Why do Disney water rides smell different?

Regular pools usually disinfect the water inside of them using chlorine–but not Disney. They use bromine, which is a fancy, more expensive, and much milder smelling chemical (and is not as harsh as chlorine when it hits your skin or clothing).



The distinctive "Disney water smell" is a result of a specific chemical treatment process that prioritizes guest safety and experience over the standard swimming pool odor. Unlike public pools that use high concentrations of chlorine—which reacts with organic matter to create that harsh "pool smell"—Disney water rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and it's a small world primarily use bromine as a sanitizing agent. Bromine is more effective than chlorine at higher temperatures and in the turbulent, aerated environments of a ride flume. Crucially, bromine produces a much milder, "metallic" or "musty" scent that is less irritating to the eyes and skin of the thousands of guests who encounter it daily. Furthermore, Disney is famous for its ScentAir technology, which sometimes pumps artificial scents (like damp caves or gunpowder) into the air around the rides; these professional scents mix with the mild bromine aroma to create a unique "olfactory memory" that fans instantly associate with the magic of the Disney parks.

People Also Ask

Disney primarily relies on bromine to clean the water that flows through its attractions, and it has a distinct odor similar to any cleaner like chlorine or bleach.

MORE DETAILS

The characteristic smell of the water in rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World is from bromine, instead of chlorine, to keep the water free of bacteria.

MORE DETAILS

Regular pools usually disinfect the water inside of them using chlorine–but not Disney. They use bromine, which is a fancy, more expensive, and much milder smelling chemical (and is not as harsh as chlorine when it hits your skin or clothing).

MORE DETAILS

Using a patented machine called a “Smellitzer,” the scent of vanilla is pumped into the area via vents along with occasional bursts of a popcorn aroma. However, around Christmas, they switch over to a seasonably suitable peppermint scent.

MORE DETAILS

I spent time making sure to confirm this and I verified that bromine is used instead of chlorine to disinfect the water in all rides that use water such as it's a small world in Magic Kingdom Park and Frozen Ever After in EPCOT. Bromine is a good alternative for those with chlorine sensitivities.

MORE DETAILS

The water from the rooms is safe to drink directly from the faucet. The drinking water onboard the ships is either obtained from the local authorities in the ships' home ports or made onboard the cruise ship in their desalination process. This process removes dissolved salts and other impurities from the water.

MORE DETAILS

The Smellitizers combine a strong-smelling substance (that smells like popcorn or something else!) with a powerful source of air. And the air has to be moving in a pressurized way like a powerful fan. This propels the scent toward guests while an exhaust sucks it back in.

MORE DETAILS

You most certainly can drink from the water fountains and from the tap. In fact many people bring in water bottles and keep refilling their bottles to stay hydrated. We did that and didn't get sick in fact the people who worked at Disney said it's perfectly safe to drink the water there. Helpful?

MORE DETAILS

Guests will enter a world where they're the size of a rat and experience effects — including the smell of fresh baguettes, the feel of heat from an oven, and the mist of water from a mop — that will make you feel like you're really at Gusteau's in Paris.

MORE DETAILS

Regular pools usually disinfect the water inside of them using chlorine–but not Disney. They use bromine, which is a fancy, more expensive, and much milder smelling chemical (and is not as harsh as chlorine when it hits your skin or clothing).

MORE DETAILS

How to Find Free Cups of Water at Disney World. You can ask for a free cup of water at any quick-service and table-service restaurant. This is also a tip we use to save some money while dining at Disney. For all quick-service restaurants, you can ask for a cup of water even when you're not dining there.

MORE DETAILS

Swimming at Walt Disney World is one of our favorite things to do on a Walt Disney World vacation! You will often find us splashing around during a mid-day break, having an evening swim or even enjoying the attractions at the Disney Water Parks all year round.

MORE DETAILS

At normal levels, Bromide or bromate in drinking water does not impart a taste, color, or other aesthetically-detectable quality to the water, but the presence of bromine (the element) does impart a medicine-like taste to the water.

MORE DETAILS

I always love to share tips about how to make sure you have the bare necessities so that us MamaBears can rest at ease! I'm happy to share with you that breast pumps are allowed in the parks.

MORE DETAILS

CERTAIN GLASS CONTAINERS - These are the only exceptions to the no glass containers rule: baby food, small perfume bottles (4 ounces or less) and medications stored in glass bottles.

MORE DETAILS