
September 18 was a wild day at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park. And I’m not just talking about taking a ride on the Jungle Cruise or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Guests who were at the theme park when it opened that morning were informed that they were not able to access Frontierland, Liberty Square, and parts of Adventureland. That meant that nearly a dozen rides were off-limits.
The reason? A bear was on the loose — a real, live bear. According to multiple sources, a cast member was on Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland when they happened upon the female bear. Management was informed and they quickly called in the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). FWC officials made their way into the theme park so they could safely remove the interloper.
FWC officials confirmed that there had been a bear reported at Magic Kingdom and crews were working diligently to safely remove her. Officials said that the bear would be removed and relocated to Ocala National Forest, which is about 80 miles away from Disney World.
And now, we have footage of the sweet bear being released into her new home, where she can eat, hibernate, and thrive away from the busyness of a city. The FWC released footage of the bear being released into her own hundred-acre wood.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has shared video of the black bear that was found in a tree at Magic Kingdom being released in Ocala National Forest.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has shared video of the black bear that was found in a tree at Magic Kingdom being released in Ocala National Forest. pic.twitter.com/rvK09XJcg0
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 19, 2023
When the Magic Kingdom opened on the morning of the bear encounter, guests were unable to access the following attractions — 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, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, and several stops on the Walt Disney World Railroad.
All of the closed attractions were open before 2 p.m., except the stops along the Walt Disney World Railroad. All rides and attractions are currently up and operational.
Fish and Wildlife officials said that the bear was most likely looking for food. Bears are preparing to hibernate for the winter, and need to pack on the pounds in order to safely sleep through the winter. Normally, the FWC encourages people to stay away from the bears and they will wander off on their own. However, because the black bear was in the Magic Kingdom, it needed to be tranquilized and safely removed as soon as possible.
There are dozens of species of animals that call Ocala National Forest home, in addition to black bears. The National Forest is also home to coyotes, bald eagles, white-tailed deer, alligators, tortoises, wild boar, and so much more.
Ocala National Forest is also an incredible location that has more than 600 lakes and rivers. There, visitors are allowed to swim, fish, snorkel, and canoe.