Banned Disney Guest Illegally Climbed Massive Coaster After Arrest

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Thunder Mountain

Credit: Disney

If there is one thing you should not do, it is break into a Disney Park.

cinderella castle 50th anniversary
Credit: Disney

Urban explorer Matt Sonswa has made quite the rebellious name for himself over the years after he has repeatedly broken into Disney World and filmed his findings. Sonswa has videos of multiple abandoned and defunct areas of Disney such as Discover Island, River Country, Disney Quest, Cranium Command, and more. He has also gone backstage after Park hours to film Expedition Everest, the Matterhorn basketball court, and right before Parks shut down for the pandemic, he broke into Magic Kingdom and climbed through the tracks of Big Thunder Mountain.

Big thunder Mountain train
Credit: Disney

Related: Disney Bans Guest For Life After Police Escort Him Off Property For Foul Behavior

Sonswa is likely the only Disney fan to have been banned from Disney World not once, but twice for his actions. On his first trespass notice, he was let off easily without any legal action, but after he was caught trespassing in Disney Quest after being notified to never return to Walt Disney World property, things became more severe. He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing and felony burglary. Because Disney is located on private property, they are able to operate under their own rules and regulations, and when Guests disobey those rules, Disney may choose to involve legal action, which they did the second time around.

One of the most “recent” videos to be uploaded to his channel since then is a video of Sonswa climbing Big Thunder Mountain Railroad after the Park was closed. Of course, this was illegal as Disney not only allows this behavior, but Sonswa has multiple bans from property.

You can check out the video below.

Prior to that, he went into what was then Walt Disney’s abandoned airplane, which you can see below. The airplane has since been restored and will be available at D23 this September! 

We have seen Disney ban multiple Guests for filming backstage, so it is not surprising the hear Sonswa is no longer allowed on property. If you take a look at the rules set out by Walt Disney World, we can see that Sonswa broke multiple rules due to the backstage trespassing, video and photography, and promotion of that footage.

As you read, Sonswa has had legal action taken against him, which should serve as reason enough for others to recognize the severity of his actions, and why no one should ever follow suit. Please be sure to always know if you can follow the rules and regulations set out by any Disney theme park before entering. If you are unable to follow them, it is best to not return until you are able to.

What did you think of these videos? Let us know in the comments below.

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!

At Magic Kingdom there is so much to see and do! Cinderella Castle is decked out for the 50th anniversary and soon Festival of Fantasy and Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire will return. You can ride the three big mountains: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain, or calm things down on Peter Pan’s Flight. Rope drop the Park to get on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and then enjoy a mid-day snack with some Dole Whip. Be sure to meet Mickey Mouse and enjoy the firework show, Disney Enchantment! 

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