News Hatbox Ghost coming to Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion

yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
Alright. Let's fact check this. I found a
other sources that state the coffin voice victim is X Atencio. Could you share the sources you find that say it is Dal? While reading a mansion article on writing the narration m, his work on voices in each attraction(Jolly Roger in Pirates and Coffin victim in HM) came up.

Could you share a couple sources that say that is Dal? My ears certainly hear X's and you are the first post I have ever seen(and words.from the man himself) say otherwise. So I would.like to know where you heard it was Dal. https://hauntedmansion.fandom.com/wiki/X._Atencio#:~:text=Francis Xavier Atencio, (1919-,coffin, and the emergency spiel.

www.creepykingdom.com/amp/searching-for-x-atencio

That X voiced him is a longstanding myth - he probably did a recording for it that ultimately went unused. Compare "Lemme Out" to X's other voice work with the HM "Breakdown" spiel, the Pirates Jolly Roger, the old WDW Pirates Queue recordings, and it becomes clear that X did not have a particularly broad range as a voicover artist. Everything we know for sure to be him sounds, well . . . like him.

Meanwhile, Dal McKennon has also laid claim to the role, and the voice sounds about a half step away from his work as the Old Man in the Graveyard. Considering that half of Dal's career was based in his gifts for Voice Acting, and his ability to achieve many different types of voice, it's much more likely it was actually him. He frequently turned in performances of a similar vein to the Occupant, and has also demonstrated great versatility, while X. Atencio has never really done either.

It would have been a wild one-off for X to suddenly deliver that kind of voice, meanwhile Dal did it all the time. I've had some conversations in person backing this up that I obviously can't link to, but Jeff Baham (Chef Mayhem of Doombuggies) has corroborated this line of thinking:


For your listening pleasure, here's a compilation of some of their respective works:


The "Coffin Occupant":


X Atencio:

Doombuggy Breakdown Spiel:

Jolly Roger:

A sample of X just talking in his regular voice - you can hear the above didn't stray very far:

Dal McKennon:

HM Graveyard Old Man:

Big Thunder Safety Spiel:

Disneyland Nature's Wonderland Spiel:

The Fox in Mary Poppins:


Surprisingly, Dal also voiced Ben Franklin in The American Adventure. I bet most people would never connect that voice to the guy who says "This here's the Wildest Ride in the WILDERNESS!"
 
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yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
Was there always a similar looking chair in the library? If not, they put it there.
If you're talking about this guy, yes, he's always been there:

1691074985080.png


He's similar to the Endless Hallway chair, but not exactly the same:

1691075018680.png
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
I get the pacing argument, and the stealing focus argument, but I think all in all it will be a nice addition...Always glad to see more added to the mansion...Maybe the queue playground could be re-thought... That I don't like as it completely ruins the tone of the beginning of the ride... It is supposed to be formal and slightly scary....then gradually fun and silly... again...pacing.
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Lets not get held up in the "Leota rule" and argue whether the shadow hands at the piano or the corpse coming out of the coffin are ghosts. The point is this: Before the seance, all scenes are creepy and spooky but you don't see a full apparition until after she summons them. Even the Ghost Host tells us, "The spirits have heard your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize." Now, all of a sudden here's the Hatbox Ghost by the endless hallway before you arrive at the seance. That's the problem.
 

Andrew M

Well-Known Member
Lets not get held up in the "Leota rule" and argue whether the shadow hands at the piano or the corpse coming out of the coffin are ghosts. The point is this: Before the seance, all scenes are creepy and spooky but you don't see a full apparition until after she summons them. Even the Ghost Host tells us, "The spirits have heard your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize." Now, all of a sudden here's the Hatbox Ghost by the endless hallway before you arrive at the seance. That's the problem.
I see the point on why people are having a problem with it, but this is why I don't have an issue with it:

The Disneyland AA is much more lifelike than the transparent ghosts you see in the ballroom and graveyard, and even moreso than the groundskeeper. It looks like a creepy man until his head disappears. In my mind it fits in perfectly with the hands raising up the coffin and the shadow pianist.
 

yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
Lets not get held up in the "Leota rule" and argue whether the shadow hands at the piano or the corpse coming out of the coffin are ghosts. The point is this: Before the seance, all scenes are creepy and spooky but you don't see a full apparition until after she summons them. Even the Ghost Host tells us, "The spirits have heard your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize." Now, all of a sudden here's the Hatbox Ghost by the endless hallway before you arrive at the seance. That's the problem.

All I can do is day for what must be the 100th time that the team involved is fully aware of this and does not intend to ruin The Haunted Mansion with this install.

Let's see what they do.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
That X voiced him is a longstanding myth - he probably did a recording for it that ultimately went unused. Compare "Lemme Out" to X's other voice work with the HM "Breakdown" spiel, the Pirates Jolly Roger, the old WDW Pirates Queue recordings, and it becomes clear that X did not have a particularly broad range as a voicover artist. Everything we know for sure to be him sounds, well . . . like him.




Surprisingly, Dal also voiced Ben Franklin in The American Adventure. I bet most people would never connect that voice to the guy who says "This here's the Wildest Ride in the WILDERNESS!"

Really? Because I can certainly hear Dal in American Adventure. From the moment Ben talks in the beginning of the show it sounds like Dal.

The coffin voice so has X's diction, although a higher pitch.
It is similar to how you can hear Walt in Mickey.
Can you provide documentation or s source where Dal has said it was him? He was quite the character particularly later in life but I have never seen Dal change this story.

You fact check me with no source but all I am asking for are similar sources to what I provided. It must be somewhere.


I am sorry to correct you, but until I see documentation otherwise. X Atencio is certainly the voice of the occupant. Particularly since I provided sources and the man has said and never denied it himself at conventions and stated it during interviews.

