Disney Television Animators “Re-Animate” Their Classic Characters

D23 has spent a lot of time at Disney Television Animation (TVA).

We were impressed by the vast amount of creativity they manage to fit under one roof,

. . . but that creativity was on display in rare form—and not in animated form but in “re-animated” form—at TVA’s in-house event, “Re-Animated: The Zombie Art Show.”

This gallery event took place at the TVA studio and was coordinated by Kimberley Mooney, a manager in TVA’s development department; Alexandra Rosenberg, assistant to Vice President, Creative, Mike Moon; and Director, Current Series, Jermaine Turner; who served as curators of the more than 70 works on display. Artists were told to “Zombify your favorite TVA character,” according to Mooney, who observes, “Monsters seem to really resonate with artists in general.” Mooney adds that this particular show saw a very high participation rate. Past TVA shows have included a food theme, a robot show, and one that invited “self-portraits.”

Zombify your favorite TVA character . . .

Senior Vice President Eric Coleman, who heads up TVA’s creative side, explained that art shows were intended to be a part of the TVA culture from the time the building was designed. He tells D23, “Two things always strike me every time we have our art show: the depth and variety of the talent of artists who are on specific shows, and also the creativity of folks who, day-to-day, have less creative positions.” Artists whose work has graced the TVA gallery walls have ranged from animators to business affairs and finance folk—everyone is encouraged to participate.

The show isn’t open to the public, but D23 was in attendance. Enjoy this collection of photos of these “re-animated” animated favorites, and the artists who brought them (back to) life!

Eric Coleman leads by example. “My piece is a photograph of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as zombies. I almost got killed taking the photo, since I was lying on my stomach in the middle of a dark street at midnight, but it was all worth it,” the studio’s creative leader assures us.

Phineas and Ferb‘s co-creator Dan Povenmire explains, “We had just been working on a big zombie-themed one-hour special in which all the zombies looked like Doofenshmirtz and they all say, ‘Lots of me.'” After the initial spark of inspiration for his illustration, Povenmire realized, “There weren’t enough Doofs in it, so I put more Doofenshmirtzes down at the bottom and I had them all coming to get me while I’m recording the voice.”

Tom Warburton, co-executive producer of The 7D, on his piece: “The first one I did was Doc—he was really fun. And then I started doing Happy, and as I was sketching them, my kids would come in and ask, ‘Hey, can I color this in?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know if I want you guys coloring entrails and stuff.’ But they were really excited!”

Actor Dana Synder, who has provided voices on Fish Hooks, was inspired by the Happiest Place on Earth. “My piece is a zombified Monstro from the Storybook Land Canal Boats at Disneyland.”

Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch’s illustration of his characters as “zombies rising from the dead,” was originally shown at Comic-Con, but, Hirsch tells us, “This art gallery was the perfect opportunity to dust off this piece and bring it back to life.”

The creator of TVA’s new series Star Vs. the Forces of Evil, Daron Nefcy, poses alongside a “Zombie Star” piece from one of her art directors, Josh Parpan. “I did Ghost Zombie Star, to be different,” she explained. “I had a lot of fun doing it.”

“Scrooge McZombie” was created by Jasmine Bocz, who works on the Mickey Mouse shorts.

The 7D art director, Frank Montagna, and directors Alfred Gimeno and Charles Visser bring to life a septet of hitchhiking dwarfs in “The 7Z.”

Jake and the Never Land Pirates‘ Rob LaDuca honors his first TVA series—which was also TVA’s first series—Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears, with his artistic rendering. He tells D23, “I thought that since the Gummi Bears basically started Disney Television Animation, I figured we should “dig up” Gruffy one last time for the 30th anniversary.

Woo-Hoo! D23 Celebrates Disney Television Animation’s Iconic Theme Songs

“They are the Gummi Bears!”

Try singing that without throwing your voice an octave higher on the word “bears.” Or say “DuckTales” and don’t think, “Woo-Hoo” after “Tales.” It’s just about impossible. And of course you know the answer to the questions “Who put the ‘glad’ in gladiator?” and “Who’s too cool for seventh grade?” Those questions were answered—musically—in the opening-credit songs for the animated series Hercules and Pepper Ann.

