Disneyland employees are mourning the “tragic” death of Club 33 administrator Bonnye Lear, who fell from a moving golf cart and hit her head in a backstage area of the Anaheim theme park.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Bonnye and offer our sincere condolences to everyone who cared for her,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock in a statement. “At this time, we are focused on supporting her family and our cast members through this tragic event and making sure they have the resources they need.”
Anaheim Police and Anaheim Fire & Rescue responded to a traffic collision on Wednesday, June 5, at 11:30 a.m. in a backstage area of Disneyland, according to spokesperson Sgt. Jonathan McClintock. Police and fire personnel found a female Disneyland employee who had fallen from a moving golf cart and struck her head. She was transported to a local hospital in grave condition and later died from her injuries.
Bonnye Mavis Lear, 60, of Fullerton, died on Friday, June 7, according to Orange County Coroner spokesperson Sgt. Frank Gonzalez. Anaheim police detectives are investigating the traffic collision.
Heartfelt Condolences and Ongoing Investigation
Rae Delgado, a Disney California Adventure attractions cast member, shared on Facebook that Lear suffered a fractured skull and brain swelling as a result of the accident. “Bonnye was traveling on a rear-facing seat of a golf cart along with three passengers behind Critter Country,” Delgado wrote. “The driver of the vehicle was driving at least 20 mph on the route. The golf cart came in contact with a bump/dip in the road which caused Bonnye to react immediately. As she went to grab the handrail, it gave way and sent her out of the vehicle.”
Delgado, who lives in Costa Mesa, expressed that her fellow cast member deserves compassion and justice, not silence. “Managers are telling CMs to not speak about the circumstances of Bonnye’s death to others,” Delgado wrote. “They’re asking for silence. They want it to be forgotten.”
Club 33 employees were “terribly upset” after being notified of the death of their fellow cast member. Lear, a 24-year Disneyland employee, worked in membership support services at the members-only club. Disneyland bills the private Club 33 in New Orleans Square as exclusive, world-class, and shrouded in mystery. Club 33 was inspired by the VIP lounges Walt Disney experienced at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The private Disneyland club opened in May 1967, a few months after Disney’s death in December 1966.
Disney theme parks vlogger Just Ask Danny, who used to work with Lear at Disneyland, expressed his sorrow. “She was quite literally the kindest human who worked at the Disneyland Resort,” he wrote on Twitter. “This is truly very sad for her family and fellow Cast at the Club.”