Hello again to all my TikiHeads and HappyHaunts out there in the Disney universe! In this entry to the Blog I’d like to introduce you to a Character that I have been developing on Twitter based on a Tombstone Epitaph that can be found in the graveyard at The Haunted Mansion in Disneyland and The Magic Kingdom. I wanted to find a character that really had no backstory so that I could develop my own. Not to infringe on the rights of Disney or create any controversy, but to enhance the enjoyment for Disney fans all around the globe and show my DisneySide, if you will. So, since my name is Dave, I immediately looked at Brother Dave and found it to be a fit. I wasn’t able to find any backstory on a character already in the Disney folklore, nor did I find anyone using that as a character on any social media. However, the obvious reason for the Tombstone existing as it does is a nod to a particular man that worked for Disney that I must pay homage to before I go any further. 
Dave Burkhart graduated with honors in design from California Institute of the Arts and began his career with the Walt Disney Company in 1967 as an artist and model maker for WDI, Walt Disney Imagineering. He was responsible for building architectural and show models, including full scale sets. He later became Show Designer and Field Art Director being responsible for show, ride, and facility concepts. Some of his attraction credits include Swiss Family Tree House, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and yes, The Haunted Mansion. In 1996 he left Disney and joined another company and currently can be found at ApogeeAttractions.com alongside former Disney members Norm Doerges and Ken Busch. 
On tombstones and crypts at the Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Tokyo versions of The Haunted Mansion are the names of characters who may or may not be in the actual attraction itself. Most are tributes to Imagineers who were involved in the creation of the attraction or names based on characters created by those Imagineers. The Tombstone for Brother Dave is a direct tribute to Dave Burkhart and reads, Dear Departed Brother Dave, He Chased A Bear Into A Cave. So, I created this Twitter account, Brother Dave, where I do mostly random tweets in character as if I’m a Ghost residing in the Mansion at Walt Disney World. Sometimes I will give you up to the minute wait time tweets by using one of the several apps I use for up to the minute info. I will also from time to time encourage you to check out the Disney Parks Blog for merchandise, special event or attraction information from my friends Steven Miller, Erin Glover and Jenn Fickley-Baker. I picked the Magic Kingdom version of The Mansion because of my friendship and affiliation with the guys at Enchanted Tiki Talk. It has proven to be a good match for us as you may have heard me do a few intros to the PodCast as Brother Dave. It has also been my honor to be a guest on one of the shows as well as perform an Ad spot. I hope to continue the relationship and really give them credit in getting my creative DisneySide public. I recently used Twitter to post a background story for my character, Brother Dave. I believe it barely went noticed as I slyly did it during a conversation with a friend of Enchanted Tiki Talk about his podcast, Dixie Landings Radio. It was a short impromptu entry of a story that I had prepared for this media, but I went with it. It is, as follows. My name is David Chadwick, a merchant from New Orleans. I had recently invested in a SideWheel Steamboat named Paragon, built by one William Parsons of Cincinnati in 1819. It was not more than a year from then that I embarked on a trip from New Orleans to Louisville to accompany a full cargo of my goods. The ships Master, Mr Cummings, was a tall man with eyes of steel, yet had a comforting disposition that suited the ships elegance. As fate would have it, his sister, Romena Cummings, was also aboard as an observer for the company. I had met Romena twice before but soon became quite enamored with her beauty and soft spoken demeanor. I would delightfully court her until that fateful day. It was on a days stop at the Port of Memphis that Romena and I decided to go ashore for a leisurely stroll and picnic in a nearby wooded area. Despite the fact that the port had not yet been cobbled and was a muddy mess, we set out ashore with a basket of chicken and biscuits from the galley. A Port hand agreed to arrange a buggy transport to a secluded area where we were promised to enjoy the natural surroundings. We found a clearing, but because it was a very warm and sunny day decided to walk further toward the edge of the woods for shade. As we approached our spot we were frightened and surprised by a rather large Black Bear. It had smelled the aroma of our feast and immediately took after Romena before she could put the basket down. She fled down a hill toward a cave that we had passed. I tried to call out for her to drop the basket but in her haste she couldn’t hear me. I ran after her and the bear and watched as they both disappeared into that cave. I then, too, chased the bear into the cave. Alas, the last few moments of my life were spent in darkness… calling out for my love, and measuring the pain of the bear tearing at my flesh only by the pain of losing my beloved Romena. I spent many years as a tortured lost soul, until the day Mr. Disney found me and allowed me residence in his lovely manor. And so goes, my story of Brother Dave and how he came to be at The Haunted Mansion. I encourage you to follow my character, Brother Dave on Twitter, @DepartedDave and watch for him as he may materialize now and then on The Enchanted TikiTalk PodCast. And, who knows what else he may have planned for the future….I hear he’s thinking of his own HappyHaunts Blog, perhaps? Until next time, Mahalo, David
How I Became Brother Dave
05 Thursday Feb 2015
Posted in Uncategorized
The Hatbox Ghost is about as legendary as you can get in Disney folklore. There have been many that have speculated as to why he was removed from the attic in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion just weeks after the ride debuted to employees and the media, not to materialize for the actual Grand Opening of the ride. But, as you can witness on DoomBuggies.com, the general public DID get a short look at the attic’s most sinister occupant. The actual reason for removal: He just simply didn’t work correctly! 
