Pumped-In Smells At Disney

When I was a teenager in the late ‘90s, I went on a “Keys to the Kingdom” tour of the Magic Kingdom. It takes Disney guests (16 and older) on a backstage excursion of the theme park’s facilities—to show how the Magic is made. And one highlight our tour guide pointed out to us was an outmoded container and pump, which once dispersed the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies onto Main Street.

Disney has continued this practice to the present day, in more sophisticated ways. If you look carefully at the foundations of many of the buildings, you might spot some nondescript vents. They are most obvious outside the Ice Cream Parlors and Candy Shops, which smell like vanilla and sugar.

Disney also uses smell technology in its attractions. Soarin’ incorporates the smells of grass, fruit, and sea air. And over the years, Disney has continued developing this technology; in 2019, the company filed a patent for a new type of “scent dispersing system,” which can blend different aromas in a single setting.