UPDATE 5/24/2026: Disneyland has shared an operational update concerning the ongoing chemical leak incident in Garden Grove, CA, which is located approximately 5 miles away from the Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Shares Operational Update Regarding Garden Grove Chemical Incident
A developing situation in Orange County, CA, right now is worth keeping an eye on, especially if you’re heading to Disneyland.
Officials are dealing with a chemical tank leak in Garden Grove, which sits “less than a mile from Disneyland’s two theme parks” (although, we think they meant to say Knott’s Berry Farm).
It’s still an active situation, and details are changing as crews work through it. We’ll update as more official information comes in. Here’s what we know so far.
A storage tank at an aerospace plastics facility overheated and started venting a chemical called methyl methacrylate into the air. It’s used to make plastic parts, but when it gets hot, it can release vapors that aren’t great to be around.
The bigger concern right now is the tank itself. Officials have said it could fail. That could mean a crack and spill, or, in a worst-case scenario, an explosion. They’re working to prevent that, but they’ve also been pretty clear that the situation isn’t fully under control yet.
Evacuation orders have been issued for a large area. We’re talking roughly 40,000 people across Garden Grove and parts of nearby cities like Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton, and Westminster.
Now, the part most people here are going to care about.
Disneyland Resort is not under evacuation orders at this time. The parks are open and operating normally as of now.
That said, the location is close. Really close. So if you’re in the area or heading there, this isn’t something to ignore. It doesn’t mean you need to panic, but it does mean you should stay aware and keep an eye on updates.
The Associated Press reports that crews have stabilized the tank’s temperature for now, which is buying them some time. They’ve also set up containment measures in case anything leaks, trying to keep it from spreading into storm drains or waterways.
Health officials say exposure to the vapors can cause things like headaches, nausea, and irritation, especially if levels increase.
The bottom line is that the theme parks remain open at the time of this post, but this situation is not in the clear just yet.
If you’re visiting Disneyland today or in the next couple of days, it’s worth checking for updates before you go and paying close attention to anything local officials say.
We’ll keep this story updated as more information comes in.
