For a string of popular theme parks that center around family fun, Disney has a bit of a dark record when it comes to ghost sightings. Whether they are elaborate hoaxes, tricks of the light, or something entirely supernatural is up to you to decide, but during this season of spooks and scares, there’s no better time to compile some of the most notorious ghosts said to haunt the Disney theme parks. So, boys and girls of every age, would you like to see something strange?
1. George
If you’ve ever been on the Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World, you’re probably familiar with the somewhat creepy atmosphere the ride gives off. Taking place on a boat ride in the dark, Pirates of the Caribbean is a frightening adventure, haunted or not. Because of this, a bit of an urban legend has developed and captured the imaginations of ghosthunters everywhere.
This legend, of course, is about George. As the legend goes, an employee died during the construction of the ride, and his spirit still lingers to this day. Apparently, this ghost (dubbed ‘George’) has a bit of a bad temper. By stating you don’t believe George exists while on one of the boats, the ride is more prone to breaking down.
Additionally, some employees believe that saying “good night” and “good morning” to the resident spirit acts as a sort of good luck charm to breeze through a day of operation without incident. Whether George himself is fact or fiction, no one can be sure. However, the creepy history of Pirates of the Caribbean doesn’t end there–in fact, some of the bones utilized in several scenes were not oddly realistic fakes, but real bones donated to the park from a nearby medical facility. Over time, the real bones were swapped for fake ones, but at one point in time riders of Pirates would be looking directly at real human bones!
2. Mr. One Way
If you’re already a fan of Disneyland ghost stories, you’re likely already familiar with the solo specter known as Mr. One Way. As the resident ghost of Space Mountain, Mr. One Way is known for accompanying single riders as they board their car. He is often described as a tall man with ginger hair and a red-tinted face. Though he may board the car alongside an individual rider, by the time the car returns to the unloading station, there will be no such passenger in any of the seats.
According to some stories about this mysterious disappearing man, Mr. One Way will interact with guests in the queue line and those seated beside him. He has been described as “odd” in his interactions, as if he is unfamiliar with any recent updates to Disneyland. Many believe Mr. One Way is a spirit who died on the ride sometime during the 70s, but since Space Mountain’s 1977 opening, only a handful of deaths have occurred–and all of them have been due to pre-existing conditions of the riders. Additionally, none of the recorded deaths match the description of Mr. One Way. Despite this, the lonely rider remains one of the most beloved Disneyland spirits.
3. Monorail Man
Unlike Mr. One Way, the story behind the notorious Monorail Man has some historical substance backing it up. In 1966, a 19 year-old man named Thomas Guy Cleaveland was struck by a monorail late one night after climbing onto the track in an attempt to sneak into the park.
He reportedly ignored both verbal and written warnings and was killed on impact after the monorail struck and dragged him over 30 feet along the track. Some people report seeing the shape of a man running along the monorail track in the middle of the night, only to vanish entirely when a train approaches.
Read on if you dare to hear about more notorious ghosts said to haunt the Disney theme parks…
4. Debbie Stone
Similarly, to the story above, there’s some tragic truth to the story of the resident ghoul haunting the former site of the America Sings attraction in Disneyland. Nine days after the attraction’s opening, an eighteen-year-old employee named Debbie Stone was crushed to death between a rotating wall as the stage was being reset.
She unfortunately passed away due to her injuries before other employees could reach her. After this incident, breakaway walls were installed to prevent any potential future injuries from occurring in a similar manner. Since then, other Disneyland employees have reported hearing a woman’s voice telling them to watch out if they stand too near the rotating wall. In a way, this story has somewhat of a bittersweet ending–the idea that Debbie remains on site as some sort of guardian, looking after those who came after is a comforting thought to many Disney employees.
5. Main Street Firehouse
Finishing off the section dedicated to Disneyland is a fitting tale that the ghost of Walt Disney himself remains in the park to this day, spending his eternity inside the walls of his own beloved creation. If you’re familiar with Disneyland secrets, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Walt’s hidden apartment atop the firehouse on Main Street. Some days, Walt would visit the park and stay inside this building to get work done. Employees would always know Walt was visiting when the lamp near the window was turned on.
After Walt’s death, several employees reported that turning the light off in the firehouse would seemingly upset the spirit of Walt himself. After leaving the building, employees noticed the lamp was left on, would return inside to turn it off, leave again, and realize that once again the light was on upstairs. One employee allegedly even unplugged the lamp and returned later to find it on. When she returned again to turn it off, she heard a man’s voice telling her “I’m still here”. Since then, the light has remained on permanently as a tribute to the beloved park’s creator always having a presence in the park.
These spooky tales of ghosts haunting the Disney parks are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat during your next vacation. Whether you choose to believe them or not is entirely up to you, but one thing is certain–we’ve only scratched the surface of creepy ghost stories! There are dozens more to share and discover, and we’d love to hear your most unsettling Disney parks experiences. Next time you visit one of the parks, keep an eye out for anything bizarre or supernatural… and say good morning to George for me!
