That Urban Legend of Disney Fans Scattering Human Ashes at Disneyland is True and its Worse Than You Think

For years we’ve heard the Disneyland urban legend about people scattering human ashes around Disneyland and Walt Disney World on rides like The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. Well, it turns out that’s all true and it might happen a lot more than you think it does!

The Wall Street Journal uncovered the truth and this kind of thing happens on a monthly basis. It happens so much in fact that there’s a team of custodians who are called in to clean it up when it happens. There’s even a special code that Disney employees have to report when it happens.

The code is “HEPA cleanup” and HEPA refers to a special kind of filter that is used to suck up very fine particles such as human ashes. The WSJ interviewed the custodians who work at the parks that have had to clean up human remains. They also interviewed a few people that brought in the ashes to spread them. The report says:

Current and former custodians at Disney parks say identifying and vacuuming up human ashes is a signature and secret part of working at the Happiest Place on Earth. It is grisly work for them, but a cathartic release for the bereaved, who say treating Disney parks as a final resting place is the ultimate tribute to ardent fans.

The WSJ then goes into some of the specific details, like where the ashes are scattered:

Human ashes have been spread in flower beds, on bushes and on Magic Kingdom lawns; outside the park gates and during fireworks displays; on Pirates of the Caribbean and in the moat underneath the flying elephants of the Dumbo ride. Most frequently of all, according to custodians and park workers, they’ve been dispersed throughout the Haunted Mansion, the 49-year-old attraction featuring an eerie old estate full of imaginary ghosts.

This next quote is my favorite:

“The Haunted Mansion probably has so much human ashes in it that it’s not even funny,” said one Disneyland custodian.

Wow! That’s pretty crazy! Now, next time you get on that ride you will know for sure that there are human ashes spread all over the place. It’s obviously not hard for people to smuggle ashes into the park.

Some people told the WSJ that they sneak the ashes in by putting them in prescription pill bottles, makeup compacts, and Ziploc bags that are hidden at the bottom of a purse. At that point, they just hope that they don’t get caught. If they are caught, they will get kicked out of the park.

I can understand the reason why Disney fans would want to do this, but it’s still frowned upon and a little eerie to think that there’s human ashes all over the Disney theme parks. Sure, they clean it up, but you know they don’t get everything.

Back in 2007 Disney disputed that this kind of thing happens at the park. After a woman was caught dumping a “powdery substance” out on Pirates of the Caribbean, a spokesman said, “The problem I have with blogs is they don't necessarily have to have validated information.”

Well, now there is validated information.

What do you all think about Disney fans scattering the ashes of loved ones around the Disney theme parks?