These Mysterious Myths About Disney Parks Will Scare the Pants Off You

Flickr user Anna Fox

Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize! It's no surprise that the Haunted Mansion isn't the only haunted attraction ghosts are hanging out in at the Disney parks. There have been urban legends and myths being told among Disney fans about ghost encounters for years. But whether these are true or just pure imagination, it's certainly fun to see a darker side to Disney!

01

The Tale From the Tower of Terror

While loading a group of riders into the loading platform cast members call "Delta," a bellhop working the attraction had a heart attack. Ever since his death, cast members have been experiencing creepy happenings around the attraction. Some cast members reported that the lights were randomly turning off and the music fades in and out, and some have seen a shadowy human figure linger around the ride. Maybe this maintenance footage can confirm it.

Keep an eye out at 0:26. Did you see something appear behind the man? At 1:24 you can see something materialize and disappear on the left side. Malfunctioning camera? Or maybe some ghosts just wanted to enjoy the rides. They were people too, ya know!

02

Perils on the Pirates of the Caribbean

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust — yep, it's a thing! Many families have spread the ashes of their loved ones on popular rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion . . . because, I mean, who wouldn’t want to live their afterlife in a Disney park?! My personal afterlife goal is to be a part of the Haunted Mansion squad. Many people have requested to spread ashes of their loved ones throughout the park, but the answer still remains the same: NO.

According to CNN, a family requested to have some extra time on Haunted Mansion to have a little memorial for a 7-year-old boy. Cast members noticed they were sprinkling a powdery substance from their doom buggies and immediately shut down the ride to clean up the remains. Ever since that incident, cast members and guests have been experiencing chilling encounters with the ghost of a child.

03

Horrors at the Haunted Mansion

From every ghost story recounted by a cast member or a guest, the ghost always appears to be a little boy. Perhaps it’s the same boy whose ashes were spread throughout the ride.

This particular picture has been making its way through the Disney parks haunting rumor mill. The photographer claims there were no children in the ghost's supposed age range in line near him to get on the attraction. There was also no flash or visible light coming from the camera to make the boy's face glow.

Another Haunted Mansion story includes a cast member loading one of the stretch rooms by herself at night when she heard a child laughing. She assumed it was the next batch of guests coming to ride, but no one arrived. She saw something move at the corner of her eye multiple times, but there was nothing. She started to feel cold and felt someone put a hand on her shoulder . . . but no one was there! She ran out of the attraction screaming and requested to never work the Haunted Mansion.

There have also been multiple sightings from guests and cast members of a child playing in the ballroom scene and a child who appears to be crying at the exit and disappears.

Either the Haunted Mansion is really haunted or Disney’s just getting really, really good at its visual effects!

04

The Eerie Lamp at Walt Disney's Apartment

If you’re in Disneyland throughout the day and you pass by Walt's old apartment on top of the Fire House at the beginning of Main Street, you'll notice that the lamp in the window never goes out.

Disney legend has it that a custodial cast member was cleaning the apartment shortly after Walt’s death and turned off the lamp as she left. Once outside she noticed the light was back on. She returned to the apartment to turn it off, thinking she forgot to the first time, but once she went outside, it was back on. For the third time, she went back up to turn the lamp off, but this time, she didn't leave. She heard a clicking sound and watched the lamp turn on by itself! (I'm pretty sure the "clap on, clap off" and motion sensor light features didn’t exist at that time.) Of course as any normal person would do, she ran out of the park screaming. Since then, the lamp has been left on as a tribute to Walt.

05

Goosebumps at New Orleans Square

From this security footage you can see at 0:17 a ghost leisurely walking from the Haunted Mansion out into the rest of the park. Could it be Walt Disney? Or maybe it was one of the 999 ghosts heading out for its churro break?

06

Spooky Stuff at Space Mountain

A ghost by the name of Mr. One Way is a frequently told of in a ghost story. Guests and cast members who have encountered him say he's a friendly one. He’s been described as a large man with red hair and a red face. He'll supposedly ride next to single riders and disappear right before the ride ends. The next time you're riding by yourself, make sure to look next to you to see if Mr. One Way has graced you with his ghostly presence.

07

Tragedy at the Monorail

In 1966, a 19-year-old boy tried to sneak into Disneyland on a grad night. Security yelled at him to come down because it wasn’t safe, but the boy kept running down the tracks. He was struck by the Monorail and dragged 30 to 40 feet. Cast members today say that when they drive the Monorail late at night, they can see a young man running on the tracks in the spot where the boy was struck.

08

Paranormal Activity in the Innoventions

This story is a little darker. In 1974, when the Innoventions building was an attraction called America Sings, a cast member was caught between the revolving walls and died. Guests at the show were completely oblivious, as they thought the screaming they heard was a part of the show. Some cast members today can still feel her ghostly presence and hear a voice telling them to be careful.

The next time you’re in a Disney Park, you’ll have something fun . . . or, rather, creepy to talk about in line. Who knows . . . you might just have yourself a ghostly encounter!

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