Ever walk down Main Street in Disneyland and get the sudden, unbearable craving for vanilla ice cream in a giant waffle cone? Or maybe you can't quite remember what happens in the Haunted Mansion, but you can still recall the smell of that musky elevator. According to TikToker @hangryblogger, Disneyland is brainwashing its patrons with devices called 'smellitizers' that emit intoxicating aromas and manipulate you into buying their churros. Uh, what? Is that even necessary? I mean, churros smell amazing on their own. As one TikToker says, 'they don't have to brainwash me I just get a churro anyway because it's my favorite earth treat.' Well apparently, it's not just some conspiracy theory. In fact, people have known all about EPCOT's smellitizers for decades. A Christian Science Monitor article published in 1982 lays it all out:
Bob McCarthey, working with fellow engineers at WED Enterprises in California, developed a 'smellitizer machine' to add the aroma of everything from erupting lava in the 'Universe of Energy' show to the fragrance of orange blossoms. While many of the aromas will be subtle, the appetizing smell of the barbecue in the US pavilion will be obvious enough to send you away salivating. There will be a mild animal smell as you pass through a farm scene and the smell of rich damp earth in a garden setting.
And in 2013, YouTuber Justin Scarred shared a video entitled 'Disneyland's Secret Mind Control Smell Technology,' in which he walks around Disneyland pointing out the hidden smellitizers and explaining how the powerful aromas combined with the old-timey music send your brain to nostalgia land. Disneyland's smelly brainwashing machines weren't exactly a secret then, and they certainly aren't now. Still, it's interesting to see that people's reactions to such technology hasn't changed much over the years. Not only are most unfazed by the prospect of getting brainwashed by Disneyland, they welcome it as part of the whole experience. Disneyland is a fantasy world where children and parents can leave reality behind and fully indulge in make-believe—fans of the theme park understand that getting manipulated into buying things is just part of the deal.