Recently, The Hatbox Ghost has been resurrected in sorts, showing up on merchandise and more rumors. In 2005, he was brought to life in a sculpture by Jody Daily and Kevin Kidney that Disney marketed as a “Big Figure” and in 2009, a life size sculpture was auctioned off at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Ca. Over the years he has been featured on several pins, decorative tombstones and even a miniature pewter figurine set. 
Now nostalgia is great, but more recent materializations have things getting quite interesting for us Haunted Mansion Lovers! In 2012, Disney released Halloween merchandise that featured The Hatbox Ghost as a prominent figure right along with The HitchHiking Ghosts. Along with this came the debut of The Haunted Mansion series 1 Vinylmation that included The Hatbox Ghost as a figure and as a glowing chase version. The artwork on the packaging was done by Thomas Scott and Dan Salgo and was based on the original artwork of The Story and Song of The Haunted Mansion. They even used the lettering found on the book cover. 
One of the most exciting days in 2013 came for Haunted Mansion Fans when Disney unveiled a working audio-animatronic version of The Hatbox Ghost at the D23 Expo. They used an A100 figure similar to Abraham Lincoln from “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln” as a demonstration on movement. And although he wasn’t even holding his Hatbox and there were no heads disappearing, it was still quite a sight for fans to see! On August 8th, 2013, I ordered a limited edition Haunted Mansion shirt from the Disney Store that featured artwork of The Hatbox Ghost by Casey Jones, who also based his artwork from the original found in The Story and Song of The Haunted Mansion, see a theme here? 
So why all this attention to a character that never really spent much time as one of the 999 Happy Haunts in the Mansion? Is it nostalgia? A Gimmick to sell more merchandise? Or is there something quite more to Ol Hatty showing up so much to represent a ride that he isn’t even featured in? There have been many rumors and questions over the years that remain as to whether or not Disney plans to bring back The Hatbox Ghost to once again Haunt us. One of the most recent clues to answer that question may have been revealed this past week on The Disney Parks Blog. In a story called, “Meet The Hatbox Ghost” there is artwork by Austin Hillebrecht that shows The Hatbox Ghost in the attic stitching his name, “Hatty” on a Mickey Ears Hat. There is a window to the left of him that clearly shows Cinderella’s Castle outside of where he is, and we all know that Cinderella’s Castle is at The Magic Kingdom in WDW. 
Is this a hint of what’s to come? Maybe. The Haunted Mansion at The Magic Kingdom is due to shut down for refurbishment from December 1st to December 19th, plenty of time to install Ol Hatty! And think of this, The Haunted Mansion Holiday decor will be coming down about the same time, making for an easy change in the attic at Disneyland! So, have I stirred your interest? Or are my prognostications just more fodder for the ones that wish upon a star? Let me know your thoughts and comments! Until next time, Mahalo and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! David
One of my greatest Disney memories came just after High School. My friend, Ryan, worked as a ride operator at Disneyland and he was given the opportunity to visit the Disney Studios in Burbank and asked if I wanted to come along. “YES!”, I said. For four glorious hours we walked the grounds of the studios, peeked through the halls and doors of the Animation Building and visited Dave Smith in the Archives. What a thrill it was to actually meet him and look through all the cool stuff they have there! Little did I know my greatest thrill would be later at the Commissary while sitting down to eat lunch. With all the costumed people and the artists and celebrities floating about, Dave Smith walked over to our table and asked if he could sit with us. “YES!”, We said! He said he was so impressed with our knowledge and interest in Disney History that he thought it would be fun to sit with us and talk “Disney” over lunch! WOW! I can’t even remember all I asked him but I was in shock for days to come. To me, that was like any rock star, you choose the one you want to enter into the story, walking over and asking to have lunch with you and talking about their music! My only Momento from that day is a business card of his that I laminated because I knew I would want to keep it for generations to come! 
My first visit to Walt Disney World wouldn’t come until I moved back to Ohio and married my second wife, Elizabeth. She is also a huge Disney fan! Marrying her was the best thing I ever did, even if just for the fact that my first wife didn’t have much interest in Disney and since then I’ve realized how much I missed during that time. She is the love of my life and encourages the passion that we both have for all things Disney. My favorite memory with her comes from a trip to WDW in 2004 while she was eight months pregnant with our second daughter, Morgan. My wife’s favorite character is Tigger, with Pooh coming in a close second. Her one goal on our trip was to get her picture taken with them and get their autographs. It was our first ever visit to Animal Kingdom and we entered the Park and started across the bridge. As I looked down to the right I saw someone standing in a reception area and motioned to my Wife to look. “TIGGER!!” She screamed, and was off to the races! As much as I tried, I never caught up to her until we were both standing in line to meet the bouncy fellow, and Pooh showed up too! Coincidentally, Morgan’s nickname later became Morgiroo and shortened to just Roo as a reference to the character in the Winnie the Pooh stories. Our oldest daughter together, Aliyah, has a nickname too, but it doesn’t pertain to Disney so I won’t give it away and embarrass her here! 
Currently, our Family enjoys everything Disney in our everyday lives and we try to plan a trip to WDW at least every other year, more often if we can afford it. I havn’t been back to California since I moved to Ohio about twenty years ago, so there’s a lot out there we havn’t seen and a trip to Disneyland is a must for the Family soon. You will definitely catch me on Twitter 
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