Sure, there are a number of things that The Disney Company would rather you not know, but it’s not like anything is a life-or-death situation. Such is the case for the custodial team at Walt Disney World, and some of the situations they have to deal with.
In order to keep the magic as in place as possible, they’ll use codes and certain words and work hard to make sure that the magic isn’t ruined.
1. There’s such a thing as a “Code P” – Sometimes children (and yes, even adults) get a little too excited on attractions such as it’s a small world, and yes, Custodial mops and disinfects the seat. Luckily, Attractions usually runs that vehicle/boat through once to “air-dry”. Guests are quite particular about not sitting in that seat if they see it being cleaned.
2. Although, it’s more common to get radioed for a “Code V” – How was that cream cheese pretzel from the Lunching Pad? …Because now it’s all over Space Mountain rocket 11, which Custodial will gladly clean up with Vo-Ban and a bit of disinfectant.
3. Sometimes they get to ride the rides while “on the clock” – It’s Spring Break and the OHRC (Operational Hourly Ride Capacity) for Peter Pan’s Flight is too delicate to shut down for a clean-up, so Custodial will just tidy up that chewing gum disaster on Boat 9 while soaring through Neverland!
4. They also handle more severe accidents – Custodial Cast Members (CMs) occasionally must don masks, gloves and goggles to clean up the red stuff if by chance a Guest bites the pavement. The used rags then go in a special hazards bag and from there, into a special drop-off chute in the Utilidors. They take safety hazards pretty seriously.
5. They are the first line of defense for Guest Services – Because their roles are independent with freedom to move about, Custodial CMs are some of the most readily available CMs that Guests approach with questions. Anything from “Where can I get on the PeopleMover?” to “Have you seen my grandma?,” Custodial often answers the most questions and are trained to handle a broad range of situations, anything from assisting Guests with park hours and lunch locations to redirecting parents/children to find their missing parties.
6. They are also the first line of defense for potential bomb threats –Custodial occasionally finds large unattended suitcases, backpacks or bags next to benches and radios Security. Custodial CMs are required to “stand guard” and not allow any Guest near, until Security and their special dog arrive to check out the suspicious package. Usually the bag just contains some Guest’s theme park survival kit, but what CMs do here is standard protocol.
7. Women leave the most mess and complain about it the most – It’s a tough job keeping women’s restrooms clean at the most magical place on the earth. Busy changing tables, extra toilet paper and trash, and lots of foot traffic are just some of the reasons that women’s restrooms are constantly occupied, more so than the men’s rooms. Sometimes Guests complain about just one sheet of toilet paper on the floor (think Cinderella’s Royal Table restrooms), but they always expect that Disney Standard.
8. Magic Kingdom doesn’t use trash bags – Don’t worry, Custodial does know what they’re doing, although Guests often stare as they dump all that trash into another empty bin and wheel it away. Most garbage from outdoor cans are dumped backstage into the AVAC (automatic vacuum collection) system. The AVAC “flushes,” sending all of that trash through the Utilidors down to a central collection area.
9. The Mickey Mouse water art is not difficult to draw – Custodial CMs can sign up for a class to learn to draw Mickey with their pan and broom, and he’s a lot more difficult to draw on paper than on the ground. Also, they only use water and a broom: no special paint needed. Disney Entertainment is not too jazzed when Custodial gets too much attention, so take pictures and compliment them for having “such great talent” all you’d like!
10. The Utilidors are not so magical – Disney CMs keep a good show going upstairs in the park, but the Utilidors are void of most pixie dust. Some things they may not show you on the Keys to the Kingdom tour: smelly trash compacters, unkempt break rooms and unthemed restrooms.
You left out the rare, but horrific, code brown. Please take a moment and imagine what it must be like to clean that up the next time you get angry when a custodial CM tells you: “Harry Potter’s castle isn’t in the Magic Kingdom.”