Nobody Ever Dies at Disneyland? 

As a Disney Cast Member, please don’t bring your deceased remains to the parks, they’ll be vacuumed up and thrown in the trash. Please stop.

I don't want my ashes scattered anywhere where a worker has to clean them up. They don't get paid enough to clean up my cremains

From a former Disney world employee (me), I have heard the most common thing to find on Small World is not ashes, it’s condoms. I try not to think about that one a lot.

I was at Disneyland in April of 2019. A security guard asked if I had any bodyparts in my bag as he was looking through my bag. I laughed and said no. He said that human remains were something that people try to bring into the park. He then stopped smiling when I told him I worked at a crematorium. :D

Scattering mom's ashes in the Small World ride seems more like torture to me. Poor mom's ghost is doomed to listen to "It's A Small World After All... " song for eternity! Don't do that to your Mama! 💔

I want my remains scattered at Disneyland but I don’t want to be Cremated

Former cast member here from Disney World Orlando. Unless you are actually in the bathroom stall, or the changing room, assume that a camera can see you. You should also assume that there is a security guard within 100 feet of you at all times. Trust me, they'll see you.

I can't get over the fact that the attraction that dragged the boy for hundreds of feet was called the people mover.

When I was a stupid kid, on a dare I screamed at the top of my lungs in the haunted mansion (near the graveyard scene). They stopped the ride, turned on all the lights, and an army of employees inspected every inch of the tracks. They are watching, trust me.

In line with disney not wanting memorial tiles: it's not uncommon for families who've lost children to take a "legacy trip" in the next year or so, either because the trip was planned before the terminally ill child passed away or just in their memory and to cheer up grieving siblings. It's become a tradition for people on legacy trips to write their loved one's name on a mickey balloon and release it. When I worked info we'd have people come up to ask for sharpies for this, and were specifically coached to ask them not to write dates of death on the balloons in case other guests saw. I don't really know anyone who enforced this, because who wants to confront a grieving family about a balloon, especially one they're about to send up into the atmosphere anyway? (Also a custodian once told me that they had a special high-powered vacuum for dumped ashes to do a thorough cleanup, but that the vacuum was emptied into the same dumpster as everything else. Not a dignified end)

"people mover" dragged a lifeless body? the cruel irony...

I’m confused- Disney park wants no death references (ie “In Memory of...” but has a “Momento Mori” gift shop selling death soeveniers?

I am glad you mentioned the woman who passed away in her car . She was a custodian and worked full time . She was a very humble woman and nobody even knew she lived in her car .

Would it be possible to do a video on the corpses of Chernobyl (firemen, reactor operators)? I'm curious if they were preserved in any way

I once stood up in the people mover, and they said over the microphone, “little girl with the pirate hat, please sit down before we stop the ride”. I was so embarrassed 😂. (Disneyworld, Orlando, Florida)

"how do you reconcile something tthat you seriously love and enjoy with an inhuman business model?" as a professional wrestler this is chillingly relative

