Days of speculation, fan debate, and breathless media coverage have come to an end, and Walt Disney World Resort's official explanation for the hanging corpse missing from the Haunted Mansion is not what most people were expecting.
The Mystery That Gripped Haunted Mansion Fans
It started on Friday, July 24, when guests visiting the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park began reporting that the hanging corpse had vanished from at least one of the attraction's two stretching rooms.
For those unfamiliar with the pre-show, the moment in question comes near the end of the stretching room sequence: the Ghost Host declares that the chamber has no windows and no doors, adds ominously that “there's always my way,” the lights go out, a scream rings out, and a doll hanging on a noose descends from the ceiling above. It's one of the most iconic moments in any Disney Park attraction, but for some guests, it's also one of the most upsetting, prompting calls for removal on cultural-sensitivity grounds.
When the figure didn't appear in at least one room last Friday, the Disney Parks community connected the dots quickly — or so they thought. With the Haunted Mansion undergoing an ongoing exterior refurbishment and Disney's recent track record of updating its older attractions, many fans concluded that Walt Disney World Resort had quietly begun phasing out the suicide reference from the pre-show. The fact that the effect continued in at least one other room only deepened the mystery and the debate.
What Disney Had to Say
WDWNT visited the Haunted Mansion on July 27 and confirmed that the hanging corpse had returned to the previously affected stretching room. Walt Disney World Resort provided the outlet with an official statement explaining what actually happened: the figure had been in place the entire time, but a buildup of dirt and grime on the scrim that conceals the doll during most of the stretching room sequence had rendered it effectively invisible to guests.
The scrim has been cleaned. The hanging corpse is visible again. The controversy, it turns out, was a maintenance issue.
Whether Walt Disney World Resort will ever deliberately retire the figure remains an open question. For now, the Ghost Host's darkest punchline is staying exactly where it has always been.
Have you noticed any other changes around Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, or Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
