Does Disney Have a Squatter Problem? DeSantis Issues Bill to Prevent Practice

Recently, many stories about illegal squatters have gone viral on social media. According to the Oxford Dictionary, squatter refers to “a person who unlawfully occupies an uninhabited building or unused land.” 

Now, a viral video has made some shocking claims that Disneyland Resort, located in Anaheim, California, has squatters of its own. This news story coincides with Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to sign a bill preventing squatters in Walt Disney World Resort’s home state of Florida. With all this news about squatting, it can be difficult for fans to decipher what is real and what is false.

Related: Disney Reportedly Removes Gender-Specific Language From Haunted Mansion

Credit: Disney

Fact vs. Fiction

One thing is for certain: squatting is a legitimate problem that is affecting hundreds of homeowners in this country. Pressure has been put on lawmakers to help stop this from happening in many cities, including Orlando, Florida. Earlier this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 621, which gives homeowners the right to remove squatters from their residences.

At the same time as these very real events, a false narrative is also spreading online. Satirical news source MouseTrap News made a post claiming that Disneyland Resort has hundreds of squatters living on the property.

@mousetrapnews

The squatter crisis continues and is now impact Disneyland! #disneyworld #disneynews #squatters #disneyland #squatter

♬ Married Life (From “Up”) – Sergy el Som

While there are certainly a few trespassers that come Disney’s way every once in a while, there are definitely not hundreds of squatters living on the property. MouseTrap News has become infamous for spreading fictional stories about Disney, which is why it is important to always double-check your sources.

A Larger Problem Than Theme Parks

While this Disney story is certainly a fake one, it does illuminate a reality for many other parts of the country. Squatters often take advantage of property rights laws to occupy vacant or abandoned buildings. Despite not having any legal right to be there, these squatters have been known to stay for extended periods, making it challenging for property owners to remove them.

Credit: looseey, Flickr

Many property owners have faced difficulties in dealing with these squatters due to complex state privacy rights and squatters’ rights laws that protect them from immediate eviction. The issue of squatters raises questions about property ownership and the challenges property owners face in protecting their rights against individuals who wrongfully occupy their premises.

Thankfully, this is not a problem for Disney as of right now.