!

The Haunted Mansion of Disneyland 50th Anniversary Strategic Planning Model !

Anabella Alfaro Samantha Sineni Yuanyuan Wang Yifan Zhu JOUR 536

!1

!
The Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Strategies Company Overview The Haunted Mansion of Disneyland The Haunted Mansion in the New Orleans Square section at Disneyland hosts more than four decades of spine-tingling 15-minute tours through a home to ghosts, ghouls and supernatural surprises. The idea of haunted mansion came three years after the opening of Disneyland in 1955. Walt Disney decided to expand Disneyland on a new land called "New Orleans Square", which would contain new shops, restaurants and a haunted mansion. The foundation for the faade of the Plantation style mansion took place in 1962. Early concepts for a neglected looking house were replaced with Walt's preference, a clean, well-preserved structure which matched the pristine look of the rest of the park. Walt said, We'll take care of the outside and let the ghosts take care of the inside. Even though the faade was completed, it was an empty shell for years. Construction delays resulted from storyline problems and other distractions such as the 1964 New York World's Fair, where Disney built the first version of "It's a Small World," among other state of the art attractions. On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney died of lung cancer. With the loss of their great visionary, the Imagineers debated over the design concepts of the haunted mansion, such as whether the haunted mansion experience should be scary, or funny. In the end, imaginers Marc Davis (funny), and Claude Coats (scary), combined their ideas, so the ride begins with spooky

!2

sets and chilling concepts, and eventually becomes "a swinging wake," full of silly spooks, and ghostly gags.1
"

Finally, on August 9, 1969, the Disneyland version of the attraction was completed and has remained essentially unchanged, with several minor updates in pop-ups and audio. The attraction does have a yearly conversion to the "Haunted Mansion Holiday" starting right before Thanksgiving. The average wait time for the attraction is around 20 minutes. (http://touringplans.com/ disneyland/attractions/haunted-mansion) Other versions of the Haunted Mansion have been built in Tokyo Disneyland and in Disneyland Paris.

Haunted Mansion Holiday Haunted Mansion Holiday is what happens when two holidays collide. Since October 2001, Disneyland transforms its Haunted Mansion into an attraction inspired by Tim Burtons The Nightmare Before Christmas for the fall and winter. Jack Skellington plays Sandy Claws as he makes a good-faith, but wholly misguided attempt at presenting his version of a Christmas celebration. Approaching the exterior of the Haunted Mansion, the first things guests will likely notice are pumpkins and colorful signage affixed to the gates outside. As guests continue to pass through the outdoor queue approaching the mansion, they will notice a staggering number of candles and jack-o-lanterns attached to the mansion.

1 !

Ray Keim, Mansion History, http://www.haunteddimensions.raykeim.com/index335.html

!3

Disneyland Resort Foods assists in building a gingerbread house that sits atop the dining room table in the Haunted Mansions Grand Hall. This gingerbread house is the centerpiece of the attraction, and changes every year. For 2011, the gingerbread house stands six feet tall, consisting of 500 pounds of gingerbread and tons of frosting. As the top of the house spins from happy to sad it becomes a gingerbread monster, showing its devilish glowing eyes and opening its jaws to reveal sharp teeth. As the Doombuggies continue past the ballroom scene and enter the graveyard, they find it a little more chilly than normal. This is because the graveyard in the Haunted Mansion finale is covered with 7,500 square feet of ghostly white snow. Trees in the graveyard are decked out with thousands of tiny orange lights, some of which have even tangled-up Jacks ghost-dog reindeer. For the holidays, Haunted Mansion becomes an entirely new attraction, with a completely new storyline and script. The familiar show scenes have been so dramatically transformed in some places that theyre barely recognizable. Its holiday look melds together Halloween and Christmas, making its shelf-life double the length of any other holiday overlay, since it encompasses two consecutive holidays.

