Human remains scattered in "Pirates" ride?

[TomBernard]

An article from the Orange County register recounts the story of a "suspicious powder" being sprinkled on the ride:

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1922542.php

Walt's final resting place, no doubt!

From the article:

Al Lutz, editor of miceage.com, said crew members get reports up to once a month when witnesses or security cameras catch riders tossing suspicious powders. The Haunted Mansion was the most common choice.

I recall the OC Register having a similar story regarding the Haunted Mansion back in September or October of 2001. IIRC, on the surveillance cameras they saw someone throwing some sort of powder all over the place. Naturally, it caused quite a scare since that was back in the middle of the Anthrax paranoia.

[Namowal]

That reminds me of a mock interview Phil Hendrie did on his radio show. The "guest" claimed Disneyland was offering funeral packages. Details included Pluto pushing the body down Main street "in a gaily colored cart", and on to Tom Sawyer island where it would be cremated on a raised platform (lit by Micky or Brer Rabbit). Then either Dumbo or Aladdin would swoop through the smoke.
Nobody called in to question the credibility of the report, but one caller observed that there would probably be long lines and asked "What're you s'possed to do? Push the stiff around in a stroller until it's time!?"

[snopes]

Surreptitious scattering of people's remains at parks, golf courses and other unusual posts may be growing.

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-disney14nov14

[E. Q. Taft]

Disney Disputes Pirate Ride Ash Scattering

[Disney spokesman Rob] Doughty admitted that there are myths about illegal Disneyland cremation ceremonies, but said the park has never had a confirmed case where human ashes were found. In fact, he said, his department receives, on average, two requests a year from guests eager to spread a loved one's ashes on the grounds of the park.

"Clearly this is a special place," Doughty said. "There's a great deal of emotional connection to Disneyland."

Incidentally, the original blog post on the topic by Al Lutz can be found here. It starts about a third of the way down the page, with the heading "A Pirate's (After) Life For Me."

[Jay Tea]

You wouldn't want to get it blown into everybody's faces though - imagine the lawsuits

[Namowal]

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

You wouldn't want to get it blown into everybody's faces though - imagine the lawsuits

You mean that wasn't cinnamon sugar on my churo?

[snopes]

Where else to begin the ride to the happily-ever-afterlife but the "happiest place on Earth"?

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/...813083379.html

[Mickey is a gyrl]

Well...If you believe the stories, the Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World really is haunted. One of the stories is that a woman had a son that died relatively young (we're talking no older than 10-12). His favorite ride was The Haunted Mansion, and she wanted to scatter his cremated remains in the ride. Of course, Disney said she couldn't do it (hey, at least she asked first). But, being the determined woman she was, she scattered the remains anyway. You see, doombuggies (the official name for the cars you ride in on the ride) have this feature where, unless you really strain, you usually can't see the people in the doombuggies next to you/really close to you, so it wouldn't have been hard for her. There's little evidence that it's true, except that there are reports from cast members that they see or hear a little boy in the ride when guests aren't in it.

And, it is circumstantial evidence, but there's a guest photo (from another forum I sometimes go to) here. From what the photographer says, s/he took the photo with infrared, in a hallway that's nearly pitch dark, and there were no guests loaded into a few doombuggies ahead of them (they went in during parade, which means it's practically empty). And, after the explanation I've given about how the doombuggies are designed, someone shouldn't be able to turn like that.

[Brad from Georgia]

That explains what happened the last time we rode the Haunted Mansion attraction! I should explain that at the end a "ghost" gets in the Doom Buggy with you---one of three "hitch-hiking" ghosts whom you can only see in special mirrors. But this last time, a little boy appeared in the Doom Buggy between my wife and me. He was dim, and we could see him not in the mirror, but right there between us!

It sort of spooked both of us. And then the ride ended and the little bassar jumped out and ran off and we discovered he'd taken my wallet.

[TomBernard]

Originally Posted by Mickey is a gyrl

And, it is circumstantial evidence, but there's a guest photo (from another forum I sometimes go to) here. From what the photographer says, s/he took the photo with infrared, in a hallway that's nearly pitch dark, and there were no guests loaded into a few doombuggies ahead of them (they went in during parade, which means it's practically empty). And, after the explanation I've given about how the doombuggies are designed, someone shouldn't be able to turn like that.

Not that it particularly shatters this theory, but the way the Haunted Mansion ride loads in Disneyland (which I assume is somewhat similar to the WDW version) the "elevator" section usually loads up first, before they let guests into the lower level, so there is pretty much always a "group" of people boarding around the same time, even during parades.

But hey, we're talking about an infrared picture of a "ghost" here, so why bother analyzing things!

Tom "haunted man's son" Bernard

[sneeze042]

The picture of the "ghost" is basically reliant on you thinking that there will be something there. If you had said it's a picture from the ride, you probably wouldn't discern it as being a child on the ride. It is kinda creepy looking though.

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

That explains what happened the last time we rode the Haunted Mansion attraction! I should explain that at the end a "ghost" gets in the Doom Buggy with you---one of three "hitch-hiking" ghosts whom you can only see in special mirrors. But this last time, a little boy appeared in the Doom Buggy between my wife and me. He was dim, and we could see him not in the mirror, but right there between us!

It sort of spooked both of us. And then the ride ended and the little bassar jumped out and ran off and we discovered he'd taken my wallet.

That happened to you too? I jumped out of the buggy and started chasing after the ethereal bassard, yelling "Get back here you little piece of chit!" and the boy just skipped away, singing, "Run and run, I know you're pissed, but you can't catch me, I'm Oliver Twist!"

Then I tripped over the tracks and woke up in Disney jail.

Originally Posted by Mickey is a gyrl

And, it is circumstantial evidence, but there's a guest photo (from another forum I sometimes go to) here. From what the photographer says, s/he took the photo with infrared, in a hallway that's nearly pitch dark, and there were no guests loaded into a few doombuggies ahead of them (they went in during parade, which means it's practically empty). And, after the explanation I've given about how the doombuggies are designed, someone shouldn't be able to turn like that.

Ah, finally... I've been searching for some context to go with the picture. I recreated its overall effect here, as some people were wigged out by the "ghost's" lack of body.

My guess on the photo was that someone snapped a picture of a kid looking backward over something at night.

As for the design of the Doom Buggy, what if it was rounding a corner ahead of you? Is it possible that the boy (if that's what it is) could be sitting in a buggy facing the viewer's right?

[Brad from Georgia]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

That happened to you too? I jumped out of the buggy and started chasing after the ethereal bassard, yelling "Get back here you little piece of chit!" and the boy just skipped away, singing, "Run and run, I know you're pissed, but you can't catch me, I'm Oliver Twist!"

Then I tripped over the tracks and woke up in Disney jail.

Oh, man, I never want to go back to the Disney jail. Goofy waterboarded me.

[snopes]

Comment: HI! I heard a rumor about the disneyland attraction "pirates of
the caribbean" that the captain's bedchambers featur(ed?) the ride
designer's skull and crossbones on the headboard. that in his last will
and testament, he asked that his remains be posted on the headboard, so
that he could remain part of the ride. i also heard that this room is the
only room in the whole ride that you can get out and sneak into the
treasure if no one in your boat rats you out.

[Ravenhull]

In regards to the OP, I wouldn't want ot leave a love one's ashes in the PotC ride, or any park water ride. You know darn well that the water is being filtered regularly. Maybe not to drinking standards, but ashes are going to be filtered out pretty quick.