Sad News for my Fellow Haunted Mansion Fans

[Leota]

I just returned last week from a Glorious trip to the World.

Of course, HM was one of the first attractions I couldn't wait to visit. Imagine my surprise when going along in my Doom Buggie past the Haunted Hallway to see NO DONALD CHAIR! In it's place, in extra gloomy darkness, was a regular old red velvet chair. I looked around frantically, rubbing my eyes in deisbelief - But, No Donald Chair.

Hurrying off the ride & back on queu to go ride again & see if I was mistaken somehow...... On for a second time & still.....no Donald Chair......

Aghast with disbelief, I asked the Cast member at departure where the beloved Hidden Donald had gone to....she knew nothing about it. Not even of it's existance at all.

Luckily for me, there was a guy from Engineering Services who happened to overhear my question. He came up to me outside & asked if I had a question regarding the Mansion. Again, I asked what had happened to the Donald Chair.
He told me there had been an accident involving the chair & it had to be replaced! Since the Donald Chair was a one of a kind piece, there was no other like it to take it's place. Sadly, they had to use a regular old period type chair instead. They dimmed the lights that used to spotlight Donald in hopes no one would notice. But he said it has been a constant question from those of us who love the Mansion.

There is no word when & if the Donald Chair will ever return to the Mansion. For now, it will have to be just a memory......

 

[kilee]

As many times as I've ridden the HM I didn't know of this chair.

 

[Leota]

When you go past the hallway with the floating candleabra, where the narration says "hot & cold running chills" there was a cair to the left of the hall - On it's back was a Hidden Donald, a signature of one of the Imagineers who designed HM & one of the few Hidden Donalds in WDW (I only know of one other myself)

 

[Destination Disney]

Where was it...I am heading up there in two days. I must see this!

 

[disfanRN]

When we were there in July, and took the VMK Quest tour, the CM told us that the chair was being refurbished, and would return at a later time.

 

[kellyf2626]

Anybody have a pic of the chair?

 

[TnTsParty]

I know I have this chair on video (nightvision) but don't have an actually picture. I sure hope DisFanRN is right and its just being refurbished - I loved the hidden Donald chair - Donald Duck is so cute and you hardly see Donald around the parks. I don't know of the other hidden Donald but I would LOVE to find out (since I am going to be there in 5 more days!!!)

 

[Magickndm]

Hope it's just be refurbished, here's a pic:

 

[Leota]

Thanx for the pix!

The other Hidden Donald is in The Great Movie Ride in the Indiana Jones Temple. One of the Hieroglyphs is Mickey & Donald. It's about 3/4 of the way up the wall in the corner.

I hope it is just being refurbished. The engineer I talked to too acted as if it had been destroyed beyond repair.

 

[Micca]

They need to get that back in there.

 

[PamNC]

I never noticed that to be a Donald Chair, but I love that chair. This is truly a sad situation.

PamNC

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

Poor Donald Chair! I wonder what kind of accident it was? Something while they were cleaning it, maybe?

Maybe Mickey stole it to get back at Donald for starring in Philharmagic

 

[diswedwish]

How many times have I been on this and never realized what it was Thanks for the pic! I hope it's just being refurbished too...

 

[thelionqueen]

The Haunted Mansion is BY FAR my favorite ride in Disney. I heard about the chair but had never seen it, and had never heard of it with so much detail than from OP.

Thanks for the post, and for letting us know the passing of this great chair...it will be missed

 

[CamColt]

Poor Donald Chair! I wonder what kind of accident it was? Something while they were cleaning it, maybe?

Maybe Mickey stole it to get back at Donald for starring in Philharmagic

LOL! thats what I was wondering...how can a chair have an accident?
I do hope it will be returned.

 

[LadyDulcinea1]

I knew something was missing when I road HM a few weeks ago!!

I took the Keys to the Kingdom tour and remembered our guide telling us about a hidden Donald in HM, and when I couldn't find it on my most recent trip I just figured I'd mistook where she said it was. Good to know I'm not crazy, but sad that the chair is gone! Here's hoping Donald makes a triumphant return very soon!!

 

[Keebles]

I hope the Donald chair is back in October!! I will truly miss it!!

Here's another hidden Donald in Adventureland:

 

[Valentine]

I just got back last week also and thought I had lost my mind for a moment when i rode the HM the first time.. I looked for the chair as i always do.. and then saw how dark that hallway area was.. it is usually much brighter.. and thought maybe a light was out so i just couldn't see the chair clearly.. soooooo off I went again to re-ride and see if I was crazy or not.. and Nope.. I am as sane as ever.. the chair was definitely gone.. replaced by a boring old red velvet chair... I overheard some other guest asking a CM at the end of the ride about the chair and what happened to it.. the CM responded that they didn't know.. that it was just gone.. that sometimes that happened.. that imagineering comes in sometimes and just removes stuff with no explanation. So.. who knows what the real story is... I hope it does make it's return... and um.. the other post above me.. I can't see the hidden donald.. I feel really stupid!! LOL!.. Can you point it out? Thanks!
Kathy

 

[Leota]

Valentine, we'll be stoopit together then, cuz I don't see it either.

 

[SueM in MN]

LOL! thats what I was wondering...how can a chair have an accident?
I do hope it will be returned.

Maybe someone sat on it?
That's what happened in 2000 to a Ming dynasty chair that was on loan to the Minneapolis Art Insitute.