83: Ghosts of Disney
Gina (00:10)
Welcome to I Scream You Scream your weekly scoop of the most chilling histories, mysteries, and paranormal perplexities. My name's Gina.
Kathryn (00:19)
And I'm Kathryn
Gina (00:21)
And this month we're talking about amusement parks while we enjoy some churro ice cream. You know what I've been thinking about? So much? How much I love money. So much. The answer is infinite. Infinite money is what I love. And the cool thing about it is that it can propagate, it can procreate, it can multiply itself and have lots of money, babies, if you invest it and let it grow for you. If you're not sure how to do that, today's sponsor, Clobe Money Coach, is the
Kathryn (00:38)
Yeah.
Gina (00:49)
perfect person to help you learn. If you want to start investing but you're not sure how to get started, visit getlazynow.com. In the meantime, grab a spoon and let's dig in.
Kathryn (01:00)
I'm still eating the same thing, but I finally finished my whiskey ice cream. So maybe I'll have actual churro ice cream next time.
Gina (01:07)
Ha ha
I think we came with some extra goodies today, did we not?
Kathryn (01:11)
Mm-hmm.
I also have a whiskey and ginger ale. What's your extra goodie?
Gina (01:14)
Ooh, great choice.
My extra goody is a glass of wine from a bottle that I found downstairs.
Kathryn (01:21)
Sweep the ginger ale is flat. We're doing so good.
Gina (01:23)
This is dessert wine, said
So this is all going as planned.
Kathryn (01:29)
It's going great. Should
we tell them that the reason we're drinking is because we were talking about AI before hopping in and we had to lift our spirits?
Gina (01:35)
Yeah. Yeah. Literally lift our spirits.
Ha ha ha ha spirit. It's a ghost joke and a liquor joke.
Kathryn (01:41)
Cheers.
I am drinking out of my Halloween glasses that I forgot to put in storage last year. So they're just permanent now.
Gina (01:51)
I'm drinking out of one of the two remaining wine glasses we have after Tom destroyed everything glass in this. I'm just kidding. He broke one wine glass earlier this week.
Kathryn (02:01)
My mom
got me this really cute set of wine glasses when I moved to Chicago. And like throughout the years of living in Chicago, just gradually by the time I left Chicago, I had no more set of cute wine glasses. It just like one by one. And then that's when it was time to leave.
Gina (02:11)
Mm.
Ha ha ha
That's how you know.
how was your trip to Maine?
Kathryn (02:22)
It was so good. It was for a friend's wedding, and it was a most adorable wedding. I I had so much fun. It was so them and so sweet. Their vows were just the best. They were so good. It was such a good trip.
but the she they didn't do any of like the big extra stuff. It was just night of wedding, so we had a lot of extra time to kill. So we we made it a little coastal main road trip. stopped by Stephen King's house. That was fun. We were in Bangor for like 20 minutes. We stopped by Stephen King's house, we stopped by the Paul Bunyan statue. It was great. It was a great little pit stop. food was wonderful.
Gina (02:44)
Nice.
Holy shit.
Kathryn (03:02)
I'm not a seafood person. but I am in Maine. I'll eat a Maine lobster. yeah, we were on a little lobster boat. The one bad thing that happened on this trip, bucket list item, whale watching. I'm dying to go. We were going to go, but it got canceled because of weather. There was like a yeah, the water where we would need to go was just too dangerous. So there was like a weather warning.
Gina (03:08)
yeah, nice.
no.
Kathryn (03:28)
But we ended up going on this lobster tour where they taught us all about lobsters and lobster fishing. I did get a little seasick, but that's okay. I had a good time, learned a lot. I got to pet a lobster. Super cute. On the boat we were on, they had a what did she call it? It was like an educ different type of lobster boat licenses. Theirs was like an educational license. As such, they throw back everything they catch.
Gina (03:41)
Mm.
Mm.
Kathryn (03:57)
Because it's only caught to like teach people about lobster fishing. so I felt good about that, that you know, I wasn't actually gonna like consume any of the little guys that I was hanging out with. So that made me feel good about it. one thing I learned that I wanted to tell you, and I keep forgetting to tell you, and I just remembered in this moment, did you know that lobsters have a nerve on their back that if you stroke it, it puts them in like
Basically a trance like relaxing state. Isn't that sweet? So I was like, I was pet yeah, she was telling us about because I didn't, you were allowed to hold them, and I was like, I'm not really into that. I don't want to hold a lobster, but I will like touch it. I wanted to pet it. So she told me about the nerve and I was stroking its head, and you could literally see the little eyes like relax.
Gina (04:26)
Really? I l I did not know that. I love that.
Mm-hmm.
that makes me really happy.
Kathryn (04:51)
Isn't that so sweet?
Best part was I already had a Bite of Phil's lobster roll at that point. So I didn't have to worry about that ruining any of my meals. Yeah. Let me be very clear. I would never order and consume an entire lobster roll. I am a texture person. Everyone stop trying to get me a try-seafood. I do quarterly. I give it a shot.
Gina (05:03)
Excited that you seem to have enjoyed the lobster roll.
Kathryn (05:20)
As often as I can. The thing is, I live in the Midwest. Nobody should be like on a mission to like the seafood here. It has been frozen for far too long for it to be delectable. Main lobster though, highly recommend. It was very good. Even Phil, who is a big lobster and seafood person, he took a bite of the first lobster roll that he had on the trip and literally goes, huh. So that's what that's supposed to taste like. I was like, yeah, dude, Midwest sucks.
Culinarily speaking. Yeah. So good.
Gina (05:52)
that's so funny.
did you see Stephen King? Or just his house?
Kathryn (05:57)
No. So Stephen King doesn't live full time at that house anymore. He hasn't for years. He lives in Florida, I think, full time. So it's just his house.
Gina (06:05)
Okay.
Kathryn (06:07)
it's always been on my bucket list to go see the house because it is very spooky. Like when I was telling people that I was gonna go see the house, they were like, What? So it's just a house? I'm like, no, you don't understand. It's got like the spooky, like, spider web gate, and it's very like, you can tell which house on the block is Stephen King's. It's very cool. I've always wanted to go. That was one of the best parts of the trip.
Gina (06:18)
Ha ha ha.
Ha ha
Kathryn (06:28)
yeah, the only other thing we did get some ghost stories from people.
I'm gonna do a little Patreon situation for that though. So join us over on Patreon. I think I'm gonna make that my mini scoop because it was fun. But just as a quick recommendation, I had a weird little experience at a bar in Bar Harbor, which caveat, this was the last night of our trip. So, like maybe I was just tired and going crazy. But I'll tell that story on Patreon. It's real quick. But we went to the bar we were at was, I think I told you about it.
Gina (06:34)
Ooh, okay.
