There are some smells that instantly transport you to another time and place. We can pretty much all recognize the distinct yet familiar smell of crayons, and it doesn’t feel like summer until we get our first whiff of fresh-cut grass. In Disney World, they make scent into a SCIENCE! From attractions to parade floats, tasty (and stinky) smells follow you throughout the parks.
There’s a pretty memorable scent hanging out in Spaceship Earth!
Recently, we asked our readers for their thoughts on the most memorable Disney smell. Here’s what they said!
We got some fun and unique answers here, but feel free to share your answers, too! Now let’s take a look at what everyone had to say.
Hotel Scents
There’s no better feeling than arriving at a Disney World hotel and walking through the lobby. The SMELLS, the sights, the friendly Cast Members…it’s an EXPERIENCE! We had a LOT of responses that listed a Disney resort as the home to their most memorable smell.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is STUNNING!
Some people mentioned the Art of Animation Resort, some voted for the Wilderness Lodge, and a few people said Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club resorts. One person also threw out the Caribbean Beach Resort as their choice. But we had quite a few people say that Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort had their favorite Disney smell. That Polynesian scent is definitely a classic for a reason!
Caribbean Beach has a sunscreen-y tropical smell!
One reader shared that the most memorable smell for them was in the bathrooms at Fort Wilderness, replying, “That cleaning fragrance is my favorite!!!” We’ll give this answer points for creativity.
Fort Wilderness
If you wish you could bottle up the smell of Disney’s hotels and take it home, you’re in luck! After YEARS of waiting, Disney finally released hotel-scented candles. We also did a little research of our own and found some Bath & Body Works candles that smell pretty good!
Click here to see 8 Disney Inspired Candles from Amazon
Food Scents
Being the Disney FOOD Blog, we know a thing or two about what Disney food smells like — and so do our readers! We had a bunch of people vote for popcorn as a memorable Disney World smell, and for good reason! Disney has popcorn stands ALL over the parks so that salty, buttery smell follows you all day.
Don’t cry over spilled popcorn!
Many readers also named the smell of cookies, cinnamon rolls, and beignets as familiar Disney scents. One person also added Dole Whip to the food smells list!
Bad Scents
Unfortunately, this list isn’t all sunshine and daisies. There are some pretty bad smells in Disney World, too! And if you can believe it, they’re INTENTIONAL!
When you see this, hold your breath!
We got some answers like Skunk and gasoline that instantly remind us of all those unpleasant interactions we’ve had in Disney World. If you’ve ever been on the Tomorrowland Speedway attraction or Journey into Imagination with Figment, you know what we’re talking about.
Attraction Scents
Speaking of attractions, there are plenty of NICE-smelling rides that our readers discussed!
Soarin’ Around the World has a TON of smells!
Readers commented smells like oranges, cookies, jasmine, and saltwater — all of which can be found on Disney attractions like Soarin’ Around the World, Flight of Passage, the Incredicoaster in Disney California Aventure, and more!
You can smell cookies on this ride!
Some other readers named some interesting smells like the burning of the library of Alexandria on Spaceship Earth and that smoky gas smell on Dinosaur!
There’s a distinct smell when you start your journey on Dinosaur!
Finally, our most popular answer was the smell of (bromine) water on Disney’s water rides! Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean both have very distinct water smells that guests seem to LOVE! We must admit, there’s something comforting about that Pirates of the Caribbean smell.
Park Scents
This last category of smells features things like the pine scent at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe and the smell of fresh beignets at New Orleans Square in Disneyland.
It smells like Christmas in there!
As you can see, we got a WIDE variety of answers, but this list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the smells in Disney World. Got another smell we didn’t mention? Share it in the comments! In the meantime, stay tuned for all the latest Disney news and park updates!
Disney Is OBSESSED With Your Nose…Here’s HOW!
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You have a photo in this article that’s labeled “Fort Wilderness” but I’m about 99% sure it’s the Wilderness Lodge pictured.
The original powdered soap in the parks.
Pretty sure your Fort Wilderness picture is actually Wilderness Lodge…
Thanks, Dan! I asked an editor to fix up that mix up.
Caitlin, thanks. Having an editor fix this.
Watermelon on the late, lamented Heimlich’s Chew-Choo Train ride in Bugsland at DCA. As you passed through the giant watermelon slice you got squirted with water and wafts of that scent. Vanilla cookie smell too when you went through the cookie box. Soaring over California had the best scents though: orange, pine ….