A Walt Disney World guest is facing serious backlash, and potentially serious legal trouble, after being caught flying a drone over EPCOT’s World Showcase Lagoon in Florida, in direct violation of federal law and Disney park rules. Two videos posted by X user @streetmosphere captured the jaw-dropping moment the guest launched a drone near The American Adventure pavilion.
In the first clip, the drone can be seen flying over the America Gardens Theatre and out across the lagoon, where Disney crew members were preparing fireworks barges for the evening’s nighttime spectacular.
The second video shows the drone returning to its operator, who is standing just steps away from the popular funnel cake kiosk. As the drone descends, a plainclothes Disney security officer steps in and appears to confront the guest. Another parkgoer can be seen pointing at the drone, alerting security to the violation. The footage shows the operator scrambling to land the device as he’s approached.
Drones are strictly prohibited at all Disney parks. According to Disney’s official property rules, unmanned aerial vehicles are banned, and the entire Walt Disney World Resort is under a permanent FAA Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone. Flying a drone in that space is not just a violation of park policy, it’s a federal offense.
It’s still unclear how the guest managed to sneak the drone past entrance security. Many guests online are questioning the lapse, with the videos sparking widespread criticism and disbelief.
Internet Reacts: ‘How Did That Even Get Past Security?’
The viral footage quickly ignited a wave of disbelief and outrage online, with many questioning how the guest was able to sneak a drone past entrance security, and how it wasn’t immediately confiscated. “First question I’d ask is how’d they get it through security?” one user asked, while another chimed in, “That’s crazy, how was this not confiscated?” Others speculated about the consequences for the security team, with comments like, “You know entrance security is having a rough meeting today after this,” and, “Listen, I’m all for relaxed security, but how the hell does that get in?”
Some focused on the potential consequences for the drone operator, writing, “That won’t just get you kicked out of the park, that’s a federal crime as there is a flight restriction over WDW,” and, “Lifetime park ban and fed charges? Ouch.” Others were simply stunned by the guest’s lack of judgment, summing it up with comments like, “What a stupid thing to do,” and, “Imagine being this stupid.”
As of now, Disney has not publicly commented on the incident, and it’s unknown whether the guest faced any immediate legal consequences or was banned from the parks.
