Top 5: Scents of Walt Disney World
August 12, 2009 at 6:27 pm Matt 43 comments
Welcome to another post in our Top 5 Series! Walt Disney World is full of wonderful scents – some put out during rides on purpose, others not so intentional. No matter what though, scents from Walt Disney World are always a pleasant memory to me. When I get a “Disney scent” outside of “the world”, it always bring back wonderful memories. Here are my top 5 scents of Walt Disney World.
5. Spaceship Earth (Burning Rome): A great smell that is distinctly “Disney”. A classic that most can recognize – it had to make this list!
4. Soarin’ (Orange and Pine): Soarin’ is one of my favorite rides ever. And anytime I’m in the “real world” and get a whiff of orange or pine scented air freshner or spray, it instantly takes me to Soarin’.
3. Monorail (Air Conditioner): You know the smell. You are waiting in line for the monorail in the hot Florida heat. The monorail finally pulls up and you enter the wonderful ice-cold monorail car that has that air conditioner-ish smell.
2. Hotel Rooms (Clean scent): You’ve walked up stairs or taken the elevator with luggage. Hunt your room down, and when you find it, you walk in to that clean smelling (most of the time) room that welcomes you to relax and turn on the TV to watch Stacy.
1. Water Rides (Chlorine/Water smell): Any ride that has water: Living with the Land, it’s a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean and the like. Walking into the building that houses the ride, you get closer and closer to the actual attraction and the smell of chlorine in the water lets you know you are there.
These are just a few of the wonderful scents of Walt Disney World. They play a big part in helping remember the magic!
Are there more? Leave a comment and let us know what your favorite Disney scents are. Think I’m crazy? Leave a comment too!
Photo: armadillo444
Entry filed under: Top 5. Tags: break, Disney, Disney World, Epcot, hotel, it's a small world, magic, magic kingdom, memories, monorail, orlando, Pirates of the Caribbean, scents, smells, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, theme park, themepark, Trip, vacation, Walt Disney World, water rides, WDW.
WDW Central is always open to awesome guest posts.
1.
Bruce | August 13, 2009 at 8:08 am
Philharmagic -apple pie!
2.
Matt | August 13, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Nice! Forgot about that one Bruce.
3.
Jeff | August 13, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Main Street Bakery just after Magic Kingdom Opens…
Oh and the black powder smell after a fireworks show.. (pick one)
4.
Matt | August 13, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Wow those are both good ones. I definitely like the Main Street Bakery one better though.
5.
FunFrugalMom | August 13, 2009 at 6:53 pm
The first time I rode Soarin’ with my family and we “flew” over the orange groves I was yelling..”Do you smell that?! I can smell that!” Of course, nobody else caught it but me.
Next time we rode it I made sure everyone paid attention to ALL their senses…then it wasn’t just me.
6.
Matt | August 13, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I remember the first time I rode it – everyone was talking to their friends/family about how cool it was. (I guess it was everyone’s first time too)… =)
The Soarin’ scents are great – it adds a whole new layer to the experience.
Thanks for sharing!
7.
Candace | August 13, 2009 at 7:55 pm
The bathrooms….they have a clean lemonish smell… only at the Magic Kingdom.
8.
Matt | August 13, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Very true. Not all bathrooms (I don’t think), but some of them, yes!
Yet another memorable Disney smell.
9.
Danielle | August 14, 2009 at 11:14 am
This is FANTSASTIC…I thought I was the only one who like the chlorine/air conditioning smell! Whenever I pass a chlorinated waterfall or smell airconditioning somewhere, I say “That Smells Like DIsney”. LOL…and the ORANGES…love it! The first time I rode Soarin’ I was so happy because they used “the orange smell from Horizons”!
10.
Matt | August 14, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Danielle – you’re not alone!
Same here! Anytime I’m not in “the World” and smell one of these smells, it brings me right back to WDW. Love it.
Thanks so much for sharing, Danielle! Isn’t it nice to know you’re not the only complete Disney geek?
11.
elliebelle | August 14, 2009 at 6:42 pm
The smell of pop corn as you exit the tunnel under the railroad station into the Magic Kingdom does it for me. It is attached to so many 1sts-1st visit, 1st visit with children etc. If I want a “Disney moment” I just pop some corn-easy, quick, and economical.
12.
Matt | August 14, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Oh – nice one! =)
Man, you guys are good. I didn’t think of a lot of these…
13.
Sam | August 17, 2009 at 10:29 am
I would have to say that as I don’t consider those to be the Top 5, they are good…
Here are mine:
1. I agree, Dark Ages burning smell from Spaceship Earth
2. Confectionary on Main Street
3. Waffle Cone Smell from the Ice Cream Shoppe on Main Street
4. Popcorn Smell (mentioned above)
5. Turkey Leg Smell…I definitly know I’m in Disney!!!
I know we all have our own…just my 2, err I mean, 5 cents.
