Bear spotted at Disney World prompts closure of parts of Magic Kingdom
A real-life member of the animal kingdom made an unexpected appearance at Walt Disney World Resort on Monday, disrupting some operations.
(CNN) —
A bear that prompted partial closures at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on Monday was captured without incident and is being relocated, according to a news release from Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“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,” FWC said.
FWC added that the animal was an adult female.
Nearly a dozen attractions were closed on Monday at the time authorities were trying to locate the bear at Magic Kingdom, according to the My Disney Experience app.
Aerial footage of FWC personnel on the scene attempting to remove the bear. WESH
At 11:17 am EDT, the attractions 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 were closed to the public, according to an official app screenshot shared with CNN by Craig Williams, executive producer at wdwinfo.com.
A 2022 file photo of iconic Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, where a bear sighting shut down parts of the park on September 18. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images
It was not clear if the closures, or how many, were related to the bear sighting. CNN has reached out to Disney for more details about specific closures but has not heard back yet.
In an earlier statement, Disney said, “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.”
Aerials images captured by CNN affiliate WESH show the bear was captured in a wooded area near the Magic Kingdom’s “it’s a small world” ride. The video shows a team carrying the bear away from the area in a tarp.
There are three other major parks at the resort: EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Shawn Nottingham, Carlos Suarez, Melissa Alonso and Kate Conerly contributed to this report.
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