Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction is regarded as one of their best. The amount of iconic characters sprinkled throughout makes the whole experience drip with character and atmosphere. The Hitch Hiking Ghosts, the Hat box Ghost, the Singing Busts and Madame Leota all make up a gleefully ghoulish gang. But one other important character is the infamous Ghost Bride of the attic. However, throughout its history there has actually been more than one ghostly bride. Let us invite these lifeless ladies to tell us their stories this Halloween.

– The Beating Heart Bride/Emily de Claire

The original bride of this spooky ride. The concept of visiting the attic and seeing a ghostly figure in a wedding gown was sure to curl the hairs on the back of someone’s neck. However, due to her long stay at the attraction, her story has often changed. At one point, she was the bride of William Gracey, aka Captain Blood, and was murdered by him after finding his secret. Then, she was the bride of the infamous Hat Box Ghost. Then, she was the ghost of a woman who never married and would wait for all eternity for her true love to come.

Over the years, she had numerous different designs, from a reanimated corpse, to an empty shape, to a beautiful pale glowing woman with golden hair. There would also often be differences depending on which park you were visiting. Eventually, she left the mansion when another bride took her place. She can still, however, be seen at the Haunted Mansion in Tokyo Disneyland.

– The Black Widow Bride/Constance Hatchaway

The more well-known bride who made her debut in 2006 is Constance.  She was a bride who had many wealthy husbands. However, each husband would find themselves decapitated at the hands of their beloved, the victim of greed. Constance now resides in the attic, awaiting her next victim. She is a much more villainous bride than her predecessor.

Her design has remained relatively the same, with a projection on her face and a devilish grin and evil cackle. Disney has marketed her immensely, making her the de facto bride for their North American parks. She is present on much of the Haunted Mansion merchandise and was even referenced in the 2023 Haunted Mansion film. She really has a good head on her shoulders.

– Mélanie Ravenswood

The ghost bride of the Phantom Manor of Disneyland Paris, Mélanie, is the victim of a rather tragic story. The daughter of a wealthy tycoon who wanted to marry a man who didn’t match her father’s standards. When her father died, she saw it as an opportunity to marry her sweetheart, but her father’s wrath reached beyond the grave and murdered her beloved. She is now trapped in an unending battle with the evil Phantom that haunts the Ravenswood Manor.

She appears throughout the ride, often with the ghost of her father present and laughing at her misfortune. Originally, at the end of the ride, she guided riders to their freedom while she reverted to a skeleton. This element was sadly removed in a recent renovation. Her story still captures guests worldwide as she represents the light that battles the darkness.

– Elizabeth Henshaw

While not from the original attraction, Elizabeth was the central character in the story of the 2003 Haunted Mansion film. After she agreed to Mary Lord Gracey, his butler poisoned her to prevent their union as he did not approve of his master marrying a woman of her ethnic background. She helps the Evers children unravel the mystery surrounding her murder in order to help set all of the ghosts of the mansion free.

She was played by Marisa Thompson in a dual role as she also played Sarah Evers, a woman who resembles the ghost bride. While she has been forgotten due to the poor reception the film had, she is still a part of the franchise’s history, one of the many ghosts who reside within the haunted walls.

Which bride is your favorite? Were there any that you think we missed? Do you want to see some of them get more recognition? Let us know your thoughts.