Sweet.
Kathryn (07:01)
about it. It's called Leary's Landing Irish Pub. And again, it's in Bar Harbor. And it is what is it, what is their claim to fame? It is the closest Irish pub in America to Ireland.
Gina (07:17)
tell you what,
the audience on this side of the pond is gonna love that fact. That is so funny.
Kathryn (07:20)
Isn't that so much fun? I thought that was so cute.
And I'm honestly like, I'm gonna buy some land in Bar Harbor like a mile north or and like make it the actual closest. No, I would get run out of town. But yeah, it's like, and it was really cool. They had like a count a digital scoreboard countdown to St. Patrick's Day. It was just, I don't know, it was a lot of fun. It was, it was good vibes. It was a cool bar.
Gina (07:30)
Ha ha.
Kathryn (07:45)
and then in Portland, highly recommend Andy's old port pub right down on the harbor. It's kind of tucked away. It's the bartenders were so nice. And Phil, my little podcast assistant, dutifully asked about the ghosts, because I never do.
Gina (07:52)
Mm.
Kathryn (08:05)
And the first bartender was like, they're just legends, blah, blah, blah. But the second one, she was like, what do you want to know? Like she was all into it. and yeah, I'll I'll talk about that story and just all of that on Patreon. But but I do highly recommend both of those places. Everyone's very, very nice. It was a quick trip, but it was so good.
Gina (08:13)
Nice.
How long were were you
was it just the week like long weekend?
Kathryn (08:28)
Yeah, we were there. We were there Thursday through Sunday. Wedding was Friday, but we it was like we landed in Portland and immediately went like we went to this really cool record store. I don't remember the name of it, but it was really, really cool. the guy was super nice. I don't remember the name of it. I'll put it in the show notes because I definitely recommend it.
Gina (08:32)
Nice.
Okay.
Kathryn (08:49)
It was fun though. It was one of those things like it was very fast, but I don't feel like we missed anything. Like the main reason I want to go back is just for the whale watching. You know, it wasn't like like we had enough time for everything we wanted to do. So it was fun.
Gina (08:54)
Good.
Yeah.
this is random, but I have a question for you. Earlier when we were texting, you said that you were getting sucked into the book that you're reading. What book are you reading?
Kathryn (09:05)
Yes.
Yes,
okay. It's I don't have it with me here. Comes out in September. It's called Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison, and it is so much fun. Like I wish it was coming out like a month earlier than it is because it is the perfect summer read. It's like a s I'm gonna describe it as a summer slasher, but like it's more than that. It's so good.
Gina (09:29)
Okay.
Hmm.
Kathryn (09:38)
It's such a good book. I'm like I s yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes.
Gina (09:38)
Damn. Alright, I didn't realize I should have realized that it was the Rachel Harrison one because I know we were talking about her new book coming
out, but I didn't realize that that was the one you're insect in. Yay, I'm good. I'm good. I'm glad you like it.
Kathryn (09:47)
Mm-hmm. It's because yeah,
I s I started it yesterday and I have like three more chapters left. Like that's how much I love it. It's so good. It's definitely one of my favorites of hers for like a a while. I feel like every two or three books of hers are like my favorite, but I love all of them. So that is releasing something. This one I this is my favorite in a while. Yeah.
Gina (09:55)
shit. Okay. So it's good, good. Nice. I love when that happens.
Nice. that's okay. I need to add that to my because I got is it such sharp teeth? Is that the name? Yeah, I need to read that because I picked that up. and I actually I picked up another book that I'm gonna rec well, it it is kind of about cannibalism, but that's why I figured I would recommend it because I know you're on a journey with it, and this is not as intense as tender as the flesh.
Kathryn (10:17)
Teeth, yeah. So good. I love that one.
which one?
That's okay, I'm still on my journey. I rented s yeah.
Okay, which I still have not read. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I got it from the library again and it was due yesterday. It is now overdue and I still have not gotten past the first chapter. I just haven't I need to be in the mood for it and I'm in more of like a fun summer vibe mood. And that's not the mood. I have to just wait until the fall.
Gina (10:45)
It's yeah.
Yeah.
And no, that is Tender as the Flesh is a very good literary book, but it's deeply depressing. This one is kind of so it's called The Starving Saints. And It is really I'm very I'm very much enjoying it. There is cannibalism, but it's not industrialized cannibalism like there is in Tender as the Flesh. So I think it would be more approachable.
Kathryn (11:07)
my god, my friend at work has been trying to get me to read that since it came out. I am so scared. Is it good? Okay.
Okay.
Gina (11:23)
And also
the plot I think is more compelling and the all of the main characters are women and they are certainly more compelling as characters and as leads. I think you would like it. I mean, granted I'm only halfway through, so this is my review of the first half of the book, but I think you would like it.
Kathryn (11:34)
Okay.
Yeah.
You're not the first person to tell me that, so I ignored all the others and now that you're telling me that I'm like, fine. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Cause is that one religious horror?
Gina (11:52)
Yeah, yeah, it is.
Kathryn (11:54)
I love religious horror so much. Yeah. Okay.
Gina (11:55)
And it's good it's good religious. It's
interesting.
Kathryn (12:00)
should I do that before Tender is the flesh? Do you think? Okay. Okay. I'll give up on Tender as the Flesh for now.
Gina (12:02)
Yes, I would. I mean, I guess it
I mean, do you wanna end on a high note or a low note with this cannibalism duality, you know what mean? Not that not that Starving Saints is a high note, but
Kathryn (12:13)
I love how we're acting like these these
these are the last two books I will ever read. Like which note do you want to end on.
Gina (12:17)
Right? Yeah.
Pick your own journey.
Kathryn (12:23)
Yeah. I'm in I'm in a light light reading mood right now. So maybe I'll do Starving Saints. We'll see.
Gina (12:30)
I think it would be a great
late summer, early autumn book.
Kathryn (12:34)
Okay. And then I'll do tender as the flesh when I'm like depressed. Yeah. Yes. Okay.
Gina (12:35)
So go ahead and just pencil that in. Yeah, do that in the deep midwinter when everything is awful
and then make yourself feel worse.
Speaking of intense feelings, my mom just finished reading yesteryear.
Kathryn (12:49)
yeah, what did she think?
Gina (12:51)
complete page turner. It's so good. If you listening have not read yesteryear, you absolutely should. It's su my goodness. Put down your Bible. It is yeah. Yeah. Talk about a wild ride.
Kathryn (12:52)
It's so fucking good. It is so good.
What are you even doing? Turn us off right now. Go to your library. my god, it's so good. It is so good. What a great book. Yeah.
