A bear was loose at Florida’s Disney World. The unwanted guest caused some problems
Parts of Walt Disney World in Orlando were shut down briefly after a real wild bear was spotted in a tree Monday morning, a spokesperson for the park confirmed to the Miami Herald.
Disney fans website Mickey Views say cast members saw the bear during a pre-check opening in the woods behind Tom Sawyer Island in the Magic Kingdom. No guests were at the park at the time.
Tom Sawyer appeared to be still closed into the afternoon as was the Walt Disney World Railroad, which travels through the forest where the bear was seen.
At least 10 attractions inside Frontierland, Adventureland, and Liberty Square have since reopened. They included Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Pirate’s Adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean and Swiss Family Treehouse.
READ MORE: Bear barges into home, eats ice cream
Crews from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission were on the scene and made the decision to reopen the areas to the public, according to the Disney statement.
“In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own, but given this situation, staff are working on capturing and relocating [it],” said an FWC statement. “During the fall, bears are more active as they search for food to pack on fat reserves for the winter. This particular bear was likely moving through the area searching for food.”
Fish and Wildlife reminds people that if you see a bear, to give it ample space and never feed it.
At a little before 3 p.m., WESH 2 news helicopters reported crews carrying out a “large black figure” in a white tarp, and the FWC later confirmed the bear, an adult female, was “safely captured.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2023 at 2:12 PM.
