A shocking update has surfaced following last week’s viral video showing a child swimming in a restricted EPCOT pond. New footage and firsthand accounts now confirm that the boy was rescued not by his parents, but by complete strangers—minutes before his family arrived on the scene.
Original Viral Video From EPCOT
The incident first gained traction after TikTok user @bentonharborbutcher posted a video showing a young guest climbing over a fence and entering a fenced-off pond in EPCOT’s Canada World Showcase Pavilion. The boy, who appeared to be wearing sensory-friendly headphones, was seen swimming in the shallow water while nearby guests looked on. The clip quickly went viral, amassing millions of views and sparking heated debate about parental responsibility at Walt Disney World Resort.
@bentonharborbutcher Was at the Canadian part of Epcot and saw this random chance encounter#autism #water#swimming
Many social media users speculated that the boy was neurodivergent, noting that some children on the autism spectrum are drawn to water or prone to eloping. Reactions were divided: some commenters criticized the parents for losing track of their child, while others defended them, explaining that even the most vigilant parents can’t monitor a child every second.
Bystanders Save the Day
Now, a second video from the same user reveals that bystanders—not Disney cast members or the child’s parents—rescued the boy. The clip shows a man climbing over the fence to reach the child, reportedly against the direction of Disney cast members who told guests not to intervene.
@bentonharborbutcher
“For all the people that think we are the parents of this child we are not,” @ashleydavis7243 explained. “We saw him in the water and my husband went against the Disney employee’s recommendation and got him out. I then held him while my husband jumped back over the fence to lift him over. The parents showed up shortly after the video ends.”
Other commenters verified the account, confirming that the rescuers were unrelated to the child.
“His parents actually werent there at all thats me and my bfs parents (my bfs dad pulled him out),” said @kylienoel.le. “The kids parents took several more minutes to finally come over once he was out of the water.”
Another user, @akbass79, echoed the same:
“They happened to be in the right place at the right time and acted quickly to jump the fence and save this boy. The parents arrived from somewhere nearby shortly after.”
After the Rescue
According to those present, Walt Disney World Resort did not take action against the boy’s family after the incident.
“They weren’t banned,” @kylienoel.le added. “They were sitting next to us at dinner an hour later and he had a whole new Disney outfit on.”
Fans React to the Update
The new footage reignited online debate over who bears responsibility for safety at the Disney parks.
“If you’re not able to protect your child perhaps stay home…,” @badcat9227 argued. “Thank goodness he could swim, thank goodness something worse didn’t happen. Thank goodness a helpful adult was present.”
Others, however, empathized with the child’s parents.
“As the parent of an autistic eloper, they are fast,” @fwtwinmom commented. “They get away from you within a second… It’s scary, humiliating, and keeps you from ever wanting your child to experience the outside world. And the judgmental comments don’t help. We already feel like failures most days.”
Should Disney Take Action?
Some Disney Parks fans argued that Walt Disney World Resort should take extra precautions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“It is definitely the parent’s responsibility, but it is should also be Disney’s responsibility to make enclosures like this more special needs friendly (specifically to the autistic community where they are drawn to water),” said @realdeal2890.
Others disagreed, stating that the park’s fencing and safety measures were already sufficient.
“No, no it is not Disney’s responsibility,” @lexussaunders argued. “It is 100% the parents. The world does not need to make everything specific to every other person.”
“There’s a whole fence,” @pelican_productions echoed. “At that point it’s solely on the parents.”
As of now, Walt Disney World Resort has not publicly commented on the incident or confirmed whether additional safety measures will be introduced around EPCOT’s water features.
How should Walt Disney World Resort respond to this incident at EPCOT? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!
