Live bats that have made their home at Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom have been causing problems for the past few weeks, leading to the ride closing for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours at a time.
Bats in Adventureland
Bats aren’t strangers to Adventureland. We took the above video of several bats flying around the Adventureland/Frontierland breezeway in September 2022, and it’s known that bats live in the Pirates of the Caribbean building. But the creatures have been causing significant problems this August.
Ropes around this section of the breezeway near Pirates of the Caribbean are reportedly due to the bat problem, and the Crystal Arts kiosk in this area has not been able to operate.
We took a look at the rafters and could see some baby bats (a.k.a. pups) sleeping during the day.
The bats aren’t just resting, however. There are reports that they have swooped low near guests and Cast Members inside Pirates of the Caribbean. We also heard that a dead bat fell in front of guests. Every time there has been an incident, the ride has closed for safety, leading to significant downtime.
Bats hibernate during the winter months and are most active during this time of year. They have their babies in the summer and then enter their mating season.
Bats are a protected species. It’s illegal to harm or kill them in Florida. In order to remove them, Disney would need permission from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but removal becomes complicated when baby bats are present. Maternity season officially ended on August 14 so Disney may now be allowed a permit to safely remove the bats.
For the past few years, live actors have appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This year, however, the pirate actors are roaming Adventureland. This could potentially be due to the bats in the ride. The Rusty Cutlass pirate band is also performing during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.