The Haunted Mansion: Legend of the Bride's Ring
Once upon a time in Liberty Square there was a turnstile located at the exit of the Haunted Mansion. When the turnstile was removed the portion that anchored it to the ground still remained. A little piece of sawed off pipe that scared the ground of the exit, a scar that looked vaguely like a ring. Time went by and soon fans created a story to go along with the scar, and the rumor spread that it was the ring of the bride from the ride's attic.
Haunted Mansion: Legend Of The Bride's Ring
The Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion
Because this ring was a creation of the fans and not Disney canon, the story of the ring varied depending who would tell it. Perhaps Master Gracey had gotten angry at the young woman for cheating on him and tossed it over the balcony in a fit of rage. Or maybe it was the indent of her ring forced into the ground when she flung herself to her death. The delightfully morbid notion took on a life of it's own and the little piece of embedded pipe grew into legend.
Original Fan Inspired Ring
And then one day the ring was simply gone. Cast members informed it's seekers that it had been paved over. There was outrage amongst fans who had come to adopt this story as truth. Devoted Haunted Mansion fans had proposed to their beloved on that little piece of pipe, it had become a cherished "treasure" hunt and tradition, and a little extra magic that had developed in an organic style. It had been just as much of the experience to many as anything Imagineers had created.
But never fear my friends for the Disney Imagineers heard the call of the Haunted Mansion fans and gave this story of the ring a nod in 2011 when a new interactive queue for the Haunted Mansion was built. An "official" ring, that indeed this time looks like an actual engagement ring and not just a little sawed off pipe, was embedded into the concrete as a tip of the hat to the popular legend and magic that fans created.
Official Ring In The New Queue
Located in a new area, cast members today will be happy to help you search for this little piece of lore. If you would like to look for it without their help, check out this video from Jeff Lang DVD at timestamp 2:18.
More information can be found about this classic Walt Disney World attraction at Frightfully Fun Facts about Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion.
Do you remember the original Bride's ring? Were you upset when the original was removed? Have you seen it's tribute piece in the new queue? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on this organic piece of magic.
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didyoucall911 wrote on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 07:47:
I never saw, or heard of this before. I'll have to keep my eyes open in January when I'm there, to see if I can find it.
Kristen K. wrote on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 14:27:
I can remember hunting for the original "ring" and thinking. "Yippie skippy, it's a sawed off post." I think it's pretty exciting though that the imagineers gave that a nod.
Jess wrote on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 19:34:
I did not know of this until i just read this story but I swear when we were there last week I saw the original one on the way out. I noticed it and thought hmmm thats strange....I should of taken a picture of it.
matty wrote on Thu, 01/03/2013 - 19:19:
I re.ember when I was in the college program we got to tour the magic kingdom before we got to work there and our guide told us the story of master gracey throwing the ring and then she showed it to us. I thought I was imaginering I had no idea it was just a piece of pipe left from an old turnstile
Meghann wrote on Fri, 04/05/2013 - 23:59:
I've never heard of this, but I think its awesome that the fans created the story and Disney made it "official" by putting in an actual ring. Just another fun detail to Disney that I love. Can't wait to look for it in May when we go!
Sasha wrote on Thu, 11/07/2013 - 07:40:
Cast member told us there was no ring when we asked. I was looking for it! Should have watched this vid before going. Sigh.
Jason wrote on Sat, 05/10/2014 - 02:45:
Was recently at Disneyland in Anaheim. There is no ring at the Disneyland location, and was told by the employees staffing the Mansion that the ring at the Mansion in the Magic Kingdom (Orlando) was removed in November 2013 during a refurbishment. I think this is a shame.
Leanne G wrote on Sun, 08/17/2014 - 20:51:
I was Just in Disney World and asked the cast members where i could find the ring and they had told me the ghost were polishing it. They weren't very helpful to me :/ I looked both days i was there. I wish i would have watched this video before i went! I can't wait to go back and find it!!
Amber wrote on Sat, 09/27/2014 - 15:07:
Here we are in Disney and we were told the diamond ring was
being polished but it never came back. Looks like another fun
piece of Disney is gone. Boo! Walt Disney would be sad to know the imagination around here is fading!
Amber wrote on Sat, 09/27/2014 - 15:10:
By the way... The ring was there in April 2014.
Glen Ramsey wrote on Wed, 04/22/2015 - 11:20:
It's there as of April 21, 2015!
Lydia Zimmerman wrote on Sat, 07/04/2015 - 17:40:
I worked there for the College Program from may 2014 to January 2015 and one of my good friends was a maid at the Haunted Mansion. She told me they would take it to be polished during peak times because so many people would step on it and it would get worn down as it was in the waiting queue. Glad to hear it is back as I only got to see it once!
Tina wrote on Mon, 07/06/2015 - 06:04:
What I want to know is how were you in more than 1 doombuggy??
Phoebe wrote on Tue, 07/07/2015 - 23:26:
Never been to Disney world but I go to Disneyland Paris all the time and I've always noticed the ring there and thought it must be the brides from the ride.
bonnie wrote on Fri, 12/18/2015 - 10:37:
I saw the ring many many years ago when I was a child. No one ever believed me.
Kristen K. wrote on Fri, 12/18/2015 - 23:14:
I believe you Bonnie!
Cast member wrote on Thu, 08/04/2016 - 21:51:
It is there in the regular queue line, not the fast pass queue area. The imagineering draft end listened to the guest and definitely wants the guest story to continue on.. The magic is not gone, you just need to look for it.
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