Next to “urban legend” the word Disney should always go, and it makes all the sense in the world. After all, it is “the megacorporation” of family entertainment, for better and worse. Throughout its history, the “Disney” brand has been accompanied by all kinds of stories, some true, others not so much. From the cryogenization of Uncle Walt, to the purchase of land for dystopian cities or the creation of secret tunnels, everything has a place. One of those stories, for example, talked about something certainly shady about its parks.
Turns out it was worse.
The best kept secret. The story that was told, one more of many and, as such, was believed to be an urban legend without further ado, said that many of the people who came to the parks felt so much adoration for the Disney universe that they ended up scattering the ashes of their loved ones. loved ones in the enclosures. As a story it couldn’t be more murky, but the Wall Street Journal decided to investigate whether the story had some kind of story. And boy did he have it.
What they discovered in a report published a few years ago is that Disney theme parks, recognized worldwide as places of “magic, fun and unforgettable memories”, can also be a true dystopia. Behind the smiles and iconic attractions, there is a little-known but surprisingly common phenomenon: there are indeed visitors who spread the ashes of their loved ones in the park as a final tribute.
For these families, Disney is not just a tourist destination, but a deeply meaningful place, loaded with memories they want to preserve forever.
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Secret codes. Apparently, even among Disney cleaning employees, there is a coded language for handling delicate situations. It’s not a joke. The media reported that “Code V” indicates vomiting, while a “Code U” refers to urine. However, the most secretive and unclassifiable code of all is the so-called “HEPA cleanup”, which activates the use of ultra-fine vacuum cleaners designed to collect tiny particles, including, attention, human ashes.
Yes, according to park workers, these cleanings occur at least once a month and are carried out in emblematic areas such as the Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World and, most often, in the Haunted Mansion castle. The latter, by the way, known for its ghostly theme, gives the story the material with which nightmares are made. Apparently, it has become the favorite place for this type of ritual, so much so that an employee commented to the newspaper: “It probably has so many human ashes that it’s not even funny anymore.”
Tributes and family connections. There is much more. We could sense that for many families Disney is not just an amusement park, but the setting for their happiest moments. How far? Jodie Jackson Wells, for example, decided to pay tribute to her mother, who loved It’s a Small World, by scattering her ashes near an animatronic bird that always made her laugh. Later, in what seemed like a fit of emotion, the woman threw handfuls of ashes into the gardens near Cinderella’s castle. “I wanted her to be in her happy place,” he explained to the outlet.
More. Caryn Reker, another visitor, remembered her father scattering his ashes at multiple points in the park, especially near the fireworks show he loved so much. “It’s a sweet way to remember him,” he commented. “It’s here… and there… and a little further away too,” he pointed out. Of course, we are talking about clandestine ceremonies that, for many, are a symbolic act of love and farewell that turns Disney into something more than just a theme park. Even actress Whoopi Goldberg has confirmed that she spread her mother’s ashes on a Disneyland attraction by faking a giant sneeze.
And what does Disney say? Although visitors see these acts as endearing tributes, in reality the company strictly prohibits this practice and considers it illegal. In the words of a park spokeswoman, “this behavior is strictly prohibited.” In fact, when ashes are discovered, the attractions are temporarily closed with the excuse of “technical difficulties,” and a manager scours the site in search of remains before In some cases, staff have coined their own phrase to describe incidents: “Code Grandma.”
However, the report noted that these activities are not always detected. Visitors are often more resourceful than you might think at hiding ashes before entering them in, for example, pill bottles, makeup bags or the bottom of backpacks. What’s more, none of the families interviewed believed that employees had caught them in the act, suggesting that many of these farewells go unnoticed.
Disney as something else. What seems crystal clear is that, for many, Disney seems to represent a space where family ties are strengthened and memories become eternal. Some visitors, like Shanon Himebrook, recalled how her father, usually exhausted from his night job, transformed into Disney: “He was the dad who bought me Mickey ears and got excited about every detail. I wanted to stay with that dad forever.” That emotional bond made the park a perfect place to honor and remember him.
In other cases, the act of scattering ashes has another nature, more cathartic if you will, where it becomes an even therapeutic experience. Marty Lurie, for example, carried the ashes of his father’s companion in a bag inside his chamber. To cheer up her father, who was depressed after the loss, she included the bag in photos with characters like Mickey Mouse and Goofy, even taking it on rides. “It was a moment of healing for him,” he explained.
Conclusion. In short, despite the ban, the phenomenon has persisted to this day. It does not seem, therefore, to be a fashion, but rather something that the Disney “brand” is capable of generating among generations of fans. Although it may seem very sinister to many, for many others, a visit to the park has become a place of pilgrimage, one where, instead of visiting a cemetery, they go to an attraction to commemorate their deceased.
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