Taking a Walt Disney World Resort vacation is such a magical experience for the millions of people who do it every year. There is so much to see and do! Guests can visit the four main theme parks — Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There are also two water parks — Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach — as well as Disney Springs.
Disney Springs is a massive shopping and dining area, full of dozens of restaurants, and great Disney-themed shops like World of Disney, Art of Disney, and Goofy’s Candy Company. There are also a huge number of stores for guests to enjoy that are not Disney-themed, like Anthropologie, Basin, Tommy Bahama, and the Coca-Cola Store.
Thousands of people visit Disney Springs every day, and many of them are there with nothing but pure intentions. However, there are also those who head to the area with more nefarious plans in mind. But, thankfully, Disney security is always on the ball, ready to stop those people.
The Daily Mail shared a video, showing officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office approaching a man as he shopped in the massive World of Disney Store. Disney works with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and pays them to have officers not only in Disney Springs, but also monitoring the parks — along with their K-9 units — at all times.
The deputies approached the man while he was shopping in World of Disney with his wife and daughter. They were then taken backstage, where the mother was informed that the man and daughter were seen, on camera, stealing merchandise from the Oakley store. The woman was told she was free to go because she was not seen on the video.
Later in the video, multiple pairs of sunglasses can be seen sitting on a box, while the officers add up how much the merchandise was worth — almost $1,500. The man and his daughter were then informed that they would not only be banned from all Disney property, but that they were also being taken to the Orange County Jail.
The daughter repeatedly said that it was their first day at Disney World. She also told the officers that she recently had surgery, but that had nothing to do with the theft. She also informed them that she was a first-grade teacher and that she did not want to lose her job. Unfortunately, it does not look like she thought about that BEFORE she stole the merchandise.
The daughter also tries telling police that she was merely holding the bag, but that doesn’t appear to match with what was seen on the security footage.
Disney takes cases of theft at its resorts very seriously. Another man was recently handcuffed and hauled away by Anaheim Police Officers when he was caught stealing in the Downtown Disney District of the Disneyland Resort.
Disney World will begin construction on a fifth theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in an effort to remain competitive in Central Florida, per an industry expert.
The Central Florida theme park war continues as it has since 1990 when NBCUniversal built its first theme park location in Florida to compete with the Walt Disney World Resort.
At the time of Universal’s theme park debut in the Sunshine State, Disney World was already home to three unique theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then known as Disney-MGM Studios.
In May 1999, when Universal first welcomed guests to its second theme park location in Orlando called Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Disney had already added a fourth theme park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, outnumbering Universal’s theme parks two to one.
Since 1999, no new theme parks have been added to either of the mega theme park resorts in Orlando. Rather, both Disney and Universal have instead chosen to fortify their existing parks with new themed lands, including a massive expansion of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom in 2012, the creation of Avatar: The World of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2017, and the additions of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2018 and 2019, respectively, at Disney World.
Universal Orlando Resort beefed up its theme parks with the additions of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure.
But in early 2023, Universal Studios made an “epic” announcement. Though the resort hadn’t added a new theme park in years, Universal appeared to be making up for lost time.
A brand-new theme park–the third gate at Universal Studios Orlando–was in the works, and it would open in 2025. Initially, the news was not earth-shattering.
After all, it had been more than 20 years since Universal added a new theme park, and aside from Volcano Bay water park, the resort still only had two theme parks. It was time.
In late January 2024, Universal unveiled the names of the themed lands inside Epic Universe, Universal’s massive new theme park, and it became glaringly obvious that Universal has a good shot at becoming the victor of the Central Florida theme park wars.
In addition to an amazing new theme park, Universal has also announced two new resort hotels, and the most amazing thing about them is their nightly rates, deemed reasonable by most standards, especially when compared to the nightly rates of many of Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Walt Disney World will likely have to make a move now to keep up with Universal.
In fact, Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services, says that Universal’s newest addition will put things in Universal’s favor in Central Florida.
“This is going to tilt the axis of the theme-park world, I believe, in Orlando,” Spiegel said. “This park is going to perform at enormous numbers.” He estimates that between five and six million people will visit the park during its inaugural year alone.
In 2023, Disney took steps to further the possible development of a villains-themed land at Disney World, and during the Destination D23 event in late 2023, Disney unveiled artists’ renderings of a new themed area that will replace Dinoland, U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The new area will reportedly feature a “Tropical Americas” theme.
Disney Imagineer Bruce Vaughn also shared information about plans for another expansion at Magic Kingdom, calling it the “largest ever” expansion at the park that will include attractions, rides, restaurants, and other offerings.
In September 2023, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said that the company has “a wealth of untapped stories to bring to life across our business,” which could easily mean a fifth theme park is in the works–one that could serve as the stage on which those stories could play out.