How about Kim Possible‘s “beep… beep… beep, beep”? Pretty catchy. You know how to start the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song playing—just say the magic words, “Meeska, Mooska Mickey Mouse!” And that’s not all you’ve learned: The Phineas and Ferb intro taught you exactly how many days are in summer vacation (104) and the theme song for The 7D—the most recent show we’ve talked about so far—teaches a new generation the names of the Seven Dwarfs.

We’re happy to admit that Disney Television Animation’s (TVA’s) theme songs are stuck in our heads, and with more than 70 shows throughout their 30-year history, they have tried just about everything. The series The Proud Family even has an intro sung by Destiny’s Child—featuring the world-renowned pop-star Beyonce. Yes, Beyonce. Who else could pull off getting Beyonce to sing a theme song for a kids show, but TVA?

It’s true, kids have it better these days; and to think that there are now several channels where kids can watch this kind of programming seven days a week is pretty amazing. With Disney Junior, Disney Channel, and Disney XD bringing it to them all day, every day, no longer do they have to wait for syndicated afternoons or one Disney morning a week—just one!—Saturday.

. . . kids have it better these days

Whether it was “Disney Afternoons,” “One Saturday Morning,” or the programming on Disney’s cable channels that got you hooked on these shows and their theme songs, it’s certainly worth noting how much they have become part of pop culture and our collective childhood nostalgia.

D23 is spending the week with the TVA staff and one of our stops included a visit to Jay Stutler’s office. Jay is vice president, Music, for TVA, and he’s worked with Disney since 2000 when he started out on the House of Mouse series and worked with Brian Setzer on that show’s memorable theme song. We pared down our hour-long conversation into this Q&A about what goes into creating the theme songs that will, no doubt, keep running through your head for years to come.

D23: What was your first big musical hit, working at TVA?
Jay Stutler: Kim Possible was the game changer. Radio Disney used to play Top 40 songs and things like “The Hamster Dance” and songs intended for kids. The Kim Possible theme song not only served the energy of the series but it was huge to get Christina Milian. She was an up-and-coming rising star and I think we just caught lightning in a bottle. What was great was that the song aired on Radio Disney for weeks prior to the show’s launch, so there was this internal buzz about the show and the connection to the song, so it was a huge success.

D23: How do you choose the artists who compose the music for the series theme songs?
JS: When we present these [song] ideas there is never a name attached, for a very specific reason. For example, if by any chance P!nk ever decides that she wants to write a theme song for a television cartoon, I would want her to do it but I would also need to show other ideas [to the TVA creative team]. So when we present ideas, we show “Song No. 1,” “Song No. 2,” “Song No. 3″… It’s all done anonymously until we collectively agree that, say, “Song No. 6” is the one we’re going to use. It’s a level playing field for everyone. Music managers respect that all of their clients have an equal opportunity here.

We have changed many lives

D23: Has your anonymous audition process led to a brand-new composer’s big break?
JS: We have changed many lives. Kevin Hendrickson and Loren Hoskins, who write all the music for Jake and the Never Land Pirates and who are Sharky and Bones on the series, always wrote music as a hobby but now that they are attached to this worldwide hit animated show, it has changed their lives. We are not looking for names. We are looking for the best idea, and the best idea will always win out. We are finding the next generation of talent.

D23: At what point in a show’s development do you start working on its music?
JS: We start working on the music the minute that a show is greenlit. We start on the main title first because the main title is so important to a series. It is a 30-to-60-second brand identifier. It captures the spirit, the tone, and the color of the show. We usually have that scoped out really early on, and it’s fun to see how you can build that up from there.

D23: You almost can’t think of Phineas and Ferb without hearing the theme song in your head. How did that song evolve?
JS: When Dan and Swampy originally pitched their theme song idea, it was this old vaudevillian song that skewed much younger but told the exact same story. It wasn’t of “today” and it felt like 1930, so all we did was take their exact same song and do a cover of it in the style of Bowling for Soup. We said, “What if Bowling for Soup did their own version of this?” and it immediately matched the show. Then we got Bowling for Soup to record it and once we put all those pieces into place, it just steamrolled into close to 400 songs for that series.

