how sanitary is the water in the disney rides?

[whatcateydid]

When we were taking the Keys to the Kingdom tour, I asked about the smell of the water rides. (Sounds crazy, but I love that smell!) We were told it is treated with bromine. They use that instead of chlorine for a number of reasons:

*Bromine is more stable than chlorine in warm temperatures.
*Less people have allergic reactions to bromine.
*Bromine stays active after coming in contact with bacteria longer than chlorine.

That's really cool. I love that smell too!

 

[diberry]

I have been looking for a "behind the scenes" type book. Can someone let me know about some good titles to find out the inside scoop?

As mentioned above the "Imagineering Field Guides" are excellent. There's one for each park (the DHS one is due out very soon I believe). Lots of background information about all the attractions, trivia etc. About $10 each.

 

[scot@dvcstore]

Great insight Deb & Bill. Very interesting as I also wondered about the color of the water.

 

[MyMagicKingdom]

The part I highlighted - the water that puddles around the fountains is pretty disgusting, since that's where the undiapered little ones play. I'm thinking that's where the odor came from!

Ugh, I know DS2 will definitely want to splash around in the fountains so I'm cringing in anticipation. I guess this is where my germaphobe OCD comes in handy because I've already got water shoes, PLENTY of swim diapers (I don't understand why parents don't just put these on their little ones in the water...its not difficult ) and wipes and hand sanitizers. I can only imagine what kind of treats other kids leave behind in those fountains and I certainly don't plan on finding out!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I read somewhere that the water on Splash Mountain is required (by code) to be drinkable.

Can anyone confirm that?

 

[delmar411]

Ugh, I know DS2 will definitely want to splash around in the fountains so I'm cringing in anticipation. I guess this is where my germaphobe OCD comes in handy because I've already got water shoes, PLENTY of swim diapers (I don't understand why parents don't just put these on their little ones in the water...its not difficult ) and wipes and hand sanitizers. I can only imagine what kind of treats other kids leave behind in those fountains and I certainly don't plan on finding out!

Not to burst your bubble but swim diapers hold in poop. That's it. Pee flows right out. That's why many pools still require rubber pants on top of a swim diaper.

If kids leave anything in the fountains, it's pee. No one is running around naked (nor would they be allowed to) so there is little chance of any surprises being there.

 

[shanasbananas]

I read somewhere that the water on Splash Mountain is required (by code) to be drinkable.

Can anyone confirm that?

I read that somewhere too. Must have been somewhere on the board!

 

[gvillemama]

Do they ever get all the change out of Its A Small World? Me and my husband were wondering that after we rode it this month...it looked like tons of change.

 

[MyMagicKingdom]

Not to burst your bubble but swim diapers hold in poop. That's it. Pee flows right out. That's why many pools still require rubber pants on top of a swim diaper.

If kids leave anything in the fountains, it's pee. No one is running around naked (nor would they be allowed to) so there is little chance of any surprises being there.

My bubble is still intact, thanks. I was simply referring to people that do not use swim diapers but rather regular diapers that get soggy and yucky. I am indeed aware as to how a swim diaper works. However, you did indeed burst my bubble by implying pee is the only thing that would be found in the fountains. Its pretty amazing that Disney and/or anyone could keep absolutely everything else out. Kudos to them!

 

[pbrim]

I read somewhere that the water on Splash Mountain is required (by code) to be drinkable.

Can anyone confirm that?

I have read in some "fun facts" list that people get so soaked on Splash Mountain that it has been declared a swimming pool and is bound by the sanitation requirements of any other public pool. I don't have official cites for that, but it sounds reasonable.

 

[W.E.D.]

Do they ever get all the change out of Its A Small World? Me and my husband were wondering that after we rode it this month...it looked like tons of change.

I'd like to find that out as well. We always wonder how much they make from all the change in the various water rides and fountains.

 

[Schmeck]

Not to burst your bubble but swim diapers hold in poop. That's it. Pee flows right out. That's why many pools still require rubber pants on top of a swim diaper.

If kids leave anything in the fountains, it's pee. No one is running around naked (nor would they be allowed to) so there is little chance of any surprises being there.

