Disney World Closes Magic Kingdom After Bear Sighting

The animal responsible for Monday's partial shutdown of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World has been caught and will be relocated.

According to a press statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, staff have secured the bear and are moving it out of the park to a region in or near the Ocala National Forest. As FWC representatives explained, in most circumstances, it is better to provide the bears room and let them advance on their own. But this was not the case. FWC also noted that the bear was an adult female.

On Monday, as officials were attempting to track down the bear, over a dozen landmarks at Magic Kingdom were closed, as shown by the My Disney Experience app. The following attractions were impacted by the decision, therefore unavailable to visitors: the Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer Island, Walt Disney World Railroad, Liberty Square Riverboat, Hall of Presidents, and Haunted Mansion.

However, it remained unclear whether the hours of closure were connected to the sighting of the bear or not. Disney representatives were contacted for clarification, but the company has not yet issued an official response, reported CNN.

Meanwhile, with the help of the FWC, Disney has decided to resume activities at Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland in Magic Kingdom.

The bear was found in a woodland area close to the "it's a small world" attraction at Magic Kingdom, according to aerial footage taken by CNN affiliate WESH. The images show a group of people removing the bear from the scene with the intention of relocating it away from the park area.

 

 

Source: edition.cnn.com