. Other's didn't mind its placement and were disappointing to hear that Disney was deciding to tear it down. I honestly don't care either way. I went the year it was put up and I remember loving it, so I guess if you're a kid and you grow up with it, then you might miss it. Fantasia's representation has been downgraded to just a miniature golf park at Disney World. Chernabog, besides Mickey from The Sorcerer's Apprentice, is very popular in general at the parks, turning up mostly during Halloween.

4. Dumbo

Dumbo's most famous representation is Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The attraction is a lot like many carnival rides: it has you go around and up and down and that's about it. It's a simple ride, but it's still popular. It was one of the original rides at Disneyland, so you can't really blame Disney for coming up with a pretty generic ride. Dumbo's representation has expanded thanks to New Fantasyland. It now has Storybook Circus, which is a whole area dedicated to the circus, in the vein of Dumbo. The area includes Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Casey Jr, Splash and Soak Station. Kids can ride Casey Jr, at Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. At Disneyland it is a slow train ride that takes you around the park. At Disneyland Paris, it is more of a roller coaster.

5. Bambi

It turns out that Bambi is not represented well at the Disney parks. Bambi has no dark ride, no restaurant, no shop, and no area dedicated to it. You can surely see Bambi, Thumper, or Flower in the park somewhere, though there aren't any permanent fixtures featuring the young prince. If you need your Bambi fix, you'll have to look hard in one of the many Disney shops. I can understand why they never made a ride, though. You can't exactly have a very exciting ride based on Bambi, and a dark ride going through the story would inevitably have to deal with Bambi's mother being shot, so that's a no-go. Actually, that might be a very entertaining ride, so get on it, Disney!

6. Saludos Amigos/The Three Caballeros

I'm counting these movies together since they share the same characters. Donald, Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles (Panchito is only in The Three Caballeros), show up in three different places at the Disney Parks. Most notable is a newer attraction at EPCOT in the Mexico pavilion, Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros. Gran Feista began in 2007, taking over El Rio Del Tiempo's spot in the back-left area inside of the Mexico pavilion. The ride hasn't changed too much from the original, it's just The Three Caballeros tacked onto the videos. It's not a bad ride, it's just not as peaceful as it used to be, in my opinion. People have been pretty upset about Frozen going into the Norway pavilion, but Mexico is the first area that let the Disney animated movies in. The Three Caballeros can also be seen at the pool at Disney's All Star Music Resort, and even have a cameo appearance in Disneyland's It's a Small World After All.

7. Make Mine Music

The "Package Films" of the 1940's have something going for them in one regard, in that there are so many shorts in each film that there's a good possibility of seeing them in the parks. What's not helping them is the fact that only about three or four shorts from the package films are popular. Peter and the Wolf can be seen at the Disneyland Paris version of the Storybook Land Canal Boats. Casey at the Bat is used for a restaurant, namely Casey's Corner at the Magic Kingdom, specializing in hot dogs and the like. Willie the Whale can also be seen in the queue at Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom, Toyko Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland.

8. Fun and Fancy Free

Fun and Fancy Free is really just Mickey and the Beanstalk and Bongo the Bear. Fun and Fancy Free doesn't have much representation at the parks. Apparently Bongo and Lulubelle were present at both American parks up until the 1990's. The pair can be seen along with some of the bears from Country Bear Jamboree in The Muppets go to Walt Disney World. The pair have been missing in action since. The only current representation is Willie the Giant at Sir Mickey's shop at Disney World. The whole shop is based off of Mickey and the Beanstalk, with the beanstalk twining throughout the store and Willie peaking in while lifting the roof.

9. Melody Time

Melody Time, though it has many segments, only has one representation at the Disney parks, and that's Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Blame it on the Samba has Donald and Jose, but I'm not counting that towards Melody Time, since they are more closely associated with The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos.


10. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

This is where things get sad. Yes, I'm speaking of the fact that Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is no longer at Disney World. Sure, it's still at Disneyland, but I don't want to go all the way to California to ride it again! Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a dark ride that focuses less on the whole featurette, but instead Mr. Toad's motor mania and subsequent punishment. It was an awesome ride, and I'm still disappointed that they decided to do away with it in favor of a Winnie the Pooh dark ride. Toad is still all over the Magic Kingdom, making a cameo in the Winnie the Pooh ride, his statue occupying a space in the Haunted Mansion pet cemetery, and as part of the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom interactive game. Mr. Toad can also be found at Disneyland Paris in the Storybook Land Canal Boats, and the Toad Hall Restaurant. The Headless Horseman, like Chernabog from Fantasia, doesn't have any permanent fixtures in the parks, but shows up most often during Halloween and in the various Disney shops.

