New Phantom Manor Photo Location in Disneyland Paris – What Is It and Do We Want More?

You may or may not know, but Phantom Manor is currently closed for refurbishment, one that will see some of the original Vincent Price audio come back, reveal the identity of the Phantom and presumably a lot more. So for now, you can’t experience Phantom Manor. However, from June 18th, you have a rather unique photo opportunity that will see you walk away with a very special souvenir. Here’s the official text from Disneyland Paris:

Ghosts have been seen escaping from the Ravenswood Manor. James Collins Esq. the Thunder Mesa photographer, whose studio is located above Bonanza Outfitters, has set up a mobile studio to try to capture images of these phenomena for the weekly journal “The Mysterious Chronicle” with his innovative “Spectral Camera”. While he’s away, the playful ghosts keep taking their own photos with his camera equipment and printing copies of the newspaper!

Obtain your personalised copy of « The Mysterious Chronicle » from June 18 2018.

Launching price: 12€.
Launching price for valid PhotoPass+ holder: 6€ (including an additional digital version).

That’s great Steve, but what is this Mysterious Chronicle and what does it look like. Funny you should mention that, because there is also an accompanying image:

There’s a nice space to the left of the Phantom there for you, or I for that matter, to feature on the front page of our very own issue of The Mysterious Chronicle. With the Manor behind, and ghosts floating around, in the style of a newspaper, it’s really very different to all the other photo locations in Disneyland Paris. Full credit to Le Parcorama for noticing the cost of the newspaper and it’s significance: Price Five Cents which seems to allude to Vincent Price, the legend behind the audio that was there when Phantom Manor opened, and will be back again when it reopens, after being taken away some years ago. At the bottom it refers to page 13, so it remains to be seen whether it’s just a photo, or a multiple page publication. I think the former, but you never know, and the official text does say that you get a copy of the newspaper.

There are some discussions on social media that maybe there shouldn’t be a cost for just a digital version if you an PhotoPass+, which in theory is supposed to include all photo opportunities in the price. I can see that and yes I agree, but we don’t actually know that’s not the case. What we do know is that you’ll get a physical photo AND a digital version for that €6 cost, so maybe a free digital only version will be available on launch. As a PhotoPass+ holder I know I’d want the printed off version as that is one photo I want on display at home.

The actual photo booth is already in Frontierland, as can be seen in this photo taken earlier today by ED92:

I do love this idea, and hope it stays even when Phantom Manor opens, which I think it will given the obvious investment and how much it will appeal to guests. the qurstion is, should there be more of these. I don’t mean hundreds as there wouldn’t be room and too many would dilute the novelty. But maybe one per land would be manageable. A pirate themed one in Adventureland, a 1920s themed Main Street photo which maybe could include Mary Poppins. Over in Disoveryalnd I’m a bit torn, as it already has 3 photo opportunities in Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, Space Mountain and the Darth Vader meet and greet, so maybe we don’t need one in every land. Fantasyland lacks space, but also has no photo locations apart from Meet Mickey Mouse. Maybe they could have one there with a choice of photo themes? Or does it then become a little tacky and more something you’d expect to see on a pier by the sea. Maybe less is more in the case. What do you think, do we need more, and where would they be?

Whether this ends up being the only photo opportunity of its kind in Disneyland Paris, Spirit Photography (great name) will be a welcome addition to Frontierland, and one that I hope to take advantage of at some point.