On Thursday night, a chaotic scene unfolded at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom after a fight broke out and the sound of a popping balloon led to mass panic and rumors of an active shooter.
As the park was closing around 10 p.m., the popping sound, initially mistaken for gunfire, triggered a stampede as park guests scrambled for safety. Social media posts quickly spread the false reports, leading to widespread fear and confusion among park visitors.
Visitors described the terrifying moments as people ran for cover, with many taking refuge inside stores. One guest, visiting the park with his family, recounted the chaos as security instructed everyone to stay inside and remain calm. Despite the fear, the Orange County Sheriff's Office swiftly dispelled the rumors, confirming that there was no active shooter and that the situation was caused by a combination of a fight and the balloon's noise.
Guests were allowed to exit the park after about 15 minutes using the ferry boats, as other transportation services were temporarily halted. The park's operations returned to normal shortly after, with a Walt Disney World spokesperson thanking the Sheriff's Office for their quick response in resolving the situation.
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