A woman apparently died by suicide Wednesday after she jumped off Disney’s Contemporary Resort building, according to Orange County sheriff’s deputies.
Rumours on social media claimed a guest had been seen falling from an unknown floor – but deputies received reports at around 4pm EST that someone “may have jumped from the building”.
Deputies found the woman, who was unresponsive and pronounced dead on scene, a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said. No other details were released.
Last night, Disney’s Hollywood Studios threw a red-carpet premiere nearly a century in the making with a special dedication ceremony for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and today the attraction has officially opened to the public at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the first ride-through attraction in Disney history starring Mickey and Minnie. You’re invited inside the park’s re-creation of the Chinese Theatre to see the premiere of “Perfect Picnic,” a new “Mickey Mouse” cartoon short written by Walt Disney Imagineering and produced by Disney Television Animation.
With a little Disney magic, suddenly you’re taken through the movie screen and into the “Mickey Mouse” cartoon world, where “mouse rules apply” and anything can – and does! – happen. Engineer Goofy invites you aboard Runnamuck Railroad to join Mickey and Minnie on their search for the perfect picnic spot in Runnamuck Park. And with Goofy at the controls, what could possibly go wrong?
“Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a crowning achievement in the multiyear transformation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios,” said Walt Disney World Resort President Josh D’Amaro, who participated in the ceremony along with Mickey, Minnie and lots of other Disney pals. “What was once a theme park that took you behind the scenes, now puts you in the center of your favorite stories.”
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a vibrant, joyous adventure the whole family will enjoy – from grandparents to grandchildren and everyone in between. Tonight’s celebration featured song, dance, fireworks and a bit of Disney magic worthy of this historic new attraction.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is opening on March 4 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney has announced the latest Mickey Ear hat will be themed to this all-new attraction as part of the Disney Parks Designer Collection.
Designed by Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, Executive Creative Director for the attraction, this ear hat will be released on March 5 at Walt Disney World Resort and online at shopDisney.com.
This colorful ear hat features Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in the setting of “Perfect Picnic,” the cartoon featured in the finale of the attraction, and continues to delight as it lights up with bursting fireworks by the flip of a switch! Take a look below:
The back of the ear hat features the saying “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” from the attraction’s loveable theme song and displays a picturesque car ride inside the hat itself!
Want to add this zany ear hat to your collection? Be sure to visit shopDisney.com or purchase it at various locations at Walt Disney World Resort including:
Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
Stage 1 Company Store
Legends of Hollywood
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway kiosk
Disney Springs:
Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories
Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Available on March 6):
Discovery Trading Company
EPCOT (Available on March 6):
Art of Disney
MouseGear
Magic Kingdom Park (Available on March 6):
Uptown Jewelers
Celebrating the opening of his latest project, Kevin Rafferty will appear at Stage 1 Company Store in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to sign the newest ear hat and his book, Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career, on March 5 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Opening March 4, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will take guests of all ages on a whirlwind ride through a world where the rules of physics don’t apply! Inspired by the award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, the ride-through attraction is the first at any Disney park to star Mickey, Minnie and their friends.
Get ready for even more releases in the Disney Parks Designer Collection coming throughout the year, including:
John Coulter – March 14, 2020 (Available Disneyland Resort & shopDisney.com)
It’s been a rough couple of days at Disney World as trains collided on Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at the Magic Kingdom earlier today.
This is the second accident at the theme park in as many days as a Jungle Cruise boat with guests on it sank yesterday.
Posts immediately began showing up on social media and Sorcerer Radio posted a photo to Instagram stating that their “train slammed into the train in front” of them. Take a look below:
Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom is known for it’s funny jokes and whitty puns, but it was no laughing matter today when one of the boats with guest on board sank during the ride.
Pictures of one of the boats taking on water started to pop up on social media around noon. And the skipper quote “I get paid for the number of people I take out… not the number I bring back!”, hit a little too close to home today.
Matthew Vince posted two pictures on Twitter of the boat taking on water. The first shows guests standing on benches and railings trying to not get their feet wet. In the second, a cast member wades around waist-deep water as the seats on the boats are almost fully submerged. Take a look below to see for your self:
As of 2:40 p.m., the Disney World app showed wait times steadily climbing from 35 minutes to 105 minutes for the Jungle Cruise ride. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has the park’s longest wait time Thursday at 140 minutes.
