Coroner Releases Details About Woman Who Fell to Her Death at Disney Park

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

The Orange County, California coroner has released details about a female Guest who fell, resulting in a death at Disneyland on Saturday evening.

Just before 7:00 p.m. local time on Saturday evening, officers with the Anaheim Police Department responded to reports of a female falling from the Mickey and Friends parking structure at the Disneyland Resort. When they arrived, they discovered a woman lying on the ground, and emergency personnel were on the scene to provide emergency treatment to the woman as she was readied for transport the a local hospital.

She succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased after she arrived at the hospital. Her identity was unknown at the time, and no other details were shared as officers began their investigation to determine the events that led up to her fall. Late on Sunday evening, however, the Orange County Coroner’s office released information after identifying the woman.

mickey and friends parking structure at disneyland

Per the coroner’s office, the female was identified as 46-year-old Marney Schoenfeld from Scottsdale, Arizona. Though details surrounding this tragedy continue to be under investigation, Orange County Sheriff Sgt. Scott Steinle said Schoenfeld “jumped or fell” from the Mickey and Friends parking structure at Disneyland on Saturday.

Randy Schoenfeld, Schoenfeld’s husband and an Arizona real estate agent, said his wife’s death has been “excruciating” for him.

“She was a loving mother to her daughter, Sydney,” Randy said in an email. “She was a caring wife to me. She was a talented hairstylist of 23 years, and her clients loved her.”

The Mickey and Friends parking structure is a seven-story building that feature parking spaces accessible to Guests of Downtown Disney, Disneyland Park, and Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, and Schoenfeld’s death is the second one to occur in just over two months at the parking structure.

In early December, Anaheim police officers responded to reports of a man falling from the structure. Shortly thereafter, the man was identified as Christopher Christensen, a 51-year-old elementary school principal from Huntington Beach, California, who posted a letter to his Facebook account shortly before the tragedy. Per the Anaheim Police Department’s investigation–as well as the letter penned by Christensen online–his death was ruled a suicide as he had jumped from atop the structure to his death.

At this time, there is no information that suggests Schoenfeld’s death was a suicide, and the investigation is ongoing.

Step into San Fransokyo Square at Disney California Adventure Park, Beginning Summer 2023

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

At D23 Expo 2022, we announced to much fanfare that Pacific Wharf in Disney California Adventure park will turn into San Fransokyo from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning “Big Hero 6”! 

Those of you who have recently been to the park may have seen that this exciting transformation has already begun. Later this summer, during the Disney100 celebration at Disneyland Resort, Guests will be able to step into the new area — named San Fransokyo Square — and discover new offerings inspired by Baymax and friends.

Today, we’re excited to tell you more about the Walt Disney Imagineering story behind San Fransokyo Square and some of the fun that awaits.

San Fransokyo Square will transport you to the not-too-distant future, in a fictional mash-up of two iconic cities – San Francisco and Tokyo. As the tech industry began to emerge and the local fishing trade fell on hard times, entrepreneurs came together to reinvent the seaside canneries into a vibrant, multicultural district of neighborhood restaurants and small businesses where Guests will be able to eat and shop.

An iconic landmark of the area will be the San Fransokyo Gate Bridge, which will span the tide pools linking San Fransokyo Square to the Paradise Gardens Park obelisk. Once Guests cross the bridge, they’ll catch a view of the floating wind turbine atop an old fishing net tannery, powering the district from high in the sky. Clues to the area’s storied and charming past can be found in the details throughout San Fransokyo Square. 

Outside a converted warehouse at the south end of San Fransokyo, Guests may have the opportunity to encounter Baymax. Today, Pacific Wharf is home to eateries featuring sourdough bread, ice cream sundaes, delicious Mexican fare, Asian dishes and more. Guests will still be able to enjoy all your favorite Pacific Wharf dining locations during this transformation.

When the transformation to San Fransokyo Square is completed this summer, Guests will find familiar favorites like soups in freshly baked bread bowls, as well as many new Asian-inspired selections. The new Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería draws inspiration from its tri-cultural influences with signage in English, Japanese and Spanish. Outside will be a fun and inviting beer garden decorated with festoon lights and papel picado.

