Credit: Christian Lambert via UnsplashA scary incident occurred at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday (July 20), leaving a section of World Drive closed to Guests.
Walt Disney World is renowned as the most magical place on earth – but it’s not totally immune to real-world incidents. Over the years, several not-so-Disney factors have led to partial or total closures of the Disney Parks. Hurricanes have closed the entirety of Walt Disney World several times over the years, while COVID-19 left it shuttered for four months in 2020.
Other incidents that have left small sections of the Resort closed include tragic accidents involving Guests (which are rare), such as a case in 1992 when a man entered EPCOT and held two security guards hostage in a bathroom near the Journey Into Imagination pavilion while demanding to see his ex-girlfriend, and another in 2007 when an emergency exit platform malfunctioned on Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids and injured five Guests and a Cast Member.
Now, another incident has occurred at Walt Disney World, leaving parts of World Drive – one of the main roads at the Resort – temporarily closed.
Part of World Drive is closed and all lanes were being rerouted toward Disney Springs. I hope everyone is ok. 🙏🏻
— Nicole (@SparklyNicole) July 20, 2023
A car allegedly caught fire on the road into Walt Disney World. While the fire itself was swiftly extinguished, the vehicle remained on the road. This left the northbound side of World Drive closed at Buena Vista Drive, with drivers instead rerouted towards Disney Springs.
Walt Disney World security was also on the scene in high-visibility vests, and onlookers reported that multiple fire trucks attended the incident. Twitter user @SparklyNicole also tweeted that Guests were “driving up the on-ramp” in “the wrong direction without guidance to escape the gridlock.”
Related: Multiple Disney World Attractions Closed After Fire Damage
This follows another mysterious fire at Walt Disney World Resort earlier this week near the I-4 and Celebration, as well as the infamous fire over at Disneyland Park in Anaheim in April that left the Maleficent dragon up in flames midway through a performance of “Fantasmic!” and led to the temporary suspension of fire effects at several Disney Parks.
World Drive has since reopened in full. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, but we’ll be sure to report any updates.
Have you ever witnessed anything scary at Walt Disney World Resort or any other Disney Park? Share your story with Inside the Magic in the comments!