!
Continuing the 13th year theme of 2013, Jack Skellington (with help of Disneys Imagineers) has scattered 13 surprises throughout the attraction. And this years ballroom gingerbread house is more massive than ever, a tower paying tribute to the anniversary.2
"

!
! Lisa 2

Brenner, Disneyland 'Haunted Mansion' celebrates 44th birthday at D23; foolish mortals rejoice, http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2013/08/09/14474/disneyland-haunted-mansion-celebrates-44th-birthda/

!4

The Haunted Mansion movie (Rated: PG)3

"

The Haunted Mansion is a 2003 American fantasy comedy film based on the attraction of the same name at Disney theme parks. It was Disney's fifth film based on an attraction at one of its theme parks. The story talks about workaholic realtor Jim Evers discovering new meaning of family after touring a haunted place with his wife and children.

The Ghost Host The Ghost Host, a disembodied voice and never seen, is the narrator and tour guide of the Haunted Mansion attractions. He greets the visitors with his renown quote, "Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host... your Ghost Host." In the Stretch Room, he torments guests by challenging them to find a way out of the room.

Fun Facts of The Haunted Mansion 1. There are dead bodies in the Haunted Mansion4
"

The Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland is one of the scariest places in the park, but not for the reasons you'd expect. In his 1994 book "Mouse Tales," former Disney employee David Koenig tells the story of a tourist group that requested a little extra time on the ride so they could hold a quick memorial for a 7-year-old boy.

! 3

The Haunted Mansion imdb profile, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338094/

! Adam 4

K. Raymond, 8 secrets about Disneyland, http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/07/01/ ten.secrets.disney.mf/

!5

Disney gave the family permission, but it turns out, the memorial was only half their plan. When the mourners were spotted sprinkling a powdery substance off their "doom buggies," the Haunted Mansion was quickly shut down until all the remains could be cleaned up. Amazingly, this wasn't an isolated incident. Stealthy ash scatterings have occurred all over Disneyland. Not everyone tries to skirt the rules, though. Every year, several families ask for permission. According to one Disney spokesperson, the answer is always no.

2. The Names on the Tombstones Are Real5

"

Waiting in line isn't anyone's favorite part of a trip to the Disney parks, but the Haunted Mansion is one of the more enjoyable lines thanks to the entertaining gravestones beside the queue area. The names on these tombstones are those of Disney Imagineers who helped to create the Haunted Mansion. On October 21, 2004, a bidder on a Disney-sponsored auction on eBay won the right to be the first non-Disneyland employee to have his name added to an attraction. Cary Sharp, a doctor and health-care attorney from Baton Rouge, Louisiana placed a winning bid of $37,400 to become the "1000th ghost" with the addition of his nickname, a joke epitaph and the signatures of Disney "imagineers" on a tombstone to be displayed in the attraction. Its placement was guaranteed for ten years and will remain as a permanent exhibit.

!
Communication Goal

! 5

Sara Franks-Allen, 10 Things You Didnt Know About Disneys Haunted Mansion Ride, http:// thefw.com/things-you-didnt-know-about-disneys-haunted-mansion/

!6

Leverage the 50th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion to renew the time-honored relationship Disney has with its fans and draw in new park goers. A commemorative celebration will give the theme park an opportunity to review --- with the group of its most loyal customers --- the history of one of its oldest attractions and expand its appeals to a new generation.

!
Objectives " To attract 1,000,000 visitors throughout the year specifically for the Haunted Mansion anniversary. Total annual park visitors reach 15.98 million. " Establish a stronger connection between the Haunted Mansion and core fans of Disneyland to increase annual visits by 30 percent in seasons outside of Halloween. The current holiday season sees a 40 percent increase, we want to continue that support throughout the year. " Convert millennial non-visitors and rare visitors to active fans to build an even stronger Disneyland following and bring in a younger demographic.

