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The Hatbox Ghost is a mysterious ghost in The Haunted Mansion.

History[]

Background[]

The Hatbox Ghost was a man of unknown identity, presumably during the 19th century. He is assumed to have been connected to serial-killer Constance Hatchaway who seduced and murdered men before stuffing their heads in hatboxes.

The Hatbox Ghost was seemingly murdered in a similar manner, and wound up becoming a ghost in the mansion which Constance had inherited from her fifth husband, George Hightower. As a ghost, the Hatbox Ghost was accompanied by various hatboxes on the balcony of the manor's attic.

Development history[]

Myths hatbox3.jpg

The original Hatbox Ghost figure

The Hatbox Ghost appeared in the original attraction, holding a hatbox and when the Bride's Heart would beat the head would disappear and reappear in the hatbox. The illusion worked by illuminating a head mould in the darkness of the ghost's cloak, then another head sculpt in the scrim of the hatbox ghost's hatbox. The design of the character is often thought to be inspired by horror actor Lon Chaney's character, "The Man in the Beaver Hat" from London After Midnight (1927).

The figure was removed after the ride opened in 1969. He was there for a couple of days because the technology didn't work as planned. However, this caused the character to become something of a Disneyland urban legend, while still featured in Haunted Mansion merchandise and promotional materials. One popular myth was that the character was removed due to the effect being so convincing, that it gave a journalist a heart-attack, killing them.

In the 2010s, director Guillermo del Toro (who is a large fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction) developed a Haunted Mansion film adaptation which would have prominently featured the Hatbox Ghost. This contributed to Disney, as part of Del Toro's plan, reintegrating a new functional figure of the Hatbox Ghost into the Haunted Mansion attraction in 2015 though Del Toro was removed from the film project. The Haunted Mansion film was released in 2023 with the Hatbox Ghost as its main antagonist played by controversial and often mocked actor Jared Leto, with said movie being received by commercial and critical failure.

Around the time of the Haunted Mansion's movie release, the Hatbox Ghost was announced to be added into the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion outside of the Endless Corridor, though this was met with some controversy as that part of the attraction's narrative traditionally is not supposed to have physical ghosts appearing yet. The figure was added in the November of 2023.

Appearances[]

Autopia[]

The Hatbox Ghost appears behind ASIMO and Bird as they go on a ghost tour of New Orleans.

Haunted Mansion[]

The Hatbox Ghost appears on the attic balcony of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion and originally appeared in the main attic section. In the Corridor of Doors, his face appears in multiple photographs, wearing different hats. In the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion, he hovers over guests in the ride photo taken in the portrait corridor. During Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Holiday, he still appears though is accompanied by Christmas hats and wears mistletoe in his top hat.

Gallery[]

References[]

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