Walt Disney Imagineering has officially introduced Hazel Hightower, the daughter of one of its most notorious fictional adventurers, after a weeks-long mystery that started at D23. The best part isn't just her elaborate backstory: Disneyland guests can currently hunt down a physical clue in Frontierland and, while supplies last, receive a free commemorative ticket.
Most Disney news arrives in familiar packaging: a new attraction, a new menu, a new collectible. This one arrived in an empty crate.
At D23 in August, Walt Disney Imagineering presented a supposedly unopened artifact from the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, better known as S.E.A. When the crate was opened, there was no artifact—just bricks and a note. Then came a string of riddles, historic clues, and Instagram posts that invited fans to play detective to discover who swiped the artifact.
The Ridge Jewel, unmarked and inconspicuous, next to Mark Twain’s guest book | version 55.71
On October 20, 2026, Disney revealed the person at the center of the mysteriously missing artifact: Hazel Louise Hightower. She is the daughter of Harrison Hightower III, a name with quite a history in Disney's attraction mythology. And rather than keep the reveal confined to D23, or a webpage footnote on fan sites, Imagineering extended the story into Disneyland itself.
S.E.A. Newsletter | Walt Disney Imagineering
All this hoopla and hullabaloo is a small-scale example of Disney making existing park spaces more interesting to explore without requiring guests to sprint to their next Lightning Lane. Hazel and the Ridge Jewel are the perfect example of the inbetween-attractions experiences that make Disneyland and other Disney Parks so special.
READ MORE: Disney Vacations Aren't A Competition, So Why Are We Keeping Score?
The Pioneer Mercantile in Frontierland | version 55.71
Where to Find Hazel Hightower's Clue at Disneyland
The missing artifact from D23, a.k.a. the Ridge Jewel, is now safely on display at the ticket booth outside Pioneer Mercantile in Frontierland at Disneyland Park. Starting with the October 20 reveal, guests could also obtain a complimentary commemorative ticket celebrating Hazel's adventure. While supplies last, guests can obtain a ticket by asking a cast member at Pioneer Mercantile, or tapping a MagicBand+ at the booth to have one dispensed.
The Ridge Jewel sits safely on Disneyplat at the Ticket Office outside the Pioneer Mercantile in Disneyland’s Frontierland | version 55.71
So, if you're already headed through Frontierland in the near future, make a small detour toward Pioneer Mercantile and look for the ticket booth. You'll get a glimpse of the the Ridge Jewel, learn a bit of S.E.A. history, and continue your day whether or not tickets remain. Pretty cool.
S.E.A. oars can be found behind the registers at Tropical Hideaway | version 55.71
To continue the S.E.A. fun head to Adventureland, and look for the oars at The Tropical Hideaway where Hazel has been honored with one of her own, continuing a tradition of honoring members of the fictional Society of Explorers and Adventurers.
Hazel Louise Hightower | Walt Disney imagineering
Who Is Hazel Hightower?
Hazel isn't just a new face added to an existing story. She's a deliberate complication to it.
According to the narrative, Hazel was born in Egypt in 1881. Her father, Harrison Hightower III, was a wealthy, notorious collector of artifacts who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1899. Fans of Tokyo DisneySea's Tower of Terror will recognize the name and the curse associated with the idol Shiriki Utundu.
Hazel grew up fascinated by adventure, but her father's reputation followed her. After his disappearance, she sought membership in S.E.A. and showed the organization plans for an ambitious invention. The Society rejected her, judging her by the Hightower name.
That's the setup for a more interesting story than a straightforward heroic origin.
The Timeskipper | Walt Disney Imagineering
Hazel wanted to prove herself and correct one of her father's wrongs. She remembered a valuable mineral formation called the Ridge Jewel, originally displayed in the frontier town of Rainbow Ridge at Disneyland Park. She believed her father had stolen it. To return the jewel—and outsmart the Society she developed a device called the Timeskipper.
The Timeskipper lets her travel through time to retrieve the jewel from her father's possession and leave clues for future explorers to solve. The interactive mystery's riddles were part of her plan to make sure people learned her name.
The Pioneer Mercantile Ticket Office is found across from the Shooting Gallery | version 55.71
Disney's account leaves Hazel with some of her father's impetuous streak, but also with a lesson: a person's heritage doesn't tell you everything about the choices they'll make. She isn't presented as a flawless hero or a simple villain. She's a curious, complicated new presence in Disney's shared adventure mythology.
