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Yale Gracey was a Disney Imagineer, engineer and the head of the special effects department of WED Enterprises.

Role in the Haunted Mansion's development[]

Yale Gracey was not (or seldomly) involved in the thematic development of the Mansion. He worked closely with the other Imagineers (most notably Marc Davis, Ken Anderson and Rolly Crump), being the special effects designer; his role was limited to rendering in reality the concepts thought up by the others.

A phenomenal engineer, Gracey invented several effects for the Haunted Mansion (such as the "Leota Effect"), while also reusing many 19th century magic tricks, improved and enlarged (such as "Pepper's Ghost").

Tributes[]

  • Like many imagineers, Yale Gracey received a tribute in the Family Graveyard that surrounds the entrance of the Mansion. His name appears on a tombstone as Master Gracey (which alludes to his being a "master" of special effects, although the term refers, in-universe, to a nobleman of young age, and has nothing to do with mastery of any kind). The epitaph is "Master Gracey, laid to rest/No mourning please, at his request.". 
    • Due to association of the "Master Gracey" tombstone with the concept of a "Master of the Mansion", the tribute was turned into a character which became a staple of the Haunted Mansion mythos. 
      • The Haunted Mansion is often semi-officially and unofficially named Gracey Manor. Walt Disney World even had a sign identifying it as a cannon name of the location
      • The family which owned the mansion in life is often referred to as the Gracey family with Gracey being used as a common surname in the Haunted mansion mythos. 
      • Master Gracey has been used as a character in media such as: the Ghost Gallery, the SLG comics and the 2003 film
  • In the Ghost Gallery which is largely responsible for the Master Gracey character, Master Gracey attended Yale University as an allusion to his namesake.
  • The Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen in the Magic Kingdom has a book called Tales of the Supernatural written by one, Gracey.
  • A 2015, "Attractionistas" doll themed around the Haunted Mansion was named Gracey.
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