When I took my three-year-old daughter to Spirit Halloween, I figured she would run straight toward the sparkly costumes or the cute stuffed animals. Instead, she locked eyes on the creepiest baby doll I had ever seen in my life. Before I could even try to steer her in another direction, she picked it up and said with total conviction, “But I’m its mommy, and it needs me!”Once she made up her mind, that was it. She decided to name the doll Chloe, but I couldn’t help calling it ‘Creepy Chloe’ the way it stared made me half-convinced it was plotting to steal my soul while I slept
Not long after, we went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and of course, Briar insisted on bringing Creepy Chloe along for the adventure. She even decided Chloe needed to dress like a princess, so I dug out Briar’s own Haunted Mansion-style dress to keep the spooky theme going. Picture this: a grinning toddler in a gothic dress carrying a terrifying doll in a frilly princess gown, marching proudly through Disney World like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The adventure began at breakfast in the Grand Floridian café. One of the pastry chefs, who happened to be a big fan of spooky things, came out to meet Briar and Chloe. Instead of being put off by the creepy doll, she was charmed by Briar’s devotion to it. At the end of the meal, she surprised my daughter with a special spooky cupcake and a little handmade chocolate Haunted Mansion poster. Watching Briar’s eyes light up was priceless she was absolutely thrilled that someone else loved Creepy Chloe too.
From there, we made our way to Magic Kingdom, where things got even funnier. Briar had a whole photoshoot with Chloe, thanks to a photographer who was clearly enjoying the unusual subject matter. Instead of the endless stream of glittery princesses she probably photographs every day, she got to stage a session with a haunted-looking baby doll. She even came up with dramatic poses for Chloe, and Briar ate it all up, proudly showing off her “child.”
Of course, we couldn’t skip the Haunted Mansion. Normally, the line was almost an hour long, but when the cast members saw Briar in her spooky outfit carrying her eerie little doll, they went out of their way to make the experience extra special. They whisked us into the “Servants Quarters,” a behind-the-scenes area where we got to see the old keys to the rooms and the servant bells. From there, they escorted us straight into the stretching room and then onto the ride without the wait. At the end, they presented Briar with an official Haunted Mansion Caretaker certificate, making her feel like she truly belonged in the attraction’s ghostly world.
By the time we left the park, I had to admit the day had been pure magic. My daughter had carried around the creepiest doll imaginable, yet it opened doors for her (literally), brought her kindness from strangers, and gave us memories I know neither of us will forget.
So, what’s the takeaway from all of this? When your toddler falls head-over-heels for a creepy Halloween doll and insists on becoming its mom, just buy the doll. Sure, Creepy Chloe still gives me chills when I catch her staring at me from across the room, and I swear I can feel her watching me as I sleep. But at the end of the day, she brought a little extra magic and a whole lot of laughter into our lives.
