Human Remains Scattered On Disneyland Ride Prompts Closure, Horror

After waiting hours at the Happiest Place on Earth for a seat on 'Rise of the Resistance' at Galaxy's Edge, fans were forced from the ride.

 
 
Inside the "Rise of the Resistance" attraction at Disneyland, vehicles are propelled across large glossy black floors.
Inside the "Rise of the Resistance" attraction at Disneyland, vehicles are propelled across large glossy black floors. 

ANAHEIM, CA—A popular Disneyland ride was temporarily shut down recently after cremated human remains were scattered on the ride, according to numerous social media posts. The typically glossy black floor of the "Rise of the Resistance" attraction was smeared with bone chips and dust.

The ride was closed for several hours that day due to the necessary HEPA cleaning, the original Reddit poster said in a thread named "Ashes on Attractions." Still, the conversation has sparked numerous comments on the creepy practice of scattering cremains at the park and the psychological effects on park workers — Cast Members —forced to clean up the mess.

For the record, the Happiest Place on Earth isn't a legally sanctioned final resting place without written permission from the Walt Disney Company.

 

The Galaxy's Edge ride has joined the short list of places at the theme park where illicit cremation scattering has been witnessed. According to both the LA Times and Wall Street Journal, "It's a Small World," "Pirates of the Caribbean," and "Haunted Mansion" also share that dubious honor.

Such an incident "ruins a cast member's day" and is "disrespectful to the crowd and the person who died," several former cast members said on Reddit threads.

Disneyland did not answer Patch's request for comment on the most recent ash scattering, a photo of which was widely shared on social media. However ,this is not the first time such an instance has made the news. The Los Angeles Times has covered a handful of verified sightings of cremains scattered on Disneyland's property. In 2018, now-retired Anaheim Police Sgt. Daron Wyatt confirmed the problem of unauthorized cremation remains being released at Disneyland with the Wall Street Journal, noting that the department had been called to the scene regarding ashes at Disneyland "a handful of times."

Each time witnesses saw cremation ashes scattered during rides, the attraction was shut down, and custodial employee cleanup was performed under "Code HEPA," according to the WSJ.

Anaheim Police Sgt. Jon McClintock told Patch that the department had not been called for a similar instance within the past 18 months.

According to Reddit posters who identify themselves as park workers, remains left at Disneyland rides are HEPA vacuumed. The act is likely to result in a theme park ban for the ones responsible if caught.

Definitely not a "happy" final memory for the family.

A photo of the most recent incident shared on social media showed a picture of the ride tracks though the cremation ashes inside Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge ride. The post quickly received hundreds of responses and sparked disgust and conversation among park lovers and workers. The photo was removed from Reddit but was shared over X, formerly Twitter, with a similar response.

Disneyland workers Patch spoke with, who chose to remain anonymous, said that if you dump cremains, be aware you're shutting the ride down for hours.

"Depending on where you try to do this, the ashes get swept up and dumped," one Cast Member/Redditor wrote, adding that "the ashes won't stay where you drop them."

Another former park worker wrote that, "Any sort of human remains require special clean up. And it ruins the day for others who lose a chance to ride because it's closed for hours to do the specialty cleaning."

They offered other ideas in lieu of illicit scattering. "Get ashes pressed into jewelry. Or a coin. Or a rock. Whatever. Just don't hinder other people's enjoyment with your entitlement. Or the dead person's entitlement."

"They sell special Disney-themed urns specifically to deter this," another commenter said.

Overall, Disney fans' most common response is, 'Just don't do it,' even if it's a loved one's wish.

According to the state's Cemetery and Funeral Bureau's 2023 Cremated Remains Disposers Booklet, scattering cremains without permission is a misdemeanor in the Golden State. It can result in a fine of no more than $10,000 and a county jail sentence of up to a year.

To honor a loved one's passing at Disneyland, consider just going and having lots of fun, as a Reddit commenter said:

"The best way to honor your loved ones at Disney is to just go and have lots of fun. Talk about them while you're there and share funny stories. Eat the foods they enjoyed. Promise to gather and do it again next year."

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