Group painting of S.E.A. members including Harrison Hightower III (far left) | Disney
Why the Hightower Name Matters
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers is one of Disney Imagineering's most satisfying recurring ideas. It's a fictional fellowship of inventors, explorers, artists, and eccentric figures, with background connections spread across multiple attractions and destinations.
You don't need to know its members to enjoy the parks. But once you start noticing S.E.A. details, a boat ride, a restaurant queue, or an odd prop can feel like a chapter of something larger.
Harrison Hightower III mysteriously disappeared December 31, 1899 | Disney
Harrison Hightower III is particularly notable because his story is intertwined with Tokyo DisneySea's Tower of Terror. Former Imagineer Joe Rohde inspired the visual design of the fictional hotel owner. The character's unsettling legacy makes Hazel's introduction more than an unrelated new name—it expands a thread Imagineers have been developing for years.
Hotel Hightower aka Tower of Terror | Tokyo DisneySea
There's also a smart geographical connection: Hazel's story reaches back to Rainbow Ridge, a town associated with Disneyland's Frontierland and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. By bringing the jewel back to Frontierland and giving Hazel a tribute in Adventureland, Imagineering invites people to find connections between stories already present in the park.
There's no new ride. No character meet 'n' Greet. It's just a fun little scavenger hunt for the IYKYK crowd. The existing artifact display and ticket are the only current tangible guest experiences. And tht's exactly the way it should remain.
Hazel Hightower on display for all the see at Tropical Hideaway | version 55.71
How the Mystery Worked—and Why It Was Different
The campaign started with an empty artifact crate during D23 in August 2026. From there, Imagineering used dated blog updates and posts from the Walt Disney Imagineering Instagram account to release a collection of riddles. The clues pointed fans toward Disneyland imagery and S.E.A. history, so participation didn't require a park visit.
Hazel Hightower has her own commemorative oar at Tropical Hideaway | version 55.71
The official page records a September 18 starting chapter, an October 9 progress update, and the October 20 reveal. The character name was assembled from scrambled letters, while the artifact's identity and the Timeskipper emerged over the course of the game.
The clever touch is that the conclusion reached beyond the screen. The artifact now has a physical spot in Frontierland, an archival image is incorporated into the fictional story, and Hazel's name joins S.E.A. details at The Tropical Hideaway.
Tap your MagicBand+ on the S.E.A. logo to receive an Explorer Ticket | version 55.71
In other words, the story didn't merely ask fans to read about the park. It gave them another reason to notice it.
That's an idea I hope Disney continues pursuing. Parks are full of spaces that benefit from a little curiosities because not every addition needs a massive ride building or a complicated reservation system.
Learn more about S.E.A. aka the Society of Explorers and Adventurers | version 55.71
I gotta say, a virtual scavenger hunt that began in person at D23 and results in a physical keepsake only available in the park wins high marks from me. It's the exact guest-centric momento that gets people thingking about the parks as more than a checklist of rides. It almost forces you to notice the details. And to be honest, I had never given a second-glance at the S.E.A. oars mounted at Tropical Hideaway before now. I certainly had to think hard about where this ticket booth was everyone on the internet was trying to point me to.
What a gift. This footnote of an experience drove me to explore parts of Disneyland I had forgotten about. And I was rewarded thusly. Bravo Imagineering.
The S.E.A. seal adorns the Hazel Hightower Explorer Ticket | version 55.71
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The coveted Hazel Hightower Explorer Ticket available at Disneyland | version 55.71
Should You Add This to Your Disneyland Plans?
If you're already visiting Disneyland, yes—briefly. This is a low-commitment detail hunt, not a reason to rearrange your whole schedule. Here's the route I would recommend:
- Start in Frontierland Look for the ticket booth outside Pioneer Mercantile and the Ridge Jewel display.
- Ask about the ticket If a cast member is available, politely check whether Hazel Hightower commemorative tickets remain. If not, you should be able to tap a MagicBand+ to receive a ticket at the kiosk.
- Read the nearby story clues. Treat them as a small scavenger hunt, not a checklist you must finish.
- Continue to Adventureland. Look for Hazel's S.E.A. oar at The Tropical Hideaway, and take in the layered theming while you're there.
If you're not going to Disneyland soon, the official blog post is still a worthwhile read for fans interested in Imagineering, story design, or Disney history. The puzzles are part of a fictional mystery, but the creative ambition is real.
The key takeaway is a new S.E.A. character, a new chapter in a very old Disney story, and a reason to slow down for a few minutes in a park that often encourages you to do everything faster.
Alright, that's all for now. See ya next time.
