Disney shares update on the Hatbox Ghost coming to Magic Kingdom, including his location in the ride

By WDWMAGIC Staff · Friday July 28, 2023 10:00am ET · "Haunted Mansion"
Disney shares update on the Hatbox Ghost coming to Magic Kingdom, including his location in the ride
Haunted Mansion Hatbox Ghost at Walt Disney WorldHaunted Mansion Hatbox Ghost at Walt Disney World

Disney has shared a few details about on the upcoming arrival of the Hatbox Ghost at the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

According to Disney, the Hatbox Ghost will appear to guests as they pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies as they set off deeper into the mansion. 

Disney also says that guests will soon see temporary barriers materialize as we await his apparition - which is still "later this year."

The Haunted Mansion will close for a short refurbishment in August 2023 from August 7 through August 9, reopening to guests on August 10 2023. Disney says that the closure is a "routine refurbishment." It remains unclear if this closure will allow for the installation of the Hatbox Ghost.

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↩ replying to FigmentJedi
I don't know why the hell they changed the bell tower on the WDW Mansion, though. They basically quoted the whole building except for its most iconic part. That felt dumb - either make it the WDW house or don't. At least the DL house, despite its tweaks, was still clearly represented as itself with the exterior.
↩ replying to yensidtlaw1969
Bell tower?
↩ replying to Bocabear
Still nothing other than "later this year", but a couple new details.

"Later this year at the Walt Disney World Resort, one of our most iconic specters will set up residence in the Haunted Mansion of Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom Park. The Hatbox Ghost will appear to guests as they pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies as they set off deeper into the mansion. Guests will soon see temporary barriers materialize as we await his apparition."

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/07/new-ghoulishly-delightful-ways-to-celebrate-haunted-mansion-film-at-disney-parks/
They’re going to ruin the endless hallway… I shouldn’t be, but I’m once again surprised they managed to pick the worst option.
This is just wrong. The ghosts aren’t supposed to materialize until after the seance. It literally defeats the purpose of the storytelling lines in the show.

What the hell is wrong with imagineering lately?
I’m sorry?

Edit: Also am I reading it wrong or does it sound like he’ll be in multiple places? Not sure why they mentioned the cemetery.
Universal made more progress building an entirely new theme park in the year + that it has taken Disney to add an animatronic.
↩ replying to Horizonsfan
Definitely not. There was always supposed to be an effect there they could never get working. The knight charging and the air blowing on you. I think depending on how they do it, it’s the best option.
↩ replying to jpeden
People seem to forget the casket scene in the parlor. That is the first time you see a ghost and it happens well before the seance scene.
↩ replying to jpeden
I’ve never dove deep into the lore, but from the little knowledge I know Hatbox Ghost is a gray area, as he was able to leave the mansion unlike other ghosts. But I don’t know if the other ghosts could actually leave the mansion and just chose not to. Point is, he would’ve been materialized in the real world which would presumably break a lot of rules as well…
↩ replying to DisneyFanatic12
The “lore” of the ride is whatever you make it. Every adaptation has looked at it differently.
↩ replying to 999th Happy Haunt
It’s really weird… swinging wake should be the ball, but the article claims the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at Doom Buggies as they set off deeper in the mansion. Cemetery is after the mansion, swinging wake is not in the cemetery, and the endless hallway is not with any of the other mentioned places. My guess is whoever wrote it doesn’t understand the ride and just wrote their limited knowledge of what is in the ride. With that presumed, it will be where the knight is most likely…
↩ replying to Ryan120420
Technically not, the casket scene is a reanimated corpse rather then a ghost.
↩ replying to Ryan120420
This. Fans have made up the no ghost before Leota thing.