9 Disney Code Words You Never Want to Hear

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If there’s one thing a Disney vacation promises to be, it’s magical. The parks go out of their way to create an upbeat and immersive atmosphere, with plenty of Disney secrets that just make the magic work. All visitors are “guests,” and employees are “cast members.” There are hidden Mickeys all over the park, clever shades of paint disguise things like trash cans, fences and admin buildings, and cast members even have their own language. That’s right: Not only are there words Disney cast members can’t say, but there are also a number of Disney code words you probably never want to hear.

When things at the parks or on the seas aren’t quite going according to plan, the mouse house has secret terminology for cast members to use. Since Disney keeps things very buttoned up, there’s no official list of these terms, but we’ve delved deep into Disney fan resources and former cast member input and kept a sharp ear open on our frequent visits in order to create this list.

If you hear these Disney code words on your next vacation, it might be time to switch rides or hop on over to another part of the park.

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Disney code words

These are some of the code words you may hear in a Disney park or on a Disney cruise ship.

• Code 101: We don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but this one means the ride you’re waiting for is about to close for some reason. (If you hear “code 102,” on the other hand, you’re in luck. That means a ride is about to reopen.)

• Signal 70: If you hear “signal 70” at a Disney park or while on a cruise, it means that a child is lost or can’t find their parent.

• Treasured guest: If you’re acting up or misbehaving, staff may refer to you in this overly affectionate yet diplomatic terminology. Think of it as the equivalent of a treacly “Bless your heart” or “I wish you well” (Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop version). Just to be clear: You don’t want to be a treasured guest.

• Customer: Another way to refer to a problematic guest, but in this case, “customer” usually refers to a shoplifter.

• Protein spill or code V: Combine all the spinning, soaring, swooping rides at Disney with all of those fried, cheese-covered, sticky treats, and you probably know where we’re going with this code word. A “protein spill” or “code V” is, yes, vomit.

• Code alpha (or alpha unit): This emergency code is used when an ambulance is needed.

• White powder alert: So you might not know this, but Disney has had to create strict rules against guests bringing human remains—i.e., their loved ones’ ashes—to be scattered in the park. However, that doesn’t stop some determined guests from disobeying the rules. A white powder alert means that someone has brought human ashes into the park. And here’s a weird bit of Disney trivia: The top spot to spill them is at the Haunted Mansion.

• Code H: We’ve heard this described in different ways, but with the same meaning. The first, and more Disney-esque version, is that “H” stands for “honey,” which is code for “Winnie the Pooh.” And that is code for—you guessed it—”poo(h).” Another connection is that the “H” stands for “human waste.” Just FYI, this can mean a dirty diaper too. Either way, let’s hope you don’t hear this one anytime soon.

• Code Winnie (on Disney Cruises only): Poor Winnie—this is another Disney code word associated with the pantless bear. In this case, “Winnie” (thanks to his yellow color) means that someone has urinated in the pool.

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