Alabama man banned from Disney World for life after camping out at abandoned attraction
Published 9:27 am Wednesday, October 7, 2020
An Alabama man has been banned for life from Disney World after breaking into the Florida attraction and camping out on an abandoned island in the resort.
Richard McGuire, 42, of Mobile, received a $100 fine and the Disney World ban after reportedly entering a no contest plea to a trespassing charge last week. He had faced up to a year in jail. McGuire was arrested in May after he entered the park during the coronavirus lockdown and used a boat to get to Discovery Island, an abandoned attraction in the resort.
Located in the middle of Disney’s Bay Lake and only accessible by boat, 11-acre Discovery Island was once home to animal exhibits and walking trails, but has since been left unattended.
McGuire camped out on the island for two days and posted videos on YouTube of his exploits.
Disney World closed back in mid-March during the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, but reopened to visitors at a reduced capacity in July.
McGuire told authorities he spent two days camping on the island, claiming he was unaware that he was trespassing. Deputies had been searching on foot, by boat and by helicopter for a man spotted on the island by Disney personnel. Orange County Marine deputies had been on Bay Lake making announcements via a public address system to tell the man to exit the island.
Located in the middle of Disney’s Bay Lake and only accessible by boat, 11-acre Discovery Island was once home to animal exhibits and walking trails, but has since been left unattended.