The San Fransokyo Square Public Works Department is hard at work on this transformation. Be sure to stay tuned to the Disney Travel News for more details, and we look forward to bringing San Fransokyo Square to life in Disney California Adventure park this summer!  

Theme Park reservations and valid admission for the same Park on the same day are required for Park entry. Park reservations are limited, subject to availability and not guaranteed. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed. Visit https://disneytraveltradeinfo.com/dlr for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.

Disney Park Announces New After Hours Events

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Disney fans of all kinds, from the most casual park-goer to the dedicated Annual Pass holders, enjoy the After Hours events introduced at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort. In fact, some of the most popular and most attended holiday celebrations include Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party/Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

However, Disney Parks also offers unique limited-time events for specific themes, such as Villains Nite, Grad Nite Reunion, the all-new Princess Nite, and Star Wars Nite. Each theme park after-hours event typically includes exclusive entertainment, dining, and character interaction experiences at a private party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

In addition, Guests gain access to Disneyland Park three hours before the event begins, allowing for maximum opportunity to ride some of the best attractions outside of Disney California Adventure! Additionally, attendees receive unlimited digital downloads for Disney PhotoPass locations with special backdrops and effects, along with keepsakes to remember their trip such as an event map and souvenir credential.

Each year, the Disneyland After Dark series presents multiple after-hours events with one-of-a-kind themes, though many Guests hope that some of the more popular categories will return. For example, Disneyland will host its biggest Star Wars Nite ever, spanning four days on May 2, 4, 8, and 11, 2023.

Of course, the event will feature the pyrotechnic spectacular Star Wars: Celebrate the Nite, a Lightsaber Instructional demonstration, close encounters with Jawas and Tusken raiders, galactic churros, and Tomorrowland’s March of the First Order featuring Captain Phasma and her Stormtroopers. Will you be the Resistance spy?

Moreover, Disney Parks announced a second Southern California event, the brand-new Throwback Nite, on April 18 and 20, 2023, an evening of “flashback fashions” from the “debonair days of the ‘50s and ‘60s.” Fans of the Dapper Day Expo will enjoy this soiree that celebrates the classic past of Disneyland Park during its opening decade, along with retro characters and Mickey Mouse and friends.

Plus, Guests can enjoy vintage-style music and entertainment at dance parties around the Disney Park, along with attraction poster backdrops for classic rides like Autopia and the Skyway. Guests can also snack on specialty treats from the Park’s early days while watching Fantasy in the Sky, a nighttime show inspired by Disneyland’s first fireworks in 1957. Even so, many fans are disappointed the throwback event is not a return of the previously popular ’80s and ’90s Nites.

Magic Key Holders gain access to the ticket pre-sale at 9 a.m. PT on February 21, 2023, with general public sales beginning on February 23 at the same time. Tickets are subject to availability but have the added benefit of not requiring a same-day theme park reservation. Click here for more information.

Disneyland’s New Mickey Statue Is Missing

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Fans walking down Main Street in Disneyland will be surprised to see that the Platinum Mickey Mouse Statue is nowhere to be found. Instead, the flowerbed at the end of Town Square remains completely empty. While it’s always sad to see a Mickey statue being removed, this particular removal has some fans rejoicing. One question remains: why was the statue removed, and when will it come back?

Disneyland Resort is in the middle of enjoying the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration. The whole Park has gotten a Disney100 makeover. Mesmerizing lights, banners, and platinum accents have made the Park look absolutely fantastic this year. Both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park have undergone major redecorating for the Disney100 celebration.

A focal point of the new decorations is the Platinum statues that Disney has made to honor the iconic characters made by Walt Disney Animation Studios. There is no character more iconic or essential than Mickey Mouse, whose new statue was given a prime location in the Town Square at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. A Minnie Mouse statue was put further down the street, in front of the Plaza Inn.

While Disney fans loved the Mickey Mouse statue, they were less than pleased to see the quote that was underneath it.

If there’s one person not to misquote at Disneyland, its Walt Disney himself. The banner on the Disney100 platinum Mickey statue read, “It all started with a mouse.”

The infamous quote spoken by Walt Disney was, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing: that it was all started by a mouse.”

Fans immediately expressed their disappointment at the typo. It seemed like a lazy mistake for a celebration that clearly took so much time and effort.