!
SWOT Analysis Strengths: People all over the world are passionate about the Disney brand and parks. Disney lovers carry a deep connection from childhood and pass it down through the generations. The company's history of making magic alludes to an unparalleled anniversary. The Haunted Mansion has a rich history of its own. The ride's horror theme is as unique as each of the characters that haunt it's corridors. An attraction this long lasting evokes nostalgia

!7

in older guests that they will share with children and loved ones. With no height restriction, people of all ages can enter, if they've got the guts. The excitement does not end in the park. Disney Consumer Products creates a transmedia experience for its brands and covers all bases with the Haunted Mansion. Eddie Murphy's feature film opens its doors to Disney fans to experience a night inside the mansion. Comics extend the story and bring readers closer to the characters. The Haunted Mansion video game allows all gamers to interact and find out how they would really handle a sleepover with the ghostly inhabitants. From movies to wine corks, the Haunted Mansion touches all aspects of a fan's life. Disney Publishing puts out publications for all information related to the company. The Haunted Mansion anniversary promotions will reach many people cost efficiently without the need to pitch media. The Disney name will automatically validate the information channeling through it's outlets.

Weaknesses: The ride might seem antiquated to younger generations that never established a strong connection. After 50 years of use, more maintenance is needed to keep up with outdated parts and thrills that lost their edge after CGI and 3D heightened expectations. A few older reviewers complained that it was not scary enough, while parents dealt with terrified children. The ride itself lacks a big finish that complements the end of the ghost guide's story and guests leave wanting more. The 50th Anniversary of one attraction generates less excitement than the anniversary of the entire park. The lack of iconic Disney characters makes it harder to connect with and build

!8

buzz around. The movie will support the ride, but it did not recieve as many positive reviews as intended. The horror theme also limits peak season to Halloween. As with any ride, guests will need to wait in long lines. The Haunted Mansion is only a "must see" due to it's long history but not for the attraction itself. Visitors might not see the value in waiting in a long line as they would for something like the Tower of Terror. Before the recent renovations, no ramps or handicap accessible cars existed. Apparently, Disney added a wheelchair doom buggy, but even disabled park goers remain unaware of the changes. Disabled rides that are aware fear that they will be diverted to a separate line and miss out on the decorations along the way. Rumors and secrets deter some guests from visiting the ride. The dim lighting landed the Haunted Mansion as Disney's premiere makeout spot for teenagers. Also, people frequently sprinkle ashes of the deceased in the ride, or so they say.

!
Opportunities: The Haunted Mansion's history and age alone make it a must see for anyone with a love for Disneyland. The 50th anniversary will remind guests that the ride is a representation of the beginnings of the park and an extension of Walt himself. The transmedia elements are easily rereleased and updated. Showing the movie on multiple networks can refresh the minds of park goers as to the history of the Haunted Mansion. Releasing materials such as new video games and comics that succeed the previous editions will generate buzz about the anniversary.

!9

The new releases and celebration will tell the story to younger generations. We can capture the younger audience with more technologically advanced elements and give a fresher face the ride. The Nightmare Before Chirstmas targets millennials and the pairing will renew the excitement in visiting the Haunted Mansion. Supernatural drama television shows such as American Horror Story and True Blood are the new trend and a huge fandom surrounds each of them. The programs extend the relevance of a horror ride beyond Halloween. The shows encourage people to seek ghostly encounters throughout the year. Long lines allow us to create an adventure leading up to the ride. Digital tools such as interactive games and QR codes allow guests to emerse themselves in the ride's storyline. The process will no longer consist of a two hour wait for a few minutes of of thrill. The line will become part of the ride.

!
Threats: Newer attractions or rides that feature well-loved characters might detract from the Haunted Mansion. It also competes with other parks in the area that might debut new rides or focus on higher intensity rides and popular movies to attract a younger crowd. The 50th anniversary of one ride is a feel good news story rather than hard news, which media outlets might put in the back burner. Aside from Disney publishing outlets, we will face more competition for coverage than if the whole park celebrated it's anniversary.

!10

We're still in a recession. Families and individuals dont have much disposable income to take trips. Parks entry fees are expensive and so are the meals and snacks that go along with the experience. Weather conditions influence the number of visitors that come each day. The late fall and winter months might cut the amount of attendees as it starts to get colder. Unless there is a specific event, the "off season" is slower for any park.

