Walt Disney World is home to the Haunted Mansion, a spooky attraction at the Magic Kingdom that features 999 happy haunts. Despite its creepy setting, the Haunted Mansion is more whimsical than frightening. But are there any “real” ghosts in Disney World? What are some of the best stories about haunted attractions and rides?
As told by Cast Members and guests, there are allegedly quite a few haunted locations in Disney World. Though we should all take these ghost tales with a grain of salt, they are a lot of fun.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Perhaps the most famous ghost story in Disney World is that of George at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The legend states that a construction worker named George passed away in the 1970s while the ride was being built. Since that time, unexplained phenomenon such as doors being left open, footsteps in empty hallways, tugs on clothing and more have been credited to George.
Cast members reportedly close the ride each night with a “Goodnight George” to avoid unexplained malfunctions the next day. Though Disney has never officially recognized George, his spooky legend makes this iconic ride just a bit more fun.
Haunted Mansion
Could we really call it the Haunted Mansion if it didn’t have at least one ghost story connected to it? These stories aren’t as popular or as well known as George at Pirates of the Caribbean, but they’re just as spooky.
According to Cast Members and guests, a couple different spirits have been seen at this attraction. One is that of a small boy, while the other is of an elderly gentleman with a cane. Specifics are lacking, but the rumor states that people have seen both spirits and heard the little boy crying. An especially spooky report claims to have seen the boy riding several cars in front of them even though they were the first riders of the day.
Maybe the “999 happy haunts” tagline needs to be updated?
Spaceship Earth
Epcot’s Spaceship Earth takes guests on a journey through time and the history of communication, but most wouldn’t expect to find any ghostly activity. Some may find all of the animatronics a bit spooky (OK, we’re not going to argue that one), but there are also reports of other creepy things at play on this ride.
The legends include the ghost of a boy and that of a blonde girl who allegedly reside near the ride. One report said that the two were seen playing before vanishing just outside the entrance to the ride. Another claimed to have seen the duo on the ride itself before disappearing.
Tom Sawyer Island
The ghost stories from Tom Sawyer Island aren’t too specific, but there have been claims of unexplained shadows seen around the Island.
Tom Sawyer Island does feel like a totally different world compared to the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom, which may partially explain why some report feeling “off” while walking to different parts of the Island. Still, we’d be spooked too if we ran across a shadow we couldn’t explain in one of the caves.
Tower of Terror
Like the Haunted Mansion, this one seems a bit too obvious. Why wouldn’t a ride centered on the paranormal have some paranormal activity of its own?
The legend states that a former Cast Member haunts the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, complete in old bellhop uniform. The story goes that he passed away while working at the Tower of Terror, and continues to haunt it to this day. Some have reported seeing him in the ride itself, while others have seen him wandering around the loading area.
Other reports have stated seeing ghostly figures and unexplained mist in the boiler room.
Roaming the Parks
Beyond the examples above, there are countless stories of unexplained figures, shadows, footsteps and other strange noises taking place around Disney World. From hallways at various resorts to the walkways around the parks, there’s too many locations to list separately where people believe they’ve seen something supernatural.
What Do You Think?
Do you think Disney World is haunted? Given its history and the continuing tradition of people trying to spread ashes around the parks, we’d be more surprised to learn there weren’t any spooky ghost stories.