Disney World has yet to comment on the incident, but there have been no reports of injuries.
Spaceship Earth is more than just the physical icon of EPCOT – it’s a symbol of how the park continues to evolve. The attraction is a crucial piece of the historic transformation already underway at EPCOT, and beginning May 26, Walt Disney Imagineering is getting ready to start implementing a new vision for Spaceship Earth.
The next iteration of Spaceship Earth will focus on the story of humanity, following the long journey from prehistoric humans to today brought to life with magic and depth that only Disney can deliver. Many of the moments you know and love will be updated in amazing ways, blended with brand-new scenes to tell a story about our human experience.
Tuesday, Disney shared a few additional details of what you can expect when this icon returns. You’ll visit Egypt, which is part of the current version of the attraction, but it will be an Egypt like you’ve never seen before, transformed through the power of light.
Throughout the attraction, you’ll hear new narration and see how light plays a central role in our shared human journey, coming to life in dynamic ways in a celebration of the magic that’s possible when we all come together.
Walt Disney once said EPCOT “would always be in a state of becoming,” and Spaceship Earth has lived up to that vision for generations. This will be the attraction’s fourth – and most ambitious – update since the park’s grand opening on Oct. 1, 1982.
Keep in mind that tickets are not on sale in the US yet, but we’ll update you when they’re available. Contact Kimberly with Enchanted Kingdom Vacations to get your Halloween Party when they go on sale.
Disney World’s park’s iconic, awe-inspiring centerpiece—Cinderella Castle—is about to get even more magical. Disney shared today that Cinderella’s castle in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World will be getting a golden make-over!
Cinderella first transformed into a princess 70 years ago this week when the animated classic was released—and ever since, her courage and kindness have been inspiring guests and cast members alike. Now Cinderella’s story has inspired a bold, shimmering and royal makeover of her namesake castle at the heart of Walt Disney World Resort.
Take a look at this concept image of what the newly-enhanced Cinderella Castle will look like when work is completed:
You may notice this exciting work taking place as these stunning enhancements begin in the coming weeks, continuing through summer. But you’ll still get to catch all of the castle favorites like “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” and “Happily Ever After.”
If you love strolling along the cobblestone streets of the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot then you’ll love the new United Kingdom-inspired minnie ears just released by Disney.
Adorned with blue and white rose buds and a golden crown finish, these ears are fit for any royal. This Minnie headband is perfect for any photo opportunity throughout the pavilion or for simply enjoying fish and chips with friends at Yorkshire County Fish Shop.
Within the pavilion shops, exciting new treasures can be found in addition to these unique United Kingdom-inspired ears as you can see below:
In addition to these lovely ears, guests can also find other unique treasures at the pavilion including apparel, drinkware and accessories. Take a closer look below:
You can find these items at the Toy Soldier shop located in the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot. All merchandise available while supplies last. Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for more World Showcase merchandise updates throughout the year!
You can now conduct a symphony of melodic times at Walt Disney World Resort in this limited release MagicBand design by Dooney & Bourke, dedicated to the 80th Anniversary of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Walt Disney’s animated masterwork Fantasia the MagicBand cost $58 and features Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, Chernabog, Enchanted Broom, Hyacinth Hippo, Russian Thistles, and more.
The Limited Release MagicBand is available at Disney World and shopDisney and comes in illustrated presentation box with magnetic closure and includes the gold Dooney & Bourke slider as you can see below:
MagicBands are a secure device which allows you to effortlessly engage, through the My Disney Experience mobile app, the plans and vacation choices you’ve made for the Walt Disney World Resort. With a simple touch, you can redeem Disney FastPass+ selections, enter any one of the theme parks, unlock your Disney Resort Hotel room door, connect Disney PhotoPass images to your account, charge food and merchandise purchases to your room, and more!
MagicBands are colorful, waterproof wristbands – resembling a watch or bracelet – that you can quickly and easily touch to a sensor called a ”touch point.” You will receive a MagicBand 2 if you stay at a Disney Resort Hotel in Florida or you are a Walt Disney World Resort Passholder. If you are not staying at a Disney Resort Hotel and are not a Passholder, you will receive a RFID-enabled card when you purchase park admission – and you have the option to purchase a MagicBand at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, Disney Springs or shopDisney.com. You can link your admission ticket via My Disney Experience and then use your MagicBand to enter the parks.