When you visit EPCOT, you expect to see families enjoying the attractions, characters bringing smiles, and everyone following the rules that help keep the park magical—and safe—for all guests. But a recent TikTok video has stirred quite the debate in the Disney community after a guest brought his service dog into the new Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction in a way that violated Disney’s own guidelines and, frankly, put both the animal and other guests at risk.
The video in question was shared by the TikTok account @thesaltysheps, which is known for content centered around service dogs and public access awareness. In their video, they stitched together footage showing an individual claiming to have his dog with him inside the water-based attraction, encouraging others to do the same. According to multiple comments under the video, this individual has been previously called out for allegedly misrepresenting his pet as a service dog and even joking that he’d like his dog to bite a Disney character.
@thesaltysheps #stitch with @AmericanStandardK9 “Service animals are permitted in the Moana section at Epcot, specifically the Journey of Water attraction, with some guidelines. Service animals must be leashed and under the owner’s control at all times. Cast Members cannot assist with service animals, and guests may be asked to leave if the animal misbehaves. Service animals are not allowed in water features or within 4 feet of the water.” from my experience, the rules are on a giant sign before you even enter the attraction. Blatantly ignoring the rules just for views is disgusting, and blocking people who call you out for it is even worse and just proves you know what you’re doing is wrong. #servicedoglife #servicedogsoftiktok #servicedogs #dogtrainer #disney #disneyworld #moana #dogtrainingethics #dogsoftiktok #servicedoghandler #dogtrainingcommunity ♬ original sound – thesaltysheps
If you’ve never been, Journey of Water is an interactive trail attraction at EPCOT, where guests walk through beautifully themed areas representing water’s journey through the Earth. It’s not a splash pad, but it does have fountains, mists, and areas where guests can get wet. What many people might not realize is that the water used in this attraction is part of a closed-loop system—meaning it’s filtered and reused throughout the day. This is common practice for water features in theme parks, but it does come with an expectation that guests respect the environment and the basic health and safety guidelines.
Disney has clear policies when it comes to service animals inside the parks. While legitimate service dogs are allowed throughout the park, certain experiences and attractions are off-limits for safety reasons—both for the animal and the general public. These restrictions apply to attractions that involve water features, high-speed rides, and anything that could be unsafe or unsanitary.
In this case, Journey of Water is one of those attractions where dogs are not supposed to physically interact with the water itself, even if they are service animals. The trail does permit service dogs along the walkways, but they should not be in the play areas or fountains. That’s because the water is not meant for animals to wade in or drink, and doing so introduces contaminants that can impact the filtration system and other guests who might, say, get splashed.
This is where the situation gets tricky—and frankly dangerous. Water attractions like Journey of Water are designed with strict filtration standards for human use, not for animal use. When a dog enters these systems, there’s a real risk of introducing bacteria or other contaminants into the recycled water. And while Disney runs regular checks and employs heavy-duty filtration, these systems aren’t built to handle animals, fur, and anything else that might come with them.
For guests, this could lead to unsanitary situations—especially for young kids playing in the attraction. There’s a false assumption that because it’s Disney, everything is perfectly clean at all times, but it’s still a public environment. Adding an animal into the mix only increases the risk for everyone involved.
But beyond just the health risks, what’s also at stake here is the trust and integrity of the service dog community. Many commenters on TikTok pointed out that incidents like this make it harder for legitimate service dog handlers to navigate the world. Misrepresenting pets as service animals not only violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) but also erodes the public’s understanding of what service animals are trained to do. Service dogs go through intense training to behave properly in public and to assist their handler—not to play in water features or disrupt the experience for others.
The fact that this guest was openly encouraging others to bring their pets into the attraction further escalates the issue. EPCOT cast members work hard to enforce these rules, but when social media encourages unsafe and unsanitary behaviors, it becomes harder to manage these situations in real time.
While some might argue that it’s just water and no harm was done, the broader implications can’t be ignored. Encouraging disregard for park rules, especially those tied to health and safety, sets a dangerous precedent. It’s not about being strict for the sake of it—it’s about ensuring that every guest, human or animal, enjoys the parks in a way that’s safe, respectful, and responsible.
Disney has not issued a public statement about the incident, but the video has sparked significant conversations across TikTok, with many users siding with @thesaltysheps and calling for better enforcement of animal policies in the parks. Others, unfortunately, were seen defending the behavior, showing how misunderstood service dog laws still are in the public eye.
At the end of the day, EPCOT—and all Disney parks—exist as shared spaces where the magic only happens when everyone does their part. Whether it’s staying on the path, respecting service dog guidelines, or simply remembering that water features aren’t dog pools, small actions make a big difference.
And let’s be honest: Disney already faces enough challenges keeping attractions sanitized and safe for the thousands of guests who walk through EPCOT daily. The last thing anyone wants is for reckless behavior to force new restrictions or closures of beloved attractions like Journey of Water.
The post EPCOT’s Journey of Water Is Facing Unexpected Backlash appeared first on Inside the Magic.