My Favorite Scary Stories

For someone who likes scary things, I am very far behind on my scary stories. I haven't read most of Stephen King's massive library, and most horror from the last forty years has gone completely under my radar. I keep telling myself that I can read horror stories outside of October, but it just doesn't happen. A lot of these picks are from stories I've read in just the last few years, but some are from my childhood.  These are in no particular order. These are just ten of the stories that I really enjoy or have scared me at one time or another.


1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

I'll just say that I was pleasantly surprised that this story was so much different from the Universal classic film. This monster, or "Adam," talks and even waxes philosophically with his beleaguered inventor. The monster was not accepted by Frankenstein, so he goes about completely ruining his life. This book is deep and has some of the most disturbing lines from any book.


2. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

This book was quickly adapted into a pretty decent horror movie in 1963, and was later remade in 1999, both titles being shortened to The Haunting. Spoiler Alert: the newer one not so good. Stick to the first one, or this book. The book deals with a paranormal investigator who brings a bunch of psychics into the house to discover its secrets. The book relies more on subtle terror, and makes you wonder whether there is actually any paranormal activity going on, or if Eleanor, the main character, is just imagining it because she's a crazy person.

3. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

This ones a short story, and by far one of the most famous scary short stories of all time. The story involves a sleepy town in 1940's America that takes part in a ritual known as "the lottery." I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it, but rest assured that you will be uneasy by the end. Shirley Jackson's short story was included in a 1948 issue of the New Yorker and quickly became the most infamous story they have ever run.


4. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

There are several other titles for this book, but they aren't exactly politically correct. More of a murder mystery than a horror book, but it's got the perfect mood and setting. Ten seemingly random people are invited to a remote island off the coast of England and are all accused of past hidden crimes through a gramophone found inside a large mansion on the island. Mystery and murder ensue! A classic, to be sure.


5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book is the newest book on this list, and is probably my favorite. Yes, it's a young adult book, but it's near perfect in my book. Gaiman has a knack for spookier tales (Coraline, Sandman, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane), and this is his best. Partly modeled after The Jungle Books, the book follows Nobody Owens, a young boy who is taken up by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is murdered by the deadly order known as the Jack of All Trades. Spooky, touching, and heartbreaking all in one spectacular story. I can't recommend this book more. I listen to it every year for Halloween (it's narrated by Gaiman himself).


6. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving

A short story penned in 1820 as a part of The Sketch Book, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is undoubtedly Irving's most famous story. In this early American classic, the lanky and stork-like school teacher, Ichabod Crane, becomes entangled in a battle for a rich, young woman's heart. Crane ultimately meets a mysterious end, though the reader is left to decide whether it was from the legendary "Headless Horseman, " or Crane's nemesis, Brom Bones. I do enjoy the book, but I do feel that the various film adaptations help bring the story to life.

7. "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood

Considered by H.P. Lovecraft to be the finest supernatural tale in English literature, "The Willows" tells the story of two men traveling down the Dunabe river, all the time being stalked by a powerful and otherworldly force of nature. This short story is heavy on dread and unease. This is probably the most effective story in terms of freaking me out.


8. "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury has many short stories that deal with horror and the unknown, but his best is "The Veldt". Bradbury was famously disgusted by modern technology, as evidenced by Fahrenheit 451, and this story is no different. A family lives in a futuristic home where the children have a virtual reality room that projects images telepathically from their mind and project it into the room. The parents become concerned that the room is raising the children and attempt to separate them from it, but find out that perhaps the room is full of more reality than they thought.


9. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor

I had to read this in a literature class in college, and judging by the title, thought it was going to be a bore. Instead, it's a story about a family who winds up running into a serial killer and his cohorts. It's a fascinating story, and proves once and for all that you should never take your grandmother with you on long trips. Less of a scary story, and more of a surprising, though-provoking evaluation of the human condition.


10. "The Green Ribbon" by Alvin Schwartz

This story has been around for many, many years, but my first encounter was from the children's book, In a Dark, Dark Room and other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz. There's a young girl that always wears a green ribbon around her neck. She meets a nice boy who asks her about the ribbon, but she refuses to tell him why she wears it. They eventually fall in love and get married, and again he asks, and again she refuses. They grow old together, and when she is on her deathbed, he asks her a final time and she finally tells him that he can remove the green ribbon. Then her head falls off. Yup. This scared the crap out of me when I was young, and is honestly still pretty unnerving.

