Disney shares update on the Hatbox Ghost coming to Magic Kingdom, including his location in the ride

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Haunted Mansion Hatbox Ghost at Walt Disney World

Posted: Friday July 28, 2023 10:00am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has shared a few details about on the upcoming arrival of the Hatbox Ghost at the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

According to Disney, the Hatbox Ghost will appear to guests as they pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies as they set off deeper into the mansion.

Disney also says that guests will soon see temporary barriers materialize as we await his apparition - which is still "later this year."

Haunted Mansion Hatbox Ghost at Walt Disney World

The Haunted Mansion will close for a short refurbishment in August 2023 from August 7 through August 9, reopening to guests on August 10 2023. Disney says that the closure is a "routine refurbishment." It remains unclear if this closure will allow for the installation of the Hatbox Ghost.

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TouchdownMay 29, 2024

Do you want to know how it works? Because I’ve seen it not work properly at DL The head screen is very quickly lowered into the body and back up. I also believe the screen may constrict a little as well but I’m not sure on that. It’s hidden by the puff of smoke animation. The animation was not working properly one time I rode. Doesn’t really spoil the effect for me, just makes me appreciate it more

KittlesonaMay 29, 2024

I very much assumed this was how the heads work. Now I’m wondering why the effect isn’t more timed with the positioning of the doom buggies. The different practical effects of the mansion are fascinating!

yensidtlaw1969May 28, 2024

The only lenticular I can think of that featured inside one of the Mansions was this one from the wall that hid Disneyland's Hatbox Ghost install. Bats like the ones from the stanchions appeared to fly around inside the window as you rode by. Never quite understood what they were going for there, but it was a lenticular:

TeriofTerrorMay 28, 2024

I'll leave those to the Country Bears. 😉

MisterPenguinMay 28, 2024

Well, then, I stand corrected! Maybe it's the pearls....

RainbowFigmentumMay 28, 2024

In each of the photos with the husband, she gains a pearl to her necklace, as his head disappears.

MireilleMay 28, 2024

Is this a Liberace joke?

VicariousCorpseMay 28, 2024

It's actually a two layer scrim with lighting in front and behind. At 8:35 you can see the doom buggy stopped and the transformations continue looping. While Disney loves their lenticulars for promos and merchandise, they're even on the construction walls for the mansion at Disneyland, I don't think they've ever been used inside any mansion.

yensidtlaw1969May 28, 2024

The portraits aren't lenticular - if your Doombuggy gets stopped in the Attic the portraits will still continue changing. They're a modified version of the Changing Portrait Hall portraits.

MisterPenguinMay 28, 2024

The effect is positional. If you stayed still, there would be no transformations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_printing

VicariousCorpseMay 28, 2024

The timing is independent of the doombuggies. They just switch back and forth between the two with equal amount of time. It's just coincidence and timing of your riding.

HMFMay 27, 2024

Most likely, No.

KittlesonaMay 27, 2024

Slightly off topic, but am I the only person who seeing the headless portraits in reverse? By that I mean, EVERY one of them I see the man headless first and then he “regains” his head as I continue to view it. Surely it’s meant to be seen the other way right? So that we know they all lost their heads? My fixation on that each time I ride takes me out of the malevolence of the attic each time.