Disney World’s Magic Kingdom evacuated after fake active shooter call sparks panic

Chaos ensued after park visitors were evacuated from Disney World’s Magic Kingdom following a false report of an active shooter.

The most magical place on Earth got off to its most terrifying start on Thursday night, when parkgoers fled after hearing a “popping sound” and thought it was an active shooter. Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.

There were rumors that there was a shooter on the premises and the park was evacuated for safety reasons.

“There is NO active shooter,” Florida police said. “A physical altercation occurred and a ‘popping’ sound was heard which we believe was a balloon.”

On social media, visitors showed a looted shop in the park, where souvenirs had been thrown to the ground and items had been overturned in the rush to escape the perceived danger.

There were rumors that there was a shooter on the premises and the park was evacuated for safety reasons, but police believe the noise was simply a balloon bursting during a fight in the park.

“Went to Magic Kingdom today and there was literally a stampede because of a suspected shooter,” said one X user wrote. ‘I thought this was really going to be my last day. I was pushed aside and fell. Mothers were crying and looking for their daughters, people were hiding, it was so bad.

“This is probably still one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced, but I hope everyone who was there is okay, especially the children.”

Another one X user showed the large police presence and the huge crowd of people leaving the park.

“How awful. This is how they evacuated Magic Kingdom after the false alarm about a shooter in the park,” they wrote on the platform.

Some guests were taken through a “back door” area, park visitor Glenn Brady said Fox 35 Orlando.

“People were running in and crouching down. The security guards were telling us to ‘lie down,'” he recalled.

“Went to Magic Kingdom today and there was literally a stampede due to a suspected shooter,” wrote one X user. “I thought this was really going to be my last day” (pictured: park goers being escorted out of the park)

There was a large police presence on site and some guests hid in back rooms until it was determined it was safe.

“Some had to leave their strollers and carts. So we were there for about 15 minutes, and then we were led to another location behind the store, where we stayed for about another 30 minutes, until we were finally led out of the park.”

He said people around him were praying and he and his family were “telling each other not to panic.”

“But you could see there were people who were quite upset,” he said.

Disney World told WFTV-9 in a statement expressing their appreciation for the “immediate response” of the police.

“Normal operations have resumed and the park is now closed for the evening,” the statement said.

The park was open to visitors on Friday.