My Top Ten Defunct Rides at Walt Disney World

My wife and I will be attending the happiest place on Earth in just a few days, so I thought it would be appropriate to name some of my favorite rides that have gone the way of the dodo. I've been going sporadically to Disney World all of my life, from when I was just a toddler, to when I was in college. Disney is ever-changing, so you get a new experience every time you go. The last time I went was in 2007, so there has been a lot of new things done to Disney World, but that also means that there have been a lot of shut-downs. You can see why some attractions have shut down over time, either from being severely dated, or the characters aren't popular anymore. I'm going to showcase a few of my favorites. Be sure to click on the titles to watch the rides!

10. World of Motion

World of Motion was once housed in the Transportation Pavilion in EPCOT. It was a humorous look at transportation through the ages. The ride wasn't anything too special, but I always liked the animatronics, especially the cowboy scenes. It's an example of a classic dark ride, like Pirates of the Caribbean. Tons of great visuals, and it just has that feel of 80's Disney World. General Motors sponsored the ride for many years, but it started to lose interest in the dated ride in the 90's. They wanted something a little more exciting, and something that really shouted product placement. Disney agreed, and in 1999, opened the popular Test Track, where you got into a GM car and experienced what it was like for it to be tested. It's a great ride, but I hear they have redone it, so maybe Test Track will be on this list pretty soon.


9. Studio Backlot Tour

Studio Backlot Tour just closed a few weeks ago, and it's really too bad. Sure, it was a shell of its former self, but it was our shell! The Backlot Tour was an original ride in the park when MGM Studios opened in 1989. It originally was almost three hours long and involved both a riding portion and a walking portion. While popular, it took up way too much time for guests, so they turned it into a half an hour ride. The ride changed throughout the years, and I saw a few of the different incarnations. For the most part, you'd start with the short walking tour portion, seeing the "set" of Pearl Harbor with gunshots and exploding barrels. It was pretty cool, but mostly because they grabbed some guy from the tour and made him go into the boat while water hit it. You'd then walk through a prop warehouse and see props from Disney's recent and past films. Then you would board a tram, which would lead you to the infamous Catastrophe Canyon. You watched as a tanker would catch on fire and then a deluge of water came and splashed against the tram. I loved that part more than anything. After that you would see larger props from movies, or TV shows. I remember seeing set pieces from The Golden Girls way back in the early 90's. I also distinctly remember the Bulldog Restaurant from The Rocketeer being near the end of the ride. It was a fun ride, but the last couple times I went, you could definitely tell it wasn't doing well. The Backlot Tour is reportedly going to be replaced by a Cars based land like in California Adventure. The Backlot Tour still exists in Disneyland Paris.


8. Body Wars

Body Wars was a ride that was similar to Star Tours and most of the rides at Universal Studios. You sat in seats, watched the screen, and the seats moved with the screen. Sounds like it would get old, right? It doesn't. It's still fun to go on these type of rides. Body Wars was the most jarring of them, as you navigated your way through the human body. Think of it like a ride dedicated to Inner Space, but with less Martin Short. Body Wars was a popular ride inside The Wonders of Life pavilion in EPCOT. Wonders of Life was a whole building dedicated to healthy living and getting to know your body. They even had exercise bikes with Disney shorts being shown. Alas, it was not the most popular pavilion in EPCOT, plus it lost its sponsor in Metlife in 2001. The Wonders of Life pavilion, along with every ride or show inside closed permanently in 2007. The space is now used for the Food and Wine Festival each fall. Another notable ride inside the pavilion was Cranium Command, a ride similar to the also defunct ride, The Timekeeper, which was located in Tommorowland. Both had the audience watching both animatronics plus a movie screen.


7. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience

As far as I know, I haven't seen Captain EO, though I imagine I'll try it out on this upcoming trip. That being said, it wasn't too distressed when it was replaced by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. I loved all the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movies when I was younger, and this ride was no exception. It was an interactive 4D experience that was a fitting part of the Imagination! Pavilion in EPCOT. The floor moved and things seemed to spring out at you. It was great fun, but it couldn't last. After Michael Jackson died, Disney decided that they would bring back Captain EO, renaming it Captain EO Tribute. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience was closed in every Disney theme park.

