The mysterious Catacomb by Haunted Mansion

[1disneynut2another]

Im sure that this is one of those threads that comes up all the time but i just have to ask. Does anyone know why the mysterious catacomb by Haunted Mansion with the date 1764 on it is their? Is it from some old movie or something, is it thier just to make peole ask or what? Any help will be appreciated.

[mcow1]

Here's an older thread about it.

http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28730

[HBG2]

Im sure that this is one of those threads that comes up all the time but i just have to ask. Does anyone know why the mysterious catacomb by Haunted Mansion with the date 1764 on it is their? Is it from some old movie or something, is it thier just to make peole ask or what? Any help will be appreciated.

For a newer discussion, start with this post and read forward:
Long-forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect?

Also read this one:
Long-forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect?

[Cousin Orville]

The story I heard differs from all of these a bit. Doesn't mean it's true, it's just what I heard.

When the Riverfront was beng redone for better Fantasmic viewing in the early nineties, they added those walls as a Riverwalk reminicent of those found in Savannah, GA. All cobblestone and such. My source thought Eddie Sotto was the Imagineer in charge. There were lots of people involved in those things. Matt Mc Kim (son of legend Sam) was doing some of the sculpting and Art Direction with others and the date may be related to his birthday. His age might fit. That arch related to some catacomb thing Eddie was supposedly trying to sell (see Kevin's book) where the island was accessed by Lafitte's Crypt. I guess it was tied to the mansion in some way, but loosely. I don't think the arch was the entrance, just a reference to it. Anyway, this idea had a tunnel of skulls and bones of Lafitte's conquests leading beneath the river to the Island where it connected to a subterreanean Pirate Lair and such. I think it was based on the obvious Barataria idea of the real island off of New Orleans where the pirates fenced good to the rich. Back then there was no movies yet. I heard there was to be lots of show, caves, capsized ships, etc. but hidden below grade as to not pollute the rest of the river, etc. Of course, real pirates wouldn't "advertise" their location either. I guess Dead ideas tell no tales! So there's another two cents.

[HBG2]

The story I heard differs from all of these a bit. Doesn't mean it's true, it's just what I heard.

When the Riverfront was beng redone for better Fantasmic viewing in the early nineties, they added those walls as a Riverwalk reminicent of those found in Savannah, GA. All cobblestone and such. My source thought Eddie Sotto was the Imagineer in charge. There were lots of people involved in those things. Matt Mc Kim (son of legend Sam) was doing some of the sculpting and Art Direction with others and the date may be related to his birthday. His age might fit. That arch related to some catacomb thing Eddie was supposedly trying to sell (see Kevin's book) where the island was accessed by Lafitte's Crypt. I guess it was tied to the mansion in some way, but loosely. I don't think the arch was the entrance, just a reference to it. Anyway, this idea had a tunnel of skulls and bones of Lafitte's conquests leading beneath the river to the Island where it connected to a subterreanean Pirate Lair and such. I think it was based on the obvious Barataria idea of the real island off of New Orleans where the pirates fenced good to the rich. Back then there was no movies yet. I heard there was to be lots of show, caves, capsized ships, etc. but hidden below grade as to not pollute the rest of the river, etc. Of course, real pirates wouldn't "advertise" their location either. I guess Dead ideas tell no tales! So there's another two cents.

Thanks for the additional info! Speaking of Eddie Sotto and Kevin Yee, Kevin popped by the above-linked thread and told us that Sotto was in fact the source for his info:
Long-forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect?

[Cousin Orville]

I heard it third hand, but it's nice to be right once in a while! Thanks...

[animagusurreal]

^

Orville, that's very interesting .

Funny, too, because I recently posted a parody (over in the "WHO should live on the Island?" thread) of how quickly a Pirates' Lair attraction would have been shot down pre-movies, and I had never heard anything about this before. I set the parody in 1997. Well, I was pretty close, anyway .

I'll have to look for this catacomb thing next time I go.

[Cousin Orville]

Hmmm. I didn't read that. You were close.. Like the Main Street "test wall", the catacomb is quickly becoming an overrated piece of plaster.. :-)

[Beowulf]

I've also heard that the number above the tunnel/catacomb is the number of bricks it took to lay the streets for NOS, anybody else heard this??

[topazmisskitty]

I also want to mention the 101 book there is an entry there that says NOS and the HM and TSI was all suppossed to be a connected land and the pirate themeing was Walt's idea and it just never got off the ground. I remember reading it in a friend's book once and thought that interesting and now here we are 50 years latter and thanks to the popularity of the movie they are making it happen. I think it is all very cool.

[Goofy Daddy]

Wow, and I have missed it all this time. I love learning new stuff.

[Cousin Orville]

I've also heard that the number above the tunnel/catacomb is the number of bricks it took to lay the streets for NOS, anybody else heard this??

no, but if you add them up it was walt's cholesterol level.

[Cousin Orville]

I also want to mention the 101 book there is an entry there that says NOS and the HM and TSI was all suppossed to be a connected land and the pirate themeing was Walt's idea and it just never got off the ground. I remember reading it in a friend's book once and thought that interesting and now here we are 50 years latter and thanks to the popularity of the movie they are making it happen. I think it is all very cool.

Don't forget, the Aunt Jemima (now River Belle terrace) Pankake house, Defore's BBQ and that whole stretch was considered to be in the "New Orleans" section of Frontierland in some print media (1957 souvenir book?), "Magnolia Gardens", (the Riverside Iron lace gazebos) and the Plantation Chicken Restaurant were all themed toward the Southern States. So NOS was the next natural step.

[pin_up_pixie]

Does anyone have a picture of the catacomb? I was telling a frend about it and she can't picture it.

[HBG2]

Does anyone have a picture of the catacomb? I was telling a frend about it and she can't picture it.