Walt Disney World is a massive resort when it is full of people, but it probably seems even bigger now that it is essentially empty. While some essential workers are still there taking care of the place, the hotels and theme parks are closed. However, it appears that there was at least one non-essential person on resort property last week, as a 42-year-old man was recently cited for trespassing after spending a couple days camping on Discovery Island.
Discovery Island is located on Walt Disney World's Bay Lake. It used to be an attraction in its own right, with wildlife that guests could go see and take pictures of, but following the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom, which has its own land called Discovery Island now, the animals were moved there and the island was closed to guests.
And with Walt Disney World closed, it's maybe not too surprising why 42-year-old Richard McGuire decided now was the perfect time to go camping there. He apparently got out to the island on Tuesday, and camped until security noticed him there early Thursday. He was cited for trespassing, and he has been banned from Walt Disney World property.
McGuire claimed to not know the area was off-limits, though, as CNN reports, to get to the island he would have had to pass several no trespassing signs and a pair of locked gates.
Considering the remoteness of Discovery Island, it's almost surprising this person was spotted after only a couple days. It's also, honestly surprising that we haven't heard of more Walt Disney World break-ins. The geography of it all is just massive and one can't expect security to be patrolling all of it all the time under the circumstances.
The Walt Disney World incident follows on another trespass situation with took place at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim a couple weeks back. A local transient was seen hopping the fence of Disney California Adventure. He was found inside the construction site area of the upcoming Avengers Campus land. It's believed he was looking to steal equipment.
There are certainly a lot of people mildly freaking out that they can't visit their favorite theme parks right now. While the majority of guests to Disneyland or Walt Disney World are families taking special vacations, there is a not insignificant number of Annual Pass holders who visit the parks on a regular basis, and they haven't been able to do that in over a month.
There's a real question what the parks will look like once they can reopen. Capacity being significantly limited in order to allow for social distancing is a distinct possibility, and the idea of having all guests submit to temperature tests has been floated as a possibility.
People will get used to the new normal, whatever that turns out to be. When we'll have that cance, is another question entirely.