It's so good. Yeah, that's everyone's homework. Go read. Let us know what you're reading. I'm always curious what people are reading, whether it's yesteryear as it should be, or have you read Tender is the Flesh? Do you like reading about cannibalism? iscreamyouscreampod@gmail.com What do you enjoy? What's happening? What are you reading? Tell send us your summer reading list.
Gina (13:29)
Yes, please do.
Yes, yes, please actually do, so I can get some recommendations. Until then I would simply love, adore a story about an amusement park.
Kathryn (13:35)
Yes.
Wait, that felt like our ending.
I literally just had a time glitch moment. I was like, did I do this hour? Wow, that was the fastest recording of my life. Okay. Until next time. okay. Yeah, so I'm just gonna jump right in, guys. This episode's about Disney. We're talking about Disney Parks, the happiest place on earth, which means I personally am morally obligated to make it happier than the last two episodes, which is what I'm gonna do. As was originally planned. So
Gina (13:44)
Ha ha.
Ha ha
Ha ha
Kathryn (14:10)
There are no content warnings for this episode. Yay! Applause, applause. I do understand that every human on earth knows about Disney, but even still, I am going to give just a brief history, just if for no other reason than to explain how we got from simple animation studio to the biggest brand in the world, allowing them to become theme park moguls. So
Gina (14:12)
Yay.
Kathryn (14:35)
Taking it all the way back to the beginning, Disney as we know it today was originally founded as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by Walt and Roy Disney in 1923. Its first production was Snow White, and then five years later, we would be introduced to everyone's favorite mouse, Mickey, in 1928's Steamboat Willie.
from there, Disney Productions would grow to and stay at the forefront of animation for the next several decades, all the way up to today and tomorrow, and basically probably forever. Like, who are we kidding? essentially, they revolutionized the entertainment industry, specifically animation.
Obviously, and the production company as a whole has kind of garnered this reputation over the years for just continual forward thinking and just absolutely out of this world creativity. You know, people who work at Disney are notorious like boundary pushers and you know, they're not afraid to do what has never been done before. Basically, the most creative minds in art and animation and all of that.
Are the ones working at Disney. this all started with the Disney brothers. their whole MO was, thinking of everything that has never been thought of before and figuring out how to create it and put a dollar sign on it. Let's just be real, call a spade a spade. There's a lot of negative things about Disney that I am purposely leaving out because of the aforementioned.
Trying to keep this a lighter episode. Please note I am aware of all the complexities, but we're just talking, we're we're getting to the ghosts here. So just bear with me. so Roy was the CEO. You know, did Walt was the animator, slash actor, slash all-around creative guy. So we've got, you know, like the business brain and the creative brain. Walt was the creative brain, and he always had his eye out for inspiration.
And inspiration struck one day when he was on vacation with his wife and small children. They were at an amusement park.
so he's he's there, he's watching his kids have a good time at this amusement park, wherever they were. And he starts thinking, you know, why are all these parks just about the kids? Like, what if there was a place where anybody could go and feel like a child again? So he decided to create it. And that's how the idea for Disney Parks was born, essentially. He wanted to create this world, this land where anybody can go.
And be a kid again and feel like they were in this magical land. Like you it was like Peter Pan, you know, like he wanted to create a space where no one had to feel like they needed to grow up. They could leave their problems at the door. So the first park was Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which opened on July eighteenth, nineteen fifty-five.
Gina (17:29)
It's coming
up.
Kathryn (17:30)
I know, I was kind of bummed. I was like, damn, we should have done this in July, because this would have been like right around that the anniversary. but yeah, so it would later expand to Disney World in Florida, and then eventually the first international park would open in Tokyo, followed shortly by Paris. and then there are others too, but those are the big ones.
But since Walt started in California, so too shall we, because all of the ghost stories that are shared about Disney parks, the most famous ones, anyway, I shouldn't say all of the ghost stories, but the most famous ones come from the original Disneyland. So that's the park we will be focusing on for this episode. If anyone out there has any other ghost stories from any of the parks, please let us know. Even if it's just
Gina (17:56)
Mm-hmm.
Kathryn (18:18)
From Disneyland, like all the ones I'll be talking about now, please let us know because I know a lot of people who've been to Disney and I'm always curious if people have ever experienced anything weird. but the first clump of stories I want to talk about do technically fall into the category of urban legend. so they have been debunked or talked about as fake, or you know, their origins kind of prove that they're fake, or whatever version of urban legend you want to categorize them as.
But stick around because I promise we'll get to some real ghosts later in the episode, closer to the end. So we're gonna do kind of a hodgepodge of all the ghost stories, both false and factual. But we're gonna start with my personal favorite Disneyland legend, and that is the legend of Mr. One Way.
Gina (19:04)
Mr. Oneway Sounds kinda like a sex thing.
Kathryn (19:12)
Wait, that's so funny. I never thought of it that way. I think it sounds I think it sounds super spooky. That's funny. S well, sex can be spooky sometimes. So according to generations of Disneyland cast members and park guests, Mr. Oneway is an entity that hangs out at Space Mountain. And he's often described as having reddish, kind of like coppery-colored hair.
Gina (19:14)
It does kinda sound like a sex thing.
Libra, Scorpio, Scorpio, Libra.
Kathryn (19:42)
and a flushed face, like he's been hanging around in the California sun all day. And he's always wearing clothing that seems just a little bit out of date. Not like old, super old. He's not like a guy in a Victorian outfit or anything, but it's like maybe of the time the park first opened. Like he's wearing something from the 60s, you know, like he could fit in as a normal person, but it's just a little bit
Like he's not ever wearing the trends of the time, Some versions of the story say that he never speaks. He just kind of slips into an empty seat after everyone has loaded on. And he always rides next to single riders. So if you're like the lone wolf in a group of three or five or whatever, he'll kind of quietly slide in next to you to keep you company on the ride. And other versions of the story.
state that he will actually be in line with people and like chat with the person that he will eventually be sitting next to, kind of like buddy up, you know, get to the point where it's like, hey, you're a single rider, me too. Let's sit next to each other. So you kinda you remember when you were little and you would make these like amusement park friends and like kind of hot from line to line the rest of the day with each other? That's kind of the vibe. Like he'll he'll talk to people and
Gina (20:54)
Yeah.
Kathryn (21:01)
Get in with them and the people are thinking, okay, he's part of the group now, we'll like adopt you for the day. But then a certain point at the end of the ride, when you're rounding the last curve, suddenly this man will disappear. And it's like he was never there to begin with. And to make things even more mysterious, when the person that was sitting next to him will go and look at the ride photo that they take.
Nobody was there to begin with. So it was like he never existed. Yeah.
Gina (21:30)
Mm-hmm.
Kathryn (21:32)
The story originated in, I believe, the age of internet legends.
