PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – It’s an attraction a lot of Disney fanatics have been anticipating and News 6 was one of the first to check out the Haunted Mansion Parlor onboard the Disney Treasure before its first cruise with paying passengers.
The venue pays homage to the 1971 Disney World ride that still exists today with recognizable purple wallpaper, busts and photos straight from the original concepts of the ride.
“The attraction is a seven-minute ride through, and because of the parlor experience - sipping drinks and enjoying the atmosphere - we had to make it a full 45-minute experience. We had to take all the music cand expand upon it with all of the illusions and magic-making,” said Disney Imagineer, Danny Handke.
Handke said the Haunted Mansion Parlor was four years in the making.
“Research was the first step. We pulled a lot of drawings, and even included some elements that were never built in the Haunted Mansion like our ghost fish aquarium. That was an idea that was intended for the Haunted Mansion in the 1960s, that now we finally got to bring to life today,” said Handke.
Handke said ghosts materialize in different ways and visitors can get unique experiences depending on where they sit in the parlor. The iconic ‘13-hour clock’ lights up and starts chiming, thunder claps and lighting strikes throughout the parlor letting visitors know the spirits have arrived.
The parlor has a variety of cocktails and ‘spirited’ beers on tap. There are also non-alcoholic options like the ‘Sympathetic Libations’ drink.
Would you be a foolish mortal and visit the Haunted Mansion Parlor?