I'm surprised that you didn't cover what's quite possibly one of the most gruesome and tragic Disneyland deaths, Debbi Gale Stone. She was an 18 year old cast member working at Disneyland over the summer to pay for college, as she had just graduated with honors at Santa Ana High School, and she was enrolled to attend Iowa State University in the fall. On the night of July 8, 1974, just before her shift at Disneyland, Debbi called her parents and excitedly announced that she was in love and wanted their permission to be engaged to her boyfriend. But sadly, she was never to be married. That fateful night, she worked the attraction America Sings, which was a rotating theater show that had formerly been the Carousel of Progress. When the building was changed to America Sings, there was a flaw in the refurbishment that proved to be fatal. When the building was the CoP, the cast member host of the attraction stood on the left side of the theater, while the walls came to close after the rotation of the building on the right side of the theater. Well, when they switched the show over, they reversed the direction of the theater so the walls came to close on the left, where the cast member was standing. There were no breakaway walls or sensor lights at the time; those were only installed as a safety precaution AFTER Debbi's death. The night Debbi died, the attraction was close to closing, so she had an empty theater while others were occupied. She was the only one in her section of the theater. At around 10:30 PM, guests in the adjacent theater heard a bone-chilling scream. At first, it was thought that it was just part of the show, as the show had just opened days before and people weren't familiar with it. However, tragically, this wasn't the case. By the time the ride was stopped, it was too late for anything to be done. Debbi had either stepped or fallen backwards between the two walls as they came to close, and in the ever-so tactful words of Alice Davis, wife of Imagineer Marc Davis who designed America Sings, during an interview about the incident, "her head was mashed". Debbi had been crushed between the two walls, and it was fatal. There's also rumors that her spirit still visits the building in which this occurred-- people have felt someone tap their shoulder when there was no one behind them, or have heard someone say "be careful" when they approach the spot where Debbi died. I've never experienced any of this myself as I'm sadly not psychically inclined, but I've been in the former Carousel Theater building (now Star Wars Launch Bay), and I have to say, there's a definite energy there that I can feel, and it gives me chills. Whenever I'm at Disneyland, I always go to that building and say hi to Debbi. Debbi was an incredible young lady, described by those that knew her as being kind-hearted and compassionate. Her alma mater Santa Ana High School opened a pool named after Debbi with a plaque memorializing her, and her classmates funded a "Debbi Stone Award" to be given to the most outstanding student. Debbi was beautiful and talented, truly an all-American girl, gifted both in academics and athletics, especially track and swimming. Her presence is sorely missed by those who love her, and she lives on in the hearts she touched in life. Sorry for the mini-essay, for some reason I'm really passionate about Debbi Stone despite not ever knowing her; I was born nearly 20 years after she died... but for some reason, her story still touches me. Maybe it's because America Sings is my favorite attraction, maybe it's because she's such a compassionate figure that it's hard not to fall in love with her based on the story of her life, I don't know, but I'm always fascinated by her story.

I'll confess, when I thought about deaths at Disney parks, I didn't even really think about ride accidents, I mostly imagined people dropping from excessive heat or from walking a great deal.

There has also been a story about two brothers in 1973 one 18 year old and his 10 year old little brother, decided to stay in the park past closing on Tom Sawyer island. When they decided to leave, they swam across the Rivers of America to avoid getting caught. The older brother swam with his little brother on his back, but grew exhausted and had drowned, leaving his little brother to doggy paddle to safety. The body of the 18 year old wasn't found until a day later.

As a kid in the 60's, I remember overhearing a conversation my aunt had with my parents. (she had just come back from a trip to Disney) She described a scene where a body was removed from the water on one of the rides. Apparently, 3 men scooped the body out of waist deep water and hauled it through a disguised maintenance door. The speculation was that it was then carried through the maintenance tunnel to be removed to a medical facility. The ride continued on without a hitch. I remember her saying it made her feel like she was watching some secret police force in action. Left quite an impression on me as a child.

"bibbidi-bobbidy-bye" is going to be the new "bye felicia" :)

As someone that used to be enslav... I mean, employed... by the mouse as a security officer, understand that even if you get away with, the ashes will not stay there. If they're discovered later, they're swept up, given to the county, and thrown into their mass ash dump grave. We were taught how to spot the ashes, which can be pretty distinctive. Even if thrown into bushes, the dirt of the planter is excavated and is disposed of as a biohazard (I know, I know). Plus, they clean the rides thoroughly, on a pretty regular basis. So... yeah. Aunt Janet is not still at the bottom of the Pirates of the Caribbean. She's is likely in some non-Magical random hole way off site someplace in Orange County. Edit: Here's a story that kind of explains what I mean by "mass ash dump grave". laist.com/2015/11/13/unclaimed_remains_2012.php

Do people realize that scattering their loved one’s cremated remains into Pirates of the Caribbean or It’s a Small World is just basically flushing them down a glorified drain? No? Just me? Ok. 🤣

I am a current DLR cast member, and I think about Weiny (the homeless castmember who was found dead in her car) every. single. day (for real). I did not know her, but I learned about her on my first day of work at the park, and the fact that you mentioned the injustices within the company and her case means so so much, I did not expect it, thank you so much for bringing awareness about this even when it wasn’t the topic of your video and you didn’t have to 💗

As a former cast member I totally NO NOT recommend leaving ashes on ANY attraction. You may think it’s easy and unnoticeable but cast members do catch people doing it and it creates so many problems.

