DiscoverThis Haunted LifeThrills and Chills
Thrills and Chills

Thrills and Chills

Update: 2025-05-27
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Description

This episode explores the fascinating intersection between thrill-seeking, hauntings, and the unseen spirits that may be lingering at major American theme parks. From Disney’s Haunted Mansion to Knott’s Berry Farm’s real-life ghost town, Adam dives into tales from employees, researchers, and first-hand investigations that suggest some guests never really leave.


Main Segments & Topics
Intro – The Haunted Fun of Theme Parks

  • Walt Disney's vision for Disneyland included embracing fear as entertainment (Haunted Mansion opened in 1969).
  • Theme parks provide "safe scares" — a psychological release of fear-driven chemicals.
  • Universal Orlando’s new Dark Universe horror-themed land shows our continued fascination with monsters and fright.


Act 1: The Guests Who Never Leave

  • Speculation around Walt Disney’s ghost
  • Cast member reports: shadow figures, phantom music, voices, ghostly guest named Mr. One-Way on Space Mountain.
  • Theory: Happy energy from theme parks draws spirits like a beacon; emotional imprinting from visitors fuels residual hauntings.


Act 2: Kings Island & The Girl in the Blue Dress

  • Adam and Amy Bruni investigate Kings Island in Ohio during the off-season.
  • Encountered signs of the spirit “Missouri Jane,” a young girl believed to be linked to an on-site cemetery.
  • Paranormal experience inside the abandoned haunted house attraction — footsteps, leading energy, and atmospheric chills.


Act 3: The Real Ghosts of Calico Ghost Town at Knott’s Berry Farm

  • Origins of Knott’s Berry Farm, Calico Ghost Town, and use of real historic buildings.
  • Park founder Walter Knott recreated the Old West, sometimes with actual 19th-century structures, possibly bringing spirits with them.
  • Stories from employees include:
  • Miss Hazel, an early staff member upset by the commercialization of the park
  • George and Harold, ghosts haunting the Timber Mountain Log Ride
  • Cordelia Knott, believed to still observe from her beloved Chicken Dinner Restaurant.


Act 4: Listener Spotlight – Christie’s Wild Ride

  • Origins of Knott’s Berry Farm, Calico Ghost Town, and use of real historic buildings.
  • Park founder Walter Knott recreated the Old West, sometimes with actual 19th-century structures, possibly bringing spirits with them.
  • Stories from employees include:
  • Miss Hazel, an early staff member upset by the commercialization of the park
  • George and Harold, ghosts haunting the Timber Mountain Log Ride
  • Cordelia Knott, believed to still observe from her beloved Chicken Dinner Restaurant.


 Interview with Christie Drolet, a long-time Knott’s employee.

  • Firsthand accounts:
  • Items moving on their own.
  • Hair being pulled until she directly addressed the spirit.
  • Apparitions in restaurants, theaters, and ghost town attractions.
  • Disembodied voices from spirits named Harold (grumpy) and George (playful).
  • Ghosts seen walking stages and saloons, seemingly reliving their time in the park.
  • Does Walter and Cordelia Knott still walk the grounds?


Act 5: Thrill of a Lifetime — And Beyond

  • Reflection: If you could choose to haunt anywhere, wouldn’t a theme park be ideal?
  • Ghosts as eternal park guests: always welcome, surrounded by joy and magic, and even allowed to scare.
  • Final thought: Theme parks are made for the living, but they may just be paradise for the dearly departed, too.
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Thrills and Chills

Thrills and Chills

Adam Berry