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Bear enters amusement park, forces Walt Disney World to shutter 

An unexpected appearance by a real bear in Disney World on Monday raised concerns, prompting the closure of certain sections and rides. 

• September 19, 2023
Disney's theme park
Disney’s theme park [Credit: Deadline]

An unexpected appearance by a real bear in Disney World on Monday raised concerns, prompting the closure of certain sections and rides. 

It is believed that the bear may have been searching for food, leading park officials to take action by temporarily closing certain rides and attractions, according to The New York Times.

An adult female black bear was spotted at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, a renowned theme park near Orlando, Florida, and was later captured, said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Lisa Thompson.

Ms Thompson reported the sighting of the black bear perched in a tree within the confines of the Magic Kingdom.

Singing and dancing animatronic bears are usually seen in Disney World’s theme park. 

“In most cases, it is better for bears to be given space and to move along on their own. Still, given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are relocating the bear out of the park to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest,” stated Ms Thompson.

Before the commission officially announced the bear’s capture, Walt Disney World issued an emailed statement confirming the temporary closure of specific sections within the theme park, notably Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland. 

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