A story that has become associated with Halloween, thanks to Walt Disney, is Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. And the story has influenced the architecture, restaurants, shops, parades, and attraction concepts of Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
On a recent episode of Connecting with Walt, I talk about the origins of Washington Irving’s story, which is an 1820 tale of a headless horseman who terrorizes the real-life village of Sleepy Hollow. It is considered to be one of the United States’ earliest and scariest ghost stories. The original story is set in the evening of a “fine autumnal day.” Due to its ghostly and frightening aspects, it has become associated with Halloween. This association was secured with the release of Walt Disney’s 1949 film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
The Disney version of Washington Irving’s story is considered to be one of the most faithful adaptations, especially in the depiction of Ichabod as a gangly, gluttonous, unsympathetic opportunist. Of course, Disney added its own touch to the story but stayed true to the tale.
The film was released to theatres on October 5, 1949. When The Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment was first run on Walt’s Disneyland television series on October 26, 1955, a new fourteen-minute animated segment about the life of Washington Irving was included and introduced by Walt.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman are so popular and a tad bit frightening that several references to the film and horseman have been added to the parks.
In one of the early concepts for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, Imagineer Ken Anderson submitted to Walt a concept for a finale that included a ride through the graveyard by the Headless Horseman. This idea was abandoned when the attraction stopped being a walkthrough and became a ride with Doombuggies.
During the early planning for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Imagineer Tony Baxter proposed an attraction based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that would serve as a transition between Liberty Square and Fantasyland. Guests would have ridden in hollowed-out spinning jack-o-lanterns through scenes from the story until a final encounter with the Headless Horseman.
The architecture of the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion is inspired by the Dutch-Gothic style of stately homes found in the Hudson River Valley, which is the setting for the story of the hapless Ichabod. There was a gift shop next to the mansion named Ichabod’s Landing that sold magic tricks, monster masks, gags, and camera film. The shop closed in 1996.
At the entrance to Liberty Square is Sleepy Hollow Refreshments. It seems appropriate to have a dining establishment named after the gluttonous Ichabod Crane. The Headless Horseman adorns the food location’s sign. The architecture of the building is similar to the small two-room cottage on Washington Irving’s Sunnyside estate, including the stair-stepped peaks of the building’s roof.
Across from Sleepy Hollow Refreshments is the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. It is designed to appear as the exterior of three different storefronts – a tailor, a woodcarver, and a music shop. Outside the music shop is a sign reading, “Music & Voice Lessons by Appointment, Ichabod Crane, Instructor,” a profession Ichabod did to earn some additional money in both the story and Walt Disney’s film.
Guests can see the Headless Horsemen in person leading the parades at the Magic Kingdom’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Disney California Adventure Park’s Oogie Boogie Bash. Near the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure is a life-sized statue of the Headless Horseman. If you listen carefully, you may hear his laughter and the galloping hooves of his horse.
A highlight for guests visiting the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground was an up-close and personal encounter with the Headless Horseman during the haunted hayride and carriage rides.
It has been 75 years since the release of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Although there isn’t an attraction based on Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman, there are many references and tributes to the film in the parks waiting to be discovered. To learn more about the original story, the film, and its references in the parks, listen to Connecting with Walt: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and Disney Parks.
Michael Bowling is the Disney Historian for The DIS Unlimited and host of the Connecting with Walt Podcast. He lives in Northern California. With his late wife Carol he has two adult children and one granddaughter who shares her grandfather's love of all things Disney. Michael's passion for Disney began during his first visit to Disneyland as a one-year old when some Pixie Dust got into his bloodstream during Tinker Bell's flight over Sleeping Beauty Castle. Since then he has learned all he could about the Disney magic and shares it freely with his students, family, neighbors, co-workers and pretty much anyone who will listen. Michael is a Disneyland and Walt Disney World annual passholder, D23 Gold Charter Member, DVC owner and The Walt Disney Family Museum Charter Member. With his family he has spent time at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, has traveled with Adventures by Disney and Disney Cruise Line, and relaxed at Aulani. Michael has been been able to visit all the Disney Parks with friends he has met through The DIS Unlimited. When Michael is not at the parks or spending time with his family or in his garden, which is filled with Disney topiaries and statues, you can find him at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco or at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary where he is a docent. Michael enjoys reading about Disney history and learning all he can about Walt Disney and those who make the magic happen for all of us.
