Disney World may be the place “where dreams come true,” but not anymore for one Alabama man.
Richard McGuire, 42, has been banned from the theme park based in Orlando, Florida, after breaking in earlier this summer while it was closed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. McGuire, who is from Mobile, Alabama, was arrested on May 1 and later fined $100 for trespassing.
McGuire reportedly camped out at the Discovery Island attraction at the theme park and posted videos of his escapades online. “It looked like a tropical paradise,” he reportedly told authorities, unaware he was trespassing in the park. McGuire faced up to a year in jail for one count of trespassing but pleaded no contest last week, according to reports.
The now-abandoned attraction that once featured animal exhibits and trails to explore is only accessible by boat, which is exactly how he accessed the small island. He stayed there for two days before law enforcement learned about his presence on the island. McGuire said in a video online that he had visited the attraction often since its closure.
“You guys, if you all ever do this, be respectful to the next people who are explorers,” he said.
He told local media last month that he always “wanted to get on that island” as a child but now cautions other aspiring explorers that the trespassing on the island is not worth the hassle. “Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend anybody ever attempting to go out there again. I’d say do not. Get you a bail bondsman because you’re going to go to jail. It’s not worth it,” he said.
