Credit: Inside the MagicIn just a few weeks, pop sensation and former Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande will make her silver screen appearance as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked: Part One (2024). Starring alongside British actress Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba Thropp, the film has already received rave reviews in early screenings, positioning it as one of 2024’s most anticipated releases.
While promoting Wicked on the Las Culturistas podcast, hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, Grande shared a surprising Disney World anecdote involving her mother’s unusual request, one that could potentially get her escorted from the theme park.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland are favorite destinations for celebrities and fans alike, including stars like the Kardashians and Jojo Siwa. Recently, Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori were spotted, with Censori drawing attention for going barefoot through the park. Other celebrity stories include Katy Perry hosting a pizza party in the exclusive Cinderella Castle suite and Paris Hilton donning prosthetics to enjoy the parks incognito.
Ariana Grande also has a Cinderella Castle connection: the Sam & Cat star revealed on Las Culturistas that she once visited the suite while performing at Disney World. “I’ve been in there because I performed at the castle one time, and I got to change in there, which was really cool,” she shared, calling the experience “really beautiful, and it feels very real.”
Grande then divulged her mother’s unusual Disney World wish: Joan Grande has repeatedly requested that her ashes be scattered over Cinderella Castle. “My mom tells us too often that she wants her ashes sprinkled over it,” Grande said, recalling her response to her mother’s unconventional request: “Mom, it’s Christmas. Do we have to talk about this right now?” She explained to Yang and Rogers that cast members often prepare for shows inside the castle, so her mother’s ashes would potentially fall on performers dressed as Tinker Bell, waiting for their cue.
It’s unlikely Grande will fulfill her mother’s wish, as Disney World strictly prohibits scattering ashes on its grounds. According to a Wall Street Journal article, custodians at Disney dread the call for a “HEPA cleanup,” which indicates that someone has scattered ashes within the park. The Haunted Mansion is said to be a particularly common location for this unauthorized act, with guests hoping to leave a part of their loved ones behind in the magical setting.
A Disney representative confirmed that ash scattering is “strictly prohibited and unlawful. Guests who attempt to do so will be escorted off the property,” PEOPLE reported. This rule applies to all guests, celebrities included.
Celebs have often seen the stricter side of the Disney parks. Blake Lively once recounted her time in Disney “prison”, while Rebel Wilson was banned from Disneyland after snapping a selfie in a park bathroom.
Wicked: Part One will be released in theaters worldwide on November 22, 2024. Grande’s fans are buzzing with excitement, eager to see her bring Glinda to life in this beloved adaptation of a Broadway classic.
What do you think of this unique wish? Should Disney reconsider its policies, or are they right to keep this rule in place? Let us know in the comments!