I swear if someone sprinkles my ashes in It's A Small World I'm going to come back and haunt them. Like, heavy duty poltergeist haunt.

Thanks. Now I have the morbid thought of poor Aunt Jenny spending the rest of eternity as a ghost, forever trapped in that ride, listening to "It's a small world after all" on repeat for the rest of time... what did poor Aunt Jenny do to deserve that?

It's not dark on any ride at any time. Their are inferred lights EVERYWHERE at Disney it might look dark to us but to a camera it's like broad daylight. They also have motion sensors that will detect anything thrown off the ride into the water! If you throw something they will review the footage and if it looks like something that could be remains they will detain you until they find out what it was. If you think getting into Disney world is expensive wait until you get the bill for the team of people in hazmat suits who spent hours and hours cleaning up the ride. If you don't pay have fun with a lawsuit from one of the most powerful companies in the world! also you're going to jail and it could end up being a felony after all is said and done.

I thought of having my ashes “scattered” at disney gives me the shivers.

I worked at Disneyland for a year while I was in high school in 1997 and during that time a guest was killed when a part of the Columbia ship came unfastened and crushed the guest that was standing beneath it. The ride was shut down immediately and it was closed for several days. The following day after the incident all employees were instructed not to comment to anyone who asked about it fearing the press would be dressed as tourists trying to get information. It was a huge fiasco to the park but it felt like no one was considering the family of the victim.

I love that Roy Disney's granddaughter has been very vocal & public in her ongoing battle to get Disney workers a living wage for years now. Her current effort is a documentary that she premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. What does it say about the greed of a corporation when they have very publicly ignored a founder's or their family demanding a living wage for their employees for YEARS?

Shockingly, my husband, a long time Cast Member, happened across a recently deceased female guest as he came into work at Downtown Disney. Even though he worked in a hospital when he was younger, it was still a huge very unpleasant tragedy. It does happen, even at Disneyland!

"When You Wish Upon a Star doesn't matter how dead you are...." 🌟💀🌟

😂😂 Caitlyn's extremely confused reaction to being sponsored literally made my day!

I don't know if you've ever gotten this compliment, but I absolutely LOVE how deep your voice is! I have a voice on the deeper end of the spectrum & it's just great to hear other women who have deeper voices too.

So im the type of person that when you tell me that you shouldn't do something, my mind immediately goes to "how could I hypothetically get away with it?". Here's how I would go about scattering Grandma at Disney. The average volume of human ashes is about .85 gallons. This will take a few trips, but the first step is getting Gran through security by smuggling whatever amount I can in a suntan lotion bottle. Then, faking a knee injury, I would bring one of those cheap steel canes you buy from the drugstore into the park with me, fill it up in the restroom with the ashes using a funnel, and then pre-drill tiny holes in the rubber bottom and then put a small piece of tape over it. When I'm ready, just take the tape of the bottom and spend the day walking around and emptying grandma over the park like a salt shaker.

I wish this series would never end 🖤

It’s so common for people to scatter their relatives, there that there’s an actual CODEWORD AMONG THE EMPLOYEES for it. I wish this were a joke.

Even when it is dark, Disney can see. They use night vision rechnology in the surveilance. So, if you scatter Aunt Lilly in the Pirates ride, you might be greated with a visit from Park Security at the end of the ride... At the biginning of Small World, on my last visit, the ride stopped as we were on the first climb, in total darkness. Then we heard a voice from the darkness..... "Sit back down, little boy!" A few seconds later, the ride started again... Yes, they can see in the dark!

One of my friends was fired from Disney. She’s so glad it happened because it made her miserable working there, and she’s been obsessed with everything Disney since she was 3. Working there ruined everything for her. 😩

3 videos in a week?!? My Death Queen, we are not worthy. ❤❤❤

I have a friend that was behind someone who scattered their loved one and got a face full of ashes.

