Over the weekend, a Walt Disney World Resort guest was caught on video swimming in a fenced-off pond at EPCOT. The incident, which occurred in the Canada Pavilion section of World Showcase, quickly went viral on TikTok, sparking widespread debate among Disney Parks fans.
Guest Caught on Video Swimming in the Canada Pavilion
The viral clip, shared by TikTok user @bentonharborbutcher, shows the Disney Park guest after climbing over or jumping a tall fence to access the pond in the Canada Pavilion. The guest, who appears to be wearing sensory-friendly headphones, then leaps into the decorative waterway and begins swimming as bystanders look on in disbelief.
@bentonharborbutcher Was at the Canadian part of Epcot and saw this random chance encounter#autism #water#swimming ♬ original sound – ✝️TheBentonHarborButcher🇺🇸🤍
Many commenters have since suggested that the individual may have special needs, based on the use of noise-canceling headphones, although this has not been confirmed by anyone involved.
Ongoing Guest Behavior Problems at EPCOT
This incident is one of several recent cases of guests entering restricted areas or swimming in off-limits water features throughout the Disney Parks. Despite the opening of the family-friendly attraction Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana in EPCOT’s World Nature area — which offers a safe, splash-friendly experience — guests continue to be spotted wading into decorative fountains and waterways.
In October 2023, a man was permanently trespassed from Walt Disney World Resort after jumping off a bridge in EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion into World Showcase Lagoon following an alleged $6,000 bet.
TikTok Video Sparks Debate
Since its posting, the video of the Canada Pavilion swimmer has garnered over six million views and nearly 400,000 likes. The viral footage ignited debate in the comments about parenting, safety, and Walt Disney World Resort’s potential response.
“Where tf are his parents or his caretaker for one?” @starl0v3r_max asked.. “And for two, special needs or not. Thats a bannable thing.”
“I have a 7 yr old who is severely autistic, this would never happen on my watch,” @mandak1319 added. “Just no. There are so many preventative measures we have available. This is pure negligence!”
Other users defended the Disney Park guest and his family, emphasizing how difficult it can be to manage special needs in crowded environments.
“I have a 21 year old autistic son. You have no idea how hard it is to watch someone 24/7 every single second,” @appleuser3962784 argued. “They are aware you are watching and the split second you take your eyes off they will break away.”
“Do you seriously think this special needs kid deserves to be banned from the parks completely because he [wandered] off?” @gn420 replied. “Do you seriously think that is something Disney should do? Like really.”
No Confirmation of Consequences
At this time, Walt Disney World Resort has not confirmed whether the guest or his family faced any disciplinary action. Disney has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments!
Well probably didn’t get the DAS pass as needed due to ridiculous new guidelines and was bored.