When Hinges Creak (with Fish Heads & Crumbs)

There's no mistaking this creepy foyer for any other; we've just stepped into The Haunted Mansion, and this is the view you get when you're near the back of the group.

Despite the crowd, this is one of those classic Disneyland moments. How many of you are old enough to remember the pre-internet days, back even before Disney released the music on CD, LP or tape, when the only time you could hear that unforgettable organ theme was when you were actually standing there in the foyer? The creepy awesomeness would wash over you in a wave of...I dunno...welcoming forboding? You felt like you'd come home...to the dead...and it made you grin...It could only happen at Disneyland or WDW's Magic Kingdom!

The 999 Happy Haunts of Haunted Mansion keep looking for number 1,000. They just don't want it to be one particular guy. Shoebox is back. I am so sorry...

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Vs. Walt Disney World's

The Haunted Mansion recently closed for its annual Nightmare-Before-Christmas overlay, so here's one last look at HM Classic before Haunted Mansion Holiday opens on September 14th.

I love both the California and Florida Haunted Mansions. Although the rides are mostly identical, each has its own touches. If pressed, I'd say the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion gives a slightly superior experience. The exterior looks more foreboding, and the ride includes a couple of brief, wonderful scenes not found in Disneyland.

Yet there are elements of Disneyland's HM that I prefer. I like entering through the front of the building. I like the fact that the stretching room floor goes down here, as opposed to the ceiling rising in Florida -- it just feels creepier knowing you're descending away from the "living" world. I like walking through the hall of paintings.

And, of course, I grew up with this version and it will always feel like "my" Haunted Mansion. I'm sure Walt Disney World fans feel the same way about their awesome mansion ride.