One of my favorite haunts is cleaning windows at the Haunted Mansion. It has become common knowledge by mansion fans that it is a job in itself to keep the place dirty, so what would I be doing cleaning windows at the mansion at five a.m.? It isn't the outside windows, but rather a protection device for the ghosts on the inside that gets daily attention. If you ever were of a mind to shoot gum and spit balls at the ballroom scene, you are plum out of luck hitting anything. The gigantic plates of glass used for creating the "Pepper's Ghost Effect" are protected by spit guards mounted on the balcony railing. These plexi-glass shields are very similar to what you would find at a salad bar. Maintaining clean and clear guards are essential to keeping the special effects "special".
Sometimes it is the dust itself that builds up on the plates of glass. My lead took me down below the balcony to the ballroom floor. We walked past the "dancing ghosts" out onto the floor itself. "See those panels of glass? It took cranes to get them in here. To clean them we use that cherry picker over there." He pointed to a lift parked in a dark corner under the balcony. It was explained to me that to clean the glass each time we had to start from the top and work down. One mistake like a smudge or a streak could cause us to start the process all over until a desired appearance is achieved. "Just hope you won't be in Windows when it comes time to do it," he warned with a grin. Lucky or not, I never had the opportunity for that task.
Once the debris is removed from the guards, I proceed for a "creepy" stroll through the attic and down to the graveyard. I always imagined how appropriate it was that the plywood flooring creaked with every step! My imagination doesn't stray too far, the shop lights are usually on giving me a fair view of the layout and any lurking maintenance (DACS) men nearby.
Once at the bottom, I reach the "hitch-hiking" ghost mirrors. I carefully squeegee the mirrors without scratching them and then it is time to exit the famous gloomy manor. It is a shame that a handful of park guests don't have any respect for the simple and imaginative delights of the Haunted Mansion by defacing the glass, but it kept me busy and gave me a reason to pay a daily visit to 999 happy haunts!
