Please join all of us at MiceChat in congratulating Ken and Lynn of the Sweep Spot Podcast on the publication of their new book. It’s a fascinating look at Disneyland from beyond the broom.  – Dusty

A Peek Inside Disneyland Custodial.

Disney parks are world famous for their cleanliness. It is one of the frequently cited distinguishing characteristics of their success. Walt Disney is quoted as telling everyone, including his wife, when he was planning Disneyland that his enterprise would be different than amusement venues before it, in part because it would be clean.

The model for this cleanliness was developed at Walt Disney’s original park, Disneyland. Every subsequent Disney theme park has benefited from the custodial system developed at the original. Furthermore, Disneyland Custodial cast members have gone to places like New York’s Central Park and the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier to keep off-site Disney events clean.

How has Disney done it?

It involves a lot more than simply handing a teenager a pan and broom. No matter what day it is, no matter what time it is, there are Disneyland Custodial cast members working at the Happiest Place on Earth, whether they are polishing brass, wiping down trash cans, sweeping up leaves, removing candy wrappers from a boat, mopping the floor of a restroom, vacuuming confetti, answering calls in Custodial Central, cleaning a parade float, or moving supplies into place.

What is it like to work as a sweeper? Isn’t it boring or disgusting?

Yes, at times it could be. But it could also be a whole lot of fun and we had unparalleled experiences, especially since we were (and remain) Disneyland enthusiasts. Sometimes those experiences were at the direction of our managers, and sometimes they were of our own initiative. From the top of the Matterhorn to the bottom of the Rivers of America, We got to know every inch of Disneyland, onstage and backstage. Custodial has cast members who have some of the most dedication to, and mindfulness of, the legacy of Walt Disney. Whether a crew member, Lead, or Manager, there are people throughout Custodial who are big fans of Walt Disney and Disneyland.

Cleaning up stray paper napkins and dropped churros (and replacing those churros for free) was just a small part of what we did to help make magic. We were there to help our guests, whether they spilled a drink or wanted a picture or needed directions; whether they were visiting from the other side of the world, or were world-famous celebrities, or were Disney Legends.

Disneyland literally could not stay open without the Custodial operation. Night Custodial does the heavy cleaning every night after the parks are closed, polishing, dusting, vacuuming, hosing, mopping, and more. Day Custodial keeps everything from parade floats, walkways, lines, trash cans, benches, ride vehicles, and toilets clean while the parks are operating. Spill some popcorn, and they will come. Blast some confetti, and they will come. Make the distinctive Custodial Whistle, and the old-school sweepers who know it will come.

A “jani” is never far away.

That’s because a Sweeper keeps a cycle going in their area that takes them fifteen minutes or less to complete and start again. For restrooms coverage, the cycle is an hour or less.

Our combined time as Disneyland Custodial cast members spanned from 1990 to 2007. We witnessed much change over the years, and were around for some of Disneyland’s darkest moments and greatest triumphs. We’ve been sharing some of our experiences and insights on our podcast, The Sweep Spot, which is found right here on MiceChat.com, as we talk about Disneyland history and current events.  But there has been so much more to say, and we wanted to organize it in a specific format, so we wrote Cleaning the Kingdom: Insider Tales of Keep Walt’s Dream Spotless as an affectionate and honest tribute to Disneyland Custodial and a recounting of our time there.

Yes, there are a lot of a books about Disneyland, but none are like this. We hope you’ll read it and enjoy it, and we hope you will listen to The Sweep Spot. Most of all, we hope you’ll get a better understanding and appreciation of the world-famous Disneyland Custodial operation.

We will be at the D23 Expo from Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16. We’d love to have you drop by the say “hello”.

-Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman
To order a copy of Cleaning the Kingdom go to www.thesweepspot.com.

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the sweep spot
Host of The Sweep Spot podcast. A podcast with former Disneyland custodial cast members talking Disneyland history, interviews and more. Worked at Disneyland for a total of 11 Years. Plus the co author of the book Cleaning the Kingdom, available at www.thesweepspot.com