Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicIf you’ve ever cruised through the treasure-laden finale of Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World and wondered about the dramatic chair Jack Sparrow is slouched in, you’re not alone. That chair isn’t just any pirate throne—it’s a hand-me-down straight from the other side.
Specifically, it’s a relic from the 2003 live-action film The Haunted Mansion, starring Eddie Murphy. And yes, it’s the same creepy-cool chair that once belonged to Master Gracey himself. As Disney fans continue to dig deeper into park lore and movie crossovers, this eerie furniture flip has become one of the most unexpected (and strangely delightful) pieces of trivia in the Disney universe.
Let’s break down how a haunted chair ended up in the middle of a pirate’s loot pile—and explore some weird and wonderful facts about both the movies and the rides that inspired them.
From Mansion to Magic Kingdom
After Disney released the Eddie Murphy-led Haunted Mansion in 2003, props from the production made their way into storage—or, in some cases, into Disney Parks. Among the most recognizable items was Master Gracey’s elaborately carved, high-back wooden chair. In the film, the chair appears in several key scenes within the ornate, cursed manor.
But when the time came to revamp Pirates of the Caribbean in 2006 to include Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, and Captain Barbossa, Imagineers dug into the archives to help dress the ride’s newly constructed final treasure scene. That’s where the throne resurfaced—repurposed and reused, now serving as Jack’s golden seat among jewels and riches.
It’s still there today, waiting for eagle-eyed fans to catch the crossover.
The Instagram account House of Mouse shared this information, stating, “On the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom, the chair Jack Sparrow sits on at the end is a real movie prop from the 2003 movie The Haunted Mansion..”
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A Tale of Two Franchises
It’s not unusual for Disney to intertwine its properties, but this one is a deep cut even for diehards. While The Haunted Mansion (2003) was a modest success and later gained cult status, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl—released just months earlier—exploded into a cultural phenomenon.
Jack Sparrow became a household name, Johnny Depp earned an Oscar nomination, and Disney quickly greenlit sequels, turning Pirates into a billion-dollar franchise. The ride updates in 2006 followed the success of the first two films and brought the movie characters into the attraction in a seamless (and wildly popular) way.
Meanwhile, the chair quietly slipped into its new role. No grand announcement. No press release. Just a prop swap that only the most observant fans would catch.
It is fun to see Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the attraction, as his presence in the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will likely never be seen again after Disney fired him for the allegations set out by his ex-wife Amber Heard.
In the end, Depp was found not guilty in court, and while rumors have swirled of Disney wanting him back, the actor has promised to never return. It’s almost as if Sparrow is now a “ghost” of the franchise (see what we did there?).
More Hidden Booty in Pirates of the Caribbean
The Gracey chair isn’t the only surprise waiting inside Pirates of the Caribbean. Here are a few more treasures to look out for:
1. Real Skeletons, Real Legend
Disneyland’s original Pirates ride famously used real human skeletons, as Imagineers felt the fakes looked too plastic. While most have been replaced, fans believe the skull above the bed in the treasure room scene is still the real deal.
2. Red’s Makeover
The controversial auction scene got a major overhaul in 2018. The “wench for a bride” line is gone, and in its place is Redd, a fiery pirate auctioneer now selling stolen rum and goods.
3. Hidden Mickeys Galore
In classic Disney fashion, hidden Mickeys are scattered throughout the attraction. One fan-favorite: the trio of cannonballs in the fort scene.
4. You Can Thank Walt for the Drop
The initial plunge at the beginning of the ride? That was Walt Disney’s idea to move guests under the train tracks at Disneyland. At Disney World, the drop just adds excitement—but the legacy remains.
5. Club 33 Is Just Around the Corner
At Disneyland, the ultra-secret Club 33 sits mere feet from the Pirates loading area. If you ever spot a door with a “33” plaque near New Orleans Square—yep, that’s it.
The Haunted Mansion’s Oddball Legacy
Though The Haunted Mansion (2003) wasn’t a mega-hit, it remains a curiosity among Disney fans—largely because it’s one of the only live-action adaptations directly tied to a ride that didn’t get a massive franchise (unlike Pirates or Jungle Cruise).
Fun fact: The 2003 film’s production sets were elaborate and expensive, created with meticulous detail to mimic the ride’s look. That attention to gothic décor is likely why the chair—designed to evoke 19th-century ghostly grandeur—fit so well into a pirate’s den of gold and goblets.
The chair is now immortalized not just in one piece of Disney history, but two.
One Prop. Two Stories. Infinite Fandom Delight.
Master Gracey’s haunted chair has sailed into a new life, and most guests will never know its ghostly origin. But for diehard Disney historians, this is the kind of crossover magic that makes the parks so endlessly fun to explore.
Whether you’re a pirate chasing treasure or a ghost host searching for your next guest, this high-backed chair stands as a quiet nod to the weird, wild intersections of Disney lore—and proof that no prop ever truly dies at the Mouse House.