Scary Moment as Shark is Spotted Inside Magic Kingdom Waters

Every Disney World park has at least one body of water inside of it. Some are natural while others are man-made. It’s uncommon for an alligator to be spotted at Disney World, but it happens. However, yesterday we had the first shark spotting at a Disney World park. This happened inside the Magic Kingdom and now guests are concerned for their safety. Check out our Tiktok or Instagram for the wild video! Be sure to follow us if you aren’t already!

As you may remember, back in 2016 there was an alligator attack at Disney World. This tragic event led to the death of a 2-year-old at the Seven Seas Lagoon. This is a horrific event. Since then, Disney has removed more than 200 alligators from their property. While guests often don’t see alligators at Disney, there is no shortage of them.

Yesterday a shark was spotted in the waters inside The Magic Kingdom. The shark was seen in the river that leads to Tom Sawyer Island. The river is fittingly called Rivers of America and also houses the boats that transport you to and from Tom Sawyer Island. This is also the river that the Liberty Square Riverboat travels around.

How does a shark get into Seven Seas Lagoon?

You may be wondering how a shark gets in that river. For those not aware, Rivers of America goes under the steam train at Magic Kingdom. It then empties into Seven Seas Lagoon. If that sounds familiar, that’s because that’s where the alligator attack happened. So following the logic path, if alligators swim in Seven Seas Lagoon, which connects to Rivers of America, this means an alligator also can easily get inside The Magic Kingdom. This is a scary thought for parents and parkgoers.

This famous lagoon connects to the Atlantic Ocean. If you follow lakes and rivers on the map of Florida, you can make a connection from Rivers of America to the ocean. We reached out to a shark biologist for more information on how a shark ends up in a Disney World park.

According to our source, it’s extremely rare for a shark to swim that distance through rivers, ponds, and lakes, to ultimately end up in Disney World. However, they mentioned that it’s technically possible, which is why they aren’t surprised it happened. Sharks are natural explorers, and for some reason, this shark decided to “just keep swimming” further from where it originated.

However, as Tal Marik would say, “There is no cause for alarm. Turn off that alarm.” Because as soon as the shark was spotted in the river, Disney called in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to have the shark removed from the water. According to an internal source, the shark was not harmed and was transported back to the Atlantic Ocean. Our shark expert also mentioned that even though the situation seems dangerous, it’s unlikely the shark would attack an individual, especially since no one swims in the water. However, a Tom Sawyer Island boat could have easily been attacked.

It’s scary that a shark was in the river with the Tom Sawyer boats. They were not built to withstand a shark attack. The bright side of the story is the shark didn’t harm anyone and Disney officially adopted the shark before returning it to the ocean. Disney named their newly adopted shark Bruce. While they may never see Bruce again, it makes for a great story.

Does a shark inside the Magic Kingdom frighten you? Will you be more cautious around the water at Disney World? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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