Oh man, the last part really hit me... working at Disney was some of the most fun I ever had and the people were great friends! The pay was fine on paper but with how inconsistent the hours were, where some weeks you work over 40 hours and some you get 9, sometimes you work at dawn and sometimes you work into the night, it just wasn't sustainable and I had to leave. Thankfully I now have a job where I can afford an AP pretty easily, but I remember co-workers who really felt like they couldn't leave for some reason or another and it was usually that sense of loyalty to the company. That being said, it's a good summer job for young adults who maybe need experience and have more open schedules, just really think twice about staying long term.

I think its sad that those catacombs never became. Imagine how cool it would be to have an actual burial site somewhere around the parks, and then have small memorials in the catacombs. Just like a little plaque or something. Would have been neat.

Okay, I can already tell this is going to be a great video as always-BUT that Audible sponsorship announcement got me so emotional, I'm like- 😭 Anyway, congratulations, Caitlin! This channel is finally getting the recognition it deserves!!! 🖤

Video idea: what happens to dead ppl that don’t have family or friends and aren’t claimed

I have a very hard time reconciling the part of me that, ever since childhood, has harbored the daydream of going -- just once -- to see one of the parks when it's all lit up for the winter holidays with the part of me that is an embittered thirty-year-old who doesn't want to contribute to the mortality rate of Cast Members. Thank you for voicing that conflict.

Sadly, in 2010, at Disneyland Paris, a cleaner drowned on the It's a Small World ride, after it was accidently turned on while they were in the ride, causing them get stuck underwater.

A hospice for the homeless I’m crying my eyes out now. That is something until you said never thought existed but much needed. 🙌🏼

"Nobody ever dies at Disney" *me laughing in morbid curiosity* Did anyone else go to the Disney Death Tour site after this?

When I mentioned Walt story of him being frozen to a friend, he said " Oh, Disney on ice.." LOL

When I was on the college program at WDW in the mid 80's, in one of the seminars, it was brought up about the safety record. I asked the the question to bring it one step further has anyone died at the property and the answer given was if someone is injured/hurt/needs assistance, they are brought to the hospital and declared dead there. WDWCP Spring 86.

I WAITED. I waited for Disney’s head. You did not let me down, Death Mom. 👏🏻

(Never thought I'd get to say this... ) Congratulations to my favorite Mortician on your sponsor! On a funny note, my husband thinks its creepy that I have a favorite mortician..... muhahahaha

As a former mousekeeper I have seen death a few times in the park. The most disturbing was cleaning up foamed up blood in the bathroom while a lady covered in a sheet taken back behind it's a small world was dead off of whatever I was cleaning up was. Had a guy die on the way down Splash mountain while I was working there ...the worst part was he died at the laughing place before the ride literally drops. People dump ashes all the time! They clean it up but I am sure not all of it gets cleaned. If you go on space mountain with the lights on it's really flithy and shorter height wise...I still love everything Disney even though I was treated harshly in different departments. Now as a full time artist I really respect the creative power of the parks. They really do pressure wash the restrooms and streets quite a bit to keep it clean. Garbage going through the evac system through a series of tunnels that is later burned. I love it and I hope the best for them after this quarantine is lifted. Death surrounds us everywhere...something I think about sometimes.

"If only obtaining a real death certificate was actually that easy and fun." made me laugh so hard, my mom just died and its been such a hassle!

The Tinkerbell-Caitlin with the death-dust should be on a shirt.

We my mom owns a quilt shop, we actually had someone scatter his wifes ashes in the store last summer. Like on the floor right under a shelf full of bolts of fabric!

I really don’t condone scattering ashes on any of the rides [at Disney]. They can clog or damage mechanical systems, it could cause a slipping hazard if spilled inside of a ride floor or on a walkway, and...I find it to be gross. Would you want to be sitting in someone’s remains? No thanks.

There is one memorial to a deceased person that I know of at Disney World. There is a lighthouse statue honoring Lane Graves, the boy who was killed by an alligator in 2016, at the Grand Floridian Resort.