So like that right there kind of tells a lot of people like this was never true to begin with. It has always kind of been thought of as an urban internet legend. but those who share the story and part of the lore of the story states that it dates back to the 1970s when a man died on the ride. But there is no record of any man dying on that particular ride in the 70s. So that's kind of further proof to people that it this is all just.
Kind of a piece of creative writing. With that being said, I do want to give a little caveat. There have been deaths at Disneyland, many of which were like natural medical emergencies, other a little bit more tragic, like of the fluke accident variety. None of the stories I picked are directly related to any of those deaths, which is why I'm choosing to keep this on the lighter note. It kind of was just an accident, I think subconsciously, I was like, this is probably not related to anything.
violent or sad. So we're keeping it light, but I do just want to acknowledge like there have been deaths and there are stories that have come from those deaths. I'm not leaving them out to be disrespectful. It's just I picked these stories before I knew the background and it kind of was just a coincidence. So just wanted to say that ahead of time so that no one thought I was like trying to forget anybody or anything like that.
this does
Bring us to the Haunted Mansion because obviously if we're gonna talk about Haunted Legends at Disney, we of course need to talk about Haunted Mansion. for those who've never been on it, which have you? Have you been to Disneyland?
Gina (24:13)
I I when I was a really little kid I went to Disneyland we lived in Florida though, so we went to Disney World
Kathryn (24:16)
Yeah.
Right. That's
what I assumed, but I just realized in this moment I never actually officially asked. Because I've been to both. We never went to either as children, but I went to Disney World when I was 16. And then I went to Disneyland like as in like my early 20s or something like that. So I didn't grow up with it or anything, but I'm like tangenally familiar with them.
so I'm no expert on the story that is told on the ride or just the way the ride is set up. but from what I could gather from my research slash remember in my brain, apparently part of the story of the haunted mansion is the fact that Walt himself, when the ride was being created and when they were
like thinking up what to do and how to make it and you know just what to put in the park and blah blah blah. He went around the world inviting ghosts from all over to like come join the attraction. Yeah, and basically that's how he got all these ghosts in one spot. And as the story goes, one of the animatronics is like telling the story as you go through the ride. He collected quote 999 happy haunts and they're the ones who are
Gina (25:13)
What?
Kathryn (25:31)
In the mansion telling this story. I do just have to say that, like, as a little aside, my own personal opinion and argument for why I do think this probably is actually haunted, I feel like that's part of the story, right? This this ghost is telling us that Walt Disney did this. He went and collected all these ghosts. I feel like, based on how serious the Disney brothers were, like with their creativity and how perfectly they did everything, I
Believe that he really did that. I believe that he like actually went around and just like even secretly, whatever his own version of it was, I think that he was really like, hey ghosts, come haunt this ride with me. Do you know what I mean? Like I could see him doing that. Yeah.
Gina (26:10)
I would buy That's why I reacted the way that I did 'cause
I th I thought that you meant that he really did go do that at first. And I I'm on board with him do I could see them. Yeah, because isn't that like Disney's whole thing is that they go twenty miles beyond the extra mile.
Kathryn (26:20)
Yeah.
Yeah, like and they their their research and the way they do everything is like they do not leave any stone unturned. Like it is they take everything so seriously and they they make everything as absolutely real as possible so that they can get into the fantastical and it's like a whole story structure that they follow. or not even story structure, but like they just took their research very seriously and I just
Feel like if he is going to make a ride where they say he did this, I do believe that he did some version of this. so if you go around collecting ghosts or even just like put that energy out there, I think that is an argument for this being a space that energy would actually really be there. even if accidentally, I'll say that just so that no one's like, you're dumb. I
I don't agree. I think that I am very smart and this is true. Okay. I'm like starting to fight with people in my head right now. I'm smart and Disney's haunted Okay, here's why. So so there there are numerous stories from cast members, and I'm gonna keep saying cast members and park.
Gina (27:21)
I agree with you and I disagree with them.
Kathryn (27:39)
goers because there are legends that exist amongst both, but there are also legends and stories that exist just amongst like one or the other. So this is one that, you know, people will go on the ride and swear they see something. And there's like a very deep legend running amongst the cast members saying, you know, that they've seen things or whatever. One of the most popular is the apparition of a young boy. And he's often referred to as the quote 100th haunt, which I just absolutely love. Yeah.
Gina (28:05)
Mm.
Kathryn (28:08)
So it is said that he can be seen in the background of ride photos. And others have even claimed that they don't just see him in photos, but also like amongst the animatronics. And sometimes he'll be kind of around the corner of one spot or in an area where people, specifically cast members, know there are no animatronics and there is no access to like the public. Like there would not and could not be a little boy standing there.
And just the fact that he is physically a little boy. All of these ghosts, the animatronic ghosts, are all very like kitschy and goofy looking. This kid is thought of to look like an actual real kid.
People have also claimed to find props in places that they shouldn't be when they come in first thing in the morning
One of my personal favorite versions of the story is a spell book. Apparently, there is a like seance scene on this ride. that it's like this little ghost woman who is sitting at a table and everything's like shaking and blah, blah, blah, blah. And she's got this spell book. And as the story goes, the spell book is actually a 14th century spell book.
And I know, isn't that so much fun? And cast members will say that it can sometimes be found like again, first thing in the morning or late at night, flung across the room and like not anywhere near where it's supposed to be. I know I love that one. I love that story.
Gina (29:27)
What?
Okay,
so we know where Book from Hocus Pocus lives now.
Kathryn (29:45)
I know, yeah, that's such yeah, that's the exact vibe. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So again, I'm gonna keep reminding these are all just rumors. but a lot of people attribute these rumors of haunting specifically at the haunted mansion ride to the fact that what is not a rumor is that this is a hot spot for people.
Gina (29:48)
Damn.
Kathryn (30:14)
Illegally sprinkling ashes of loved ones around or in and on the ride. so many people, their last wishes are to be sprinkled at the haunted mansion and Disney World in general, but if you're gonna be at Disney World, this is a very popular place to be, apparently. So much so that it has become a problem for the park. It is considered a biohazard.
Gina (30:40)
Mm-hmm.
Kathryn (30:41)
So like I am all for respecting last wishes and all of that. Do what you gotta do for your loved ones. Highly recommend not doing this. It does cause a lot of problems for the park and park like they have to shut down whenever this happens and like clean it all up. It's a whole hazmat situation. So if your loved one was obsessed with Disney, maybe just like plan their funeral playlist accordingly and like put their remains somewhere else.
Don't be sprinkling remains at Disney, is all I'm saying. With that being said, I do believe the excess of dumping ashes somewhere they're not supposed to be specifically could lead to an increase of like weird energy that is not supposed to be there. So this is another argument I'm making. My rebuttal to the rumors.
Gina (31:27)
Mm-hmm.
