A Ghostly Encounter

The Haunted Mansion is easily one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland.  It may not have quick turns or singing Disney animals, but it never ceases to amaze the senses at it surrounds each person with an aura of creepy mystery.  Every detail is well planned and well executed, and it provides so many puzzling tricks of the eye that I can't help but wonder how they create each and every ghostly creature.  The lighting is an especially wondrous element, for it is able to create dimensions and texture in a certain realm of hue and intensity without making everything look flat or washed out.  As I walked away from the Rivers of America Friday night, heading towards the great white structure, I noticed that even the exterior was treated to specific lighting that allowed it to glow under the night sky.  It softened the white wall treatment to create a more subtle contrast with the darkened surrounding trees, and the texture projections made the building shimmer the tiniest bit.  The lighting helped create a feeling of nervous anticipation the second someone laid an eye on the vicinity simply by adding a few lights.  Over this past quarter, I have found lighting to be one of the most powerful tools in crafting a space, and this was no exception.