The Ghosts of Disneyland
The hauntings of the happiest place on earth
I’ll admit it: I love Disney.
I don’t like the corporation, per se, considering the brand has recently accumulated a tarnished reputation. Many people accompany this to the crazy monopolization that the company has partaken in, while others have blamed the blatant lack of care in recent additions to the brand.
While I agree with practically all the criticisms that Disney has been hit with, I have to acknowledge that the company has created some of the most iconic films, rides, and experiences of all time. And that’s what I love. The creativity, the love of art, and the beautiful attention to detail.
Even to this day, one of my favorite movies is The Nightmare Before Christmas. In my free time, I find myself watching theme park history videos, learning about the exciting time of the Disney Parks before I could experience them. (I actually really wish Pleasure Island was still a thing. That seemed funky fresh.)
In 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of creativity and magic. With this came new announcements of films, park expansions, and technology. People celebrated with new merchandising, from the classics like ears to more outrageous items like Disney-themed cars.
But beyond all this wonderful celebration, with park goers watching parades and fireworks, there was (and still is) something lurking in the shadows. And no, I’m not talking about the Haunted Mansion.
The Fakes
The best way to bring up ghosts in Disneyland is to mention two things:
The iconic ghost videos most people bring up have been confirmed fake.
The most popular ghost stories are in Disneyland. Florida gang, we are safe from the spooklicious. (Until I find WDW stories, then I will make a part two of this if I go viral to milk it, obviously.)
The debunked ghosts are, no surprise, the most famous. That includes Mr. One Way, the Haunted Mansion spirit, the Tower of Terror ghost, and the firework ghost. All of these, which can be seen in the video below, are what people think of when speaking of the ghosts that haunt Disneyland.
Unfortunately, though, none of these ghosts haunt the park. In fact, they were created for a viral marketing campaign. Christopher Cantwell, one of the team members behind the stunt, revealed it on his Twitter, which is sadly unavailable now.
OH AND ALSO INTERNET: We did these too. The famous Disneyland ghost videos. Yep, us. Stunt man dressed in white laid over clean footage and out through VFX overlays. Shot in the park overnight. I love that they live on. - @ifyoucantwell on Twitter. June 8, 2020.
So… yeah. These are all fake. Good fakes! But fake. Let’s move on.
The Uncertain
Another popular ghost around the park is named George. He’s known to haunt the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, causing chaos if he sees fit.
It’s said the George died while doing construction on the ride and has since haunted the area. Cast members claim they must greet George every morning and say goodbye every night. In being respectful, George typically leaves the ride alone.
If people are disrespectful, though, he will make the ride have issues.
Here’s the thing though: it’s hard to prove if this is a real ghost. For one, there isn’t any reports of construction workers ever dying on the site.
I’m sure if you were to ask a cast member about it, they would at least know of the myth, but it’s hard to say how many have experienced real activity with old George. I’m not saying there is or isn’t a ghost that haunts the ride, but there has to be something to the whole “Good morning, George” thing, right?
The Eye Witness Accounts
Within Disneyland, cast members and guests alike have told stories of their personal accounts with the ghosts that haunt the park.
People have said the Haunted Mansion, the basements of ToonTown, and even Disneyland Hotel are all active areas. One of the most haunted, it seems, is The Golden Horseshoe.
The restaurant, according to former Cast Members such as Alex the Historian, serves as a hotspot for paranormal activity.
The Blonde Girl
The “Blonde Girl” is one of the ghosts that haunt The Golden Horseshoe. She’s said to be playful, typically on the main stage running around and rustling curtains.
The most riveting story of this ghost comes from Alex the Historian. He explains that when he used to work there, he and a co-worker were having a conversation about the ghosts of the saloon. A little girl with her family then walked up to them and asked if the place was haunted, claiming she had seen a ghost. Telling her everything was fine, she went back to her family to enjoy the rest of her meal.
The thing is though, when the family left for the night, they were only leaving with a son. No daughter was in sight, which prompted the two workers to ask where she had gone. The parents, unsure of what they meant, simply explained that they didn’t have a daughter. Only a son.
Freddy
“Freddy” is the more chaotic ghost of The Golden Horseshoe. Legend has it that he was once an older Cast Member that ended up passing away from a heart attack. Similar to George, it’s hard to say if that’s true or not.
However, Alex the Historian’s story is quite fascinating. A cast member was said to have gotten locked in “Freddy’s Room,” and after begging to be let out, another Cast Member finally came to the rescue. When the woman came out, she had scratches on her face, and was visibly distressed.
Unnamed
Other Cast Members have given their own testimonies about the different locations. One said “The basement of Mickey’s house in ToonTown is not where you want to be alone.” In fact, a lot of people have claimed that ToonTown is pretty damn haunted.
Cast Members also claim that the most obvious location of all is full of ghosts: the Haunted Mansion. As ironic as that may sound, reports of a man with a cane, a crying boy, and even feeling as if you’re “not alone” are common rumors surrounding the ride.
But it’s not only the Haunted Mansion, there’s been stories about Soarin’, Space Mountain, and the previously named Splash Mountain. It seems like the park is popular for vacations with ghosts too.
Walt
Possibly one of the most famous cases of ghost sightings point to Walt Disney himself.
The story many people know is of the iconic lamp in Walt’s apartment. The lamp is regularly lit in honor of Walt, but by closing, it’s obviously out for the night. Some, though, have claimed that it will randomly light itself without intervention of any Cast Members. The myth says that after death in 1966, it kept turning itself back on, with many believing the lamp holds Walt’s spirit.
Buuut the lamp that is in the apartment now is actually replica, so I’m not sure about that one.
Cast Members also have reported a male voice speak to them on Main Street after closing. Nobody will be anywhere near them, yet one woman even claimed that the voice helped guide her back to her parked car.
Due to the voice being a friendly, male guide, some have speculated that it may be Walt helping these Cast Members.
Then, there’s stories like the one SFGate published:
“We saw a man standing just outside the castle, on the drawbridge. He smiled and waved,” she said, recognizing him as Walt. “He stayed for about 20 seconds then slowly disappeared. It was the second time the cast member friend [who had let her into the park after hours] had seen Walt at the park.”
And of course, there’s the reports of people smelling smoke in the places that Walt allegedly smoked at regularly.
With all that in mind, I don’t think it’s crazy to think that Walt would come visit his evergrowing park. After all, Walt himself said that Disney was never going to be finished, but rather constantly evolving.
If you’re itching for more, I highly suggest Alex the Historian’s video series about the ghosts of Disneyland. Not only is the topic fascinating, but Alex is an amazing storyteller and easily holds your attention.
If you’re looking for more in-depth trivia on the fake ghost videos Disney created, check out Offhand Disney’s video:
As always, I hope you enjoyed. I figured a more lighthearted post was in for today. :)
Walt was right: "Disney" is an ever evolving concept. But it means different things to different people, and that's where the trouble starts.