Memento morbid? 5 creepy souvenirs from the new Haunted Mansion gift shop

I was excited to visit Memento Mori, the new — and long-overdue — Haunted Mansion gift shop at Disney World. It certainly succeeded in raising the hair on the back of my neck, and not just in a good way.

This shop almost has it all: t-shirts and neckties; jewelry; art and collectibles; home accessories like coasters, wine glasses and plates; and a Haunted Mansion-themed game of Life, or after-Life. Two items that nearly made my creepy list: a vase that looks suspiciously urn-like and an an hourglass with purple sand, to remind you that your time is running out. My favorite item: Ghost writer bookends.

I say the shop “almost” has it all because the coveted Dooney & Bourke Haunted Mansion bags are not sold there. They’re available only at the roomier — and higher-security — Uptown Jewelers shop on Main Street. And they’re plentiful there, even though they sold out in a flash at the online store.

But some of these mementos were just a little too morbid for me. A few things stood out as crossing the line between what’s cool and what’s creepy:

5. Master Gracey’s tombstone t-shirt: Disney fans know the inscription by heart: “Master Gracey / Laid to rest / No mourning please at his request / Farewell.” Well, there it is on a t-shirt. The verdict: Too literal to be cool. Two choices that fall clearly on the cool side of the creepy-cool line: the cleverly designed Hatbox Ghost skull t-shirt or the Foolish Mortal t-shirt (because we’re all Foolish Mortals at heart).

4. Rest in Peace pillow: I love my cozy couch as much as anybody, but even I don’t want to sit down on it for my eternal rest. Not for a good long time yet anyway. The verdict: Creepy.

3. Caretaker Figurine: When my Doombuggy passes these guys at the beginning of the ride’s graveyard scene, I always want to throw that dog a bone-in ribeye steak. It would pain me to look at the poor guy every day. The verdict: Too sad to be a souvenir, as much as you might want to give that dog a home.

2. The name: “Memento mori” is Latin for “remember you must die.” I get that it’s the perfect name for a spooky souvenir shop, but vacation is hardly the time for that. The verdict: Irresistible, if still creepy.

1. Ghost portrait: Perhaps the most brilliant — and disturbing — thing in this shop is the ghost portrait. You can have your picture taken and printed as a holographic image that turns your smiling face into a staring ghost. My verdict: Too close to home, at least for those of us over 40.