Credit: ITMThe Walt Disney World crowd was shocked yesterday when it was announced that a black bear was spotted at the park, resulting in plenty of mayhem. The rampaging bear caused the closure of multiple rides, along with multiple areas of the Magic Kingdom. Thankfully, the bear was subdued without causing physical harm and has now officially been released to the wild.
Related: Wild Bear Breaks Into Disney World and Wreaks Havoc in Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom inside Walt Disney World often contains many animals, considering Florida is a swamp land home to many animal species. Rare birds, lizards, and snakes are among some of the critters spotted at the parks, though none pose much of a threat to the thousands of guests regularly attending the park.
That was not the case on Monday when a black bear was spotted roaming the park. This led to plenty of panic, as a black bear is far more dangerous than a fluttering bird.
The black bear led to the closure of rides such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and The Hall of Presidents. Along with the ride closures, whole lands had to be closed for guest safety. Frontierland and part of Adventureland were closed off with many other areas, causing massive spikes in wait times for the open rides.
The black bear had been located and captured near a tree in Frontierland in the Walt Disney World Park, which leads us to believe it might been attempting to make its way to the Country Bear Jamboree. If Disney wanted to have their attractions be more immersive, there is nothing more immersive than a real-life bear at the Jamboree.
Since its capture, a new video from our friend Scott Gustin showcases the curious bear being re-released into the wild.
Walt Disney World Bear Released Back Into the Wild
Per @ScottGustin:
The black bear found in a tree at Magic Kingdom Park on Monday was successfully released in the Ocala National Forest early Tuesday morning. The FWC shared video of the release.
The black bear found in a tree at Magic Kingdom Park on Monday was successfully released in the Ocala National Forest early Tuesday morning. The FWC shared video of the release: pic.twitter.com/U0Cq2HXi7d
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 19, 2023
Video footage from the Federal Wildlife Commission, shared by Scott Gustin, shows the troublemaking black bear being released into the wild. The bear was released in the early morning hours at Ocala National Forest. The video shows the bear scampering off, likely ready for its next big adventure, while authorities egged on its release by saying, “Good bear, good bear, go go go!”
The Ocala National Forest is about 90 miles from Walt Disney World, and we hope that the bear will not find it so easy to return to the park. Again, no one was hurt, but this is a scary situation for all involved.
Plenty of families bring their children to the park on any given day, and though the black bear did appear to be nothing more than a curious cub, the situation could have turned scarier if the bear felt threatened in any way.
Related: Disney Rival Unleashes Multiple Bears into Park Following Wildlife Disaster
For those who attend Walt Disney World regularly, we advise not engaging with a bear should you see one, even if said bear is attempting to cut in line.
What do you think about the black bear situation at Walt Disney World? Would you have been scared? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!