Kathryn (31:35)
I would not be surprised at all if there were real ghosts wandering around the ride somewhere. I'm not saying specifically the little boy or, you know, the magic book or anything like that. But like that's some that's some big energy going on in the haunted mansion. So I would not be surprised if that that really was if things were really seen there and, you know, the rumors about the place were only half rumors, you know.
Gina (32:01)
Mm.
Kathryn (32:02)
While the Haunted Mansion is thought of as the most haunted publicly, like that is a thing that we average humans, non-cast members, hear about probably the most. The actual most haunted spot in Disneyland is a place called the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.
which is in Frontierland, which I just love that Disney does this, how they have all their weird little neighborhoods like throughout the park. I just think that's so much fun. So anyway, yeah, this one's in a place called Frontierland, as described, is ex it looks exactly like you're imagining it looks. and the most famous golden horseshoe ghost is the apparition of a little blonde girl known as, you guessed it, the blonde girl.
Gina (32:22)
Okay.
Mm.
Me too.
Kathryn (32:49)
And she another one that I am imagining you, she's not quite as troublesome as you would be as a ghost though. She's much she's much sweeter.
Gina (33:00)
Why,
thank you.
Kathryn (33:04)
but yeah, so she tends to show up on or near the stage and
Cast members describe her as a lot more playful than frightening. She seems like just a little girl having fun at Disney, not malevolent or troublesome in any way. She's credited as the cause of moving curtains when no one is near them. Like it almost looks like someone is like brushing past the curtain, making that kind of little ripple effect.
And also sometimes cast members will hear someone running around almost like a child is like, you know, when you're in an empty space, like remember being in like the school gym, like after close for whatever reason or whatever it is, and you just fucking run for some reason. It's like all this empty space that's not usually, it's like that. They'll hear a kid, like what sounds like
Gina (33:45)
yeah.
yeah.
Okay.
Kathryn (33:57)
little footsteps just kind of w running around the stage. Not again scary or weird or anything like that. It's just kinda it kind of has that vibe, you know, of like, cool, an empty stage. I'm gonna go play on it.
Gina (34:09)
If there's an empty stage, I'm still gonna play on it. It's so much fun.
Kathryn (34:12)
It's so much fun. I I don't remember
yeah, I don't remember where I was. It was r it was before it was before an event for the bookstore. I was doing an off site and we were at one of the theaters, but I don't remember where we were. And someone was like, I'll give you a tour. And we went we were like backstage and there was this whole open area and we walked onto the stage and I just I had to fight the urge to just start tap dancing.
Cause I was like, this is my moment. This is literally my ideal situation. I'm on a stage and no one is watching me. That is my dream to just be on stage with no audience. Like, that's so much fun. Yes.
Gina (34:46)
It's so much fun.
Mm.
There the freedom that comes with being on stage
when like there's no one watching, it's sublime. Beautiful. That's heaven.
Kathryn (35:00)
Yeah. So good. It's so and it's like
it's mildly spooky, but not scary because you know you're safe. I don't know. It's so much fun.
Gina (35:06)
Mm.
Yeah. That does sound like if I l little kid ghosts always make me sad for obvious reasons. This sounds like kind of the perfect scenario if you're gonna be a kid ghost to get to haunt Disney.
Kathryn (35:16)
Meteum.
my god, dis
are are you kidding? What a fucking dream. Absolutely. what a dream. That is the dream. Like as a child. Yeah, absolutely. I agree.
Gina (35:26)
Right.
Mm. Yeah.
Kathryn (35:34)
One of the most infamous accounts of her story is about two cast members who claim that a little girl came up to them and asked if the building was haunted because she had heard the rumors about the place. And they kind of chuckled and were like, no, that's just a rumor. It's not haunted. You know, don't worry, you're fine, you're safe. Like, don't be scared, blah, blah, blah. So she's satisfied with that answer and runs back to her parents and brother.
carries on like normal. They like get whatever they're getting to eat and chill and whatever. But later the two cast members who were talking to her noticed that the mom, dad, and brother were all leaving the building and she was nowhere to be found.
So they went up to them and asked, you know, hey, like, where's your daughter? You know, don't leave without her. LOL. And the parents were like, what daughter? And at first the cast members thought that they were just messing with them, but the parents were insistent that they didn't have any daughter. They only had this one child, and that girl was like never actually there.
So another very popular spirit who hangs out at the horseshoe is known as Freddy. And according to the legend, Freddy was a cast member who suffered a fatal heart attack. Again, I think this is another one there it's n like it's never been proven that there ever was a Freddie at the horseshoe.
the stories describe him as having a much darker energy than the little girl? I will, well, I'll tell the story and then I'll share my opinion. He's been known to lock cast members in one of the dressing rooms backstage and like not let them out, and basically fucks with them. Like there are stories of being in the back room and feeling like pinches, scratches.
Gina (37:10)
God.
Kathryn (37:19)
And like not being able to get out of the room and just like really weird dark energy before they are finally able to get the door open. this could be a really like dark demonic energy, whatever. I'm also imagining like just some guy being like, hey kid, watch this to the little blonde girl, and like fucking with them and
Gina (37:39)
Awww Okay, I like that.
Kathryn (37:43)
That's my interpretation of the story, just because I'm like, what's a positive spin we can put on this very scary sounding thing? And I'm imagining like this grumpy old like you know, former custodian who's like taking care of this little girl in the afterlife. So he's gotta find ways to like make her giggle. So that's the version I'm gonna share.
Gina (37:49)
Yeah.
Dude.
I'm a sucker for like any story that features an old person mentoring or like like a grumpy old person mentoring or taking care of a like a man called Ove, a man named Ove, I can never get the name right, but that book, like anything like that just destroys me. I love that kind of thing. So that's one of my favorite tropes.
Kathryn (38:11)
I know. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah.
I know.
me too. I me too. Yeah. So that's my version of the story. Granted, I am not a cast member. I have never experienced this. Maybe it is the most terrifying thing in the world and definitely demonic and awful. Until proven otherwise, I'm gonna choose that it's like a fun little like grandpa and blonde girl situ like a like a chosen family on the other side at the horseshoe in Disneyland. I like that vibe a lot better. Yeah.
Gina (38:42)
Yeah.
Yeah. I d I do like that, yeah.