14.
Matt | August 17, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Yeah, I’m sure everyone has a different top 5 – those are just mine.
I agree with all of yours – except the turkey leg. LOL I smell that a lot around frontierland and while it reminds me of Disney, I don’t like the smell of it! For some reason, I just don’t like the smell of the turkey legs…I’m strange.
Thanks for sharing Sam, it’s fun to hear other’s opinions!
15.
Outer Banks Revealed | August 18, 2009 at 8:55 pm
How about “It’s a Small World” … Ok not really a smell, but on those really hot days, it’s a great place to cool down … if you can get THAT song out of your head.
– Dan
Outer Banks Revealed
16.
Matt | August 20, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I agree! It’s a small world, carousel of progress and the like are awesome places to cool down.
Gotta love the air conditioning!
17.
Lance Shaffer | August 21, 2009 at 11:55 pm
…I actually just found a scented oil that smells almost exactly like the ‘Burning Rome’ smell of Spaceship Earth that Us WDW fanatics know and love!
It’s funny…it’s VERY similar to the smell that Universal Studios has pumped into various haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights, usually when there is a Cannibal BBQ scene!
Check it out!:
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/candlemaking-soap-supplies/item/rf-50/-Fireplace-Fragrance-Oil.html
18.
Matt | August 22, 2009 at 1:50 pm
That’s pretty awesome that you found that, Lance! Thanks for sharing the link. =)
19.
Lance Shaffer | August 22, 2009 at 11:59 pm
…Not a problem! Everyone agrees that it smells exactly like it! I highly suggest checking it out!
Speaking of Spaceship Earth, I remember the last time I was there, walking up the ramp into the entrance and saying to My girlfriend ‘Wow, it smells like the 80′s”…I’m not sure what it is about that queue, but there’s a very ’80′s’ type of smell there (I hadn’t been to Epcot until I moved to Florida in 2000, so it’s not a childhood association thing), and it’s not the kind of smell that You can easily explain, but there’s a crisp smell, almost like a new carpet -type scent that for some reason instantly brings memories of arcades from My childhood (I was born in 1979)…anyone else know what I’m talking about?
20.
Matt | August 25, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I know the smell you’re talking about – but it doesn’t bring back any memories for me. It’s definitely another “Disney smell” in my opinion.
21.
Jaime O'Connor | September 18, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Oh my! I was googling this and I am so happy to know I am not the only one! This is my favorite Disney World scents, since I am closer to that attraction- about 30 minutes away!
My favorites are the musty smell of the
1. Haunted Mansion
2. The cinnamon smell of the christmas shop
3. the hot dog smell of casey’s hot dogs.
4 The mexico pavillion at Epcot
5.Soarin’ orange groves.
6. Fresh cookies
22.
Matt | September 19, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Those are all great scents, Jamie! So you live 30 minutes away from WDW? So lucky. I’m only about 2-2.5 hours away…it seems to be an eternity though!
Thanks for sharing.
23.
Happy New Year! WDW Central’s Best of 2009 « WDW Central | December 31, 2009 at 1:47 pm
[...] Top 5: Scents of Walt Disney World – We took a look at the Top 5 scents in the WDW parks. It turned out everybody else seemed to have this on their mind too! I enjoyed discussing it with you all. (22 comments) [...]
24.
Sarah-Irene | February 20, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I am not sure it is the chlorine in the water but Disney water rides have a very unique scent. It is my husband’s favorite. I can almost hear him, “Smell the Disney??” like an excited 12 year old. The water IS the scent of Disney for us.
25.
Matt | February 20, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Agreed. That wonderful water smell is one of the official Disney smells for us too. Anytime I smell it somewhere besides at Disney I start to imagine myself on The Land or Small World.
Thanks for sharing! =)
26.
Mike - The Documentorian | April 15, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Soarin’ – the orange groves, yes. But there’s also an ocean scent upon soarin’ oer’ the ocean and a grapes / wine scent as you soar over Napa Valley etc… Also – (a retro scent) – in the cue line AND in the defunct attraction, Horizons” at Epcot, there was an orange grove / citrus smell. THIS is the one I remember most because it was there when the attraction opened in the early 80′s. During Christmas time at Epcot in The American Pavilion, they set up the Ginger Bread House – and that smell of ginger (bread). And that reminds me – in the old Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade, Chip & Dale are baking cookies and you can smell ginger as well.
I could go on and on but it would further prove I need a life and need to stop hangin’ out at WDW so much
.
Mike
27.
Matt | April 19, 2010 at 4:24 pm
I never went on Horizons, Mike, so I’m lost as far as those scents.
