“The Happiest Place on Earth” experienced moments of terror on Thursday night, when dozens of tourists began running scared due to possible gunshots and an active shooter in Magic Kingdom park, the first and most traditional of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
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Dozens of people posted videos on social media of guards and police officers trying to control the situation and disorder in some stores.
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What was the incident at Magic Kingdom in Orlando about?
According to various witnesses, the situation occurred during the night in one of the stores on Main Street, the traditional walkway where Magic Kingdom begins, surrounded by shops and with Cinderella's Castle in the background.
In one of those stores, a heated argument between two guests began, which had the very unfortunate coincidence of a balloon bursting, causing confusion, fright, and terror among dozens of tourists.
One person wrote on social media X that “there was literally a stampede because of a suspected shooter. I was shoved out of the way and fell. Mothers were crying looking for their daughters, people were hiding.”
The guards and police officers who are permanently stationed at Walt Disney World immediately took action. Additionally, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office tried to calm the situation through social media, stating: “ALERT: There is NO active shooter at Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom. A fight occurred, and a “popping” sound was heard that we believe was a balloon. Guests began running and that’s how the active shooter rumor started. There is no active shooter.”
The incident occurred at closing time in the park and the police helped so that the tourists could leave the premises in an orderly manner.
In a brief statement to USA Today, a spokesperson for Disney World commented that "we appreciate the immediate response from the Orange County Sheriff's Office to assess and quickly clarify the situation. Normal operations have resumed and the park is now closed at night.".