Kathryn (38:49)
So everything we've talked about thus far is considered just legend. people have come forward to say, where exactly these stories have gotten started. And honestly, a lot of them did start with Disney itself. Some people who work at the park have, claimed responsibility for starting the legend of Mr. Oneway, a few other stories,
have started just as a fun little prank or like marketing ploy, probably around Halloween, stuff like that, just all in good fun. You know, they're animators, they're creative, With that being said, as many legends as there are that circulate amongst cast members, there are also just as many real accounts that people insist actually happened and are true. So I'm gonna keep it at the
Golden horseshoe, just for a second, because one of the biggest claims, even to this day, is that people often feel like they're being watched or like sense someone standing close to them when no one is there. And it's easy to kind of brush it off as just a result of the legends that already exist, but there have been people who have come forward and know nothing about the legend and you know, they've never heard of
the little blonde girl or this Freddy guy or anything like that. And they will walk in and be like, weird vibes in here, you know? part of the story is hearing footsteps on the stage that I already mentioned have been attributed to the little blonde girl. a lot of people brush it off as fake, but
even though the little girl and the Freddy story and all of that, even though those are legends and there aren't necessarily any stories of real life that have proven it to be true, doesn't mean that the footsteps aren't there. You know, like people have said that they've heard footsteps and voices and have felt a presence. it is just like the explanation that is thought of as the legend,
so this is just kind of a good reminder that just because a legend created to explain weird things is not necessarily true doesn't mean that the weird phenomenon itself is not true. I'm ch I'm yeah, I'm choosing to
Gina (40:51)
Very good point. Here here.
Kathryn (40:54)
believe my version of the story that it's a little girl and old guy again, because that's just so much fun.
Outside of the little girl and Freddy legend, which by the way, I I don't think I ever mentioned that Freddie was an old guy. I think that was my old my like own interpretation of it. I'm realizing like as I speak, but that is like just the vibe I'm getting. anyway, many people suggest that perhaps it's not necessarily
Gina (41:09)
Okay.
Kathryn (41:21)
Blonde girl or whoever you want to say it is, but that it might actually be Walt himself, because he is thought to be seen in numerous places throughout the park, one of which is the horseshoe. People have claimed to see him there. But the most popular location is his old apartment where his family would stay sometimes when the park was being built. The apartment is located above the firehouse on Main Street, and anytime.
his family and he would stay there. He would always leave a light on in the window so people working in the park would know that he was there and like wouldn't get nervous or confused about like intruders or something. so like he would always do that. He would always make sure that people knew he was there by leaving the light on for them. And
Now the apartment is just a preserved historical site, and the only real use is the fact that it is one of the stops on the guided historical tour that you can take. So there isn't ever anyone there like staying after hours. Like it's not a room you can rent or anything like that. It is just 100% preserved as his former apartment. Despite the lack of occupancy, it is said that.
Sometimes at night after the park is closed, the light will turn on and off by itself, and it has allegedly done so ever since his death in nineteen sixty six.
Gina (42:47)
Nice. That's a nice little spooky one.
Kathryn (42:50)
I know, I kinda like that. It's like he's still there. I love stories about we've had several of these. Like after he's gone, he's still like checking in on people type thing. I do kind of like that vibe. I think it's nice. People will also get a random whiff of cigar smoke in random spots where like other people are not. Like it'll happen in like weird.
Gina (43:00)
Yeah.
Kathryn (43:12)
Like break rooms and like all that kind of stuff. And it is well known that Walt loved his cigars. this could just be some old guy bringing his grandkids to the park and like breaking rules. But people also claim to get glimpses of a man resembling Walt when they like
sniff the puff of cigar smoke. So it's almost like I'm imagining like when a ghost appears in like a puff of smoke, the smoke is cigar smoke. Wouldn't that be funny? real stinky. Yeah. But that'd be great because if it's just ghost mist, it wouldn't linger like real cigar smoke does. You know, it would just be like real quick then go.
Gina (43:42)
That's fucking awesome. I'm gonna appear in a vape cloud after I die.
Yeah. And cigar smoke is a
it's a very specific smell.
Kathryn (44:01)
It's so distinct. Yeah, you yeah, you can smell that shit from a mile away. I had to, every time we go to Shakers, I have to, I have a very specific I have essentially a smoking jacket now at this point. Because it's a cigar bar for anyone who doesn't know. I have to wash it like four times before it's like ready to go. Yeah.
Gina (44:22)
Is that your black and white jacket? Is that the one you wore?
Kathryn (44:24)
No, it's my the
one I wore for the wedding. My big fuzzy. it's like a big white fluffy like fuck off coat. Yeah. It's my b it's my mob boss coat. Mob wife. Yeah. Isn't that such a good Yeah, I know. I know. So vibey. Yeah, that's my smoking coat. Yeah, so people will like
Gina (44:27)
Trying remember which one that was.
Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. I remember that. Yeah. that's a great coat. That's a good that's a good one to wear to a cigar bar. Nice. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Ha ha ha.
Kathryn (44:49)
see him out of the corner of their eye. but some people have straight up said that they can see him clearly walking down Main Street all by himself after closing or right before closing, where like they know that nobody is actually there. and I fully believe that this is true. I I feel like Disney is just one of those places that I'm almost like
Tempted to consider it a straight up like liminal space. The vibes are so weird at Disney. You know what I mean? Because it's so manufactured. And like I say not disrespectfully so, like this world was literally created, you're in this world, you're you're living as if you are in Disney, but it is also just a place in the middle of California, one of the most manufactured.
Gina (45:16)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Kathryn (45:36)
places in the country. It reminds me of like Vegas. You know, the vibes of Vegas are just like, there's another replica of the Eiffel Tower for some fucking reason. You know, like it's just like you're really there. You are really in this space, but the space is not real. I don't know. So yeah, I think so. Like I feel like I have to justify it a little bit, but it really is
Gina (45:40)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. I think it counts as a liminal space. I back you up on that.
Kathryn (46:01)
This weird kind of in-between space, absolutely ripe with haunting energy. I mean, like that is the exact perfect type of spot for spirits to be, probably some weird little portal in the middle of California. Who the hell knows? but with all that being said, based on the stories that I found, it does seem like Toontown, Main Street, and
New Orleans are the most haunted sections of Disneyland. Those are the ones that I found the most stories about. So I am gonna share my version of proof that Disney really is haunted by sharing some personal accounts that people submitted to a Disneyland, what was it called? Like a haunted Disneyland forum website that I found. Obsessed. Yeah. The fact that this exists, I feel like, is proof enough, but whatever.
Gina (46:48)
damn, all right, sick.
Ugh, sometimes the internet's good. Sorry.
Kathryn (46:54)
I'm gonna share. I know, I
love it. I loved reading through all of these. I wanted to share all of them, but I shan't. I'm gonna share my favorite one. Then if we have time, I might share too, but I'm just gonna share my favorite one first. So this one is called Spirit Children, and it was submitted by Tim R. I used to work the swing shift at the stroller shop.