!
Audiences 1. Parents of children under 12 2. Teenagers age 13 to 18 3. Adults age 28 to 65 who grew up going to The Haunted Mansion 4. Die hard fans (annual pass holders) with a lasting connection to the theme park 5. All park visitors who visit the park during the anniversary

!
Key Messages A. To parents of children under 12: Come to The Haunted Mansion with your children and experience the classic horror with 50 years of history. B. To teens age 13 to 18: By incorporating the coolest digital interactive widgets, the Disney Haunted Mansion, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, is still energetic and young, and the best place to spend holiday times with friends.

!11

C. To adults age 28 to 65 who grew up going to the Haunted Mansion: The Disney Haunted Mansion invites you and your family to revisit the house in this holiday season and bring back old day horror memories! D. To annual pass holders: Come to the Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary during this holiday season and receive an exclusive surprise for annual pass holders! E. All park visitors: The Disney Haunted Mansion is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. During the anniversary, Disneyland has arranged various exclusive events for you. Come to The Haunted House and weve been dying to have you.

!
Strategies and Tactics 1. Leverage the popularity of The Nightmare Before Christmas to attract guests over the holiday season. Holiday season boosts park visits considerably. Winter break for children and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday makes Disneyland the right place to spend happy family time. Every holiday season, the Haunted Mansion is transformed into Halloween Town, which is inspired by the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton. Starting from September through Christmas, the iconic movie characters like Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie appear in this ride, replacing the usual characters in the Haunted Mansion. Since the transformation in 2001, the park has seen a 40 percent rise in attendance during September and

!12

October.6"The Nightmare Before Christmas, had greater success than the Haunted Mansion film
"

and will attract more people if Disney decorates its ride during holiday season. " Transform the gift shop next to the Haunted Mansion into The Nightmare Before Christmas puppets exhibition. The exhibition will go a nation-wide tour during the holiday season so our target audiences around the country so guests from all over can see all the characters in once place for the first time. It is said that the filmmakers constructed 227 puppets to represent the movie characters, and only for Jack Skellington there were more than 400 heads. This exhibition is not only a supplement to the anniversary, but it also shows the spirit behind all the happiness that Disney brings to fans. In addition, it will be the first time for all the puppets in the movie to be exhibited in Disneyland. Besides, Tim Burton is a distinguished movie director who developed a cult following with die hard fans that make him an appropriate choice for a horror themed ride. He is also a California native, born in Burbank, and connects with the brand on a personal level. Back in 1993, Burton made this movie in San Francisco, and carried out most of his career in California, so inviting him to attend the grand opening of the exhibition in Los Angeles will be sound and realistic. His appearance in this exhibition will surely increase media attention to the anniversary. " Release the special edition Jack Skellington figurine.

6 !

Garfield, Robynn. 4 Reasons to Visit Disneyland During the Holidays. KSL.com. http://www.ksl.com/? sid=27240477

!13

Think of any characters from the Haunted Mansion that you are familiar with, and the result may be a no. Thanks to the annual release of the Nightmare Before Christmas, it remains popular among Disney fans and cartoon lovers 20 years after its creation. Jack Skellington, the major character in the movie, appears in various Disney Consumer Products. We recommend releasing a limited edition of Jack Skellington figurine with the texts The Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary on the box, and Tim Burtons signature etched on the back of Jacks blazer. The release will continue during the anniversary, especially during the tour exhibition. We will send the figurine to mommy and daddy bloggers before the official kickoff of the anniversary for them to write reviews and also to publicize the anniversary. The figurine will also be the prize of the relevant contests that we would like to hold during the anniversary. " The Nightmare Before Christmas will air on the Disney Channel. Disney has its own television station (Disney Channel), which can help to broadly generate public attention. The movie, accompanied by the banner The Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary, will be broadcast on Thursday night, October 30 2014, the day before Halloween and continue through the Christmas season. Since this is a PG movie, Disney channel strongly recommends parents watching it with their children. One week before the movie is on air, everyday Disney channel will broadcast short celebration video for the 50th Anniversary featuring now and former Disney stars like Selena Gomez, Zac Efron, and Vanessa Hudgens. " Release a 2014 version Blu-ray DVD.