D23: How do you approach creating music for the shows that are based around Disney’s heritage characters, like The 7D?
JS: One of the things we wanted to do with The 7D was a roll call of the Seven Dwarfs so a new audience could learn their names. We also worked on character songs to roll out during the series that introduces each character with a new song. Kids can then associate a song with a character type and associate the different personality traits with the Dwarfs. We now have seven character songs, and each has its own vibe.

D23: Is it easier to create music for a show like Sofia the First, when there’s such a rich history of songs sung by and for Disney Princesses?
JS: We have to live side by side with the classic Disney Princess catalog, but we also have to blaze our own path because we are going to tell 150 stories, which means we are going to write 150 songs. We can’t just write the same type of songs. We have to write songs that can live side by side with those songs, but we can’t get boxed into a creative corner.

I grew up on The Brady Bunch and The Flintstones

D23: What television theme songs did you grow up listening to and how did they inspire you?
JS: The big one was probably The Brady Bunch. I grew up on The Brady Bunch and The Flintstones. Gosh, I guess you could go back to Land of the Lost, The Jetsons, and, even though it wasn’t much of a main title, Bugs Bunny. That short little 15-second musical interlude, when it came on TV on Saturday mornings, was very impactful. But the ones I remember singing with my friends on the bus were The Brady Bunch and The Flintstones.

With so many shows currently in development—some so exciting and top-secret we can’t even tell you about them yet!—and so many in production, we’re thoroughly impressed by how this guy keeps all his tracks synced up. As The Lion Guard‘s 2016 premiere draws closer, we’ll share more of our interview with Jay and tell you what goes into creating a theme song and score that will remind you exactly how you felt when you first saw The Lion King when it was released in theaters back in 1994. Stay tuned!

Watch a New Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron Teaser Trailer

When Tony Stark jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as they battle to save the planet from destruction at the hands of the villainous Ultron.

Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron hits U.S. theaters May 1, 2015.

Six Reasons Why Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved is the Coolest Disney Game Ever

Open your mind and get ready to let your imagination soar to new heights!

Disney Interactive just released the highly anticipated musical motion game Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved. Many D23 Members recently got a chance to test out the interactive experience, and we thought it’d be fun to list some of the coolest features of the brand-new game that made us instant fans.

Fantasia Inspiration
In the game, players link up with legendary and mystical sorcerer Yen Sid from the film to hone their musical and magical prowess as his new apprentice.

Conduct your favorite songs from world-renowned artists and classical masters . . .

Music to Everyone’s Ears
More than 30 hit artist selections are featured in Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved. Conduct your favorite songs from Bruno Mars, Queen, Mussorgsky, Fun., Kimbra, AVICII, as well as other world-renowned artists and classical masters, and use natural, gesture-based movements that’ll put you in complete command of your own musical journey. Using Kinect motion-controlled technology and natural, controller-free gameplay, you can direct the musical flow of these hits and the power to transform the music and living world.

Remix Power
Transform music via magical manipulators in real-time like never before, changing your favorite songs in intuitive and surprising new ways. The melodic possibilities are infinite!

Go Inside the Fantasia World
Explore breathtaking environments in the mythical realm of Fantasia with your motion–controlled “muse.” You can immerse yourself in environments like “The Haven” and you can interact with an enchanted printing press and more. Get ready to discover worlds filled with hidden musical interactions designed to engage and encourage you to unleash your creativity.

Share Your Brilliance
Once you’ve recorded your creation and are ready to release it to the universe, you can show your friends and family your re-imagined work on YouTube via Xbox One’s sharing technology.

Download Digitally for Bonus Features
By doing so, you’ll receive pop, rock, and dance mix packs for $3.99 each, which allow apprentices (aka you!) to create more remixes and further customize songs from the game’s core soundtrack. The Deluxe Digital Xbox One version of the game includes all of the mix packs, as well as 18 additional songs from popular artists like Demi Lovato, Coldplay, The Cure, OneRepublic, and more!

you’ll be transported to a breathtaking world where music and magic combine for an interactive, motion-controlled journey . . .

With Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved, you’ll be transported to a breathtaking world where music and magic combine for an interactive, motion-controlled journey through worlds of music and magic. The game is now available at retailers worldwide for Xbox One and Kinect for Xbox 360.