Additionally, Disney execs confirmed that there are more than 1,000 acres available on Disney World’s property that can be used for the future development of a new theme park or the expansion of an existing one at the resort.
Spiegel says he’s heard things about a fifth park at Disney World for years now, and he thinks that the announcement of Epic Universe will serve as a catalyst for Disney to finally make their move.
“You’re going to see a big announcement,” he said. “They’re going to add a fifth park.”
As of the time of this post, Disney Company execs have yet to make the official announcement, but preparations for park expansions, along with the company’s announcement of an infusion of $60 billion into its theme parks division over the next ten years, seems to line up with that.
Walt Disney World is known for being the epitome of magical experiences and joyful memories.
Amongst the magical day-to-day, it’s easy for tourists to forget that the sprawling resort actually sits right in the heart of what used to be swampland, and many of its residents, including the American Alligator, avoided evictions when Mickey Mouse came to town.
Florida’s sub-tropical climate, high humidity, and beautifully designed landscapes make it the perfect place for exciting amphibious reptiles to take up shelter.
As Central Florida, where Walt Disney World is located, acts as a gateway to one of the last wild frontiers of the state, the Florida Everglades, it isn’t uncommon to have run-ins with wildlife all over Disney World, including Magic Kingdom and its numerous resort locations.
Sadly, most memorable, a fateful incident in 2016 brought attention to the presence of alligators in the vicinity of one of these resorts.
Since that day, savvy guests have had the presence of dangerous reptiles seared into the back of their minds, and Disney has taken steps along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to create a more sustainable future for tourism to live in harmony with the abundant wildlife that calls Walt Disney World home.
In June 2016, tragedy struck when two-year-old Lane Graves was attacked and killed by an alligator near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
This unfortunate incident sent shockwaves through the community and prompted Disney to embark on several initiatives to enhance safety protocols and prevent such incidents in the future.
After the incident, Walt Disney World took immediate action to prioritize the safety of its guests while maintaining the enchanting atmosphere that has made it beloved worldwide. The resort implemented the following safety measures:
Perimeter ropes: Disney erected permanent rope fixtures and barriers around the water bodies within the resort to restrict access to guests and wild animals, reducing the chances of accidental encounters.
Clear and visible signage was placed throughout the resort, reminding guests of the potential presence of wildlife in the area and providing safety guidelines to follow.
Disney established a dedicated team of wildlife specialists responsible for monitoring the wildlife population within the resort and ensuring the safety of both animals and guests. They work closely with local authorities and experts to remain updated on wildlife behavior and implement necessary precautions.
Disney World followers got to see this team in action recently when a black bear, another common Florida species that can be dangerous, was spotted in the Frontierland area of Magic Kingdom, prompting an entire shutdown of most of the park for around half a day.
Walt Disney World has a longstanding commitment to wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship. They actively engage in several initiatives to safeguard the natural habitat and promote biodiversity. Here are some examples:
The Walt Disney Company supports various conservation and research programs dedicated to protecting and preserving wildlife. These initiatives aim to understand animal behavior better, promote habitat restoration, and raise awareness about the importance of conservation.
Disney incorporates educational elements into its theme parks and resorts to raise awareness among guests about the importance of wildlife conservation and the need to respect natural habitats. Through informative displays and interactive experiences, visitors understand the interconnectedness between humans and wildlife.
Despite exhaustive efforts to educate guests regarding the potential dangers lurking in waterways around Walt Disney World, like Seven Seas Lagoon, where the Lane Grave incident occurred, some guests ignore the danger and enter bodies of water around the property anyhow.
Most recently, a guest to Magic Kingdom reportedly jumped from the rafts that carry visitors to Tom Sawyer Island, while another at EPCOT jumped from one of the bridges in the World Showcase.
A quick search online, specifically on YouTube, reveals several videos of Walt Disney World guests fishing dangerously close to the lakes and ponds that scatter around the property, while some even show daring visitors swimming.
It’s hard to imagine anyone willing to enter a body of water that could have a 920-lb alligator lurking below. However, whether it be stupidity or ignorance, it does still happen around Walt Disney World.
If you’ve been to Walt Disney World enough, chances are you’ve had your fair share of wildlife encounters. It isn’t uncommon for Grand Floridian Resort guests to run across a variety of slithering serpents or for guests aboard the Disney Skyliner, boat service, or even the Monorail to spot alligators from their high vantage point.
Although it certainly isn’t news that the American Alligator calls Florida home, it’s never a bad idea to continue educating the public, especially travelers unfamiliar with the state of Florida and its wildlife, when it comes to a possible encounter with an alligator at Walt Disney World.
