Happy Thursday Main Streeters!
If you’ve been following Michele’s adventures at the parks then you know the pumpkins are out on Main Street, and the decorations are amazing. That can only mean one thing…. FALL IS UPON US! When Fall hits the Kingdom, all the ghouls come out to play and the place you would definitely want to be caught dead at is the Haunted Mansion (see what I did there?)
We often talk about some of the more “famous” happy haunts that inhabit the mansion, I’m sure you can rattle their names off like Gus, Ezra, Phineas and Leota to name a few. Have you ever stopped to think about who it is that narrates your journey through the halls, rooms, and corridors of the Haunted Mansion? You meet him when you step into the foyer of the Mansion and he follows you into the Stretching Portrait Room, he’s just, shall we say, hanging out.
That eerie and creepy deep voice who greets you for your tour would be none other than the Ghost Host. Whether you realize it or not, you see him in what remains of his corruptible mortal state, all bones and tattered clothes swinging high above your head from the rafters of the mansions stretching room.
Often people mistake the hanging body in the mansion as that of Master Gracey, and there has been plenty of material put out there by Disney that would lead us to believe so. However, true Haunted Mansion fans know it is actually the depiction of the head man of the Mansion’ Skeleton Crew. The clue to his identity is in his speech so eloquently given in the Stretching Room, when he challenges guests of the mansion to find a way out. He says “There’s always MY way”, before we get to see the figure of a skeleton hanging up high as the lightning crashes.
Other ghostly appearances of the head man of the Mansion’s Skeleton Crew can be seen as you ride the Doombuggy past a piano being played by a shadow. That shadow would be none other than our friend, the Ghost Host. A portrait of the Ghost Host also hangs in the mansion, where if you pay close attention you can see that his eyes are two different colors. In past iterations of the ride at Walt Disney World, and currently in the Tokyo Mansion, his eyes would follow you are you rode past his portrait. Now his portrait at the WDW Mansion shows him holding a hatchet with two colored eyes a noose around his neck.
As morbid as his demise was, he makes light of the situation inviting all who ride through to join as there is always room for one more happy haunt in the Mansion. There are so many interesting stories associated to the ghosts who inhabit the Mansion, and recently Disney has released comic books and two short novels on stories that pertain to the mysteries of the mansion. If you are a fan of the ride, I highly recommend picking up the comics from Marvel, and the two short novels. They can be found at Memento Mori if you are visiting the parks, or on Amazon if you just can’t wait until your next trip.
Happy Hauntings Friends! Until next week.
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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