Maleficent is the main-antagonist of the 1959 Disney film Sleeping Beauty and has a shared development history with the Haunted Mansion. Due to her position as a classic Disney Villain, she has been featured among Haunted Mansion characters and locations since then.
Background[]
Sleeping Beauty[]
Maleficent is a dark-fairy who lives in a stone fortress atop the Forbidden Mountain. She is considered the Mistress of All Evil with her acting out grand acts of malevolence for cruel amusement and petty quarrels. At one point in time she cursed one Princess Aurora to die when pricking her finger on a spinning-wheel as punishment for her parents having not invited her to her christening. However, Maleficent would be foiled by her enemies the three fairies Flora, Fauna and Merriweather and Aurora's lover Prince Philip. This resulted in a fight between Philip and Maleficent who turned herself into a fire-breathing dragon only for her to be killed with a sword to the heart.
Other Notable Appearances[]
- Once Upon a Time: In this show, Maleficent was trapped in her dragon form by the Evil Queen and kept in a cavern underneath of the library of a town called Storybrooke.
- This show also featured Madame Leota and Memento Mori.
- Maleficent (films):
Connections[]
Development History[]
Maleficent was cited by Rolly Crump as an influence behind his Museum of the Weird expansion of the Haunted Mansion. It would have featured a character known as the Mistress of Evil (adapted from Maleficent's pseudonym) and Maleficent's cloak and fire from the film would have inspired the Mistress' floating and cackling while aflame. This character would go on to be featured in the Disney Kingdoms comic-book series Seekers of the Weird, Maleficent influence intact.
It should be noted that Maleficent's designer was Marc Davis who also designed a large portion of the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion. She was also voiced by Eleanor Audley, the same voice-actress as Madame Leota in the Haunted Mansion. Audley would have also voiced the Raven in the mansion in a removed audio track.
In the defunct Tokyo Disneyland attraction Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour, Maleficent would be subject to a Haunted Mansion inspired changing portrait which showed a portrait of Aurora turning into Maleficent. The design of Maleficent's raven Diablo would inspire the design of the Haunted Mansion's raven statue on the composer crypt of Walt Disney World's mansion in a 2011 refurbishment. The unofficial name of the raven in Disneyland is, "Lucifer" which is one name for the devil, similarly to the name Diablo which is Spanish for devil. In the 2003 film, Maleficent's dragon form would inspire the fireplace demon which drags Ramsley to Hell at the end of the film.
Disney Parks Shows[]
Happy HalloWishes[]
In this show, the Ghost Host and the rest of the happy haunts hosted the Happy HalloWishes fireworks show to celebrate the Halloween season. The events are interrupted by the Disney Villains joining in with their own songs and performances. Ursula, Jafar, Oogie Boogie, and Maleficent all join in during the "Scary-Oke", and the Ghost Host greets them all.
Film[]
Disneyland Fun[]
Maleficent appeared in the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” segment of the Disney Sing Along tape Disneyland Fun. She danced in front of the Disneyland mansion with the Evil Queen, the Big Bad Wolf, Captain Hook, the Scary Trees and Donald Duck dressed as a ghost.
Let’s Go to Disneyland Paris[]
The Evil Queen, Maleficent, Jafar, and the Big Bad Wolf do the same at Let’s Go to Disneyland Paris at Phantom Manor. At the end of the song, they are addressed by the Phantom and the Mélanie Ravenswood.
Mickey's House of Villains[]
Maleficent assisted in the takeover of the House of Mouse in this along with the Opera Ghosts, Madame Leota and Hitchhiking Ghosts.
Promotional Materials[]
Maleficent appeared in a promotional spot for Elvira, Mistress of the Dark shot at the Disneyland Haunted Mansion's Ballroom, being a grumpy neighbor to Elvira during her temporary stay.
Maleficent appeared inside of the Disneyland Mansion in a Halloween advertisement for Disneyland. During the graveyard scene, when a pop-up ghost appeared, she turned into a dragon and burned it.
Merchandise[]
A popular gimmick in Disney Parks merchandise is to parody the stretching room portraits with other Disney characters. A popular variant uses Disney Villains and has Maleficent with her pet raven Diablo sitting atop the tombstone of a henchman who failed her. This is done to mirror Constance Hatchaway sitting atop the tomb of George Hightower.
Disney Park Attractions[]
- Fantasmic!: Maleficent is an icon of this attraction on Disneyland's Tom Sawyer Island and in Walt Disney World's Sunset Boulevard of Disney's Hollywood Studios. She is summoned by the Evil Queen to aid in destroying Mickey Mouse's dreams and transforms into a dragon to attack him.