The highly anticipated Hatbox Ghost has been unveiled at the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
The Hatbox Ghost has set up residence near the Endless Hallway scene, which is in a different location from his counterpart in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attic. Watch below for on-ride POV video of the Hatbox Ghost. (4K YouTube)
The Hatbox Ghost emerges through a cobalt blue glass-paned door under the cloak of night. Traces of muddy footprints mark his path as he arranges his cart of hatboxes and luggage. Lit by the moon and the warm glow of a dim lantern, guests come face-to-face with the Hatbox Ghost, grimly grinning as he takes fiendish delight in unnerving visitors with his heady parlor trick.
Disney announced in September 2022 that the Hatbox Ghost would be coming to Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion, with fans waiting more than a year for his arrival.
The Hatbox Ghost was originally conceptualized as part of the Haunted Mansion attraction in Disneyland before it opened in 1969. Created by Disney Imagineers, including the legendary Yale Gracey and Harriet Burns, the character was meant to be one of the mansion's 999 happy haunts. The ghost was an elderly figure holding a cane in one hand and a hatbox in the other. The gimmick was that his head would vanish from atop his shoulders and reappear inside the hatbox.
The Hatbox Ghost was initially placed in the attic scene of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, just near the bride character. However, the illusion of the disappearing/reappearing head was only partially convincing due to the proximity of the animatronic to the ride vehicles and the ambient lighting in the area. As a result, the figure was removed shortly after the attraction's debut, becoming something of a legend among Disney enthusiasts.
As time passed, the legend of the Hatbox Ghost grew. While he was only briefly present at the attraction, early promotional materials featured the character, fueling the mystery surrounding him.
In 2015, after much speculation and fan anticipation, Disney announced that the Hatbox Ghost would return to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. Modern technological advances made it possible for the illusion of the disappearing head to be more convincingly executed. He was reintroduced to the attraction just in time for the Haunted Mansion's 60th anniversary, and he has been a fixture there ever since.
The addition of the Hatbox Ghost is likely the last piece in a series of upgrades at Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion, which have included an updated Madame Leota figure, the return of the mummy figure in the graveyard, updated load and unload belts, refreshed lighting in the stretch room, and the addition of the Candle Man figure in the attic. Find out more.
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