The goal of this blog series is to factually prove or disprove rumors, myths and misconceptions in the Disney-verse. Tonight we are going to tackle a myth that is currently making quite a stir on various social networking channels and two slightly morbid myths “Park Rental”, “Shiver me Timbers” and “Ashes to Ashes, Just Not In the Parks”
Park Rental
The first myth we are going to tackle is currently creating a stir with Disney fans on various social networking sites. If you have missed this current “hot button topic” consider yourself lucky because you have missed some serious internet drama, and are going to get the truth from the point one. The myth in question is that “Kim Kardashian and Kanye West will be renting out Disneyland to celebrate their daughter North‘s second birthday on June 15. The park will be privately reserved for friends and family of the famous duo.”
When a rumor starts on social networking’s various outlets, it tends to spread like wildfire. When online and print tabloids fuel that fire and people don’t take the time to research the source of the information and just hit “share”, the results can be explosive to say the least. My friends this myth is straight up NOT true or as we at TMSM Mythbusters like to say ” this Disney myth is busted”. Now before you tell me “But Ryan Seacrest said” or “TMZ said” let me show you the first fact that should prove to you that the West family isn’t going to be the cause for a Disneyland early park closing next week. Fresh from Disneyland’s website, taken just this afternoon, I present a screenshot of Disneyland’s current hours for June 15, 2015 showing the park closing at 12 am PT.
Now for those of you sitting there talking out loud to your computer screen saying “But Aut, we all know Disney’s websites aren’t always the fastest when it comes to updating last minute information and park changes.” I don’t disagree with you on that fact. So I will now present to you the official word on the topic from Disneyland spokesman Dave Hill. Mr. Hill spoke to the OCRegister on Friday June 3rd about this whole kerfuffle. He stated “Disneyland will be open on June 15th as a regular business day. Although we don’t comment on private visits, private parties are not uncommon here.”
My friends, like I said earlier, this myth and the tabloid rumors about the West’s cosing Disneyland on June 15th are in fact false, making this myth, busted.
Shiver Me Timbers
Some of my favorite myths to tackle are the ones that Main Streeters ask us about on the Main TMSM Facebook page, or that Nationers bring up in discussion in TMSM Fan Nation Facebook group. This one is one of the latter, from Nation Member Miranda W. who posted “I once heard that in the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland, they used real human skeletons (like the ones used in science classrooms) because they couldn’t find any fake ones that were real looking enough. Eventually they replaced the skeletons with fake ones except for the skull and crossbones in a headboard with another (fake) skeleton laying on it.”
Interestingly in researching this myth I have come across a few things that surprise me. Disney has never publicly addressed this topic, outside of allegedly during the “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour and I have been unable to find a solid history of special effects history that denotes when life like prosthetic skeletons were first made. Almost every article that reference the Pirate’s skeletons use either the exact same, or slightly modified wording on the topic. “As a matter of fact, when the ride was first built, the Imagineers didn’t like the look of the fake skeletons they originally had, so UCLA Medical School provided them with them with a few: one atop a pile of gold coins, a dead captain with a knife in his ribs, two skeleton pirates playing chess, and a skull and crossbones on the headboard in the Treasure Room. Most were eventually replaced with fake bones but the skull and crossbones is still legit!”
Honestly though I WANT to believe this myth is real. There are several references to the park tour mentioning it, and knowing how specific Disney’s Imagineering department can be when it comes to details it would make sense that if the science of prosthetics wasn’t advanced enough prior to the 1967 opening of the attraction to meet the expectations of the POTC Imagineering team that they would consult a legit and legal source for bones.The information I was able to find on the topic also says that the only “real” remaining bones are the skull and crossbones on the headboard are the only real bones that have not been replaced with prosthetic ones. But, because finding an EXACT and legit confirmation is so hard to do, I am going to say that the myth of the “real shivered bones” is plausible. I will though make sure I put checking into this one in person on my to do list the next time I am in Disneyland!
