How to Haunt Your View-Master

In the past when I've had large Halloween parties, I always liked to put things for party-goers to discover scattered throughout the shindig.  I never pointed them out to attendees.  Just sort of placed them randomly in small pockets of the house and/or backyard, for people to find and enjoy.

One item worth adding to that grab-bag of fun would be Ye Olde View-Master.
For adults who grew up with the stereoscopic toy, it's a trip down memory lane.  For those who never had the experience of holding a plastic viewfinder up to their faces to view 3D pictures--- it's a fun diversion while they're waiting for the bathroom or to get to the bar.  Though there haven't been any revolutions in ViewMaster technology, they've upgraded the basic viewfinder style and have even made a few holiday-themed versions including: a Halloween themed Pumpkin viewer which you can grab from Amazon HERE or from the links below.

But what to load it with?  After all, a View-Master sans discs (or "reels") is really just crappy binoculars that don't work.  Well there are  few options out there, but it requires some digging, eBay searching and knowing what to look for.

eBay

Most of the reels released currently for ViewMaster (or View-Master... with hyphen... seen it both ways) are for animated characters like Dora the Explorer and Spongebob, so to get some spooky classics you'll have to hit up estate/yard/garage sales, eBay and collector sites.

For Halloween specific discs, there's only one I can find.  A Disney Laugh 'N Learn Series called "Families, Seasons and Holidays" that has the Seven Dwarves holding a jack o' lantern on a stick on the cover.  According to the booklet, you get to see the Seven Dwarves "enjoying Halloween thrills."  Not sure what that means, but I hope it means seven tiny Halloween costumes.

eBay

As for other spooky offerings, you can always count on Disney's Haunted Mansion.   From the looks of the exterior of the reel (thanks eBay!) you get quick tour from the exterior plantation to the interior grand hall.  A fun little revisit that saves you the hassle of standing in that winding, winding, winding line.

Image from childrensrecordsandmore.blogspot.com

Looking for something a little more Universal Monsters-ey, you can count on the classics.  There are illustrated versions of Frankenstein and Dracula.  Cliffs Notes too long?  No time for the comic book version?  Go to ViewMaster.  That'll earn you at least a D minus.    

eBay

Lastly, our good friend Casper the Friendly Ghost has a few reels floating around the world from his self-titled reel to something called "Casper's Ghostland" which seems like Casper heads into a haunted house.
Hmmm... if a ghost goes into a haunted house, is that just a dinner party?  

What's sorely missing in the land of Halloween-themed ViewMaster reels is a Disney's Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 
That seems like a no-brainer as it was a Disney animated film and is based on public domain characters and story... but in my research I haven't found any such thing. 

So there you have it.  Maybe a fun collecting spree to go on this October?  Or if you've got a little one you want to introduce to the wonders of ViewMaster (what with the 3D craze and all) maybe Halloween is the time to do it.  Or... who are we kidding?... Maybe YOU just want pour yourself a glass of wine, sit in your favorite easy chair and pull that little lever that transports you to some far off place IN 3Deeeeeeeeeeeeee... without the ridiculous surcharge.