22 - Disney's Haunted Mansion with Sam Rebelein

Episode 22 of Our First Fears brings you author Sam Rebelein, whose fear of Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride runs through his veins, deeper than he even knows. We talk about the creepiness of the Hudson Valley in New York State, where we both live, and how our hometowns have influenced both of us, as well as the Disney artists who went looking for haunted places and found them among the architecture and ruins along the Hudson River.

Sam Rebelein is the author of the novel Edenville, as well as the new story collection, The Poorly Made and Other Things, both of which are set in his own fictionalized version of an upstate New York County called Renfield.  

Dan Poblocki is the bestselling author of the recent novels Tales to Keep You Up at Night and More Tales to Keep You Up at Night, along with Ghost Hunter’s Daughter, Liars’ Room, The Stone Child, The Nightmarys and others. His picture book with James Rey Sanchez, My Brother’s Butt is Haunted, is arriving July 29th, 2025 from Penguin Workshop. Pre-order your copy RIGHT THIS MINUTE!

Follow the Our First Fears podcast on Instagram @ourfirstfears & @danpoblox and Bluesky @danpoblock.bsky.social. And feel free to reach out at ourfirstfears@gmail.com.