Bear spotted in Magic Kingdom – and not the Country or Pooh kind
Bear with us for a slew of bear puns because Walt Disney World Resort had an unexpected visitor this morning when a black bear was discovered in a tree in Magic Kingdom, resulting in the closure of Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland for several hours.
Biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Bear Management Program and FWC Law Enforcement officers were called to the park to assist Walt Disney World with the un-bear-able situation (you were warned).
FWC notes that bears are more active in the fall as they search for food to prepare for winter, and while this hungry bear was probably searching for Mickey-shaped snacks, she may have also hoped to audition for the new Country Bear Jamboree show that’s set to debut in Magic Kingdom next year.
Usually, FWC recommends allowing bears to move along on their own, but considering Magic Kingdom was filled with guests, they planned to capture and relocate this friend of Fozzie to an area that’s safer for everyone (the bear included).
In a statement issued at about 12:45 p.m. EDT, Walt Disney World was the bear-er of the good news that Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park had all reopened – and fans could bear-ly contain their excitement.
Update at 3 p.m. EDT:
The adult female black bear was safely captured by FWC officers and relocated to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest.
The Bear Necessities
The FWC reminds people that if you see a bear, give it space and never approach or feed it. To learn more about bears and how to avoid conflicts with them, visit MyFWC.com/Bear or BearWise.org.