Back in the Day at TVA—Disney Celebrates 30 Years of Television Animation

Cast your eyes on the photo above and the bright happy faces of brand-new Disney employees—circa 1985. When this photo was taken for Disney’s employee newsletter, Newsreel, Disney Television Animation (TVA) was also brand new, having formed in 1984 to bring high-quality Disney animation to the small screen. The two charming gentlemen in the picture’s front row, Ed Wexler and Rob LaDuca, were there at TVA’s beginning for its first show, Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears, and are both still an integral part of the TVA family with their work on the current Disney Junior hits Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. D23 is thrilled that they took time out of their busy production schedules to talk with us about the early days at TVA and help kick off our celebration of TVA’s 30th Anniversary this November.

“We were in the first handful of TVA employees,” LaDuca says, remembering that Gummi Bears producer Art Vitello brought in a small group of people to work on the show, most of whom were old friends. Wexler was hired first, as key layout stylist, while LaDuca was soon brought on as a storyboard director. The staff was lean and mean, and Wexler remembers that, “We all just did whatever was needed. If we needed a new location, it would be a case of ‘Who’s not doing anything right now?’ We’d change hats.”

The TVA staff at the time was so small that, Wexler notes, “We all had a cup of coffee in the same room together every day.” When he had car trouble on the way to work, Wexler had to look no further for a ride than his then-boss, Senior Vice President of Production Tom Ruzicka.

Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears, which premiered in 1985, introduced new characters, but the animation and character art was influenced by classic Disney films. “The background design was [inspired by] Pinocchio,” LaDuca points out, “and Snow White. That kind of Bavarian, thick, old wood.” In the days before the Internet, research more often than not involved frequent visits to the Walt Disney Archives. “I always thought that was the coolest thing,” Wexler says, and LaDuca is quick to concur.

The quick success of Gummi Bears would lead LaDuca and Wexler also to go on to work on DuckTales, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. Both were excited to work with so many beloved, classic Disney characters. “Working on DuckTales was great,” LaDuca explains, because everybody loved Carl Barks’ comics. This was all stuff that we loved growing up.” Wexler concurs, “There was a look and something to emulate, something to shoot for.” And Wexler is quick to point out that they reached the high bar that was set at TVA, proudly stating, “What was cool about what we were doing was that the animation was better than what other studios were doing at the time.”

Both animators always considered it an honor to be entrusted with classic characters like Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and Chip ‘n’ Dale. “I would never stray from how they were established,” LaDuca says emphatically. “We push them to be a little more modern, but it brings up so many treasured memories of watching them as a kid and digesting the Art of Disney book.”

In their 30 years with TVA, Wexler and LaDuca have amassed countless stories, but each holds one memory closest to his heart. Wexler fondly recalls working with Disney Legend Robin Williams (Aladdin‘s Genie) on a series of interstitials for ABC, Great Minds Think 4 Themselves. “He would stray away from the script and do unusable material, and the more that he would do that, the more I would laugh and the less we would get done for a while,” Wexler remembers, adding, “It was great fun to work with him, to record with him for three days, and his involvement brought a shining bright light on these spots.”

LaDuca, who served as executive producer and director of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, treasures working with the late Wayne Allwine (who originally voiced Mickey Mouse for the series) and Russi Taylor (who is still the voice of Minnie Mouse), who were married. “Russi and Wayne were just so great to work with and they were just so cute, leaving and holding hands—Mickey and Minnie,” he says with a smile.

And like parents talking about their children, LaDuca and Wexler love all of the shows they’ve been involved with for different reasons, but both agree that they consider Tron to have been the most sophisticated. LaDuca explains, “It was a very complex show. I’m hoping it finds its audience one day because it really was beautiful.”

The commitment to high-quality animation and storytelling is still the goal at TVA, 30 years later, but there has been one significant change, according to LaDuca. “Production is faster. It used to be slower because it wasn’t as digital. It used to involve putting this box together of reference tapes and drawings and storyboards and copies of paper that would be shipped [overseas for animation].” He jokes, “There would be 10 people running around going crazy, Xerox machines burning out. People crying, ‘Oh my God, the machine died! We have to go to Kinko’s!’ Now I can just sit at my desk and watch the reels that were just made down the hall, and listen to the track of the actors that were just recorded.”