6. Back to Neverland

I had completely forgotten about this video until I did some research for this list. At MGM studios, inside the Art of Animation tour, the beginning featured a video starring Walter Cronkite and Robin Williams. Robin Williams is turned into an animated lost boy for an animated short called, "Return to Neverland." It's very comical and just another example of Robin Williams work at Disney World. The Art of Animation now has a video starring Mushu from Mulan. I enjoyed the old one better. I liked the old tour better, too. After they got rid of the actual art department from that building, you don't see anyone working on animation, which was most of the fun of the tour!

5. Star Tours

I will be the first to admit that I have not yet experienced the new version of Star Tours, but I have no problem being mildly upset that the old version is gone forever. Star Tours is in Disney's Hollywood Studios (aka MGM Studios for the purists), and has been a popular ride throughout the park's life. The new version, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, has been in place since 2011. Unlike a few other remodels, guests tend to like the new Star Tours. Again, I haven't ridden it yet, and I may love it, but the original holds a special place in my heart. I had the Star Tours poster in my bedroom for I don't know how many years. The ride was, and still is a motion simulator, with the first incarnation focusing on Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi. The new version, on the other hand takes place between Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars IV: A New Hope, and features better special effects. I can kind of see why they updated the ride; it's like having a sequel to one of the films. Hoping this one is more Empire Strikes Back, than Attack of the Clones. The original Star Tours still exists, but only at Disneyland Paris.


4. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Mr.Toad's Wild Ride, located in Fantasyland, was probably one of my favorite dark rides, just because of the all the zaniness. Like all the other themed dark rides, it was short, but sweet. One of the best things about the ride was that it was dedicated to a not very well known Disney film. Disney has done a fairly good job of keeping the lesser known movies out of the park, but this ride was an exception. Then, it went away, to be replaced with a sub-par Winnie the Pooh dark ride. The statue of Mr. Toad that used to adorn the entryway of his former ride is now in the pet cemetery. Fitting, isn't it? Mr. Toad's Wild Ride still operates in Disneyland.


3. Kitchen Kabaret

OK, so Kitchen Kabaret wasn't the best show at Disney. It was actually pretty corny, but I loved the songs as a kid. I can still sing "Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit." "Meat Ditties," which was a vaudeville type act, was also a favorite. Kitchen Kabaret was located inside The Land in EPCOT. The purpose of the show, filled with animatronic food, was to share with kids the importance of eating healthy. Yeah, I didn't care, there was a slab of ham and an egg telling jokes. That was good enough for me! It was replaced in 1994 by Food Rocks!, which was basically the same thing, but in my opinion, not as good. Food Rocks! lasted ten years and was then replaced by the massively popular, Sourin'.


2. Journey into Imagination

Journey into Imagination is still technically around, but has gone through a few "facelifts." I'm talking about the original ride. Yes, I have experienced all three, so I can judge them all. Now, the new version isn't terrible, but doesn't have the same heart as the original. The second version, on the other hand, is the worst. I love Eric Idle, but you can't replace the original characters with Eric Idle and expect people to be happy about it. The first, and best version involved the Dreamfinder, an awesomely bearded man in colorful clothing, who was assisted by Figment. Figment is a small purple dragon that helps the Dreamfinder demonstrate what imagination is. The ride was just a ton of fun as a kid, though it could be scary at times. You know which part I'm talking about. Figment is probably my favorite Disney Park character, and I still even have a stuffed version of him at home. The ride brought back Figment, who had only a small cameo in the second version, and also the song "One Little Spark," which was written by the Sherman Brothers. The Dreamfinder is still missing in action.


1. Maelstrom

This ride was by far my favorite in EPCOT. I'm very serious. I know it's a dumb ride, and a lot of people are making fun of those who are upset about it closing, but it was a classic. The trolls, the oil rigs with the storm in the backdrop, the vikings; this ride had everything! It was super short, which was a bummer, but they made it look like you were going to tumble backwards off a waterfall! Awesome! Plus, you could see the riders from the outside. The gift shop was even more fascinating, with the giant troll hanging out in the middle. Alas, Maelstrom closed just a few days ago. If it had only stayed open another week or so, I could have ridden it one last time! Oh well, the memories are there, and they are good ones. Maelstrom will be replaced by a Frozen themed ride. There is a ton of outcry about this. While there are plenty of movie characters floating around the World Showcase, there aren't any rides that are specifically dedicated to one movie, though the newly refurbished ride in Mexico is basically a ride about Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. I give that a pass though, as those are educational movies more than anything. Frozen is not, however, and that kind of throws off the whole feel of the World Showcase. Norway isn't Norway anymore, it's Frozen land. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Frozen, but I have to side with my Disney World brethren on this one; Disney is making a mistake and I shutter to think what they will do to the rest of the Showcase.


