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Madame Vidalia Onionski Zarkov or more simply Madame Zarkov is a character from the Adventurers Club of Pleasure Island who has additional connections to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

History[]

Background[]

During the latter-end of the 19th century, Vidalia Onionski Zarkov was a Romani woman, who worked as a proprietress at the Museum of the Weird, an establishment which held a collection of arcane and supernatural relics. She was an apparent advisor on the mystic in some regard for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, namely to club-president Jason Chandler. Around 1880, Jason contacted Zarkov to assist fellow S.E.A.-member Barnabas T. Bullion, who was encountering paranormal disasters in his mining-operation at Big Thunder Mountain. Due to the mountain being inhabited by a vengeful spirit, Zarkov advised Chandler to urge Bullion to abandon his mining.

In the early 20th century, Madame Zarkov would become a member of the Adventurers Club, a splinter-faction of the S.E.A., which was created by business-tycoon Merriweather Adam Pleasure. In 1937, Zarkov would attend a New Year's Eve party on Pleasure Island at the Adventurers Club headquarters on Pleasure Island in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Development History[]

Madame Zarkov was a live-performed character created for the Adventurers Club of Walt Disney World. She would later be incorporated into Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom with additional allusions to the Museum of the Weird and S.E.A. The Museum of the Weird is an unbuilt attraction planned to be an extension of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland's New Orleans Square, which was developed by imagineer Rolly Crump. Zarkov's connection to the Mansion might be inspired by, "Madame Z", a character created by Marc Davis for the Haunted Mansion, who later evolved into Madame Leota.

Appearances[]

The Adventurers Club[]

Zarkov was an irregular character at the club who typically served as a replacement for regular-character Samantha Sterling. During the club's later performances, they would both often appear in the attraction more regularly.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad[]

In the queue for this attraction, Madame Zarkov is mentioned by Jason Chandler in a letter sent to Barnabas T. Bullion referring to the supernatural occurrences of Big Thunder Mountain.

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Disney Parks
Big Thunder Mountain RailroadPhantom ManorMine Train Through Nature's WonderlandBig Thunder RanchLegends of Frontierland: Gold Rush!Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine CarsPecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & CafeThe Western River ExpeditionGolden Horseshoe Saloon
Locations
Big Thunder Mountain • Ravenswood Manor • Rainbow RidgeTumbleweedThunder MesaGrizzly Gulch • Big Grizzly Mountain • Stillwater Junction • ArizonaCalifornia
Characters
Barnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerHenry RavenswoodSpirit of Big ThunderBilly the Disney GoatGeorge WillikersCumulus IsobarTyrannosaurus rexMadame Zarkov • T.W. Bullion • The Halve Knives GangPecos BillBeacon Joe • Cousin Elrond • Rosita • Old Prospector • Liddy Stockley • Colonel T.R. ClydesdaleSlue-Foot Sue

Characters from Spinoffs: Abigail Bullion • Onawa • Dolfo • Marybeth Bullion

Miscellaneous
Big Thunder Mining CompanyThe Ballad of Big Thunder MountainSociety of Explorers and Adventurers • Shoshone Tribe • Bandito Gang


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Linked Attractions
Fortress ExplorationsTower of TerrorMystic ManorBig Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) • Oceaneer Lab (aboard the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder) • Miss Adventure Falls (Typhoon Lagoon) • Soaring: Fantastic FlightJungle CruiseAdventureland TreehouseAdventurers Suite (Disney Explorers Lodge)
Restaurants
Magellan'sJock Lindsey's Hangar BarSkipper CanteenExplorer's Club RestaurantThe Tropical HideawayColonel Hathi's Pizza OutpostCafe HyperionAbracadaBarTrader Sam'sClub 33
Members
Harrison Hightower IIILord Henry MysticBarnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerCaptain Mary OceaneerJock LindseyDr. Albert FallsMerriweather Adam PleasureCamellia FalcoProf. R. BlauerhimmelCharlton J. TaboretDr. J.L. BateristaMaestro D'ElfmanDr. Kon ChunosukeProf. Garrett Reed • Luana Teixeira • Chef Tandaji • Shango Sio
Associated Characters
Alberta FallsAlbertArchibald SmeldingArielBeatrice Rose EndicottCaptain BrieuxCaptain Nemo • Charlie Allnut • Colonel Critchlow SunchbenchConstance HatchawayCornelius Endicott IIDuncan the ParrotEmil Bleehall, Jr.Felix Pechman XIIIFletcher HodgesGeorge HightowerGiant SquidHathaway BrowneHoward StarkCliff SecordFrank WolffIndiana Jones • Hammerhead Fred • Kimballum HorriblusMadame ZarkovManfred StrangMaraMarion RavenwoodMickey MouseMinnie MouseOtis T. WrenPacoOtis BigelowPamelia Perkins • Rose Sayer • RositaSallah Mohammed Faisel el-KahirSalty the ParrotSamantha SterlingTheodore RooseveltTrader SamUrsula • Victoria Marie Falls • Yeti
Artifacts
Backside of WaterBalinese Music BoxDead Man's ChestFountain of YouthHyperion AirshipMedieval Crossbow • Jujus • Monkey King StatueShiriki UtunduTreasure of CortésSnarfblatt • Ursula's contract
Other Associated Attractions
Raging SpiritsAdventurers ClubWalt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
See Also
Disney KingdomsShinji Takahashi and the Mark of the CoatlLeague of AdventurersAdventure Isle Discovery BayDisney Springs


