Disney World's clever way of checking for unwanted guests

“Literally making every moment magical."

Disney World welcomes up to 58 million visitors every year. But there’s one guest they won’t let in. 

Head lice.

Family bloggers The Larkin Family recently shared a now-viral TikTok from their trip to the theme park.

The mum admits she didn’t even realise what was happening until she watched the footage back.

“Disney’s clever way of checking for head lice,” she wrote on the video. 

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A magical Disney World makeover - with a twist

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a popular attraction where children receive royal makeovers.

When the Larkin family visited to have their daughter treated like a princess, they noticed the worker, or rather, one of the Fairy Godmother’s apprentices, giving what looked like a sweet head massage.

At first, they thought it was just part of the magic. But on closer inspection, they realised the cast member was actually checking for lice.

“Literally making every moment magical, even while checking for lice at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique,” the mum added.

In the clip, the cast member makes the moment playful and engaging for the child.

As she parts the strands of hair and checks the scalp, she says: “Oh, you have Rapunzel hair! Do you sing to your hair like Rapunzel? Is that why it’s long?”

She even cleverly gathers the hair above the child’s head to check the nape of her neck and behind her ears , all while keeping the fantasy alive.

Once given the all-clear, the child is able to choose a hairstyle and begin her princess transformation.

Disneyland staff discreetly check for head lice before royal makeovers. Image: Getty & TikTok/lovethelarkins

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"Magical lice checker" 

The comment section had many thoughts about the process. 

“I wonder how often they find lice?” one questioned. 

Another joked: “So if they find lice do you suddenly hear ‘pull the lever Kronk!’”

“Imagine having to put magical lice checker on your resume,” a third said.

A former employee even chimed in: “I used to work there. We would make sure they didn’t have any ‘pumba’ in their hair. If they did, we’d tell the parents and do everything else except their hairstyles.” 

While Disneyland doesn’t publicly advertise the check, the official website does state guests must be “free of any scalp or skin conditions that may impact or interrupt the experience.”

But thanks to the discreet and playful way staff handle it, there’s less room for embarrassment, and more room for magic.

Originally published as Disney World's clever way of checking for unwanted guests