One night I was clearing fantasy land of strollers just past 1 a.m. A coworker and I were between the carousel and Dumbo when we heard children laughing. We decided to find security to let them know that there were still guests in the park, but as we started walking toward the Matterhorn, Dumbo turned on. Which I have to say, this is all so weird to say. Like out of context, can you imagine not knowing what Disneyland was and hearing me say these
Gina (47:47)
Then Dumbo got really turned on.
Kathryn (47:51)
The Dumbo ride turned on. Music and all. Since we had just finished collecting strollers from that area, we knew that there were not any attraction cast members over there to operate the ride and no one was around.
Okay, so I'm gonna read one more.
This one is called The Men's Room Basement Ghost by Annabelle K. Already know. Hate a men's room. So, all of them, so awful. No good things happen in any of these places.
Gina (48:14)
good God.
Hate a basement, both of them. Negative points. God.
Kathryn (48:29)
I work third shift custodial. Everyone jokes around about the park being haunted, especially if you're new. I was in my first year and I had already heard all sorts of ghost stories from other cast members, so I was afraid to work alone anywhere in the park. At this point, I hadn't had anything happen to me until this one night. I will never forget it. I was working in Toontown and I was assigned to work in Mickey's basement, which is below Mickey's house.
Gina (48:57)
Sorry, what? okay. What is that mouse hiding?
Kathryn (48:57)
Dude, right? Absolutely wild. Why does fucking Mickey have a basement? Okay. I've
been in this house. So weird to think about. Okay. I didn't know there was a basement. So it says there's a set of bathrooms. A br I guess there's a break room. It's where the cast members go. I guess that's okay. Anyway, yeah. I'm just like so you're thinking like actual Mickey Mouse truly lives there.
Gina (49:09)
Ha ha.
okay, okay.
Me too. Like what does he
have his little rat lawn mower or whatever down there?
Kathryn (49:28)
Yeah. so there's a set of bathrooms, a break room, and a small gym. I started off by cleaning the men's bathroom, then went over to the women's bathroom. As I was in the women's bathroom, I started to hear something moving around. I wasn't sure what it was, so I ignored it and just continued to work. Then I started to sweep the gym, and again I heard something moving. This time I heard it coming from the men's bathroom. So I shouted, Hello? Anyone in the men's bathroom?
There was no response. So I took a look in the men's bathroom and nothing. No one was in there. So I continued to work. As I'm in the break room, I hear it again. Something moving around in the men's bathroom. I go look again, and the trash can is in the middle of the bathroom. I just thought maybe I didn't move it back when I was cleaning and missed it, so I move it back to the side. I go back to cleaning the break room. As soon as I started to mop, there it goes again. Movement in the men's bathroom.
I go take a look and the trash can was moved again. This time it was in the opposite side of the room. That's when I started to get scared. I moved it back and I was trying to rush out of there. I had already finished the bathrooms and the gym. When I was halfway done in the break room, I heard the trash can move again. And this time, I just decided to ignore it and try to move as fast as I can to get out of there. At this point,
Gina (50:53)
Mm.
Kathryn (50:55)
I'm really scared. I don't even want to be down there at all. I'm thinking in my head, if there's something down here, it can't hurt me. I just need to hurry. I'm almost done, et cetera, et cetera. And that's when I hear right over my left shoulder someone very clearly say the words, get out, in the creepiest voice. I just froze. I could feel my hairs standing straight up.
Gina (51:12)
Ooh.
Kathryn (51:19)
I grabbed all of my stuff and I ran out of there. I didn't even finish mopping. I was just so scared I didn't want to finish. I just ran right out of there. Until this day, I won't step foot down there alone. After that, I had heard other stories from other cast members who had experiences down there, and every story had something to do with the men's bathroom. From hearing things and seeing shadow figures, I have had other experiences in the park, but this one was the scariest.
Gina (51:48)
That sounds terrifying.
Kathryn (51:50)
Yeah, awful. Who knew?
Gina (51:51)
And I'm impressed
that they moved the trash can back twice.
Kathryn (51:56)
Twice I would have been out of there the first time. One hundred percent. I had the same thought when I was reading this. I was like, girl
Gina (51:59)
Yep. Same.
Wow. Yeah.
Kathryn (52:05)
I would have dropped that mob, I would have been gone. One absolutely one hundred percent. Yeah.
Gina (52:12)
What's
Kathryn (52:14)
I don't know. Part of me is like, was it another like Freddy situation where it's like Mickey's just like, I'm gonna fuck with you. But I don't know. The shadow figures are a little freaky because they said that they've seen shadow figures throughout the park. But I'm just actively choosing to ignore the fact that there could be scary ghosts at Disney. Good ghosts only.
Gina (52:19)
Yeah.
Well, it just feels like
I think that that would be too big of a liability for Disney. Surely their corporate exorcists would get involved and
Kathryn (52:50)
For sure. we don't know what kind of souls were sold for the Disney Corporation. That's a whole other episode we could do.
Gina (53:00)
And at some point whatever whatever is gonna come collectin'. The Disney devil. Something something deepens.
Kathryn (53:03)
Yeah, exactly. Mickey the man that Mickey keeps in his basement.
Gina (53:12)
Yeah, that would be a hard left turn.
Kathryn (53:12)
Alright, I do not wanna get
I don't wanna get sued by Disney, so I'm gonna pass it over to you for our scary on top.
Gina (53:16)
Hey yeah. Okay.
Okay, yeah, that's probably a good idea.
we have a listener story today from our friend V. and it is full of like the most hilarious parentheticals ever. It's this the way the story is written is so funny, such a good writer. So yeah, shout out V. You're hilarious. and it's also a theater ghost story. And you know how much we love theater ghosts. Yeah.
Kathryn (53:27)
Yay!
V is so funny. Shout out to V. Yes, absolutely.
I didn't
realize that. Okay, cool. Yay. Fun.
Gina (53:50)
Yep. All right. So strapin.
Kathryn (53:54)
Cool, I'm ready.
Gina (53:56)
I used to do a lot of community theater in a tiny little theater in my tiny little hometown. The building was extremely small for a working theater. A sold out show was about a hundred tickets, and for context, the nearest professional theater space for touring productions is 2,500 mainstage seats, with about 450 seats in their smaller space.
It was the kind of old janky building common to small towns in the Northeast. It's been up for 200 to 300 years without falling down, so we might as well keep it, but no one can ever raise enough funds or public interest to properly restore it or even fix basic things like plumbing or air conditioning. Do not go to a theater without AC during the summer. Do not. And that is true. I did I went last summer, I saw a production of six.
in an un no AC theater during a heat wave in London. And I think I lost five pounds during that show just from the volume of sweat coming out of my body. It was horrific. Great show though.
Kathryn (54:47)
My god, really?
I bet. Oof. I've
I've never had that experience, I don't think. The only time I've been in the theater where maybe they didn't have air conditioning, it was like the dead of winter, so it doesn't matter. Yeah.