So there you have it. There's my top ten list of rides that I miss. Here are a few that didn't make the list, but are honorable mentions:

• Sounds Dangerous! starring Drew Carey
• Mickey Mouse's Birthday Party
• Snow White's Scary Adventure
• The Timekeeper
• Cranium Command
• Communicore

Disney's Haunted Mansion: Part II

The Haunted Mansion has become a favorite ride for many park attendees over the years, so much so that Disney built it in every park they operate. There is a Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom inside Disney World, and also a Haunted Mansion in Tokyo Disneyland. There are two more version of Disney's Haunted Mansion in the world, but they go by different names. Phantom Manor is in Disneyland Paris, while Mystic Manor is in Hong Kong Disneyland. So what are the biggest differences between the rides? Well, every attraction is almost exactly the same, except for Mystic Manor and Phantom Manor. Phantom Manor is considered the scariest of any of the rides, featuring a lot of differences from the original ride, including different portraits for the stretching room, and way more appearances of the Bride. The architecture of Phantom Manor is Western Victorian. Mystic Manor is part of the Haunted Mansion family, but barely. It is closer to a ride based on The Adventurer's Club in Pleasure Island than a Haunted Mansion ride. OK, so that's not completely true, but it certainly feels like it. The story in this house is that you are visiting Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey Albert, who have just discovered a mysterious music box said to be cursed. Albert opens the box, ala Abu in the Cave of Wonders and everything in the house comes alive. The spirit of the Haunted Mansion is in this ride and there are winks here and there to the original, including some of the same changing portraits, like the Medusa. This ride just opened, and it honestly looks pretty cool. If you don't plan on going to Hong Kong anytime soon, then you can watch a POV video here. The architectural style of Mystic Manor is Victorian.

The Haunted Mansion in Tokyo Disneyland looks almost exactly like the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom, outside and inside, so I won't compare those two. Disney World's Haunted Mansion is a Gothic building, and is was purposefully made to look creepier and more run-down than Disneyland's Mansion. Don't get me wrong, the mansion still looks good, but the webs, cemetery, and long grass add to the mystique of the Mansion. Probably one of the most famous parts of the Haunted Mansion is the Stretching Room. Funny enough, this was created as a necessity for the Disneyland version. To get to the actual ride, guests have to go down a level, but Disney ideally didn't want the guests to notice. So, they created the Stretching Room, where portraits seemed to stretch to show ghoulish sights, though it's just a glorified elevator. Guests then go down a long hallway where they see various changing portraits, from a cat-lady, to a knight on horseback. They are then able to finally get on the "Doom Buggies" and see all the happy haunts. The Disney World's Haunted Mansion needed no such elevator ride to get guests to the loading area. The Stretching Room was very popular, so they decided to instead have the ceiling go up to create the same effect. In both mansions, the actual ride is not inside the literal mansion, but inside a building behind it. You can only see this building if you ride the monorail, otherwise they've hidden them pretty well. The queue for Disney World's Mansion has been re-done recently, so you're bound to be entertained as you wait for the ride. Probably the only other big difference between the two is the audio that plays during the ride. The Ghost Host for each ride is voiced by Paul Frees, though the audio is abridged for the Disney World version. One leg up that Disneyland's Mansion has over Disney World's is its transition to Haunted Mansion Holiday, where the Mansion is completely turned into a Nightmare Before Christmas themed ride starting in October. Tokyo Disneyland also takes part in Haunted Mansion Holiday. I've watched footage of that edition of the Haunted Mansion, and though I love Nightmare Before Christmas, I love the original ride more.