!14

The 2014 version of The Night Before Christmas, which is completely converted into 3D format and features Tim Burtons commentary, will be released in September 2014. On the DVD box, there will be the logo of Haunted Mansion, indicating this is the special celebration edition for Haunted Mansion. Among all the 2014 version DVD box sets, there will be 2,500 boxes that contains a Disneyland ticket that can be used nationwide, and a FastPass ticket for the Haunted Mansion ride.

!
2. Engage fans with holiday contests and events that allow active participation in the seasonal themes of the Haunted Mansion. Events will give fans a new reason to visit the attraction and keep it exciting. Interaction with the ride and its story will build an emotional connection with visitors. " At the midway point between Halloween and Christmas, we will have a Nightmare Before Christmas cosplay contest/party at the mansion. Guests will come to the party dressed as their favorite Nightmare Before Christmas character and enjoy light refreshments and entertainment. Select attendees will get the chance to act out scenes from the movie. We will set up a section of the party area to screen the Nightmare Before Christmas and Haunted Mansion. A photo booth will capture people in costume and offer the option to share on social media. Winner of the cosplay contest will receive two Southern California Annual Passes and a special edition Jack Skellington figurine. " During Christmas, we will Feature an "Elf Yourself" type video using Jack Skellington and other main characters. People will add their faces and watch the cartoons dance around to "What's This?"

!15

" An Instagram contest will encourage people to post photos of their homes decorated for Halloween under the hashtag #ThisIsHalloween and for Christmas with the hashtag #SandyClaws. Winners will receive two Southern California City Passes. " We will engage Facebook followers during Christmas by asking for design ideas for the gingerbread house featured within the mansion each year. The winner of best design will get to come help build the house with the imagineers. " February 18-20th is President's Day. The Dead Presidents will play a free concert in front of the mansion. " May 6th is "Bats Day" where Disneyland employees dress in goth clothes. We will promote the holiday in Hot Topic and sell Bat Day merchandise. We will also spread the word on social media sites such as Tickld and Reddit, targeted to the alternative psychographic. We will place the Haunted Mansion at the center of the dark holiday. " On the 4th of July we will grill and play music and traditional lawn games set up at the mansion for our backyard BBQ. The Ghost Host will welcome the guests and run the event.

3. Digital strategy: leverage digital and social media to engage all visitors before and after the ride. The average wait time for Disneylands Haunted Mansion is around 20 minutes, so we will use modern mobile technology and social media to help people stay excited and engaged during their time in the queuing area. Weve observed that the majority of people in line will stick to their cell phones while waiting, thus we want to create our own content to keep our visitors hooked by this

!16

specific attraction. We aim to create mobile elements that are playful, easy to digest on a cell phone and, most importantly, remind people of the historic significance of the Haunted Mansion. On top of that, we will make the content sharable through social media so that the message extends beyond our visitors and helps us spread the word about our anniversary campaign online. After the ride, we will give visitors something to take away from the adventure to share the happiness theyve experienced with the ride. We will bring some of our haunted ghosts out into the sunlight and offering visitors a chance to co-produce digital content with our lovely characters who always bring joy and fun to the visitors in the darkness. To further generate buzz online, will reward those who share their production outcome on social media with personalized physical commemorates. It will be something that stands the test of time just like the Haunted Mansion attraction itself. " Time-less Haunt Time frame: throughout the year We give every visitor a small wooden hourglass when they enter the waiting area. The hourglass should be designed along with the Haunted Mansion theme and has our logos on it. We then attach a QR code at its top. The hourglass runs out every 15 minutes, which is a bit shorter of the average wait time for the attraction. We want this old yet classic gadget to keep our visitors excited when they queue up for the ride, but we also leave some spare time for them to take deep breath before really going in. Hourglass is an old-fashioned but antiqued timing tool, so it relates to the history and essence of the Haunted Mansion.

