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Chinese Park Adds Invasive Bathroom Timers, Disney May Be Next

What would you do if you were on vacation visiting a national landmark, only to find that the moment you went to the bathroom, a stop watch would appear?

When guests visit a theme park like Walt Disney World, a lot of their actions are timed.

How long it will take you to wait in line for an attraction is under a stopwatch, Disney is always keeping time on how long it takes for food to be made once it is ordered, table service dining locations are always timing your meals, ensuring that you are being served in a quick yet not rushed manner to preserve the guest experience while swapping to the next guests as quickly as possible.

 A view of Cinderella Castle at dusk in Walt Disney World Free. The castle is illuminated with blue and gold lights, surrounded by people. Trees and lampposts are visible, with the sky gradually transitioning to night. The scene captures a moment of magic and wonder.
Credit: Inside the Magic

Related: Public Urination Allegedly Shuts Down Popular Disney World Attraction

One thing that Disney has never touched, however, are the bathrooms. There are restrooms located all over the Disney parks as well as their hotels, and when a guest goes in, no one is waiting to see how long it will take them to leave.

In China, things are a little different.

The Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China renowned for its 51,000 Buddhist statues carved into 252 caves and niches dating back 1,500 years, has recently sparked controversy surrounding a new implementation in its restrooms.

A video widely circulated on Chinese social media platforms depicts a row of digital timers installed above the cubicles in a women’s restroom, per CNN. These timers display the occupancy status of each stall: an unoccupied stall shows “empty” in green on a pixelated LED screen, while an occupied stall displays the elapsed time since the door was locked.

The Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China famed for its 51,000 Buddhist statues carved into ancient caves, has recently become the center of an unexpected debate – one concerning restroom technology. While the park is not a theme park in the sense of rides, the site is seen as an attraction for guests.

A video, reportedly filmed by a visitor and shared with the state-run Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, showcased a novel addition to the women’s restroom facilities: digital timers installed above each toilet stall. These timers display the occupancy status in real-time – “empty” in green for unoccupied stalls and the elapsed time since the door was locked for occupied ones.

Three digital counters are mounted above restroom stalls in the Chinese theme park, each displaying a red figure icon and a time reading:
Credit: Weibo

Related: Disney Server Only Allows Guest to Use Bathroom With Valid “FastPass”

The visitor’s reaction reflected the initial public sentiment: a mix of intrigue and discomfort. While acknowledging the technological convenience of not having to queue or knock on doors, the visitor expressed a sense of being monitored.

The Yungang Grottoes administration, through a staff member quoted by the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, defended the implementation. They emphasized that the timers were installed not to control bathroom durations but to manage the surge in visitor traffic and ensure efficient restroom usage. They further clarified that there are no set time limits and that emergencies within stalls would be handled appropriately.

Further insights into the rationale behind the timers emerged from the Nanchang Evening News, another state-run publication. Here, a staff member cited the primary purpose as a safety measure – to ensure the well-being of all guests by flagging potential emergencies arising from prolonged restroom usage.

This news has ignited a lively discussion on Chinese social media platforms. Opinions are divided. Some fans, commenting on the popular microblogging platform Weibo, see the timers as a positive step, potentially discouraging visitors from excessively using their phones while occupying stalls. However, others questioned the necessity of such technology in a tourist setting, suggesting additional restroom facilities might be a more practical solution.

Image of the Yungang Grottoes in China, featuring large, ancient stone statues of Buddhas carved into a cliff face. The statues exhibit intricate detailing and serene expressions, set against a bright blue sky. The area feels like a historic Chinese theme park, enclosed by a wooden railing.
Credit: Xiquinho Silva, Flickr

The Yungang Grottoes’ growing popularity undoubtedly played a role in this technological upgrade. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, it has become a major attraction in Shanxi province, with a record-breaking 3 million visitors in 2023 – a significant increase from 2019’s 1.98 million. Beyond restroom innovations, the site has been actively adding new shows and mini-attractions to enhance its appeal to an ever-growing audience.

The Yungang Grottoes case highlights the delicate balance between modernization, visitor experience, and privacy concerns. While the intention behind the digital timers seems to be one of efficiency and guest safety, the debate surrounding them underscores the need for a nuanced approach to technological integration in historical and cultural landmarks.

It would be interesting to see if the idea of timed toilet breaks becomes a norm in China following this first implementation, specifically in Shanghai Disneyland.

There have been reports of a time limit rule being added to Disneyland for guests using the ECV parking spots; you can read more on that here. 

Would you be comfortable if a theme park like Disney added toilet timers to increase bathroom efficiency during busy days?

Alessia Dunn

Orlando theme park lover who loves thrills and theming, with a side of entertainment. You can often catch me at Disney or Universal sipping a cocktail, or crying during Happily Ever After or Fantasmic.

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