Part of the reason, or most, depending on who you talk to, that the Haunted Mansion is so popular, is because of the notable haunts. There are many versions of the story behind the Haunted Mansion, but the original story involved a sea captain named Captain Gore, who built the mansion to house himself and his wife, Priscilla. After he was finished, he had to go back to sea, and told his love that he would be back someday, but warned her never to go up in the attic. Her husband had been gone quite a long time, and she grew more curious about the contents of the attic. She went up to explore and found inside some trunks evidence that her husband was actually a bloodthirsty pirate. She didn't have time to react, as she was promptly killed from behind. It was her husband back from the sea, though in his rage in finding someone snooping in his stuff, he didn't realize that he had just murdered his own wife. In his grief, he went to the entrance hall and hung himself from the rafters. The Ghost Host is none other than Captain Gore, and the Bride in the attic is Priscilla. The story has been changed, with the Bride being changed to Constance and her identity changed to the woman in the Stretching Room who has murdered each of her five husbands. The Ghost Host's portrait can be seen in various locations inside the Mansions, and look like a menacing,gaunt-looking man with a noose hanging around his neck. Perhaps the identity of Master Gracey has caused the most confusion. The names on the tombstones are for the most part named after Imagineers and their family. Most who saw the name Master Gracey figured that that meant Gracey was the literal master of the house, though Disney meant it as the title of a young man, or boy. The confusion was so widespread that it slowly became canon, culminating in the Haunted Mansion movie having the owner of the house being Gracey. Disney has by now accepted this as canon now, and Gracey is now the owner of the house, not the Ghost Host. Though not intended to be any character in particular, the portrait where a young man slowly changes into an old man, and then into a skeleton, became Master Gracey because fans willed it to be.

Madame Leota is probably one of the more popular and well known characters inside the mansion. Though she appears for just a few seconds in the ride, it a memorable span of time. The new Haunted Mansion store in Disney World will have many of it's wares featuring Madame Leota. Favorite portraits inside the mansion include the five changing pictures, including a cat-lady, the Black Prince, the Flying Dutchman, Master Gracey (based on The Portrait of Dorian Gray), and a Medusa. The Sinister Eleven portraits are found throughout Disney World's Mansion, and include the Ghost Host, the April-December Woman, and characters based on historical people like Jack the Ripper and Rasputin. There are many, many more characters inside the Mansion, but the most recognizable are the Hitchhiking Ghosts. Each were never given names, though fans didn't mind making up their own. There is Gus (Prisoner), Ezra (Skeleton), and Phineas (Traveler), and together they have become the Haunted Mansion's mascots. They appear near the end of the ride and seem to hitch a ride with you in your Doom Buggy. The one haunt that you won't see inside the mansion is the legendary Hatbox Ghost. He was first installed in Disneyland in the attic next to the Bride. His head was supposed to disappear and re-appear inside the hatbox. The Imagineers couldn't quite get the effect to work, so they had to get rid of it. Rumors still come up that the ghost was too scary for the ride, but most people buy the official story. The Hatbox Ghost has become such a hit with fans of the mansion that Disney finally added pictures of the spook in the Corridor of Doors inside the Disney World Mansion. Guillermo Del Toro is a huge fan of the Haunted Mansion and is currently developing a movie based mostly around the Hatbox Ghost. I can almost guarantee it'll be better than the Eddie Murphy version.

There are a few quirks with the two American Haunted Mansions. In the Disneyland Mansion, there is a giant spider on the glass in front of the ballroom scene. Doesn't seem to unusual, right? The spider, along with what appears to be a web, is in fact Disney's cheap way of covering up a crack in the glass allegedly created by a child hitting it with a rock from a slingshot. It's very hard to see, and you have to be looking for it. People are strange, and they think that it's OK to do whatever they want if their dead relative wished it. People ask all the time to have their ashes dumped inside the various Haunted Mansions. Each time someone does, they have to stop and clean it up, so don't do it! The urban legend surrounding the first instance at Disneyland claims that a boy's ashes were strewn around the inside of the ride, and now the boy haunts the Mansion. The ashes thing is probably true, but not too sure about the real haunting. When you leave Disney World's Haunted Mansion, you may notice that there is a Pet Cemetery on the left hand side. It's very small, but it has a few cute tombstones. If you look all the way in the back and to the left, you'll see a tombstone for none other than Mr. Toad from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Why is he there? Well, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was a popular dark ride in Fantasyland inside the Magic Kingdom up until 1998 when it was replaced by a Winnie the Pooh ride. Disney took the Toad statue above the ride and placed it inside the pet cemetery as a tribute to a fallen ride.

I haven't experienced any other Haunted Mansion than the one in Disney World, so my love is specifically for that ride. I have seen POV videos for the other versions, but I love my version the best. Hopefully someday I can experience one of the others ,but I wouldn't be too crushed if I didn't. All I know is that I'm too excited that I'll soon be riding one of the best rides in the whole world.

