Justin McArthur, Disney’s Haunted Mansion

How do you describe your collection?

My collection is thorough and large. I collect Haunted Mansion items, both new and old, from opening year in 1969 all the way to the current year right now. So it’s pretty large, and it makes me happy. It’s spooky and just a perfect place for me to sit and enjoy and get in the Halloween spooky spirit anytime I need to.

I can’t stop buying things, which is definitely my problem. I have a whole Haunted Mansion room, and every week there’s usually one or two pieces that are arriving—there’s always something new being added.

I would say that I probably have 300 to 325 pieces in the collection, including theme park-used props–the actual full maid and butler full uniforms. I got those on eBay. I was used to seeing them sell for four or five grand a piece. I think I may have paid $1,000 each for them a couple of years ago.

When and why did you start your collection?

I am one of those people who loves maximalist things. I can’t just casually like something, I have to go all in. And if I really love something, I want to be surrounded by that thing as much and as often as possible.

My love for the Haunted Mansion dates back to my childhood, because I’ve always liked spooky and scary, and I love Disney. The Haunted Mansion combines those things.

I remember seeing a special on the Disney Channel around 1991 or ’92. We were very poor and couldn’t afford the Disney Channel, but during Christmas, they would offer a free trial. They were doing a Disney World special, and showed a behind-the-scenes look at the Haunted Mansion. Ever since then, I was just infatuated with the idea of the Haunted Mansion. It’s so special because not only can you watch the movies, listen to the music, and read the books—you can also experience it 360, which is kind of a unique thing about the attraction.

How do you display and store your collection?

I have gotten more serious about that in recent years.

I invested in some really nice IKEA shelves that have glass doors, so all my expensive items are behind glass doors, and I made sure to invest in lighting that was LED—specialized lighting that wouldn’t fade the products. So I make sure that the good stuff, the expensive stuff, is behind glass, and that those are mounted to the walls. That way, they can’t fall over, so they’re very protected.  And I have a whole entire room dedicated just to my Haunted Mansion collection. It stays out year-round, so I can come in here at any time and enjoy it.

There are aspects that I do pack away. For Halloween, I do a Haunted Mansion yard. I make wooden cutouts and add to it every year, so those have to get stored in my attic. And then I do a Haunted Mansion Christmas tree in the Haunted Mansion room, so I don’t leave that out year-round, so that gets taken down and put up every year. But I love doing it.

To track the collection, it’s a little archaic—but I keep Apple Notes in my iPhone that include what I pay for an item and the approximate value.

What do you consider to be the Holy Grail of your collection?

There’s always going to be something; the next thing—the next holy grail.

In the early 2000s, Disney created a line called Big Figs. They’re literally quite what the name indicates—they are big figures. They don’t make them anymore, but they did release a whole line of Haunted Mansion Big Figs. I’ve slowly collected all of them over the years. But there are three Big Figs that are pretty much every Haunted Mansion fan’s holy grail. It’s the three Hitchhiking Ghost Big Figs. They stand about five, four, and three feet tall, depending on the character. They light up. They’re just gorgeous. They can get very, very expensive. I vacationed at Disney World a few summers ago; we drove down. I checked Facebook Marketplace and saw someone had them for sale. We drove to the seller’s house and bought them. They were in my car for the rest of the vacation because we went to the beach for a week after that—they were in my car for like 12 days. I was so scared, because if somebody wrecked my car, it would have destroyed them.

In terms of a holy grail that I’ve been looking for, this is something I may never have, but always wanted. There are artists known as Kevin & Jody. They’re very famous in the Disney community. They work with Disney. They’ve done a lot of Imagineering things, and they make products as well. One year, they did a Hatbox Ghost figure under a cloche. They only made a handful of them—I think 10 or 15—but I would love to get that little figure for my collection. That would be a dream come true. It’s eluded me, unfortunately.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a Haunted Mansion collection?

At first, it can be a bit like drinking from a fire hose. There’s just so much to take in.

My best advice is to buy what you love. Pay attention to market price—look at sold listings on eBay to see how much things are selling for—and don’t overpay. And just remember that your Ghost Host, Justin, says if you’re meant to have something, it will find its way to you. So don’t overpay and hang tight for a good deal.

Prices for collectables fluctuate with things like the economy. Right now, it’s a buyer’s market. Things are going really cheap. But, in 2019 it was a seller’s market, and everything was outrageously expensive. Also, if there’s a new release coming out, such as a line of large dolls, for example, the older dolls that get discontinued will rise in value. There are trends.

See more of Justin’s collection on Instagram and connect with fellow Haunted Mansion enthusiasts on Facebook.

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