!17

The QR code is designed to further keep our visitors engaged during their wait. Upon scanning the code, a visitor will be directed to watch a one-minute clip about the long history of Disneylands Haunted Mansion. It will be like a small documentary that touched upon the attractions initial construction plan, the earliest looks, the dialogues between the earliest imagineers, the Ghost Host and we will discover several long-time fans to share their memories of the ride in the past. We want this video to strike a chord with our long-standing supportive fans as well as engage newcomers by introducing them to what the Mansion means to the whole generation before them. They are encouraged to share this clip on any of their social media to spread the word. Below the QR code, we attach a link to our newly established Hauntedpedia, a multimedia website where they can enjoy a full account of the history of the Haunted Mansion in much greater depth. Aside from that, we will design a room escaping game for our visitors to play on their cell phone after the introductory video. The room will be one that has a similar decor of the Haunted Mansion so that people can get excited with a peek into the upcoming ride. Individuals will spend different amounts of time gaining success, but the point is to keep people engaged instead of getting impatient in the line. Everybody can see a ranking of scores for all players in the waiting section, of which top ten players get $10 coupons to shop at Disney store. The rest can get $5 coupons if they share the link of that game on their social media. " My Haunted Moment Time frame: throughout the year

!18

At the exit of the ride, we place an open-space photo booth where we invite visitors to go into photo shoots together with some of our most popular characters, like Jack Skellington or the hitchhiking ghosts, from the ride. People have two options: (1) they can participate an on-stage digital photo shoot with one of our staff-acting Haunted Mansion characters who are there to interact with our visitors, or (2) they can go into our gif photo booth, pick a digital background weve developed containing our star Haunted Mansion characters, and take a photo using that moving background. They are encouraged to make strange or funny poses and gullish faces while taking the photo, because it is a shot with the ghosts! They are then encouraged to share the digital version of their photo online with the tag #MyHauntedMoment, to make their friends jealous that they have the opportunity to get photos with characters from the Haunted Mansion ride --- to be sure, most people dont get to see these characters in the daylight. We will reward whoever post their photos online a physical, personalized photo developed from his or her on-stage photo shoot. For those who tweet out their gif photo taken in the photo booth, we send them a ten-second personalized clip developed from what weve filmed of him or her during the ride. This is part of our strategy to honor our long-standing relationship with our fans.

!
4. Engage annual pass holders through buzz building activities, special events and media relations.

!19

Annual pass holders need to feel a personal connection and feel invested in their beloved park. This will give them a sense of pride in the commemoration of the different attractions. It will strengthen the relationship and make them feel like valued and essential parts of Disneyland's success. " To engage die-hard fans it is important to personalize the message to them. This can be done through sending emails directly to annual pass holder. The email will invite the fans to participant in a DIY contest for the ride. Participants will send in ideas about scenes and tricks they would like to incorporate in the current ride. Throughout the year, winners will be picked on a monthly basis, and the be invited to discuss the execution with our Imagineers. We will offer one grand prizewinner the opportunity to tour the backstage (the control room) of the Haunted Mansion. " People will submit pictures of themselves to appear on the portrait wall. The photos will be digitally manipulated to look like a skeleton version of that person. " We will host special events for annual pass holders to show our appreciation. A late night opening from 9 pm and until dawn will give pass holders a special look at the mansion. We will also host a movie night where we screen both the Nightmare Before Christmas and The Haunted Mansion. Another event will allow annual pass holders to take their Halloween card picture or their holiday card picture at the mansion. " Social media will make up a large part of pass holder engagement. An exclusive annual pass holder Facebook page will host all the up to date information about the special events happening throughout the anniversary celebrations. Also a special Twitter handle will hold contests and under the hashtag #MVPDisneyland. We will create a special

!20

Instagram account that will feature pictures of park goers in front and inside of the Haunted Mansion with the hashtag #HauntedMansion50th.

!
Evaluation At the end of the year we will measure our success by the increase in park visitors along with demographic information regarding who visited. We will check the same information for annual pass holders. We will survey annual pass holders about their opinions of the Haunted Mansion and Disneyland in general. During ticket purchasing, we will ask for contact information for all park goers to get feedback and understand what drew them to the park. Social media monitoring using Radian6 will allow us to measure the number of posts and tonality regarding the campaign. We will measure active engagement by counting shares and conversations and the number of people that entered the contests. We will uncover whether or not younger generations are engaging with the Haunted Mansion.

!
Timeline- Please see in our presentation slides

!21

!22