Pirates Of The Caribbean At Walt Disney World: Does A Ghost Named George Haunt The Attraction?

Whenever Halloween draws near, there are ghosts stories and haunted tales that start getting passed around, and believe it or not, Walt Disney World has some of their own. While it may seem as if the Magic Kingdom is a land of fantasy and make-believe, there are also some tales which may seem a bit more frightening. For instance, have you ever heard the story of George the ghost who makes his home in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction?

It is one of the most popular attractions in all of Walt Disney World and that is even with its skeletons, creepy caves, and sinister storyline. Guests love to travel the waters and become a swashbuckler along with Captain Jack Sparrow as they look for their treasure, but there’s more.

There is a legend that has been passed around for decades, and Stranger Dimensions has the gist of it put together. In the early ’70s, there was a welder working on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride as it was being built, and he died in a tragic accident.

Over the years, the story has been passed around as to what exactly happened to cause George’s death, with reasons being that he fell to his death from a high set or that a beam came down and crushed him. The former is one that seems to be the most popular version, as the set in question is that of the burning city near the end of the ride.

Since George’s death, the attraction has reportedly been haunted by his spirit, but not in a mean way whatsoever. Well, not exactly.

Throughout time, different cast members working at Pirates have said they’ve seen ghostly apparitions appear on the ride monitors, but never in front of their eyes. There have been mysterious phone calls to the control room, but never from an inside line, and no one ever says anything.

Cast members have heard footsteps when no one is around. They’ve seen things moved when no one had been in a room or area for quite some time. All of these occurrences have been attributed to George the ghost, and cast members acknowledge that.

Each and every morning when the attraction is opened for operation, someone tells George “good morning” to start the day. At the end of the working day, someone will say “good night” over the PA system and let George know they’re leaving Pirates until tomorrow.

This is all done for a specific reason, and cast members do it with the hope that things will run smoothly.

Cast members have said that if someone forgets to greet George in the morning, the day will be filled with problems and breakdowns at Pirates of the Caribbean. If they forget to wish him a good evening, the next day won’t be a fun one.

George isn’t said to be a mean ghost, and it is said that only cast members have experiences with him and not the guests. However, a thread on WDW Magic does state that George is known to cause Pirates of the Caribbean to break down if guests are complaining about it while riding.

Of course, this is all part of the urban legend or myth or ghost story, and it all depends on what you want to believe.

A ghost story is simply something that is an experience or tale that someone has decided to share with the world, and it is one that usually ends up being passed down through the years. Walt Disney World has its fair share of them, and “George the Ghost” inhabiting Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the more popular tales — but is it true? Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t, but you may want to talk kindly about the Magic Kingdom ride next time you’re on it.

[Featured Image by Danny Cox]