A bear (a real one, not a singing one) temporarily closes parts of Walt Disney World

Published 2:46 pm Monday, September 18, 2023

A bear — a real one, not the Country Bear Jamboree singing type — was spotted inside Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Monday morning forcing the temporary closure of approximately half the theme park.

The black bear was spotted in a tree Monday morning forcing park officials to close Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland.

Florida wildlife officials were called and biologists with the state’s bear management program eventually captured the bear, state officials said.

The bear was unharmed.

“In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own,” state wildlife officials said in a statement. “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 closed areas of the parks were reopened around lunchtime, officials said.