After noticing all of the public outcry, Disneyland Park made the decision to remove the statute a couple of days ago. The flower bed where it once stood now remains empty. The public consensus is that the statute will be corrected and reinstalled within a couple of days. Fans on social media have already begun to poke fun at the missing statue.

During a festival honoring the accomplishments of Walt Disney Company history, it is essential that all quotes from Walt are accurate. We hope to see the statue fixed and back in Disneyland Park as soon as possible.

Mickey’s Toontown to Reopen at Disneyland Park on March 19, 2023

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

 visit and experience the reimagined land.  

It’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse’s birthday! In honor of this special occasion, the Disneyland Resort is pleased to announce the official reopening date of Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland Park – March 19, 2023!

It was this time last year that we first announced Mickey’s Toontown would undergo an ambitious reimagining, and reopen with some all-new experiences for families and young children to have more opportunities to play together inside Disneyland Park. At D23 Expo in September, we shared a bit more about the interactive play areas and how we are stepping into a new era of inclusive experiences in this land for families of all ages.

We are all excited to see just how Mickey’s Toontown will become a vibrant symphony of sights, sounds and sensations very soon. Here’s a look at some of what you can expect when the land reopens on March 19!

The reimagined Mickey’s Toontown will provide open, grassy play spaces for everyone to unwind, starting with CenTOONial Park, the first space guests will see when they enter the land. CenTOONial Park will be anchored by two new interactive play experiences; a beautiful fountain featuring water tables designed for play that invite guests to have a sensory experience, plus a nearby dreaming tree with sculpted tree roots providing an opportunity for children to crawl and explore.

Mickey’s Toontown will be home to the new attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway! Inside the El CapiTOON Theater, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will put you in the wacky and unpredictable cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie, where Guests will board a train with Goofy as the engineer. One magical moment after the next leads you to a zany, out-of-control adventure filled with surprising twists and turns that the entire family will enjoy!

As you may have read, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open on Jan. 27, when the Disney 100 Years of Wonder Celebration comes to life at Disneyland Resort!

Over in Goofy’s neck of the woods, Guests will find Goofy’s How-To-Play Yard, as shown in this new aerial rendering of the area.

Dedicated to all things play, Goofy’s How-To-Play Yard incorporates a whimsical sound garden where kids will discover new ways to make wacky noises, as well as enjoy an all-new, elevated clubhouse.

When Guests step inside Goofy’s House, they’ll find a fun, interactive candy-making contraption that only Goofy could imagine! The confectionary contraption begins high outside of Goofy’s home, as drips of honey fall from a beehive onto a chute that slides the colorful drops around and down into the home. From there, junior candymakers will help Goofy make the candy, and the silly sounds of household appliances will combine to make a truly Goofy symphony.

Donald’s Boat will be perched in the duck pond of the Goof homestead. Imagine larger-than-life spinning water lilies, balance beams and rocking toys at Donald’s Duck Pond that will help little ones get the wiggles out. Kids will definitely love making a splash in this space! Guests can also look into the boat through the portholes to witness bubbles of fun inside the flooded vessel and interact with some familiar ducklings including Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby.

For those wanting to get a little ‘nutty,’ Guests can head over to Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster, where Mickey’s Toontown’s favorite tinkerer, Gadget Hackwrench, has created a one-of-a-kind, fun-sized coaster for the town’s tiniest citizens.

And at Mickey’s House and Minnie’s House, Guests will once again be able to step right into their homes and enjoy a self-guided tour as they discover special surprises in every room. They may even be able to visit with Mickey and Minnie while they’re there, should they be home!

Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin will also return, where Guests can board Lenny the Cab and spin through the streets and alleys of Toontown as they follow the adventures of Roger Rabbit.

And when Guests feel a snack attack coming on, they’ll be able to turn to two new places to appease their appetites in the land: Café Daisy, where acclaimed culinary expert, Daisy Duck, serves up diner classics at her sidewalk table eatery; and the Toontown Farmers Market at Good Boy! Grocers, a friendly roadside stand, offering grab and go drinks and treats.

Be sure to stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more information about the transformation of Mickey’s Toontown as we get closer to March 19. And in the meantime, please join us in wishing our beloved Mickey and Minnie a very happy birthday!