On July 6, 2026 “human remains” reportedly caused a temporary shutdown of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland. Guests reported seeing a cast member approach the ride vehicle with a vacuum. It’s evidently a common occurrence at the Disney parks that it has its own radio code and is called “Code HEPA”, but it’s been nicknamed “Code Grandma”. According to a YouTube video by Lauren the Mortician, using a vacuum is the common “cleanup” procedure. The park uses a special HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum to remove and then dispose of the ashes in a bag in the trash. Dumping ashes is especially pervasive at the Haunted Mansion with one cast member reporting, “I was a Mansion maid for around a year and it would happen at least once a month, probably around ~2 weeks is the amount it was realistically.”

“We have 999 happy haunts here, but there’s room for a thousand. Any volunteers?”

The haunted mansion is known for the iconic phrase, “We have 999 happy haunts here, but there’s room for a thousand. Any volunteers?” However, the park doesn’t mean this literally. Many guests feel a strong connection to Disney, so wanting to scatter ashes a place with happy memories is somewhat understandable. Whoopi Goldberg even admitted to scattering her mother’s ashes on the It’s a Small World ride. However, remember this is also someone’s workplace and someone’s vacation. There are also safety concerns with electronics, motors and sensors interacting with what amount to fine particulate dust. It sounds like even if you, “get away with it” and security cameras don’t catch you immediately, your loved one will probably be found eventually, vacuumed and placed in the trash. This is hardly a fairy-tale ending, so probably best to find another place for scattering a loved one’s ashes.