LPWire: Midnight Ceremony Commemorates Winning Bidder of Disneyland Tombstone

(c)Disney
First-Ever Wake at Disneyland Features Auction Winner as 'Ghost of Honor' at His Own Burial
Midnight Ceremony Commemorates Winning Bidder of Disneyland Tombstone

Cary Sharp, 37, of Baton Rouge, La., attended his own midnight “burial�? at Disneyland on Thursday, October 28 to become an honorary resident of the park’s famous “Haunted Mansion.�? Sharp was the “ghost of honor�? at a tongue-in-cheek wake that saw him presented with his very own personalized tombstone, unveiled as spirited inhabitants of the attraction paid their “last�? respects.

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A doctor and health care attorney, Sharp paid $37,400 for a historic first. By winning the tailor-made tombstone via an auction on eBay, The World’s Online Marketplace®, Sharp becomes the first member of the public to ever be “immortalized�? in a world-famous Disneyland attraction.

Cyrus the Caretaker presents auction winner Cary Sharp with his "death certificate"
(c)Disney

(c)Disney

At the stroke of midnight, Sharp was delivered to the gates of the “Haunted Mansion�? in a black horse-drawn carriage, and was greeted by the Mansion’s familiar trio of hitchhiking ghosts. He also received a one-of-a-kind miniature replica of the tombstone and a “Death�? certificate of authenticity officially recognizing the addition to the attraction. His gravestone is located in front of a quintet of ghostly musicians who eternally perform in the attraction’s memorable graveyard scene.

The "ghost of honor" is carried to the Haunted Mansion (c)Disney
 

The Haunted Mansion's residents, the hitchiking ghosts and bride attended Sharp's wake.
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Over 60,000 people visited the online auction by the time the final bid was tallied on Thursday, October 21. “I was stunned when I realized I had actually won,�? Sharp said. “Now, to see this clever reference to me in this famous attraction, it really is a special honor.�?

All proceeds from the auction on eBay are going to selected chapters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

--Posted October 29, 2004
Source: Disneyland Resort