Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror fan convention, is set to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion throughout the weekend at the Long Beach Convention Center August 3-4.
Okay, get ready folks! On Saturday, August 3, Midsummer Scream’s first major presentation will be “A Chilling Legacy: 50 Years of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion”. On stage in the Grand Ballroom, guests will enjoy a… spirited discussion between Disney Legends Tony Baxter (iconic Imagineer) and Bob Gurr (designer of the Mansion’s Doom Buggy ride system), American film producer and author Don Hahn (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Haunted Mansion), and themed entertainment writer and creative director Jason Surrell (The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic, The Art of The Haunted Mansion). Doug Barnes of The Season Pass Podcast will moderate the presentation, which will be peppered with ghostly tales and never-before-materialized images of the world’s most famous haunted attraction!
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”230″]More ghoulish delights are to be had on Midsummer Scream’s massive show floor along the Corridor of Creepy Creeps, where a specially selected group of creepy creeps will be found vending all manner of Haunted Mansion-inspired merchandise, art, and things that go bump in the night. Disney Legend Bob Gurr will be on hand to meet and greet guests all weekend at the Haunted OC booth, and voice actor Kat Cressida (the Bride in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion) will be nearby, on the lookout for her next “late husband”! Other vendors ready to help you haunt your home include Abracadaver Productions, Topher Adam Backdrops, Jasper Anderson’s Mr. Chicken’s Prop Shop, and Creepy Kingdom (creators of the Foolish Mortals documentary).
Once night descends on Long Beach Saturday August 3, Midsummer Scream After Dark will host its after-hours party – the Grim Grinning Gala – from 8PM to midnight at the Convention Center. During this swinging wake, guests will be treated to a screening of The Haunted Mansion with live commentary by the film’s producer, Don Hahn. Further along the Convention Center’s corridor of doors, guests will also have access to Leota’s Lounge, complete with tarot card and palm readers, mediums and divinations from regions beyond. In the Grand Ballroom guests will mix, mingle, and dance the night away, where they will also witness one foolish mortal win the $500 First Prize in Midsummer Scream’s costume contest!
On Sunday August 4, the happy haunting continues at Midsummer Scream as themed entertainment professional and author of multiple Haunted Mansion books, Jason Surrell, hosts a seminar on the importance of storytelling, from haunted houses to major theme park attractions. Jason’s presentation will also take a look at The Haunted Mansion franchise and variations around the world, including Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris, and Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland.
“The Haunted Mansion is the most recognized ‘haunted house’ anywhere,” says David Markland, Executive Director of Midsummer Scream. “We’ve had its 50th Anniversary on our radar since founding the convention four years ago. Now that the moment is finally here, we are thrilled to celebrate this beloved attraction with fans all weekend long with panels, presentations, vendors, and everything else we can conjure!”
