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Credit: Joe Rogan via YouTubeDisneyland Resort is The Happiest Place on Earth. Made up of two Disney theme parks, a shopping & dining district, and three Disney Resort hotels, the first-ever Disney park is living history. Walt Disney planned every detail of Disneyland Park and enjoyed visiting for over a decade before his death.
But as The Walt Disney Company displeases some fans, some social media users look for anything to disparage the corporation further. One rumor went so far that it stopped families from visiting Disneyland Resort.
In a video this week, TikToker @labibi413 claimed that a child kidnapping ring operated in tunnels underneath Disneyland Resort. She urged viewers to avoid visiting Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and Downtown Disney.
@labibi413 MANAS POR NINGÚN MOTIVO DEJEN A SUS NIÑOS SOLOS 😱 #dysney #ojo #cuidado #niños #california #waltdisneyworld #fyp #viral #chismesito #chisme #chismestiktok #polemica #justicia #gobierno #viral #lomasviral #tiktok
“Today I want to tell you about an incident that happened at Disneyland that has really… left me terrified because we had plans to go to Disneyland at the end of this month,” the TikToker began.
*Editor’s Note: The original video is in Spanish. The text has been loosely translated into English. Though some words aren’t exactly the same, the meaning has been preserved.
She claimed that on October 13, an American family visited Disneyland Park with their daughters. As they were eating lunch, their four-year-old needed to use the bathroom.
“The mom could see the bathroom door,” the TikToker alleged. “That’s how close they were. [They] decided to let her go alone.”
This is where the story gets strange.
After a few minutes passed, the TikToker says, the mother decided to check on her daughter. She claimed that she saw a hole in the floor leading to a dark staircase where a strange man was carrying the four-year-old. The mother “ran to the tunnel,” but it closed before her.
She then claimed police were called but found nothing. However, Anaheim Police stated no report was filed in a Politifact fact-check last week.
“We are not investigating any child abductions at, or near, the Disneyland Resorts,” Sgt. Jon McClintock, a public information officer at the Anaheim Police Department, told Politifact.
The Anaheim Police Department has a dedicated team of officers working at Disneyland Resort. Inside the Magic has previously reported videos of police officers dispersing fights between Disney guests and helping cast members trespass guests who break the rules.
The rumor reportedly started with a deepfake clip of podcaster Joe Rogan telling a similar story to @labibi413’s. Experts debunked the viral video by analyzing Rogan’s clothing and finding that he hasn’t worn the shirt featured for over a year, making it impossible that he discussed an incident at Disneyland Resort last month while wearing it.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) improves, it is easier for bad actors to fake videos and photos, like the Disneyland Resort kidnapping video starring “Joe Rogan.” Always look for multiple sources when you see something dubious online.