Ashes to Ashes, Just Not In the Parks
Tonight’s final myth will cover the urban legend that it is ok to “spinkle” your loved ones cremains (ashes) in the Disney parks. Disney fans are some of the most passionate fan base on earth. We will fight a stranger to defend Walt E. Disney, or to prove that our favorite Disney movie is better than someone else’s favorite Disney movie. But for some reason some fans want to take it just a BIT to far. For some becoming the 1000 Happy Haunt just isn’t enough for them, they need to try and go that extra step to ensure that a little bit of them stays in the parks after they have moved on from this life. Some even seem to think it is perfectly ok to not only want to have their cremains scattered in the Disney Parks, but they go that extra step and ask their friends or family to help them with their task. Stories of rides being closed for cleaning because a family member has actually followed through with their loved one’s last request to “sprinkle and dash” pop up on Facebook and news sites every so often.
The fact is Disney fans, it is NOT ok to sprinkle the ashes of your loved ones in the Disney parks, regardless of whatever good intentions you may have. In 2007 one lady at Disneyland was caught sprinkling her loved one in the waters of Pirates of the Caribbean. She and was arrested and fined, but not before the ride was closed for special cleaning. “The woman had done a very thorough job of spreading the ash everywhere though, and after an hour of cleaning with the HEPA vacuums there was still work to be done.” If you think you are going to be slick and get away with a “sprinkle and dash” maneuver please remember rides and public spaces have cameras and other guests do pay attention to their surroundings, so you are always being monitored on some level.
The main reason it’s not ok to “sprinkle” in the parks is, it’s NOT legal. Disneyland and Walt Disney World are on private property.
From the California Health Code: “7116. Cremated remains may be scattered in areas where no local prohibition exists, provided that the cremated remains are not distinguishable to the public, are not in a container, and that the person who has control over disposition of the cremated remains has obtained written permission of the property owner or governing agency to scatter on the property. A state or local agency may adopt an ordinance, regulation, or policy, as appropriate, authorizing, consistent with this section, or specifically prohibiting, the scattering of cremated human remains on lands under the agency’s jurisdiction. The scattering of the cremated remains of more than one person in one location pursuant to this section shall not create a cemetery pursuant to Section 7003 or any other provision of law.”
This would imply that you can’t go around sprinkling the last remains of Uncle Joe at Disneyland unless you get their permission, which we have been unable to find a single case where this was approved.
Florida Law: “It is illegal in Florida to spread cremated ashes near or on public lands. This regulation includes public parks, city streets, town squares, monuments and other such areas where the public has a legal right to visit. However, this regulation does not apply to national parks in Florida, and it often is possible to get permission to spread ashes there. The state of Florida requires that, when scattering the ashes over land, there be no evident or obvious piles of cremated remaining at the end of the ceremony. In order to ensure that the ashes are spread adequately, it is best to have the ceremony on a windy day and be downwind.
For those of you thinking that no one will know if you sprinkle cremains in the park, please know, that you risk not only arrest and fines but also a lifetime ban from the parks when you are caught. So perhaps instead of trying to pull of this busted myth and risking all those things, you could contact Disney directly about a more permanent and legal way to honor your loved ones last request. Or look into a Disney Cruise and ask them about the options they may be able to provide for burial of cremains at sea.If you have missed any of our other TMSM Mythbuster articles and would like to catch up on what Disney Urban Myths are Busted, Plausible and Confirmed feel free to catch up by visiting our MythBusters archive.
Sources:
Park Rental: www.ocregister.com/articles/park-664661-disneyland-private.html; disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/month
Shiver Me Timbers: blog.trekaroo.com; lavorwire.com
Ashes to Ashes: cremationinflorida.com; boingboing.net; california.sacreduniverse.com/2008/07/cremation-ca-state-laws; mkbmemorial.com/brick/map
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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