Something strange is happening in the waterways at Walt Disney World Resort, and it’s catching the attention of guests all over the Central Florida vacation destination. Visitors report that a thick, unusual film has been spotted in ponds, lakes, and other still water areas across Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney Springs, and the Disney Resort hotels.
Sure, Walt Disney World Resort is the Most Magical Place on Earth, but it still sits on what was once Central Florida swampland. Wildlife is no stranger to the property — from alligators and turtles to lizards and even the occasional black bear. Disney takes great care to manage its waterways and the animals that live in them, but they’ll never look as perfectly clear as a swimming pool. This summer, however, guests say conditions have noticeably worsened.
On August 6, X (formerly Twitter) user @DisneyFoodBlog posted a video showing a murky, textured film coating the water near the Tangled (2010) bathrooms in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park, writing:
Well, this is…different. The water between tangled bathrooms, and memento mori has…skin?
Another guest, @wesomeTweet, said the same film has appeared in many places across Walt Disney World Resort:
This is something I noticed on our recent trip that I had never seen before. This was happening at most (all?) of the bodies of water throughout Disney World this summer. Hopefully they get this sorted out because it looks jarring!
Films on outdoor, still water can be caused by algae growth, bacteria, or even contamination from oils and other materials. In rare cases, it can signal a more serious water quality issue. Walt Disney World Resort has not made any official statements about the reports, and no warnings or closures have been issued for any areas near these waterways.
These guest reports come not long after complaints surfaced about overgrowth and algae on the beach of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. There’s no confirmation that the issues are connected.
Have you noticed anything strange in the water at the Central Florida Disney parks? Share your experience with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
