Walt Disney created a theme park like no other. It wasn't just a collection of amusements; it was a complete, self-contained world that looked and felt entirely different than anywhere else on Earth. But sometimes, such singularity can be spooky. There are plenty of creepy things about Disneyland, not the least of which are the numerous deaths that have occurred since the park opened in 1955.
From ghosts on the Monorail track to real bones inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, are these Disneyland urban legends, or is the happiest place on Earth actually a Muon Trap, stuffed to capacity with the ghosts of former guests and employees? Hold on tight and take a gander at these creepy Disneyland stories!
The light is kept on in Walt Disney’s former apartment above the firehouse on Main Street for a reason. According to the legend, one night, an employee came in to dust and turned off the lights when she left. The light repeatedly turned on and off as she attempted to leave.
Some versions of this story claim that she heard a voice say, “Don’t forget, I am still here.”
Single rider? No problem! The ghost of Game of Thronesraider Tormund Giantsbane -or at least someone who looks like him - is said to sometimes sit next to riders. The apparition is described as a large man with reddish hair.
He’s supposedly the ghost of a deceased guest who died on the ride back in the '70s. He politely disappears before the end of the ride.
Disney's Imagineers used real human bones to construct the scallywag skeletons when the attraction first opened in 1967. The fake bones looked, well, fake, so Imagineers procured real ones from UCLA's medical school. Eventually, they were replaced with phony ones.
However, many believe that one or more skulls in the ride are still real.
The video is a bit shaky, but a security camera apparently caught a ghost casually strolling through Disneyland.
Many have dismissed it as monitor burn or a reflection, but many others believe it's a real ghost, possibly Javier Cruz. The cast member played Pluto and was killed in 2004 after falling in front of a parade float at Disneyland.
People Keep Scattering Human Remains Around the Park
Occasionally, people sneakily scatter the ashes of loved ones at Disneyland, including at the Pirates of the Caribbean, where in 2007, a woman was seen pouring a powdery substance into the waters. The Haunted Mansion is another site where visitors have honored their loved ones by leaving ashes behind.
In October 2018, Disney staff from both parks confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that not only do people scatter their ashes at the park, but the practice is so popular that the maintenance staff has a code for it: "HEPA Cleanup," which refers to an air filter system that picks up ultrafine dust particles.
"The Haunted Mansion probably has so much human ashes in it that it’s not even funny," one custodian told the publication.
A legend tells of a mysterious "Lady in White" in turn-of-the-century clothing who perished in the early 1900s on the land where Disneyland stands today. She allegedly walks Main Street, appearing in and near stores.