Wexler and LaDuca are both ecstatic to be working on Disney Junior’s Jake and the Never Land Pirates. “I always wanted to work with Captain Hook,” LaDuca confesses. Though they’ve worked with characters that run the gamut from Pooh and Piglet to Lilo and Stitch, each can name one that they’d still like to work with. For Wexler, it’s Dumbo. LaDuca’s wish list has Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore at the top. LaDuca points out that when TVA began, animation was generally relegated to a few hours on network television on Saturday mornings. “Currently there’s a lot of brand-new product because we now have multiple channels,” LaDuca notes, referring to Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD.

We’ll be sure to keep our TVs tuned in to see what the next 30 years have in store for TVA!

Get Set for Moana, Take a Sneak Peek at Feast, and More in News Briefs

Walt Disney Animation Setting Sail with Moana
Walt Disney Animation has embarked upon Moana, a sweeping CG-animated comedy-adventure about a spirited teenager on an impossible mission to fulfill her ancestors’ quest. The film, to be directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin), is slated to hit theaters in late 2016. Visit D23.com for more details.

Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
November 5
ASIFA and D23 Celebrate 30 Years of Disney Television Animation
November 8
Walt Disney Studios and Archives Tour
November 11
The Hunchback of Notre Dame VIP Experience
November 15
An Afternoon Under the Sea: Celebrating 25 Years of The Little Mermaid
November 22-23
Destination D: Attraction Rewind at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World
Fall 2014-2015
D23 Member Nights and Upcoming Events
Through January 4, 2015
Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
August 14-16, 2015
D23 Expo 2015 returns to Anaheim, California
Television
October 20
Kirby Buckets debuts on Disney XD at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Parks
September 1, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, and 28; and October 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 31
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties at Magic Kingdom Park
September 26, 30; October 3, 6, 8, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, and 31
Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Resort
November 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, and 30; and December 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties at Magic Kingdom Park
Studios
November 7
Big Hero 6 opens in theaters.
December 25
Into the Woods opens in theaters.
March 13, 2015
Cinderella opens in theaters.
June 19, 2015
Inside Out opens in theaters (along with the short Lava).

Walt Disney Animation Studios Releases a Sneak Peek at Feast
Feast, the short that will premiere in front of Big Hero 6 when it opens in theaters November 7, is the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share. The film, from first-time director Patrick Osborne (Paperman), is previewed in the video above.

Animal Planet’s America’s Cutest: Disney Side Howl-O-Ween Premieres This Week
D23 recently told you about the 101 lucky dogs that visited Magic Kingdom. Now you’ll see those dogs in action when Animal Planet’s America’s Cutest: Disney Side Howl-O-Ween special makes its debut Saturday, October 18, at 9 p.m. ET. The Disney Parks Blog shared the video above, which gives you a sneak peek at some of the darling Disney doggies that will be on parade in next week’s special.

Hiro and Baymax are Coming to Disney Parks This Fall
Two of the animated stars of the upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios release Big Hero 6 will be on hand at Disney Parks this fall to meet guests. Hiro and Baymax will greet Disneyland guests in a re-creation of Hiro’s robotics workshop near Tomorrowland’s Starcade, while at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, the pair will be found inside The Magic of Disney Animation attraction, in Hiro’s garage workshop. Specific dates have not been announced, but stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for updates.

Hasbro Previews Avengers: Age of Ultron Toys
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron opens in theaters May 1, 2015, but Hasbro has already unveiled some of the toys you’ll be able to purchase in advance of the film’s release. The Legends Infinite Series Line includes Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man Mark 43, plus more to be announced later. You’ll also be able to own the Avengers’ Quinjet and a Captain America Star Launch shield. For all of the details, visit Marvel.com.

Cars: Fast as Lightning Available for Smartphones and Tablets
Start your Nitro! Disney Interactive and Gameloft, a leading global publisher of digital and social games, are pleased to announce the release of Cars: Fast as Lightning, a new game inspired by Disney•Pixar’s Cars franchise. The game is available now for smartphones and tablets. To learn more, visit D23.com.

The Dapper Dans Take Travelers to New Heights
Walt Disney World Resort teamed up with Southwest Airlines to help the airline kick off non-stop flights from Dallas’ Love Field to Orlando International Airport by sending the world-famous Dapper Dans to make the inaugural flight more festive. Enjoy the video above and visit the Disney Parks Blog to see more of the fun.