Disney's Haunted Mansion: Part I

I remember being very scared. So much so that I wouldn't let my dad take me anywhere near the Gothic style house. He must have really wanted me to experience the ride though, as he eventually convinced me that it would be fun. I must have been around 4 or 5, probably during the second trip my parents took my family to Walt Disney World. All my fear melted away when I finally did go inside and experience the masterpiece that is the Haunted Mansion. It filled me with so much wonder and it really wasn't that scary at all, in fact it was a lot of fun! Needless to say, I will be taking my children on this ride someday, and though they may be scared at first, I hope they embrace the ride just as I did so many years ago. My wife and I are leaving for Disney World soon and I couldn't be more excited. I love everything there, but my pilgrimage is always to the Haunted Mansion. I've ridden it up to three times in one trip. I don't think I've had the misfortune of seeing it under refurbishment while we visited. It wouldn't ruin the trip, but I would be seriously bummed. I know what you're thinking, that this "haunted house" ride shouldn't mean that much to me, but it does. I think it's a combination of things. The Haunted Mansion represents a unique part of my childhood. As far as I can tell, it introduced me to all things spooky. It showed me that just because something had ghosts in it, didn't mean it was scary. It could be fun! I embraced that mentality early on, and led to my love of Halloween. The ride also means a lot to me because I associate it with my father. I don't think I've ridden it with him since 2000, but it was our tradition when going to the park-- that and riding Pirates of the Caribbean. No one else in my family went crazy for it, so if anything my dad and I would ride it by ourselves, and a couple times in a row if time allowed. This ride is special to me, which is why I wanted to write about it. The Haunted Mansion has a ton of devoted fans. There's even a website dedicated to it, so I'm not alone in my love for it. Disney did something right with this ride. There's tons of information out there about the ride and its many different interpretations, so it's easy to learn more if you'd like. I'm just going to give a brief background.

The idea for the Haunted Mansion actually predates Disneyland, as Walt Disney had hired a bunch of Imagineers to help him come up with areas for his new park. One such Imagineer came up with a old broken down antebellum manor at the end of a crooked street leading away from Main Street. The idea was to have a whole land dedicated to New Orleans, and it would include a thieves market, a pirate wax museum, and a haunted house walk-through. So it's evident that they first intended the Haunted Mansion not to be something that you could actually ride, but just walk through. Who knows what that would have been like. Walt Disney liked the walkthrough idea, but hated that they wanted to make the house look dilapidated. Disneyland was supposed to be a nice place! He made the rule that the house could be whatever they liked inside, but the outside would look creepy, but not run down. This is in contrast to the other Haunted Mansions, which were designed after Walt Disney's death, they are notably less nice looking on the outside on purpose when compared to Disneyland's. Ken Anderson was responsible for much of the mansion's design, along with Claude Coates and Marc Davis, among others. Coates wanted the attraction to be more scary, while Davis wanted it to be a light-hearted affair, more in line with the rest of Disneyland. They both got their way, as you can see a noticeable shift in tone from the beginning half of the ride, to the latter half. The beginning has more spooky imagery, the stretching room, the hanging body of the Ghost Host, the rising coffin lid, and many other things. The latter half, starting after the ballroom scene, is a bit sillier, with the graveyard scene being filled with many goofy ghosts doing an assortment of gags and tricks.

The Haunted Mansion was announced in 1961, with a opening date in 1963, or so the handbills passed out to guests at the main gate were led to believe. This opening date would prove to be way off, as the Haunted Mansion didn't actually open til late 1969. So what was the delay? There was a lot of confusion on what was going to be in the ride, and how people were going to experience it. The exterior was finished by 1963, which was accompanied by a sign out front that promised an opening of the ride very soon. Rumors began to fly around about what was housed inside the mansion, with the most wild piece of gossip circling around it being Walt Disney's second home. The ride's design was heavily changed after the 1964-65 World's Fair, where Omni-mover technology was introduced. The Imagineers knew they had their new ticket to a hot ride. With a continually moving vehicle, guests to be spun and directed to look at certain things inside the ride, causing more chances for surprise. Though Walt Disney had liked his walkthrough idea, the Omni-movers were an improvement. After some redesigns after Walt's death in 1966, the Haunted Mansion finally opened in 1969, with it becoming a smash hit with park attendees. Stay tuned for Part II coming soon!