Kids are running around without bottoms on in the play fountains all the time - I've seen toddlers in t-shirts and bare bottoms in the fountains at EPCOT, DTD, and the now-closed Ariel meet-and-greet play area.

Using wipes, etc, won't do much to help if the kids get the water in their mouths while they are playing. Even if WDW is treating the cycling water in the fountain (the stuff shooting up from the source under the pavement) the puddled water is getting splashed into the holes and up into the air, onto hands and faces. Hopefully the treated water has enough chemical agents to kill the nasties in the untreated puddle water as well? Of course the bird populations add their own ingredients to the mix...

 

[diberry]

Of course the bird populations add their own ingredients to the mix...

Mmmm yummy! Good job we come equipped with immune systems!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I've never seen murky or dirty water in any of the WDW attractions. POC and IASW were so crystal clear last time I could almost read the dates on the coins on the bottom. I have been to many many other amusement parks where the water was murky, dirty or with trash floating in it, but i have never seen any of those issues at WDW.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I'd like to find that out as well. We always wonder how much they make from all the change in the various water rides and fountains.

yes, the refurb that many are complaining about this fall will include draining IASW and cleaning the change out. They last did this in 2005. All of the change collected the fountains and water rides goes to a children's charity fund.

 

[Truelovernr1122]

Got that answer on one of the backstage tours we went on earlier this month. The water is very clean. It is dyed to look like it is darker than it is. It is recycled through filters constantly. It has to be dyed a darker color to hide the bottom so the tracks and bottoms of things in the water don't show.

This is good to know! There are so many different rides in Disney where you get splashed and I would hate to think that it's infested with tons of germs from all those hands!!

 

[cornfarmer]

I like to encorauge my kids to bottle up the water on disney rides and then later that evening we brush our teeth with it to relive the majic.

on a side note...on our way home from disney last march we were getting on our plane when 3 large college aged girls got on in the row in front of us. They then completely sprayed and wiped down the entire seats with some disenfectant. After they sat down they got our their super sized Doritos bag and began chowing down on the ride home. So i was thinking...this doesn't make sense. You are willing to be 100+ pound overweight, yet are nervous about some jerms on the plane?

People are crazy

 

[DVC-Don]

Got that answer on one of the backstage tours we went on earlier this month. The water is very clean. It is dyed to look like it is darker than it is. It is recycled through filters constantly. It has to be dyed a darker color to hide the bottom so the tracks and bottoms of things in the water don't show.

Yep, I'm reading How to Be Like Walt by Pat Williams now. There are seveal chapters on Disneyland and how Walt wanted the water dyed so you could not see some of the underwater cables, hoses, etc. This was after he took a ride on Jungle Cruise and could see this stuff underwater.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I like to encorauge my kids to bottle up the water on disney rides and then later that evening we brush our teeth with it to relive the majic.

on a side note...on our way home from disney last march we were getting on our plane when 3 large college aged girls got on in the row in front of us. They then completely sprayed and wiped down the entire seats with some disenfectant. After they sat down they got our their super sized Doritos bag and began chowing down on the ride home. So i was thinking...this doesn't make sense. You are willing to be 100+ pound overweight, yet are nervous about some jerms on the plane?

People are crazy

Your story reminds me of some college girls I saw discussing how great the organic salad bar selections were at the restraunt we were at and how they only eat this and that, then watched them saunter outside and lite up (last time I checked Marlboro didn't make thier cigs organic).

 

[stimmons]

Got that answer on one of the backstage tours we went on earlier this month. The water is very clean. It is dyed to look like it is darker than it is. It is recycled through filters constantly. It has to be dyed a darker color to hide the bottom so the tracks and bottoms of things in the water don't show.

My husband and I learned the same thing on our Keys to the Kingdom Tour as well. Our guide told us that they actually pour the dye from the top of the waterfall on the Jungle Cruise so that it can churn the dye more effectively.

This is such a huge relief! Especially because where I'm from at Six Flags over Georgia, they use the water from the Chattahoochee River which is NASTY!!!!