Unexpected Bear in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Has Been Captured

Talk about a busy day at work for Cast Members today at Walt Disney World. News broke earlier this morning of what at the time was rumored to be a live bear in Magic Kindom. The bear was told to be in either the tree or cave at Tom Sawyer Island. Due to the unexpected Guest at the theme Park, attractions in both Adventureland and Frontierland were temporarily closed down on the My Disney Experience app.

As we first reported, there was speculation whether it was a black bear, as they are native to the Orlando area. Furthermore, Disney hadn’t released a statement on the news, as fans waited to see what happened before Magic Kingdom’s opening. Now, Disney has chimed in.

Black Bear Found in Disney

Disney released a statement in lieu of the surprise Guest at the Park. “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,” Disney wrote, as reported by Variety.

Additionally, the FWC statement wrote, “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 the bear.” In a Park as large as Magic Kingdom, with so many other adventures nearby, a bear can pose a threat for a number of reasons. Of course, Cast Members and Guests are not equipped to handle situations like this, so having the professionals yield the situation before it escalates further is the right move.

NEW statement from Disney: "We are working with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and have made the decision to reopen Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland."

"As shared by the FWC, staff are on site and working on capturing and relocating the bear." https://t.co/yQAFHEbuaI

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 18, 2023

Bear Captured at Magic Kingdom

As seen on Scott Gustin’s X above, biologists and FWC are working tirelessly to secure the bear and bring it back to safety. While Walt Disney World may be “The Most Magical Place On Earth,” it may not be for a black bear searching for food. Although anyone, including bears, probably love nothing more than a Mickey-shaped ice cream bar on a hot Florida day!

Since the chatter started earlier this morning about the black bear, it looks like it has been captured. Thanks to WESH 2 News, the photo below posted on X displays just that.

The Magic Kingdom bear has been captured. Courtesy: WESH 2 News pic.twitter.com/gdwAGjldDh

— Mickey Views (@MickeyViews) September 18, 2023

Now that the bear has been captured, it seems Magic Kingdom is back up and running. “By 1 p.m. ET, though, many of the previously closed attractions were re-opened to the public, according to the “My Disney Experience” app,” Variety wrote. Some of those attractions included Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder Mountain.

Guests never like when attractions are temporarily shut down, although it can be for a number of reasons. While this one seems to be a first for Magic Kingdom, I’m sure plenty of parkgoers today are happy to hear most of the Park is back up and running. Although, it is pretty neat to say you were a Guest in Magic Kindom when a bear was discovered!

Has anything like this ever happened to you when you visited a Disney Park?