It seems that some people are convinced that gators (affectionately nicknamed by locals) are more myth and reality for some guests. Still, one image shared to Reddit recently suggests that they are certainly out and about at Disney, reinforcing to guests that they should adhere to Disney’s rules about entering their waterways.
User u/daveoski posted a clear photo to the Walt Disney World subreddit, a beautifully captured one of a scaly lizard hunting the surface near the campgrounds at Fort Wilderness Resort.
“Took the boat from MK to the campgrounds for a hoop dee doo reservation and was able to capture some pictures.”
This particular alligator was spotted hanging around the Fort Wilderness Campground area, a very popular resort that many Disney World guests enjoy during the holiday season in Florida.
Fort Wilderness, although not a monorail resort like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, is close to Magic Kingdom, a place full of small children and families enjoying magical experiences throughout their day.
The gator attack incident at Walt Disney World in 2016 was a tragic event that led to increased safety measures and a renewed focus on wildlife conservation.
Ultimately changing the lives of Melissa Graves and Matt Graves forever, the loss of their young son, Lane Thomas Graves, should serve as a reminder that although Disney World is a magical place, it is not immune to accidents and danger.
Walt Disney World remains committed to providing guests with a safe and magical experience while demonstrating responsible stewardship of the environment.
By continuously evaluating and improving safety protocols and actively participating in wildlife conservation efforts, the Resort ensures that the enchanting world of Disney harmoniously coexists with the natural wildlife that calls it home.
In the event of an alligator sighting, guests are advised to immediately report it to the nearest Disney Cast Member and follow all safety guidelines provided.
As per Disney World rules and regulations, signs are clearly posted showing the immediate dangers of wildlife and the risk they pose to guests. There is a reason that Disney does not allow free-swimming in their waterways, and alligators are big part of that, so, stay dry!
Walt Disney World Resort is the most iconic and magical vacation destination globally, drawing millions of guests each year to immerse themselves in a world of enchantment and wonder. With its vast array of theme parks, resort hotels, entertainment, and dining options, Disney World offers an exciting and magical experience for guests of all ages.
Due to Walt Disney World Resort being a popular tourist location, Disney has a list of rules they enforce before allowing guests to enter into the parks. Disney World is home to four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Each park sees thousands of guests daily.
According to recent reports, Disney World is now testing a new security measure that may help speed up the lines, and be easier for Disney security to see inside of bags. Disney is testing out an all-new machine that will allow guests with bags to be able to place their bags in a bin, a procedure similar to what guests might encounter at an airport or other facilities.
This new machine will allow guests, instead of walking in line with bags, to head to another security line if the scanner flags something unusual. But it will allow Disney security to see what is inside guests’ bags without opening them. If necessary, security personnel may still perform a manual check of the bag.
To maintain a safe environment, Disney World guests are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the complete list of prohibited items before their visit.
Disney World’s official website includes a list of items that are prohibited inside the parks. These items include but are not limited to firearms, ammunition, knives, and weapons of any kind. Guests cannot bring in self-defense devices, any illegal substance, fireworks, alcoholic beverages, wagons, selfie sticks, and several other items. For the full list, guests can head to Disney’s official website.
Disney has these safety measures in place to keep Cast Members and Disney World guests safe. Disney works hard to protect the safety of people inside their parks.
Walt Disney World Resort is known as the Most Magical Place on Earth, and the one-of-a-kind Disney magic looks different for each Guest.
For some, it means dressing comfortably to make an entire day spent walking around in the Florida heat as easy as possible. For others, it looks like dressing super cute for all of the Disney Park photo opportunities, and everyone knows that nothing completes a Disney day outfit like a pair of Mouse Ears.
Whether you prefer Minnie ears or Mickey Mouse ears, nobody can deny the charm of the Mouse ears.
Whether shopping in person at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, another Disney Park, or Disney Springs, there’s an ear headband and ear hat for everyone. This classic accessory comes in so many different colors and themes that it’s hard to choose just one style.
However, one Guest visited a Disney Park and had some of the magic ruined due to one of these fun ear headbands. The experience was so disappointing that they decided to post a ‘public service announcement’ on social media.
In the Reddit post (screenshot above), which has since been deleted, a guest who visited Walt Disney World points out that anyone wearing a Minnie Mouse ear headband or a Mickey Mouse ear hat should take them off while viewing shows or fireworks. Although the Disney Park essentials are super cute, they can definitely make it harder for anyone behind the wearer to see the performance ahead.
The next time you watch a performance, a show, or the nightly fireworks, be sure to remove any obstructing ear hats and ear headbands to be courteous. After all, when visiting Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, it’s up to us to be the magic we want to see in the world!
