Phantom Manor is an attraction in the Frontierland of Disneyland Paris. The attraction is a reimagining of the Haunted Mansion in American parks developed by imagineer and Disney legend Tony Baxter with a storyline connecting to that of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The attraction is believed to have a connected backstory to that of the Jungle Cruise, via the Falls family.
History[]
Backstory[]
Ravenswood Manor is a mansion in the mining-town of Thunder Mesa, Arizona. The town was built on land along the Big Thunder Mountain range, stolen from the Indigenous Shoshone peoples by the town's founding fathers, most notably the evil Henry Ravenswood who built Ravenswood Manor. Henry was the vile founder of the Big Thunder Mountain Company who cheated on his wife Martha and was abusively over-protective of their daughter Mélanie. When Mélanie had suitors, Henry would gruesomely murder them off so only he could have Mélanie.
In the year 1860, the angered Spirit of Big Thunder created an earthquake which collapsed much of the town while killing both Henry and Martha. With her parents dead, Mélanie planned on marrying her lover Jake and run away with him. However, at the wedding in the mansion, Jake was lured into the rafters by the ghost of Henry who hanged him to death causing most to believe Mélanie was left at the alter. Mélanie remained, heartbroken after the wedding and was never seen outside of the mansion again, having died within and become a ghost forever tormented by her father.
Development history[]
Summary[]
Jungle Cruise connections[]
Jungle Cruise[]
One of Mélanie Ravenswood's four suitors murdered by Henry Ravenswood was named Captain Rowan D. Falls. Captain Rowan D. Falls shares his surname and familial occupation with Dr. Albert Falls, a major character from the Jungle Cruise. Dr. Albert Falls was a riverboat pilot and explorer during the 19th century (his earliest activities having been known in the 1880s) whose relationship with his granddaughter Alberta Falls indicates that captaining riverboats was something of a family business for the clan. Captain Rowan's name also fits into the theme of pun-names present within the Falls family.
The Thunder Mesa Daily Messenger newspaper used to tie-into Phantom Manor's backstory also implied that when the Thunder Mesa town council closed down the manor in 1884, the Society of Explorers and Adventurers were amongst those who investigated the mansion. The newspaper also implies that these explorers were killed off by the ghosts inside of the mansion, presumably the Phantom. The Society of Explorers and Adventurers is a fictional secret society of colonists and aristocrats originating from Fortress Explorations which various Jungle Cruise characters such as Dr. Albert Falls or Professor Garrett Reed were members of.
Other connections[]
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad[]
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has had assorted connections made to Jungle Cruise attractions. In the Skipper Canteen is a map made by Jason Chandler and Captain Brieux with Chandler being a S.E.A. member originating from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. In the Tropical Hideaway, Big Thunder Mining Company president and S.E.A. member Barnabas T. Bullion has an oar outside of the Enchanted Tiki Room alongside that of Jason Chandler's. Also in the Tropical Hideaway and overlooking the Jungle Cruise is Rosita, a bird from Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room who is referenced in Big Thunder Mountain Railroad via her cage appearing in the company's headquarters.
Pirates of the Caribbean[]
In Ravenswood Manor is a portrait of the Flying Dutchman as it appeared in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The Dutchman's captains William Turner and Davy Jones have been referenced in the Adventure Trading Company and Trader Sam's respectively.
Trivia[]
- The other Haunted Mansion reimagining Mystic Manor has a story connected to the Jungle Cruise, predominately by British colonist Lord Henry Mystic who was a contemporary of Dr. Albert Falls. Unlike Mystic Manor, this reimagining was more focused on romanticizing the colonial actions of its respective mansion's owner, lacked any undead elements, and had a heavy focus on cutesy cartoon animal character Albert the Monkey.
- Other Frontierland attractions connected to the Jungle Cruise have included Mike Fink Keel Boats via a book by Mike Fink in the Skipper Canteen titled, "Keel Boats of the Mississippi", Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island via missions of the Adventure Trading Company and Pirates of the Caribbean references in Trader Sam's, and Westward Ho Trading Co. via the Adventure Trading Company referencing them as clients of the JNC.
- Blaine Gibson's Leering head mould used in Phantom Manor for the ticket-seller, "Ezra" is also used in the Trader Sam's bars for the, "Zombie head" mug.
Gallery[]
