Iconic Hatbox Ghost materializes at Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion

Nov 30, 2023 in "Haunted Mansion"

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Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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Posted: Thursday November 30, 2023 8:18am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The highly anticipated Hatbox Ghost has been unveiled at the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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.

Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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.

Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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.

Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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.

Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion

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.

Imagineers greeting guests arriving to see the Hatbox Ghost on his debut at Magic Kingdom

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WorldExplorer24 days ago

Ditto.

HMF25 days ago

Probably not, which is why I don't see myself going back anytime soon.

WorldExplorer25 days ago

Is there a single thing done in Disney World nowadays that doesn't have to come with a "no no, I know it SOUNDS dumb, but you just have to squint and close your right eye, cover your ears, and read this stupid backstory we scribbled on a napkin..." pamphlet? And no part of this undoes ruining the endless hallway, but merchandising that part is hard so I guess it doesn't count.

HMF25 days ago

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that she has not been moved at all to my knowledge since her installation in 2007 while DL's had to be removed and re-installed every single year because of HMH, looking less and less convincing each time she was re-installed.

HMF25 days ago

As have I. https://vocal.media/wander/the-unnecessary-changes-to-walt-disney-world-s-haunted-mansion

HBG225 days ago

I wouldn't hold my breath. (1) WDW's Connie has always looked much better than DL's, (2) the new bride wasn't cheap, and installing the Pepper's effect was a pane in the glass, and (3) the reception of the new bride has been tepid at best.

PizzaPlanet25 days ago

Have there been any updates on WDW getting the updated bride?

𝐌𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝐖𝖊𝖇25 days ago

I'm of the opinion that they just shouldn't have done it at all. (If they couldn't do it right) Would rather he not exist in MK's Mansion. There's also no reason (other than $) why they couldn't have made a lighter weight and smaller footprint version.

HBG225 days ago

And if you ask me, they should have put in the Man in the Web instead of the HBG. That way, each US park would have a distinctive character with a similarly mysterious origin. Foxxy has been complaining about the Disneylandification of WDW for a long time, and in the case of the HM it's dead on target. Let WDW HM be WDW HM.

HBG225 days ago

HMF tipped me off that the HBG discussion was waking up again over here and suggested I stop by. So yeah, pretty much everything I wanted to say about the WDW HBG I've said at the Long-Forgotten blog, but the main issue that forced the placement where he is, is money. The thing is HEAVY and needs a sturdy place big enough for both the figure and a place behind him where they can scoot him in for repairs. At DL they beefed up the flooring, etc., on the attic porch and the gable behind him, which they could have done at WDW also, but the budget wouldn't allow for both the figure itself AND the substructure work, so the EH tableau was the only feasible alternative. Apparently the floor there was either sturdy enough or was more easily strengthened. The Imagineers weren't happy about the placement and went out of their way to give a "read" to the ghost that could be shoehorned into the 3-act play that is the HM. Muddy footprints pointing to and away from the door, lots of baggage, etc. = He's not part of the retirement community but a recent interloper (or party crasher, if you will) just now moving in, and therefore he avoided the curse or the cosmic sticky wicket, or whatever it is that has all the others stuck and in need of Leota's help.

Marc Davis FanOct 06, 2025

I find the HBG to clash aesthetically and emotionally with that part of the ride. As has been discussed previously, there was a carefully-crafted emotional buildup, without the ghosts fully visible until after Leota, which coincides with the tone becoming lighter (comedy being more heavily sprinkled in). And then the ghosts become even more visible - and the tone even lighter - in the graveyard. At Disneyland, HBG is a transition to the graveyard. Its placement by the Endless Hallway at WDW breaks (for me and many others) the emotional journey of the Haunted Mansion experience. A key point of Disney design philosophy is that seemingly small things can matter a lot. This idea should be particularly attended to when it comes to WDW's Haunted Mansion - one of Imagineering's crown jewels and often considered the definitive version of that attraction.

LittleBufordOct 06, 2025

I find him too cartoony and modern. I know he’s based on original designs, but he just doesn’t harmonise with the other figures.

UNCgolfOct 06, 2025

It's the endless hallway as a whole, though, not just a floating candelabra. It would have made more sense to replace the hallway entirely with him than have them right next to each other, although that would have been a huge mistake to me. I think that area of the ride was better without his presence. To be fair, I'm also not the biggest fan of the figure overall. It's way too bright and doesn't fit well with the rest of the attraction.

ToTBellHopOct 06, 2025

Same. He’s pretty cool. Inasmuch as he’s distracting, your glance is drawn away from a floating candelabra. That gag is already featured at the start of the ride.