I'm surprised she didn't touch on Debbie Stone, the staff member who was killed by the America Sings ride due to a design flaw in the ride where the hostess could get crushed between the rotating walls. When I think abt Disney and death, that story is what comes to mind first

Actually Caitlin, you have a really gorgeous, rich, silky voice.

Just saw episode 7 of midnight gospel!!! Second i heard death "playing with" her g's and extending the ends of her sentences, i checked voice credits! Can't believe it. You did a great job

Back in 2013 I found myself stuck in the It's A Small World ride for a good half an hour. While the music was running. I consider that my closest experience to a brush with death that I've had in Disneyland.

"The haunted mansion has so many ashes in it, it's not even funny" Caitlin: lel

I just lost my grandfather and had I not watched your videos, I think I'd have had a much harder time dealing with it. Thank you for the comfort and change of mindset you give so many.

Having one’s ashes scattered in the ride it’s a small world would be absolute hell having to listen to that saccharine sweet song all day long, truly hell.

I will never, EVER get over how horrifying the "It's a Small World" ride is for me. Every time I go on that ride I block my ears.

THANK YOU for mentioning the plight of the workers who deserve more respect than they receive! People spend thousands at Disneyland each year so you'd think the workers would get paid enough to afford a basic living, many do live in their cars or some even on the street. Disneyland is the largest company in Orange county CA, that is always hiring, so simply finding a better paying job that gives more than 20 hrs a week is near impossible.

Leaving someone’s remains to be stuck in the “It’s A Small World” ride falls under the heading of “🔥Being stuck in eternal torment 🔥,” if you ask me.

It’s just how we exploit any passion; the workers love the ip, the owners of the ip knows this and exploits it not because they need to, but because they can. #eattherich

I volunteer at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House and we have the ashes of a few people in the under stage area, some of the remains were scattered there and others are in niches in the walls of the under stage area. The theatre itself was also built on the site of a medieval cemetery, strangely the area where the ashes are in the theatre was exactly where the medieval cemetery was. The ashes are of people who had long association with the theatre

You have helped me so much with my grief and loss. I lost my first born child to cancer at the age of 4. Not only that, but in 7 months time we lost my little brother, age 21, to a drunk driver, my grandma, my daughter's father, diabetes, and then my son. It's been many years since then. But I have had such a hard time getting through it. Watching your videos and listening to you has helped so much. Thank you. I would like to share 1 more, kinda long memory about my son and Disney Land. About 5 months before my 4 year old son died of cancer we took him to Disney Land. He relapsed and my younger brother had just been killed by a drunk driver about 3 months prior to our trip. He had a wonderful time. It was a beautiful trip. Although we had to call the "on site" nurse and doctor because of the immense pain. I know that, if I had the opportunity, he would love to be a part of that magical place. It's not the rides or the cartoon characters that make it magical, it's all of the dreams and adventures of the children, like my son. Who dream of invincibility, true love, animals that speak and shower you with protection, to fly with no wings, to live forever, or just to be able to have no strings or wires attached. I absolutely know that corruption and greed has permiated every aspect of the magical kingdom, as well as the rest of the world. But the unconditional love that flows from these little ones makes this place, as well as others, magical and full of Hope. I was given countless gifts from my son. One of them was to be able to be present, to allow humility to teach me, and to truly appreciate the beauty in hope. Thank you for letting me vent. He taught me so much more. But I don't think I'm allowed that much space! For those who are wondering, I have had 5 Children. All 4 are just fine. And my son's name is Sammy. Thank you.

I'm glad that you mentioned the controversy about cast members and wages in such a delicate manner. I've never worked at Disney, but I have worked in an amusement park, and when that kind of job clicks for you, it really clicks. It's infectious being around happy people and making them happier in return. Unfortunately, the business I worked at (one making airbrush t-shirts) was so unprofitable in the age of digital printing that the owner shut it down and the park got rid of the booth. Not only were wages contingent on commissions, but work itself was contingent on the park's support. I'm not trying to imply that anyone's "entitled" to a job or happiness. It's just sad that the only job I've had where I felt genuinely happy most of the time could never support me.

