Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images
A 2022 file photo of the iconic Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, where a bear sighting shut down parts of the park on Monday.
CNN –
A bear that led to partial closures at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on Monday was captured without incident and will now be relocated, according to a press release from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move around on their own, but given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are moving the bear from the park to an area in or around the Ocala River. National park around “forest,” FWC said.
FWC added that the animal was an adult female.
According to the My Disney Experience app, nearly a dozen attractions were closed Monday as authorities tried to locate the bear at the Magic Kingdom.
At 11:17 a.m. EDT, the Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer Island, Walt Disney World Railroad, Liberty Square Riverboat and Hall of Presidents attractions will close See and Haunted Mansion were closed to the public, according to an official app screenshot shared with CNN by Craig Williams, executive producer at wdwinfo.com.
WESH
Aerial footage from FWC staff on site shows them removing the bear.
It was not clear whether or how many of the closures were related to the bear sighting. CNN has reached out to Disney for more details on specific closures but has not yet received a response.
In an earlier statement, Disney said, “We are working with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and have made the decision to reopen Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park.”
Aerial photos from CNN affiliate WESH show the bear was trapped in a wooded area near the Magic Kingdom’s “It’s a small world” ride. The video shows a team carrying the bear out of the area in a tarp.
There are three other major parks at the resort: EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Shawn Nottingham, Carlos Suarez, Melissa Alonso and Kate Conerly contributed to this report.