Chances are, we’ve all been there. You’re bobbing along a Disney World dark ride, still dreaming about the hand-dipped corn dog you just demolished for lunch (or breakfast, I don’t judge) when out of nowhere — BAM!
This foot is NOT sanctioned by me
An eerie face stares back at you from the darkness. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but something about this face just isn’t right. Sure, logically you know it’s just an animatronic robot designed by the best Imagineers around — yet you can’t shake the feeling that those eyes are staring directly into your soul. You aren’t alone in this feeling, either, because there are definitely some Disney World animatronics that I’m pretty sure are possessed.
First, let me just say that I do not consider myself to be an expert in demonic possessions, but I am an expert at knowing when things creep me out. And, why else would an inanimate (okay, robotically animated) object creep me out lest it not be because the said object is possessed by a demon? There are certainly no logical reasons here, so I’m left with these totally normal and not-at-all-concerning thoughts about Disney World animatronics.
No one needs to see Abraham Lincoln like this…
You’re still with me? Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about the stream of consciousness you’re about to read.
Basically Everyone on Carousel of Progress
Please don’t come for me in the comments on this one because the Carousel of Progress is truly one of my favorite attractions in all of Disney World. But, it’s hard to deny that some of the animatronics are just a little…off. I’m sure she’s a very nice lady and all, but in the finale of this ride when Grandma is wearing her VR goggles, have you ever noticed her eyes look a little…empty? Lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes…
You can’t tell me she doesn’t look shady.
And, honestly, don’t even get me started on Uncle Orville. Sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with a grown man taking a bath while smoking a cigar, but the Uncle Orville animatronic itself is what nightmares are made of.
Hey Uncle Orville!
Even John (the father character) looks a little worse for wear in some of the scenes on the ride — like he’s haunted by wartorn scenes of his past. It’s 2024, John! We go to therapy now!
The Pirates Who’ve Had WAY Too Much To Drink
Another fan-favorite attraction (it’s me, I’m the fan and this is one of my favorites) is fraught with creepy robots, though that’s probably the point since pirates have historically been pretty creepy characters. Pirates of the Caribbean is full of animatronics — some of the oldest in Disney World, actually — that look like they’ve had just a bit too much to drink.
No thanks, I’m good.
I can’t argue that it adds to the overall debauchery of the ride, but you never know when you’re going to be face-to-face with a guy who looks like your creepy uncle after one too many brewskis during football season.
The Na’vi River Shaman
Two things can be true: the Na’vi River Journey Shaman animatronic is one of the most impressive feats of Imagineering we’ve seen lately — and it’s also an utterly terrifying piece of ride equipment that makes me question all reality. It’s just SO mesmerizing and massive, it’s hard to not be intimidated by it.
Na’vi River Journey Shaman
That, combined with the fact that it’s a literal Na’vi Shaman with mystical powers beyond what my silly little bean of a human brain can comprehend means I don’t ever want to get on their bad side.
Ariel When She’s “Under the Sea”
Okay, I know Ariel is Under the Sea a lot, but in Magic Kingdom’s Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid, there’s one scene, in particular, that is just deeply unsettling. During the “Under the Sea” scene, the Ariel animatronic’s facial expression looks like she has personally seen a ghost — or maybe the ghost has possessed her!!!
“Under the Sea”
Either way, Ariel, girl, you good? I know it’s probably traumatic to go from fish to feet and all that jazz, but methinks you could use a little rest and relaxation for a bit.
The “small world” Dolls
Pour one out for the absolute icon, Mary Blair. Her contributions to both the Walt Disney Company and the art world in general are inspirational, and I’m a huge fan of her design style — I even have a Mary Blair-inspired tattoo! But, I can’t be the only one freaked out by those tiny little dolls with beady eyes on “It’s a small world,” right? They just stare directly into my soul.
Um…
And, rumor has it that when the ride isn’t running — the dolls are still moving and can’t be turned off. It’s giving me flashbacks to 1998 when my Furby came alive at night despite there not being any batteries in it and I’d like to repress that memory, thank you very much!
No, thank you!
Again, I’m no expert on demonic possessions but there’s just something about these animatronics that does not vibe and I know I’m not alone. In any case, make sure you keep an eye out for any potential hitchhiking ghosts or entities if you encounter these animatronics — and stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
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I was fully convinced of Hopper’s homicidal rage against all of us in “It’s Tough to Be a Bug.” While I was very impressed with that animatronic, and I was disappointed when we visited and it wasn’t working (or at least it wasn’t presented in the show), I knew he was just lurking around somewhere, trying to figure out how to get us. I will miss ITTBAB, and I will miss Hopper – and I will do my best not to believe that he’s still lurking around in the obscure passages of the tree, just waiting to get us.
I thought I was the only one who found the Na’vi River Shaman totally creepy! I just can’t look at it beyond a fleeting glance to see if I’ve been mistaken. No, I haven’t.