Police are continuing to investigate the death of a man discovered late Friday at Walt Disney World Resort.
Walt Disney World Resort draws millions of visitors each year, and Disney Springs remains one of its most heavily trafficked locations. The shopping and dining district routinely stays open late, with parking garages designed to efficiently move large volumes of vehicles.
Law enforcement activity near the Orange Garage, however, quickly altered that flow last night when police confirmed that deputies responded to reports of a “person down” just before 9 p.m. near East Buena Vista Drive, a roadway bordering Disney Springs.
The call was later updated to a “dead person” once authorities arrived and assessed the scene.
Law Enforcement Confirms Investigation at Disney Springs
Law enforcement vehicles blocked access to the Orange Garage as deputies secured the area. The garage serves as one of the primary parking hubs for Disney Springs, particularly for guests exiting toward Interstate 4.
A Public Information Officer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that the death is being treated as a “possible suicide.” The statement, shared with Orlando Theme Park Zone, provided limited details.
“On January 2, 2026, at approximately 9:00 p.m., deputies responded to the Disney Springs Orange Garage on East Buena Vista Drive and discovered a man who was deceased,” the statement read.
“This incident is being investigated as a possible suicide. We have no additional information to release and will have no further updates this weekend.”
Guests who were present described a prolonged law enforcement response that extended well into the night. Some reported being unable to access their vehicles while investigators worked.
“Our car was behind the crime scene tape and we weren’t allowed to cross,” one guest wrote on Reddit. “Had to wait another hour until homicide cleared the scene. They then just roped off around one car. I assume that is where the descendant was.”
Another guest described the scale of the response on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Just drove past police putting up crime scene tape on the first floor of Orange Garage. The ezit towards I4 was blocked and police cars were everywhere. With the crowds I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got run over.
Just drove past police putting up crime scene tape on the first floor of Orange Garage. The ezit towards I4 was blocked and police cars were everywhere. With the crowds I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got run over.
— Zach (@BossThePitch) January 3, 2026
By Saturday morning, guests reported that Disney Springs and the Orange Garage had returned to normal operations. Authorities confirmed that the investigation remains active, with an autopsy expected to be conducted by the medical examiner’s office.
Disney World Deaths Continue to Draw Attention
The incident arrives amid renewed scrutiny following other deaths reported at Walt Disney World Resort in recent months. While rare, such events tend to draw widespread attention given the scale and visibility of the property.
In October, a 31-year-old woman died by suicide after jumping from a height near the monorail track at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. She was later identified as Summer Equitz, who had traveled from Illinois to Florida without her family’s knowledge.
Later that same month, another death occurred at the same hotel. A 28-year-old man, identified as Matthew Cohn, died by suicide after jumping from a balcony at the Contemporary’s Bay Lake Tower.
Both incidents prompted discussions around guest safety, resort design, and mental health awareness at large destination properties. Disney has not publicly commented on broader safety policy changes related to those events.
As with the latest case at Disney Springs, authorities have released few details, emphasizing respect for privacy and the ongoing investigative process.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. You can reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 in the United States, or by visiting 988lifeline.org.
Disney is bringing in all the mental and crazies and drug dealers. I think now over time you will see more fighting inside the parks. And I think it’s bad. I mean, the magic kingdom is supposed to be for kids. And they lit in the alphabet, people. And then started serving alcohol. So you know, a little kid, a little boy can go to biffi de bofity boot and come out dressed as a princess, which to me is ridiculous, but I guess we gotta include everybody. That’s what they say to me. This aint for kids, no more. You leave my friends.