Current:Home > reviewsWhoopi Goldberg Reveals She Scattered Her Mom's Ashes on Disneyland Ride -Elevate Money Guide
Whoopi Goldberg Reveals She Scattered Her Mom's Ashes on Disneyland Ride
View
Date:2025-04-16 11:11:29
Whoopi Goldberg is giving a whole new meaning to the happiest place on earth.
The View cohost revealed that after her mother Emma Harris' death in 2010, she decided to honor her by spreading her ashes on her mom's favorite Disneyland ride: It's a Small World.
"No one should do this," Whoopi said on Late Night with Seth Meyers July 11 as she began the tale. "Don't do it."
The 68-year-old explained that her mother was a huge fan of Disneyland, and especially the ride It's a Small World.
"When I was a kid, the World's Fair was [in New York]," she continued, "and it was the introduction of Small World."
As for how she pulled off her covert ashes-spreading mission? According to Whoopi, while on a trip to Disneyland following her mother's passing she rode It's a Small World and would periodically "scoop some of her up," and fake a giant sneeze that would spread her mom's ashes around the ride.
Whoopi would then quickly play off the sneeze, joking, "And I'd say, 'My god, this cold is getting worse and worse.'"
And It's a Small World wasn't the only place Whoopi spread her mother's ashes, as she also revealed she played the same faux sneeze trick over the flower beds near the park entrance.
But the Oscar winner—who was named a Disney Legend in 2017—did come clean with the House of Mouse eventually.
"I told them I did it," she added. "I wanted to make sure, actually, that I hadn't done something that was dangerous, 'cause it hadn't occurred to me. But there's a reason they don't want ashes just floatin' around."
But Whoopi is far from the only person who has chosen Disneyland or Disney World as a final resting place for their loved ones. In fact, Disney custodians told the Wall Street Journal in 2018 that they clean up ashes about once a month.
While theme park guests will be told a ride has shut down due to technical difficulties, the custodial staff explained a team will be inside doing a HEPA cleanup, using an ultra fine vacuum cleaner to suck up the ashes.
And there's one ride that guests choose far more than others to spread ashes on.
"The Haunted Mansion probably has so much human ashes in it," an unnamed Disney custodian said, "that it's not even funny."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (19998)
Related
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Birders flock to Green Bay to catch glimpse of Gulf Coast shorebird last seen in Wisconsin in 1845
- Woman escapes kidnapper's cell in Oregon; FBI searching for more victims in other states
- Donna Mills on the best moment of my entire life
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Going for a day hike? How to prepare, what to bring
- 'An existential crisis': Florida State president, Board of Trustees low on ACC future
- Truck full of nacho cheese leaves sticky mess on Arkansas highway
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- Ball pythons overrun Florida neighborhood: 'We have found 22 in a matter of four weeks'
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen Pack on the PDA During Greece Vacation
- US military may put armed troops on commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz to stop Iran seizures
- Los Angeles officials fear wave of evictions after deadline to pay pandemic back rent passes
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Morocco makes more World Cup history by reaching knockout round with win against Colombia
- $4 million settlement for family of man who died covered in bug bites at Georgia jail
- Police officer in South Carolina killed by Amtrak train while rescuing someone who called 911
Recommendation
US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
'We kept getting outbid': Californians moving to Texas explain why they're changing states
Lizzo responds to lawsuit from former dancers, denies weight shaming, assault allegations
Trump's latest indictment splits his rivals for the 2024 GOP nomination
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Oprah, Meryl Streep and more have donated at least $1 million to help striking actors
After the East Palestine train derailment, are railroads any safer?
Woman’s escape from cinder block cell likely spared others from similar ‘nightmare,’ FBI says