I can't believe you mentioned the MET Opera incident! It was during our matinee performance of Rossini's "Guillaume Tell." As someone who was singing in that production, I can tell you it was an absolutely crazy situation! Love your channel, found you via the Moby Dick/Essex episode and have been hooked!

I often wondered why Disneyland doesn't just have a vault in the haunted Mansion cemetery for people to dump ashes in. Though people would need to understand that when that vault is full, it's contents will be transported to a local cemetery's communal vault and that will ultimately be their relatives final resting place.

I’m crying when I think of how you speak of giving the homeless a dignified comfortable place to die. Thank you.

Can we get a sticker of Caitlin as TinkerBell? Because I'm here for it.

I remember in the mid 1960s a young adult tried sneaking into the Disneyland park in Anaheim via the Monorail. The Monorail came along and killed the young man. He was pronounced dead on the rail.

“This ride is weird “...this from Caitlin, it must be really really weird!

“Ok were outside the park you can stop doing compression.”

So happy that a company is finally seeing the value in sponsoring death education and conversation! I'm so excited for you Caitlin! And thank you Audible!

When I worked at Disney as a front desk clerk, my last job of the night (yeah I worked nights) was to go to rooms of guests who had not responded to their wake up calls and so a "wellneaa" check on them. When I asked why we did this every morning, i was told we were looking for dead bodies. Apparently it was common for elderly people to actually die in their rooms in their sleep. I would have been freaked out had I not workes in the hospitality industry for many years before hand (always as a night clerk) and yes I had guesta die during their stay. My real question was, why wasn't this housekeeping job to find dead bodies? Why was it the front desk?

I love that you took on the one place that makes us remember our happy childhood and reminded us all that Disney is just another creepy, greedy corporation. I'll never go on the POTC or Haunted Mansion Ride and have that same whimsy again. You speak the truth, Caitlin. ROCK ON!

This Aunt Jenni doesn’t want her ashes scattered at It’s a Small World Ride! 😱

I stuck around all the way to the "Disney's Head" bump out, those are my favorite little touches to the videos, lol. (And I may or may not have been caught by friends absently singing "Bentham's Head" to myself while browsing grocery store aisles.)

Imagine dying on the f*cking people mover, of all the atractions, the people mover

You forgot I think the first death at Disney or one of the first an 18 year old girl named Debbie who just started working for Disney was crushed in the America sings rides rotating stages. Her screams were heard during the ride but riders thought it was part of the ride. Could you do a video on her?

I work in homelessness alleviation. I love your charity of choice this week, and the attention you bring to how employment precarity and low wages contribute to homelessness. Thank you.

I went to a bicycle mechanic school a few years ago. One of the other students was the head of security at Disneyland, I guess they wanted him to also maintain the bicycle fleet. He told me some CRAZY stories about suicides, deaths, cameras, people hiding, and other things he dealt with there while on the job.

9:55 Memento Mori... *intensely cries because Unus Annus*

I am so happy I found you 👏 Living a county over from LA, Cali You have helped to bring up topics with my family. 👍👍

I'm super interested in the "dark side" of Disneyland and the legends and theories surrounding it. Absolutely loved seeing your take on this, since it goes beyond the brief, sensationalized view that some other creators offer. Thank you for this series! I quite enjoyed it

I remember one of the first videos I watched on RU-vid was a 40 minute long video listing every person who died at Disneyland and their cause of death. Good memories. Happy times.

I’ve never seen anyone that looks so good in Mini Mouse ears. Your hair, your makeup, well just about everything just looks precious.

I worked at the haunted mansion and we had plenty of “code a” situations. One time it was only baby powder, sniffing mysterious dust is so frightening.

Please do a video on what happened to the dead of the Halifax Explosion?

Wooo! Yay! Caitlin’s first sponsor! Pop open the nice champagne!

Ok it's 3am and I have literally been laughing out loud from these videos for like 4 hours. Thanks for your lite hearted but respectful demeanor.

I have done a small project on the work of the Colibrí center and it makes me so happy every time I see you mention them ❤️