Life-Size Animated Old Hag for Halloween

Officially licensed by Disney, this animated Old Hag figure appeared online earlier in 2014. Marketed as a consumer Halloween prop, the apple-bearing Witch moves her head, mouth, and arm.

Plus she talks! The voice resembles that of the film character and says a large variety of lines including:

There's something spooky out tonight, and I think it's you!
Ahhh... yet another creature of the night approaches.
Have you come for a trick or a treat?
Sorry, Halloween just brings out the ghoul in me.
Welcome to my home, my little victim. I mean, my little friend!

Built on a metal frame with a plastic base, the figure is activated by both sound and movement. An on/off button is hidden under her plastic hump. Plugs in to a standard outlet with 5' cord. Dimension: 61" tall, 31.5" wide, 38" deep.

Here she is in action...

Video and stock images via Grandin Road.

Online reviews have generally been positive except for an issue with the Witch's hair falling out. Apparently, "it's not a full wig, but rather, two thin strips that hang down from underneath the sides of her cloak." If you spend the $200 that this figure is retailing for, you might consider also purchasing a nice white wig too.

Snow White Main Street Emporium Windows

The Main Street Emporium at the Disney theme parks is known for it's fanciful window displays which feature scenes and characters from the classic films.

Disneyland Emporium. Image via Culleyland.

Walt Disney World Emporium. Image from personal collection.

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The tradition of using animated window figures on Main Street started at Disneyland in the 1960s. These window "books" give a little history...

This Disneyland Emporium diorama has been on exhibit since the 50th anniversary of the park in 2005. It features the original figures that were used years ago in early window displays. Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Peter Pan are represented here...

The animated Snow White figure kisses Dopey good bye in front of the cottage door. In the foreground, Cinderella raises her foot for the Grand Duke to fit the glass slipper...

DL window images courtesy of TokyoMagic! of Meet The World. Used with permission.

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At Walt Disney World, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all have their own individual Emporium window...

The Snow White crew re-enact their Silly Song merriment...

A film synopsis plaque sits below the scene...

Snow White spins around as she "dances" with a moving Dopey and Sneezy. Happy sways back and forth in the background...

Doc holds a stringed instrument behind Grumpy who's hands move upon the organ keys...

Sleepy and Bashful are perched atop the stairs...

I shot a short video clip of this scene back in February of 2011...

The Old Witch at Beverly Sunset Sweet Spells

Image courtesy of disneypix.com.

Like a cousin to the Candy Cauldron, the Beverly Sunset Sweets Spells shop is a wickedly savory confectionery located on Sunset Boulevard at WDW's Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando. The outside facade replicates the Warner Beverly Hills Theatre that once stood aglow in neon on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

Inside is...

an odd but effective and sometimes stunning mixture of Gothic and Art Deco styles that extends to the nearby Villains in Vogue location as well. Often missed due to the store's attractive and tempting assortment of candy and pastries is a series of high perched reliefs that serve as a hall of fame of Disney villains. Source: 2719 Hyperion

The villains overlook the shop.

And the Face in the Magic Mirror stands guard in several locations.

There's candy galore including these Evil Queen mints and Grumpy sours.

And these theme park chocolates (which are also available at Disneyland in Anaheim).

Candy Box images courtesy of TokyoMagic! Used with permission.

Setting up shop in one of the storefront windows is the Old Witch.

Taking a little direction from her spell book which reads.

juicy apple

gobs of butter

sack of sugar

pinch of mystery

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cast spell

boil in cauldron

She works her wicked ways for all to see as her arm moves up and down "dunking" the apple into the bubbling cauldron.

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Down a couple doors, the Witch appears again, this time in the store window of the Scary Apothecary where she tries to entice innocent passerbys to splurge on a few Vinylmations.

Old Witch Caged at the Villain's Lair

The following question was asked of Disney Chief Archivist Dave Smith. It was about the caged Witch that used to be at Disneyland...

Q: I've seen over the years at Disneyland a cage that held the Hag from Snow White. When the cage was rattled, she would come to life and try to bribe folks to let her out by promising to show how to "turn water to gasoline." Who made this and what was the reason? Reid, Ben Lomond, California

A [Dave Smith]: The Witch in the cage was originally made by the former WED Display and Design Department at Walt Disney World, under Jim McNalis, for use in 1975 Emporium windows in the Magic Kingdom park promoting Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. When the Disneyana Shop opened on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland in 1976, the Witch, animated and with added audio, moved west to become a major display piece in that shop. Later on it was used in the Villain's Lair shop in Fantasyland and Le Bat en Rouge in New Orleans Square.

Video posted by TwilightZoneAnaheim

Screen Capture

From Snow White/Witch collector Kurt Raymond...

That Old Witch was in the cage at Disneyland's Main Street's Emporuim when I was 11 in 1977. My dad, being that he was not shy, asked a cashier if she was for sale after I BEGGED him to see. The woman brought a manager out who quoted him $5000.00. We passed, obviously.

PS: Rumor has it, that Michael Jackson paid a small fortune for an exact replica in HIS house

A Witch mural, based on Gustaf Tenggren's original inspiration art, could also be seen at the Villain's Lair shop in Fantasyland from approximately 1998-2004.

Image courtesy of The Raymond Collection.