It’s no secret that I love going to Disneyland. While it’s my job to visit, it’s also something I do passionately with tons of anticipation. With that said, I don’t love everything about Disneyland, specifically one particular smell.

Sleeping Beauty Castle

There’s no denying that Disneyland Park has the ability to transport guests to a magical world away from life’s problems with its incredible lands, attractions, shows, and snacks. The smells of popcorn and bromine can also trigger some heavy nostalgia, but it’s safe to say not all Disneyland smells are good. In fact, there’s one smell in particular I personally need to warn you about so that you can avoid it during your next trip.

Look, I love walking past the churro and popcorn carts, generally. Disney’s Smellitzer technique of pumping scents into the air usually work on me, especially at popcorn carts. With that said, there is one food cart in particular that could probably use a Smellitzer, as it has a rancid odor.

Churro Cart near Sleeping Beauty Castle

The smell in question can be found in the area between Sleeping Beauty Castle and Matterhorn Bobsleds at the Churros near Sleeping Beauty Castle cart.

This churro cart can get super busy due to its central location, but its long lines aren’t why I avoid it. Instead, I often get my churros elsewhere due to a smell I can best describe as a non-airconditioned Haunted Mansion on a July afternoon. In short, it stinks.

Churros Cart

I don’t know why and it’s a bit hard to explain, but this churro cart often has a smell akin to body odor, sewage, or…umm…Code V. That doesn’t mean the area isn’t sanitary. I’ve been in this area hundreds if not thousands of times in my lifetime, and when I pick up on this smell, time of day and foot traffic varies.

I’ve smelled this repulsive odor during the busiest of days, I’ve smelled it when no one was in the park, I’ve smelled it on a crisp winter’s night when exiting the park — you name it. I’ve even smelled it when the cart was shut down and non-operational!

Churro!

I don’t know the exact cause of this odor, but I know I’m not alone in smelling it. Others have picked up on it and there are some theories as to what’s causing this B.O.-like stench.

One answer could be an accumulation of actual body odor during the day. Southern California gets hot and lines can omit not-so-pleasant smells. Still, the way it lingers and the fact this is an outdoor spot makes this theory a bit difficult to accept.

Sleeping Beauty Castle

The lingering smell could be from nearby sewage, although I can neither confirm nor deny that.

Another theory is that the cart might need maintenance. Churro oil does in fact go bad over time and expired oil doesn’t exactly smell all too great.

All in all, I’m simply speculating and can’t pinpoint why the area smells the way it does. I only know that it does smell that way. Fortunately for me, Disneyland is PACKED with churro stands and there are plenty of other places where one can easily get this delicious snack.

Disney100 Churro

If you’ve visited the churro stand next to Sleeping Beauty Castle, chime in! Have you smelled this stench before? Am I simply imagining things? If you’ve smelled it too, let us know what you think is the cause and if you plan on visiting too, stop by the area if you’re feeling brave enough and share your thoughts! In the meantime, continue to follow us here at the Disney Food Blog for all the latest Disneyland news, tips, tricks, reviews, and more!

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What are some Disneyland smells you could do without? Let us know in the comments!