The humorous tombstones out front of the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World (“Dear departed uncle Dave, he chased a bear into its cave”) celebrate the imagineering team that designed and built the ride. One notably absent memorial is that of Leota Toombs, the costume designer who got press-ganged into sitting for the film-loops and voiceovers of Madame Leota (the head in the seance-room’s crystal ball) and Little Leota (the tiny woman at the ride’s end who urges departing riders to “Hurry back, hurry back, be sure to bring a death certificate”). Now, Disney’s put that to rights, with a new, animated tombstone whence Leota’s face emerges, eyes springing open, looking ’round. Here are some lovely photos, including the new epitaph, “Dear sweet Leota, loved by all, in regions beyond now, but having a ball.”
(The site’s bandwidth cap keeps getting exceeded, so I’ve mirrored the images here)
(Thanks, Chef!)