A bear that caused partial closures at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida has been safely captured and is set to be relocated, according to authorities. On Monday, nearly a dozen attractions within the park were temporarily closed as efforts to locate the bear were underway, as reported by the My Disney Experience app.
A real-life member of the animal kingdom made an unexpected appearance at Walt Disney World Resort, disrupting some operations https://t.co/5qxbh5sG0d
— CNN (@CNN) September 18, 2023
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed that the adult female bear was successfully captured without incident. FWC stated, “In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own, but given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are relocating the bear out of the park to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest.”
The temporary closures occurred late Monday morning and affected numerous popular attractions, including Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer Island, Walt Disney World Railroad, Liberty Square Riverboat, Hall of Presidents, and Haunted Mansion.
In an earlier statement, Disney announced, “We are working with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and have made the decision to reopen Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park.”
Aerial images captured by CNN affiliate WESH depict the bear’s capture in a wooded area near the Magic Kingdom’s ‘It’s a Small World’ ride. The video footage shows a team safely transporting the bear away from the area in a tarp.
Walt Disney World Resort features three additional major parks: EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, which were not affected by the bear incident. Authorities have taken necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both park visitors and wildlife in the area.