Agreed with everything else you brought up – great memories! And yes, we probably ALL need to stop hanging out in WDW so much. =P
28.
Lance Shaffer | April 15, 2010 at 5:39 pm
…For all of You FaceBook users:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Smell-of-Water-Inside-the-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-Ride/395631679273?ref=ts
29.
Matt | April 19, 2010 at 4:26 pm
NICE – thanks Lance, I joined.
30.
Ashley Spence | April 19, 2010 at 11:30 am
This was the inspiration of my blog post today. I linked back to you and posted the original link, then added my own list.
.
http://withlove-myheart.blogspot.com/2010/04/scents-of-walt-disney-world.html
31.
Josh | April 19, 2010 at 11:50 am
Anytime I smell fresh asphalt it takes me back to walking up to and waiting to get on the trams… I love that smell!
32.
Matt | April 19, 2010 at 4:22 pm
@Ashley – Definitely love the post! Completely agreed on the PhilharMagic apple pie and Carousel of Progress old musty smell. Nice work, really enjoyed that post – and I’m glad mine inspired you.
@Josh – Same here Josh! Also, anytime I smell exaust I think of the trams too. =)
33.
James | April 22, 2010 at 9:38 pm
The first time I used one of those Srcubbing Bubble automatic shower cleaners, I was ecstatic, not because it was supposedly cleaning my shower, but because suddenly, my bathroom smelled like one of the Resort’s hotel bathrooms.
I don’t know if anyone else thinks the smell is similar, but it is funny how smell can evoke memories…
34.
Moni | May 1, 2010 at 9:06 pm
There is some sort of very faint “air freshener” in the lobby of the Beach Club. I have nnever smelled anything like it. So, I asked. It is their “Beach Club” scent and I wasn’t imagining it. Apparently it is in their air ciculating system somehow. It is supposed to be reminiscent of a fresh smelling beach. Love it!
35.
Dave Armstrong | June 7, 2010 at 11:35 pm
1. Pirates musty smell
2. Spaceship Earth burning Rome
3. Animal Kingdom Jambo House lobby fire pit
4. Thunder Mountain musty and steam smell
5. Le Celier
PS – Chlorine and air conditioner smell are really good ones
36.
Conquer the Heat – The ‘Coolest’ Attractions Around « WDW Central | July 5, 2010 at 12:20 pm
[...] Captain EO all last fairly long and are very cool. If you get my draft…er drift. Plus the wonderful smell of apple pie doesn’t hurt [...]
37.
Jill | September 26, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Hi Guys! I just came across this site on accident. I used to work for a company called Scent-O-Vision located on Long Island, NY. A lot of the scents you smell at WDW are made there. The scents really enhance the attractions. Here are my favorites:
- Christmas Shoppe, Downtown Disney, cinn/spice smell
- outside walk, West Side, wood burning stove smell
- Polynesian Resort lobby, rain forest/vanilla smell
- Soarin Ride, Epcot, pine smell
- who doesn’t love the smell of fresh popcorn?!
38.
Mike | October 4, 2010 at 9:03 pm
I love the smells on Disney rides, especially the burning rome smell and the indoor water rides smell. But my favorite ride smell is the spray mist on test track, I think it is used on other rides, but test track is where I distinctly remember it. Very strong chemical smell, but not unpleasant.
39.
Marta | December 2, 2010 at 4:19 am
Me and my family usually visit Disney one a year..we always have a great time there. A lot of fun, nice and happy people, nice shops for souvenirs (the kids always find something to buy
), but nothing about this scents.. I mean beside the hotel specific smell that I found in each hotel that I stayed in..nothing new. 
I wonder..do I have a problem because I don’t associate Disney with all this scents? Maybe I’m to stressed. Maybe I have to go back in time and be a kid again..maybe I must be more relaxed and live the moment like my children do..and forget about all the problems.
I promise that next year I will pay more attention to all that you described in here and I will provide feedback.
40.
Christian | January 17, 2011 at 4:30 pm
You may think this is wierd, but the humidity+floral combination scent when arriving in Disney on the first day of each trip. I have recognized this scent so many times that it is the first thing I think of when I ask myself “WDW?” I guess it got stuck in my head at the age of 1/2 a year old.
41.
Xznfxggs | July 4, 2011 at 12:00 pm
birds feather tattoo,
42.
Jenn | September 13, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Polynesian! The lobby! When someone in my family or friends go, I ask them to sniff inside the Polynesian for me!
43.
Matt | April 19, 2012 at 4:21 pm
My top 5:
5. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Natural Gas Smell
4. Soarin’ – Various Landscape Scents
3. Spaceship Earth – Burning Rome
2. Test Track – Corrosive Chamber
1. The Smell of Ride Water