Walt Disney himself finally spoke about his haunting plans to the public in 1965, on a television program celebrating Disneyland's Tenth anniversary:

Walt Disney's death was grieved worldwide, as evidenced by this recording:

Paul Frees (the "Man of a Thousand Voices") gives an interview to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation later in his life, discussing some of the more popular roles he played throughout his career:

Listen to Paul Frees try an early script in the voice of the "Ghost Host." In this sample, the storyline and script, written by "X" Atencio, are close to being finalized, and many of the familiar aspects of the attraction are set in place:

Listen to "X" Atencio deliver an "exit spiel" which is played as guests exit the ride:

Eleanor Audley tries some lines as a "Ghost Hostess" preparing guests for their tour through her "sanctuary for the disembodied."

    

Audley was finally cast as "Madame Leota," the voice of the psychic trapped in her misty crystal ball. Here are some unused outtakes from her recording session (left), as well as a trial version of a reprise Leota may have made at the ride exit (right):

      

While Atencio was writing, he considered some additions to the script that never materialized, one of which was a talking mascot that would follow guests through the ride. Originally conceived as a cat, the role also took the form of a raven before being discarded almost completely (the raven still follows you through the ride today, but it simply squawks, and doesn't atempt to narrate.) Following is the voice of Atencio as he envisioned the role of the raven during a pivotal scene:

Listen to an alternate, unused version of the "foyer organ," which is the first thing you hear upon entering the attraction. The foyer organ provides the most straightforward version of Baker's theme, which is used throughout the entire ride:

Early versions of Baker's "Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song)." One of the samples (left) is an early test, containing neither the final vocal nor final instrumental tracks. The second (right) uses the final recorded vocals, but contains an instrumental track that was not used in the final attraction soundtrack:

      

Listen to a clip of a recording said to have been made for the Haunted Mansion's grand opening (and possibly this press preview) by Disney voice talent Peter Renoudet:

This clip is from the narration aboard the Mark Twain Steamboat in early '69, announcing the Mansion's imminent opening date:

This clip is likely an excerpt from Walt Disney World Information Radio, a service that was broadcast locally for patrons of the resort in the early 1970s. This particular vintage clip announces the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square:

This clip is a radio ad that was released in 1969 announcing the new attraction, inviting guests to visit the amazing new attraction. Paul Frees is the voice, reprising his role as the "Ghost Host":

Listen to the actual attraction sound effect of the Bride's heart beating...:

Listen to the supernatural wind blow through the Doom Buggy loading zone, an area of "boundless mist and decay":

Paul Frees, as the Ghost Host, makes this announcement to patrons waiting in line to board their Doom Buggy:

In 2001, a new "safety spiel" was added to the Doom Buggy soundtrack as part of a park-wide program of safety enhancements. The new recording sounds similar to the portion of Frees' narration that it replaces, although it adds a few specifics about "hands, arms, feet, and legs," as well as mentioning children:

Listen to the ghostly piano:

Meanwhile, as your Doom Buggy passes the piano parlor, you hear the Ghost Host describe the library and its priceless collection:

Listen to "X" Atencio as the trapped corpse attempting to escape the coffin with cries of "Let me outta here!":

The 13-Hour Grandfather Clock tolls:

Click the Photo To See Leota Tombs as Madame Leota, with a vocal track by Eleanor Audley (To play or stop video, right-click on the movie and select "rewind."):

Click the buttons below to hear isolated loops of (1) Madame Leota's eerie incantations, and (2) the seance background sound effects broadcast into the Doom Buggies:

    

Listen to the ghostly ballroom guests socialize as they disappear and rematerialize at will:

Listen to (1) the original ballroom organ track, and (2) an unused version of the Organist's crazed ballroom waltz as performed by Gaylor Carter, who performed all the organ tracks for the attraction:

    

Listen to the original Disneyland attic scene sound effects:

Listen to the new Disneyland attic soundtrack, with the bride's taunting "groomsmen" and the phantom pianist:

Listen to an isolated loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring an eerie woodwind—a flute track that was performed with the notes in reverse order. (1) is the original track, and (2) is the reversed track as it is heard on the attraction:

    

Listen to the all of the Graveyard Band tracks, isolated from the rest of the graveyard soundtracks:

Listen to the main background track from the graveyard, which lies underneath all of the area-specific sound effects:

Listen to the Phantom Five harmonize together (1), and as part of the entire graveyard soundtrack (2):

    

Listen to the mournful exit track, which echoes the ride's theme:

Listen to an early track by Paul Frees as the Ghost Host as he refers to the characters as "Hitchhiking Haunts," rather than the now-famous "Hitchhiking Ghosts":

Listen to another unused track by Paul Frees as the Ghost Host as he refers to the ghost seated next to you...:

Listen to Frees' as the Ghost Host as he delivers the final narration describing the Hitchhiking ghosts as it is used in the final soundtrack:

Listen to the "exit spiel" delivered to departing riders as they leave:

Leota Tombs as the Ghost Hostess, commonly referred to as "Little Leota." (To play or re-start video, right-click on the movie and select "rewind."):