Customer Reviews

The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Don't let the age range fool you - I hesitated buying this book because I thought it was simply a children's book to introduce the movie. It has tons of information about the movie - but it is also a MUST HAVE for any Haunted Mansion fan! The drawings and photographs of all of the Haunted Mansions around the world are just fantastic. Plus...have you ever wondered what the ghost hanging in the portrait gallery looks like up close? Well, wonder no more. Jason Surrell does a fantastic job of telling the story of the Haunted Mansion from the original idea all the way up to the soon-to-be released movie. Since Mr. Surrell is a Disney Imagineer himself, he was able to include wonderful photos and artwork from the original Imagineers who worked on the project. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be disappointed with this book...if you're looking for information about the movie, you'll find behind the scenes photos, artwork, and more. If you are interested in art/design, you'll enjoy the drawings, paintings, photographs, and models from the creative minds at Disney! And if you are a Haunted Mansion fan - you will be in absolute heaven!

With 4 Haunted Mansions in existance as rides, and another existing on the silver screen, it's hard to find a book that encompasses all of these, let alone one that goes into such great detail as "The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies"

I have been a Mansion Fan ever since the opening of the Disneyland one was broadcast on TV. I have been through the two USA Mansions, but living in Australia, have as yet to see the movie.

Jason Surrell has masterfully woven facts, behind-the-scenes tales and even a little fan folklore to come up with this, the definitive Disney Attraction Book.

Previous reviews have mentioned many of the delights contained within, however it's wonderful to see so much of the "Blue Sky" phase and the richly detailed imagineering models, maquettes and artwork from the rides and the movie alike. Yes, it's like being able to X-ray the goose that laid the golden eggs, but you don't have to kill the goose to do it - you come away from this book wanting to go on the rides or see the movie again just to check out more of the minutae.

At 132 pages long, you get plenty of "bang for buck" with this book, and even when you have finished it from cover to cover, it is the sort of book you can happily take up time and time again, to re-read, and to show others.

Mansion Fans - Don't miss this one.
Disney Fans - A valuable addition to any Disney book collection.
Anyone Else - Read this, and you will be longing to visit a Haunted Mansion near you, I guarantee !!

....Hurry back..... Hurry back....

This is an unbelievable book! It will tell you everything you've ever wanted to know about the evolution of the "mansion," including various story ideas, loads of concept art, and little details about all of the reincarnations all over the world. Even if you're a casual fan of the mansions, you'll probably really like this book!! ...

Just in time for Halloween and the movie, this book is amust have for any Disney or Haunted Mansion fan(atic). I myself have collected HM memorabilia, and the stories, pictures, and illustrations within this book are amazing. My only wish is that the book be released with a hardcover, but don't get me wrong, the present book is well put together and will hold up.

Again, all you HM spooks and spirits, this is a MUST HAVE!!

This is EXACTLY the kind of Disney's Haunted Mansion book I actually dreamed of having as a kid. This book is excellent
in every way. Get this true gem of a book before it goes out of print. Til' then, enjoy.

ok the movie is not very good but the book are the best book about Haunted Mansion have never seen...

I bought this book hoping for a little information about the upcoming movie. This book delivers, and much more. From the earliest concept ideas from the team who designed the attraction to set depictions from the upcoming movie, anyone who has been a Mansion fan will appreciate the detail, the treasure trove of valuable photographs, and the sense of fun in the material included. Personally, I really enjoyed reading about the early modelings of the effects used, and the comments they got from Disney janitors who were spooked enough to refuse cleaning their development rooms! This is a no-warts hidden review of what worked, what didn't, what changed, and what's to come. My only disappointment was no Don Knotts photo in his role as the Carekeeper of the Graveyard. That having been said, have your "spirits" lifted by purchasing this wonderful collection!

This book is a must have for anyone that loves Disney's Haunted Mansions. This is the most in depth collection of sketches and photos of the inside and outside of the greatest ride ever created. There is a room by room description, a breakdown of the attractions most popular ghosts, a section on Anaheim's Nightmare Before Christmas themed decorations, and even a behind the scenes tour on how the ghostly images are made. Another interesting feature of this book is that it tells of the subtle and even drastic differences between all four of the Haunted Mansions in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, and Tokyo. And just to wet your appetite, there is a section entirely dedicated to the upcoming movie starring Eddie Murphy, complete with photos from the movie and behind the scenes with Rick Baker, creature maker. Do yourself a favor and order this NOW! You won't regret it.

From Walt Disney's original concept to the evolution of four Haunted Mansions throughout the world, the variations on the beloved theme ride and its movie are legendary among Disney fanatics. Author Jason Surrell has provided almost everything a fan could want in the way of research, history, trivia, art and designs, related people, photographs and the movie. The book is as timeless as the ride itself.

The revealing of many ride secrets does not take away from the mystique surrounding one of the oldest and most revered experiences in the Disney universe. The book addresses the interests of both the repeat visitor, and the casual reader. I most enjoyed reading about the differences in the four mansions, of which I have only visited the one at Walt Disney World.

This book is exceptional. Lots of inside stories and wonderful photos from all 4 Haunted Mansions. Highly recommended. If you like the attraction, get this book. If you liked the movie, get therapy.