X also had autographed these at conventions as well as well as CDs of HM tracks.
He never once denied voicing it while talking about voicing or telling people it was Dal or anyone else. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/disneyland-haunted-mansion-corpse-423144143

You must not be aware that X also voiced the parrot in the original incarnation for Pirates of the Caribbean. Singing and speaking while imitating a parrot in the ride. Which you can hear nearly the same voice as as the coffin voice occupant, just without the panic and add the imitation of a squawking parrot.
 
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yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
Really? Because I can certainly hear Dal in American Adventure. From the moment Ben talks in the beginning of the show it sounds like Dal.

The coffin voice so has X's diction, although a higher pitch.
It is similar to how you can hear Walt in Mickey.
Can you provide documentation or s source where Dal has said it was him? He was quite the character particularly later in life but I have never seen Dal change this story.

You fact check me with no source but all I am asking for are similar sources to what I provided. It must be somewhere.


I am sorry to correct you, but until I see documentation otherwise. X Atencio is certainly the voice of the occupant. Particularly since I provided sources and the man has said and never denied it himself at conventions and stated it during interviews.

X also had autographed these at conventions as well as well as CDs of HM tracks.
He never once denied voicing it while talking about voicing or telling people it was Dal or anyone else. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/disneyland-haunted-mansion-corpse-423144143

You must not be aware that X also voiced the parrot in the original incarnation for Pirates of the Caribbean. Singing and speaking while imitating a parrot in the ride. Which you can hear nearly the same voice as as the coffin voice occupant, just without the panic and add the imitation of a squawking parrot.

I'm not sure what makes you think X voiced that Parrot - he wrote the unique lyrics the Parrot sings, but I think that might be why his credit is attached. That is certainly not his voice. There's a reason X only occasionally lent his voice to things - listen to his "performance" from the old WDW Pirates Queue track and tell me this guy has that kind of vocal ability:



I'll have to look deeper and see if I can find written sources for Dal as the Coffin Guy, but half the issue is that there isn't much documentation about it. Otherwise the myth would have never started to begin with. Again, X must have recorded something for the scene - it's not like he was outright lying - but the final voice in the Mansion isn't him. It's Dal McKennon.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
The FL barker bird was Gary Goddard. That is why the version you hear does not sound like him.

Also, X did have range. Fun fact for you he also voiced the six bottles of rum pirate bantering with the auction scene.
He and Paul Frees recorded it at the same time in studio.

I am not sure why you can say one is a myth with documentation, but there is zero correction or dispute from any published sources besides your post saying so.

That's not how fact checking works. Which you quoted and stated, "Fact Check" but you have no sources documenting your claim.
 
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larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
This may have already been mentioned but doesn't this negate the point of the séance scene? Ghosts don't materialize until after she summons them. Now, all of a sudden, here is the Hatbox Ghost before you enter the scene with Leota. It would have been better to put him somewhere in the attic. Either before or after the bride.
Well, this is one ghost who thinks out of the (hat)box.
 

yensidtlaw1969

Well-Known Member
The FL barker bird was Gary Goddard. That is why the version you hear does not sound like him.

Also, X did have range. Fun fact for you he also voiced the six bottles of rum pirate bantering with the auction scene.
He and Paul Frees recorded it at the same time in studio.

I am not sure why you can say one is a myth with documentation, but there is zero correction or dispute from any published sources besides your post saying so.

That's not how fact checking works. Which you quoted and stated, "Fact Check" but you have no sources documenting your claim.
Wow, talk about disingenuous. You literally tried to set me up - Thankfully I actually know what I'm talking about here, so it wasn't gonna work, but I at least gave you the benefit of the doubt that you were genuinely misinformed rather than acting purely in bad faith. How sad.

Somehow I knew from our last interaction that I would regret giving you a chance in this thread. Lo and behold.

You don't have to believe me if you don't want. But Dal McKennon is the Coffin Guy, and rumors of it being X. Atencio have been greatly exaggerated. I can't think of why anybody would make such a claim if it weren't the truth, since it gains me nothing. Do with that what you will. Quietly, on your own, since I won't be responding to you anymore. Way to show everybody what kind of person you are.

PS: That bird audio in that video you shared isn't even the Gary Goddard Barker Bird, it's the Parrot from the Burning City scene, which is voiced by a different performer - neither X. Atencio nor Gary Goddard, just to be super clear. So you're not even right in that regard.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
Wow, talk about disingenuous. You literally tried to set me up - Thankfully I actually know what I'm talking about here, so it wasn't gonna work, but I at least gave you the benefit of the doubt that you were genuinely misinformed rather than acting purely in bad faith. How sad.

Somehow I knew from our last interaction that I would regret giving you a chance in this thread. Lo and behold.

You don't have to believe me if you don't want. But Dal McKennon is the Coffin Guy, and rumors of it being X. Atencio have been greatly exaggerated. I can't think of why anybody would make such a claim if it weren't the truth, since it gains me nothing. Do with that what you will. Quietly, on your own, since I won't be responding to you anymore. Way to show everybody what kind of person you are.

PS: That bird audio in that video isn't even the Gary Goddard Barker Bird, it's the Parrot from the Burning City scene, which is voiced by a different performer - neither X. Atencio nor Gary Goddard, just to be super clear. So you're not even right in that regard.

How did I set you up?
I no longer have interest in whatever that is. If you don't believe the documentation that is fine. But I am glad you "know better."
What is bad faith about providing facts? I am open to counter documentation.
I am not sure why you are aggressive.

I am sorry everyone that I am the kind of person I am. I just shared documentation and sources that X Atencio is the voice of the coffin guy in Haunted Mansion, including himself.
 
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