Gina (55:05)
So it was okay. Yeah. Yeah.
I hope you never have that experience.
Kathryn (55:09)
Me too.
Gina (55:10)
The ground floor of the building is one big room that contains a tiny box office, audience seating, the stage, and a narrow backstage area. There was a tiny second floor, really just a mezzanine, accessible only by a skinny steel ladder that was bolted over the staircase. In order to access the lighting booth up there, you had to climb up and down the ladder, which meant you were hanging over a 10-foot drop down to the stairs.
Often in the dark with your hands full. Community theater, if you know, you know. The basement contains a small musty green room full of formerly grand parlor furniture and bathrooms, which are always at least a little bit flooded. Separated from the dressing room, yes, singular, by a swinging door. The door swung both ways, like me.
Kathryn (55:41)
my god.
Gina (56:08)
There were tons of rumors about hauntings, which happened in any theater of any size. You could be upstairs with the entire cast in rehearsal on the stage, and everyone would hear people talking and laughing down in the supposedly empty green room. You could be downstairs in the green room or dressing room and hear footsteps clearly walking across the supposedly empty stage above you. People would hear I know. This one's gonna freak you out because.
Kathryn (56:33)
Always with the puff steps.
Gina (56:37)
Well, I don't know, freaked me out. It might freak you out. Maybe you're maybe you're braver than me. People would hear breathing near them while alone. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Freaky. Easy enough to explain in a drafty old colonial wreck. Less explicable was feeling unseen hands pluck at your clothing or poke you in the back while you're trying to sing.
Kathryn (56:38)
no.
Mm mm. Ooh, yeah, and that's a hard no.
my god, this is so Freddy coded
Gina (57:02)
Rude.
Extremely Freddy. A lot of playful ghosts.
Kathryn (57:06)
Yeah.
Okay, I'm like imagining well y keep reading.
Gina (57:10)
Okay. The theater community there had named the ghost, or the collection of energies being perceived as a ghost, Alice.
And generally, she was harmless. You heard her more than you saw her. Orbs in photographs notwithstanding. Again, old building, lots of dust, totally explainable by mundane means. Sometimes, though, she would steal things like costume pieces, props, keys, etc., most of which would show up again if you asked her nicely. I love that. I think that's so funny.
Kathryn (57:37)
no.
Yeah, that's
one of my favorite types of ghosts. Like where you just have to be straight with them, you know, just like, hey, like I really need to get home from rehearsal. Can I have my keys back?
Gina (57:52)
Yeah.
I will stop haunting you if you say the magic words. That's what I like. I remember a really weird incident when I was stage managing. Stage crew had just built a platform over the stage, accessible to the actors by a ladder backstage. Since it was backstage with limited light, the ladder had glow-in-the-dark tape stuck to the stuck to the top of each rung so that you knew where to put your feet. The next day we came in.
Kathryn (58:02)
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Gina (58:28)
And no glow tape. Super weird. Who would pull off the glow tape? That's a pretty significant safety issue, so I was retaping when I noticed that the angle of the ladder was slightly different. I investigated and found that the tape was not missing, the ladder was upside down, and the tape was invisible because it was now on the bottom of the rungs. This set piece had been built the evening before.
Kathryn (58:52)
Wow.
Gina (58:55)
No one had been in the theater unobserved or alone since then. And the evening before, we had nailed the feet of the ladder to the stage to keep it steady. I don't know how, but sometime between nailing the ladder down and discovering it the next day, the ladder got unnailed, flipped 180 degrees, and nailed back down. I know people will say this is obviously the intervention of a living human, but if so,
That is still paranormal because they would either have to be invisible or stop time.
Kathryn (59:28)
Yeah. That would take forever to do.
Gina (59:29)
That's bonkers.
Yeah, and it'd be such a pain in the ass for a prank. Like there are easier pranks than prying nails out of a ladder
Kathryn (59:36)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Weird.
Gina (59:40)
My most personal experience with Alice was actually when I was a cast member. You'll remember I said the green room and dressing room were connected by a hinged door that swung in either direction. See, it was relevant, not just a buy joke. That was what V said, I'm not saying. There was a tiny little window on the dressing room side so that you could peek through and make sure you wouldn't smash into someone when you were running through.
Kathryn (59:54)
Ha ha ha.
Ha ha
Gina (1:00:07)
No one ever used this window for its intended purpose, especially in productions with lots of kids, leading to a lot of people getting hit with the door and knocked into the supply closet, an alcove directly behind the swinging door. Being an actor, I am just as much of a chaos gremlin as any child, so I was running through the door without looking, and I felt it thunk into a solid body.
Thinking I had just wailed another seven-year-old into a damp alcove full of moldy mops, I came into the green room already apologizing. But there was no one on the other side of the door. No one in the alcove. I cannot stress enough that I went through that door hundreds of times, and I knew its weight, its squeak, and the smoothness of its hinges. I had actually hit people with this door before, and I knew what that felt like. I had
Definitely felt and heard the door hit something solid and heavy. At least as solid and heavy as a small human.
The actor following directly behind me through the door confirmed that she saw it bounce back when I pushed through. It had hit something. All right, secondary witness? Ooh. But there was no one and nothing around that it could have been. If you made it through all that, congrats. I hope you enjoyed it or even got a little chill, but if not, sorry for the long ass email.
Kathryn (1:01:17)
that's real. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Gina (1:01:36)
I really enjoy your show and also like to tell spooky stories, so I couldn't resist finally sharing this. Keep up the amazing work, fellow witchy weirdos. Thank you so much, V. This was a pleasure to read. I loved this so much, and it was so creepy.
Kathryn (1:01:44)
I love that. Yeah.
Yeah, that's so spooky. And never apologize for long emails. I love the long stories. I want to just sit and read them all day. I get so excited when we send when we get them. Yes.
Gina (1:01:56)
Me too.
'Cause they're rich, rich with context and details and
sensory descriptions. I like that. Paint a picture for us.
Kathryn (1:02:04)
That was so good.
What a great I love a theatre ghost.
Gina (1:02:09)
Yeah, me too. There's drama to a theater ghost that is just unmatched.
Kathryn (1:02:11)
So much drama.
There's nothing more dramatic than an actor. The only thing more dramatic than an actor is a ghost actor. Like, come on. Now you're just being ridiculous. I love it.
Gina (1:02:28)
have a story you would like to hear on the podcast, especially if it's a theater ghost story, you can send it on over to iscreamyouscreampod@gmail.com If you don't have any stories to share, that's okay. You can leave us a rating or a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, quick reminder: we do have a Patreon link is in the show notes. But I think that's it for us today. So until next time, little spoons, keep it cool.
Kathryn (1:02:32)
Yeah.
And keep it creepy.
