Walt Disney Imagineering has revealed the newest character in its Society of Explorers and Adventurers story: Hazel Hightower. In a message posted to Imagineering’s Instagram on October 20, S.E.A. archivist Bonnie Booker confirmed that Hazel is the one who stole the missing artifact from the S.E.A. Archive. That solves the riddle hunt that started at D23 in August, but Hazel left behind one more riddle.
Who is Hazel Hightower? The riddles said the thief was turned away by the S.E.A. Her last name ties her to Harrison Hightower III, the S.E.A. member whose story is told at Tower of Terror at Tokyo DisneySea. Bonnie called her “another surprise in the Hightower legacy.” Imagineering has not said exactly how Hazel and Harrison are related.
Her letter: Hazel wrote to the S.E.A. herself.
By now, at least some of you have discovered my name, Hazel Hightower. Indeed, it was I who stole your artifact. And while that may seem significant, it’s now such a small part of my story. If you lend me a moment of your time, I can tell you my story in my own words.
She promises “no riddle in sight.”
How fans solved it: At D23, Imagineers opened a crate from the S.E.A. Archive and found only bricks and a note. Bonnie then posted riddles on Imagineering’s Instagram. Each answer pointed to a spot at Disneyland, like Main Street, U.S.A., the Lilly Belle on the Disneyland Railroad and the Matterhorn Bobsleds queue. Each answer also gave a letter, and the letters spelled out the thief’s name. The missing artifact looks to be the Ridge Jewel from an 1886 S.E.A. newsletter. We covered the first riddles here.
One last riddle: Bonnie says a final riddle showed up, and “this one seems to be pointing to a specific location.” It came with a farewell from Hazel. Bonnie wrote:
Hazel, you’ve inspired me to build a future for adventurers like you. One made for the brave and made by the ambitious.
What it could mean: Imagineering has not said where the last riddle leads. Bonnie signed off with “this is goodbye for now” and “until our next chapter,” so the S.E.A. story is not over. When the hunt started, we guessed the Ridge Jewel pointed to Rainbow Ridge and Big Thunder Mountain. We are sticking with that.
This was a fun, free way to get fans looking closer at Disneyland. Now we want to see Hazel show up in a park. Read Disney’s recap of the S.E.A. mystery and find more Walt Disney Company news.