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Disney Parks - The Haunted Mansion - Transparent Logo
Media
Films: The Haunted Mansion (video/soundtrack) • Haunted Mansion (video/soundtrack)

Television specials: Muppets Haunted Mansion
Shows: Chibi Tiny TalesRandom Rings
Books: Tales from the Haunted MansionThe Haunted MansionDisney Kingdoms: The Haunted MansionKingdom KeepersThe Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney ClassicThe Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
Video Games: Adventures in the Magic KingdomThe Haunted MansionWalt Disney World ExplorerKinect: Disneyland AdventuresDisney Infinity: 2.0 EditionDisney Crossy RoadDisney Emoji BlitzThe Haunted Mansion: The Black Widow Bride

Disney Parks
The Haunted MansionPhantom ManorMystic ManorHaunted Mansion HolidayMemento MoriMuseum of the Weird
Characters
Ghost HostMadame LeotaCaretakerMaster GraceyHatbox GhostHitchhiking GhostsThe Singing BustsGeorge HightowerConstance HatchawayRavenCaptain GoreLittle LeotaOrganistThe Coffin OccupantSally SlaterThe BridePickwickThe MarinerPrudence PockBluebeardDeathThe ExecutionerThe Beheaded KnightDuelistsGramsAlexander NitrokoffQuicksand MenWerecat LadyBlack PrinceMedusaThe Watchful BustsMiss April DecemberSpidersOne-Eyed Black CatShadow PianistThe HellhoundHaunted ArmorThe MummyGargoylesThe AlligatorBatsThe Purple ShroudOrgan BansheesWraithsHaunted TreesCaretaker's DogPhantom FiveGraveyard OwlsGraveyard CatsPop-Up GhostsThe King, the Queen, and the DuchessBicycle GhostsGraveyard SpectersDread FamilyPlaque Devil

Phantom Manor: Melanie RavenswoodHenry RavenswoodMartha RavenswoodGoliathThe GardenerThe River CreatureJake the ForemanThe Ticket SellerThe ApothecaryMayor of Phantom Canyon
Mystic Manor: Henry MysticAlbertCaptain Mary OceaneerMaestro D'ElfmanChinese Dragon StatueChinese ArmorCarnivorous PlantSamurai ArmorLava IdolTribal Totem PolesDrummer IdolWarrior IdolsThe Monkey King Statue
Haunted Mansion Holiday: Jack SkellingtonOogie BoogieLock, Shock and BarrelSallyZeroThe Vampire Teddy-BearZeroThe Giant SnakeThe Man-Eating WreathThe One Hiding Under Your BedSkeleton Reindeer
The Museum of the the Weird: The Mistress of EvilThe CandlemanMadame ZarkovThe Grandfather Coffin ClockThe Ghost FishThe Beast Man
Characters from Spinoffs: Elizabeth HenshawRamsleyEmmaEzraJim EversSara EversMegan EversMichael EversZombiesZeke HollowayAtticus ThornAmicus ArcaneDanny CroweMaxwell KeepMelody KeepRoland KeepThe Fiery DragonBen MatthiasFather KentGabbieHarrietBruce DavisTravisPatVic

Songs
Grim Grinning Ghosts

Haunted Mansion Holiday: Kidnap the Sandy ClawsMaking Christmas
Mystic Manor: Mystic Manor Theme Song
Muppets Haunted Mansion: Rest in PeaceLife HereafterTie the Knot TangoDancing in the Moonlight
Spinoffs: Down by the Old Mill StreamShe'll Be Coming 'Round the MountainBy the Beautiful SeaWhen the Saints Go Marching InSuperstitionBridal ChorusHis Soul Left Gloss on the Rose

See also
Gracey ManorThe Flying DutchmanThe Ghost Relations DepartmentBat StanchionsGriffin StatuesFloating CandelabraFace ArmchairGrandfather ClockLeota's SpellbookPipe OrganTarot CardsMystic ManorRavenswood ManorBig Thunder MountainThunder MesaBig Thunder Mining CompanyIocane PowderBeacon of SoulsSoul GemsSeaman's RingCrump ManorEvers and Evers Real Estate
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