RunDisney Announces Dates for 2015–16 Races
Runners, take your mark! RunDisney has announced the on-sale dates for each of its eight popular race weekends between May 2015 and May 2016. The kick-off event will be the Expedition Everest Challenge Weekend May 1–2, 2015 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, while the final event announced is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend presented by PANDORA jewelry May 5–8, 2016 at Disneyland Resort in California. You can begin to sign up for races on December 16, 2014, when registration opens for the Expedition Everest Challenge Weekend. Visit runDisney.com for updates and more information throughout the year.

Get a Sneak Peek of Feast

Feast, a new short from first-time director Patrick Osborne (head of animation for Paperman) and Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share.

Kirby Buckets Premieres Tonight on Disney XD

Disney XD is set to premiere Kirby Buckets, a new comedy series following the outrageous adventures of a young aspiring animator, tonight, Monday, October 20 (8 p.m., ET/PT). The single-camera series that mixes live-action and animation stars Jacob Bertrand as the title character.

Kirby is joined by his animated characters, each with their own vibrant personality that only he and viewers can see.

Kirby Buckets introduces viewers to the vivid imagination of charismatic 13-year-old Kirby Buckets, who dreams of becoming a famous animator like his idol, Mac MacCallister. With his two best friends, Fish and Eli, by his side, Kirby navigates his eccentric town of Forest Hills, a place where the trio usually find themselves trying to get out of a predicament before Kirby’s sister Dawn and her best friend, Belinda, catch them. Along the way, Kirby is joined by his animated characters, each with their own vibrant personality that only he and viewers can see.

ABC Family’s 16th Annual 13 Nights of Halloween to Begin Airing Sunday, October 19

October 17, 2014March 27, 2018

ABC Family brings the thrills and chills with 13 Nights of Halloween, a celebration filled with scares as you count down to Halloween. The popular programming event, now in its 16th year, starts Sunday, October 19th and concludes on Friday, October 31st. The fright fest features brand-new Halloween-themed episodes of Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy, an all-new Pretty Little Liars fan-appreciation special, plus the hilariously scary prank special Freak Out.

The stunt will also include the network television premieres of Dark Shadows and ParaNorman, along with a ghoulish mix of Halloween-themed programming.

See This Fan-Created LEGO Haunted Mansion and Other Disney Ideas for LEGO Sets

Last Halloween we featured D23 Member Matthew Heid and his stop-motion LEGO Haunted Mansion music video, in which he created scenes from the Magic Kingdom version of the attraction out of LEGOs.

His YouTube video caught the eye of Imagineers and he ended up celebrating Madame Leota’s birthday at the Disneyland Blue Bayou restaurant with Kim Irvine, art director for Disneyland and the daughter of Madame Leota.

Well, it seems like Matthew isn’t the only one interested in a LEGO version of the Haunted Mansion.

Several Haunted Mansion fans submitted proposals to LEGO Ideas

—a program that lets fans create their own LEGO sets, gather supporters, and if their idea gets picked, then it becomes a LEGO product sold around the world. It’s a pretty cool program and it is all based on votes from supporters.

In this version, conceived by a creator who goes by the name “NeverBrick,” you can see how he or she designed the set to open up and reveal some popular scenes from the attraction. On the LEGO Ideas proposal page, the fan has also proposed featuring a Hatbox Ghost LEGO figure to be added if the set is picked.

The Haunted Mansion fan has even re-created some of the memorable portraits from the attraction’s stretching room out of LEGOs. The Disney and LEGO fan created the project to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Disneyland attraction.

There is another Haunted Mansion project on the LEGO Ideas website that was created by “DisneyFan55” and is somewhat similar to NeverBrick’s version of the Disneyland attraction. This set has several add-on playsets that include popular scenes and additional characters from Haunted Mansion.

And if Haunted Mansion isn’t your thing, then you should check out what Disney and LEGO fans are creating for Frozen. This version of Elsa’s ice castle created by “Fohzen” is pretty fantastic and is well on its way to getting enough supporters and the chance to be reviewed by the LEGO Ideas team. There are quite a few other Frozen playsets on the site inspired by scenes from the movie and built out of LEGOs.

I guess it gives new meaning to “Do you want to build a snowman?”