It should come as no surprise that Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction is one of the most beloved Disney attractions of all time. Among our favorite ghouls and spirits who come out to socialize during the classic attraction, Madame Leota is an iconic favorite. If you’re not yet familiar with her, Madame Leota is the psychic medium who manifests as a disembodied head inside a misty crystal ball in the “seance scene” of the Haunted Mansion attraction. Although she has become very popular, there are some fun facts about Madame Leota that you may not know…
1. She is played by a famed Disney Imagineer- The face that we see projected is none other than Disney legend Leota (Toombs) Thomas. Her face was projected onto a blank head model while reciting her famous lines.
2. Madame Leota’s Spellbook- A Spellbook was later added to the seance room in both the Disney World and Disneyland attractions. Her spellbook is named Necronomicon: Book of the Dead and is opened to page 1313.
3. Jennifer Tilly played her- In the 2003 live-action film, The Haunted Mansion, actress Jennifer Tilly played Madame Leota. Tilly has also appeared in Monsters Inc. and Home on the Range.
4. Leota (Tombs) Thomas’s voice was also used for “Ghost Hostess”- Also known as “Little Leota” the Ghost Hostess is the little ghoulish figure you see as you head out of the graveyard scene.
5. Her daughter reprised her role- During the Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland, Leota’s daughter Kim Irvine plays Madame Leota.
6. She used to have a souvenir cart- Now replaced by the gift shop Memento Mori, there used to be a souvenir cart located outside of the Haunted Mansion with the words “Mme Leota, Psychic Medium, Seances, Crystal Gazing, Astrologist, Knows All Sees All”. Now, if you’re lucky, you can catch a glimpse of the enchantress inside Memento Mori.
7. Her crystal ball appears in another Disney attraction- As crazy as it may seem, Madame Leota’s crystal ball also appears in the queue of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Look closely at G2- 9T’s suitcase scanner!
While Halloween may still be a few months away, it is never a bad time to ride The Haunted Mansion Attraction!
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