Man Caught Camping on Discovery Island, Disney Drops the Hammer On Him

An Alabama man was found camping out on Walt Disney World’s abandoned Discovery Island after the park closed during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the local sheriff’s office says the man told deputies that he was “unaware” he was trespassing.

Richard McGuire, 42, was arrested on Thursday after security found him on the Disney-owned property. He was charged with one misdemeanor count of trespassing.

According to an arrest affidavit seen by Newsweek, McGuire told authorities that the island was a “tropical paradise.”

Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said McGuire, from Mobile, Alabama, accessed the island on Monday, ignoring multiple “no trespassing” signs to make his way there. McGuire told officials that he had planned to camp for about a week.

According to Click Orlando, McGuire was sleeping in one of the island’s abandoned buildings when police arrived.

McGuire has since been banned from Disney World properties. 

Wait. What? Well, I have lost all respect for Disney World at this point. I mean, when a man can’t camp out on Discovery Island the world as I once knew it is long gone. What did the cops expect him to do? Camp in a swamp or something? I’m not sure if you’re aware of this but Florida has alligators, man. And why camp under a bridge when the happiest place on earth is available? Seriously, if you’re going to trespass to find somewhere to sleep that’s the place to do it.

PS- I love Richard McGuire’s excuse that he was “unaware” he was trespassing. That one almost always works.

PPS- Banned for life? Really? They couldn’t just escort the man off the property and tell him not to come back? Guess Disney World isn’t feeling sympathetic during these troubled times.

PPPS- I knew this guy was from Alabama when I read the headline.