14 Haunted Places That Inspired Kids’ Cartoons
Real-life spooky locations have quietly influenced some of the most memorable settings in children’s animation.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Many kids’ cartoons draw inspiration from real places, but some of those locations have eerie histories. From ghost-filled mansions to mysterious theme parks, animators have reimagined haunted landmarks into colorful, kid-friendly worlds. Here are 14 real-life haunted spots that left their mark on popular children’s shows.
1. Winchester Mystery House – Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
The wub on Wikimedia Commons
The bizarre, maze-like mansion in California inspired several Scooby-Doo haunted house designs. Its endless staircases and secret doors became perfect backdrops for the gang’s mystery-solving.
2. Eastern State Penitentiary – Danny Phantom
Adam Jones, Ph.D. on Wikimedia Commons
This abandoned Philadelphia prison, known for its eerie halls, mirrors the ghost-infested jails seen in Danny Phantom. The real site’s shadowy corridors influenced the show’s darker settings
3. Stanley Hotel – Gravity Falls
Amy Aletheia Cahill on Wikimedia Commons
This Colorado hotel, famous for inspiring The Shining, influenced the look of creepy lodges in Gravity Falls. Its Victorian architecture and ghostly legends gave animators plenty of material.
4. Tower of London – DuckTales
AXP Photography on Pexels
Known for royal ghosts and tragic history, the Tower’s gloomy halls inspired DuckTales’ treasure-hunting episodes set in medieval castles. The mix of history and haunting matched the series’ adventurous spirit.
5. Château de Brissac – Gargoyles
W. Bulach on Wikimedia Commons
France’s tallest castle, with its resident “Green Lady” ghost, inspired some of Gargoyles’ gothic architecture. The show’s towering spires and shadowy halls feel straight out of this real-life haunted château.
6. The Myrtles Plantation – Courage the Cowardly Dog
Bogdan Oporowski on Wikimedia Commons
Louisiana’s famously haunted plantation house shares eerie similarities with Courage’s isolated home. From ghost sightings to mysterious murders, its folklore mirrors the unsettling stories in the cartoon.
7. Alcatraz Island – Batman: The Animated Series
Mylo Kaye on Pexels
While not a kids’ comedy, this cartoon drew on Alcatraz’s isolated, fortress-like vibe for its villain prisons. The fog, crashing waves, and escape-proof design match the real prison’s chilling aura.
8. Edinburgh Castle – Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
瑞丽江的河水 on Wikimedia Commons
This Scottish fortress, rumored to house multiple ghosts, inspired the show’s misty, medieval mysteries. The cartoon’s castle backdrops often borrow its stonework and secret tunnels.
9. Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Alexander Blecher on Wikimedia Commons
Though tragic in reality, the abandoned, overgrown cityscapes after the 1986 disaster inspired certain TMNT episodes’ eerie backdrops. Crumbling buildings and silent streets made for tense, post-apocalyptic settings.
10. Poveglia Island – Pokémon
Viaggio Routard on Flickr
Italy’s infamous plague island, now abandoned, is said to be one of the most haunted spots in the world. Its mysterious vibe inspired certain ghost-type Pokémon locations.
11. Leap Castle – The Real Ghostbusters
Mike Searle on Wikimedia Commons
Ireland’s Leap Castle, notorious for its “Bloody Chapel” and centuries of hauntings, influenced ghost encounters in The Real Ghostbusters. Its blend of folklore and documented ghost sightings gave writers a ready-made horror setting.
12. The Queen Mary – Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
Altair78 on Wikimedia Commons
This retired ocean liner, docked in California and rumored to be haunted, inspired the spooky ship sequences in Zombie Island. Narrow corridors, ghostly passengers, and mysterious noises matched the ship’s real legends.
13. Monte Cristo Homestead – The Secret Saturdays
Bidgee on Wikimedia Commons
Australia’s most haunted house reportedly influenced episodes set in mysterious, remote mansions in The Secret Saturdays. The homestead’s tragic stories and paranormal reputation fit the show’s cryptid-hunting theme.
14. Borley Rectory – Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost
Wikimedia Commons
Often called “the most haunted house in England,” Borley Rectory’s reputation for poltergeist activity inspired the film’s central haunted house. Creaking floors, flickering lights, and ghost sightings mirrored the rectory’s legends.