Disney's The Haunted Mansion attraction at the Disney parks around the world is full of surprises. The original 1969 Disneyland version in California contains an effect that once featured prominently but now clings to life in the Graveyard. It's a Rocket Skull, a "Blast-Up" feature based on a simple trick used in spook house rides and amusement parks for decades. The skulls are attached to thin wires and are sent flying up with a blast of air. In Disneyland, two Rocket Skulls were in the Attic Scene for decades. They were removed when Disney started tinkering with the bride storyline. One survivor Skull still exists near the tea party scene in the Graveyard.
I'm not sure if the Rocket Skulls air blast effect was used in any other Haunted Mansion besides the one in California. The Skulls themselves are used in the Great Hall scene in all the Mansions, where they float out of the massive pipe organ (and are a Pepper's Ghost effect like the other spirits in that scene).
This Blast-Up Rocket Skull is made from rocks and shells I found on the beaches in Venice, Florida. This is my third Haunted Mansion character made out of sea junk (I've also made a Pop Up Ghost and a Gargoyle).
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