Alert: Disease-Carrying Animal Running Loose at Disney World Park

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On the left, a black arrow points to a plant with a red flower in front of a set of stone steps. On the right, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are standing close together, both smiling. Mickey is dressed in a black suit with a yellow bow tie, and Minnie is in her classic Disney red polka-dot dress.

Credit: Inside The Magic

A disease-carrying animal has been seen running around a Disney World park today, likely causing chaos and commotion for cast members and guests alike.

An illustration promoting Disney's Typhoon Lagoon features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Pluto. The characters are in fun water park scenes, including swimming, floating, and enjoying icy treats, set against a blue background.
Credit: Disney

Disney World Park Has Another Animal Problem, and This Time, It’s a Disease-Carrying One

We all remember what happened in September 2023, when an actual bear got loose inside Magic Kingdom for a day. This led to park-wide evacuations, and animal control was on the scene, with a helicopter leading the search.

Imagine strolling through Magic Kingdom, ready for a day of Disney magic, only to discover ten closed attractions. Sounds like a typical day, right? Well, this time, the reason is anything but ordinary. On September 18, 2023, a real-life black bear took its magical adventure through the park!

Now, seeing the occasional bird, lizard, or even snake around Walt Disney World isn’t exactly newsworthy—after all, the entire resort is built on a swamp. But a bear? That’s a bit more dramatic, almost like a Disney movie coming to life. Yes, you read that right—a wild black bear was roaming Magic Kingdom, turning a typical day at the park into quite an adventure.

Over ten rides and attractions had to close down, including fan favorites like Pirates of the Caribbean and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The Enchanted Tiki Room, The Hall of Presidents, and The Magic Carpets of Aladdin couldn’t escape the bear-induced shutdown. Frontierland and part of Adventureland were also off-limits, leading to severe traffic jams across the park.

bear in front of castle at walt disney world
Credit: Inside The Magic

The Bear Was Caught, but Now We Have Another Problem

Lines for rides like Space Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Peter Pan’s Flight skyrocketed as guests scrambled to find something to do. Fortunately, the bear was safely located and removed from the park, ending its unexpected visit to the Magic Kingdom. And while Disney hasn’t released an official statement yet, we’re relieved everyone—bear included—made it through safely.

Since Frontierland is home to the Country Bear Jamboree, it seems oddly fitting that a real bear decided to join the fun! Another place to have some fun in the sun is Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney World’s two premier water parks, where guests can take a break from the hot sun and enjoy some time in the water.

Guests visiting today might not find much fun as a disease-carrying animal runs rampant around the waterpark.

A raccoon, though not Rocket Raccoon, from the Marvel hit film series The Guardians of the Galaxy, has been caught on video running around Typhoon Lagoon. This has led to guests feeling disgusted, and cast members have had to try to close off sections of the park to deal with this little pest.

According to Mickey Central on X, formally Twitter, the raccoon was spotted sometime around 11:30 a.m. EST; check out the video below:

There’s a raccoon at Typhoon Lagoon!

@Mickey_Central on X

Raccoons have become familiar in Central Florida, popping up everywhere—even in your backyard. While they might seem harmless as they scurry around outside, these critters can cause serious trouble if they find their way into your home or, in this case, a theme park. Knowing a thing or two about raccoons is critical; if you spot one, it’s best to call the experts to remove it safely.

Bradley Cooper as Rocket Racoon (left) and Vin Diesel as Baby Groot (right) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Credit: Marvel Studios

Don’t Worry, WDW Will Handle This With Care and Compassion (With Guest Safety Priority Number One)

Even though Florida raccoons are pretty standard, that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. They might look cute but don’t belong in your home or a theme park like Typhoon Lagoon. While you might be tempted to feed a raccoon that looks hungry, doing so can backfire because once you feed them, they lose their fear of humans and might get aggressive if threatened.

Raccoons might carry rabies, though they generally avoid humans, so bites are rare. However, their droppings and urine can harbor diseases like leptospirosis and salmonella. The most concerning is the raccoon roundworm, which can be found in their feces, and inhaling airborne eggs from this parasite can lead to serious health problems.

Walt Disney World officials will likely call upon wildlife experts to humanely capture and remove the raccoon that has found its way into the park. The process involves careful coordination between park security and animal control to ensure the raccoon is not harmed during the removal.

The animal will most likely be safely relocated to a nearby wildlife refuge, where it will be monitored before being released back into its natural habitat.

Inside The Magic will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates when possible. 

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