UPDATE: As of the next day, December 15th, Magic Kingdom is back to normal. The small fire was quickly and safely extinguished, and now the Cinderella Castle and surrounding area are open again for guests to visit. Cinderella’s Royal Table (which was evacuated during the emergency) is also open again now.

As magical as Disney World can be, emergency situations and evacuations can happen in the parks, resorts, and on transportation.

We’ve seen rides evacuated, transportation shut down, and more. Earlier tonight, a fire was reported in Magic Kingdom, causing some emergency vehicles to be sent into the park. Here’s a look at how Disney handled the guests after the reported fire.

As we noted above, a fire was reported in Magic Kingdom today. According to DFB reader @Rosieredsara83 on Instagram, Cinderella’s Royal Table was evacuated after a Cast Member reported a fire. Emergency response vehicles were also seen near Cinderella Castle.

UPDATE: According to The Orlando Sentinel, the president of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Association (Jon Shirey) said that the call initially came in as an “electrical fire on a junction box outside the castle.” When they arrived, the firefighters “saw a tree on fire next to the structure.” Reportedly firefighters told Shirey that a “firework appeared to have caught the tree on fire.” The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Fire Marshal.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Shirey indicated that “fire personnel treated a security guard who inhaled dry chemicals from a fire extinguisher.” The Sentinel also shares that an unidentified Disney spokesperson said a Cast Member was “transported from the park for non-emergency treatment. No other injuries were reported.”

You might be wondering how Disney handled guests after this fire was reported. Here’s what we saw based on reports for readers and more.

Near the Castle Area

First it appears Cinderella’s Royal Table was evacuated (as we noted above). The area surrounding the Castle appears to have also then been evacuated. Another reader, @ptolley, shared a video from Main Street, U.S.A. on Twitter showing the situation.

It appears there was an active fire alarm, and fire trucks and ambulances driving down Main Street, U.S.A.

‼️ There is an active fire alarm at Magic Kingdom. Fire Trucks and Ambulances driving down Main Street.

Video Credit to: @ptolley__ pic.twitter.com/UaQAMrRdEl

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 15, 2021

More photos of the evacuation near the castle were also shared by other guests, like Stacey on Twitter (@StaySeeGo).

Two ambulances and a firetruck at Magic Kingdom, parked and disembarked at the left side of the Hub. No word on what's happening of course, I left to area to try and give them space and be respectful. pic.twitter.com/jOnNEkWM0l

— Stacey (@StaySeeGo) December 14, 2021

In the video below, you can see some guests being evacuated from the castle. It appears they were being directed down some exterior staircases.

Update: A DFB reader reached out and let us know that they were issued a full refund for their meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table last night and were told they could possibly get a new reservation, due to the situation that transpired with the fire.

🚨Cinderella Castle EVAC video.

Credit to @ rosieredsara83 on IG pic.twitter.com/2X8iYXUsBr

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 15, 2021

That’s a look at some of the evacuations that took near the castle. Action was then taken in more of Magic Kingdom.

Main Street, U.S.A.

About 30 minutes after those first reports regarding the fire came in (from what we saw), we saw that guests were sharing photos and information indicating that a large portion of Main Street, U.S.A. was blocked off.

Some guests remained in the hub area or on Main Street, U.S.A. as they waited for more instructions from the Cast Members.

One reader shared that there were a large number of Cast Members all throughout the park, ensuring that guests did not get too close to the area where the situation was taking place.

Keep in mind that is for guests who were already in the park, but some guests had not yet entered Magic Kingdom that night.

Outside of the Park

Outside of Magic Kingdom, many guests were waiting to enter for the Disney Very Merriest After Hours event, which is scheduled to take place tonight.

One reader, @Rosieredsara83, shared that guests outside of the park were being held at the main entrance and initially were not being allowed to enter.

Guests arriving for Very Merriest After Hours are being held at the entrance

Photo Credit to @ rosieredsara83 on IG pic.twitter.com/C6wxknkCnM

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 15, 2021

Of course, this is just what we’ve seen reported. This is a developing situation. It appears Disney’s team moved swiftly to evacuate guests, block of certain areas to keep guests safe, and ensure that individuals were able to assess and handle the situation.

Disney has since issued a statement about the fire indicating that there was a small fire that was extinguished by fire extinguishers and that no one was hurt.

Click here to see more about their statement.

It’s important to keep in mind that this is how this specific emergency situation was handled, but emergency situations can be handled in different ways depending on a number of factors.

No matter how wonderful Disney World is and can be, things like this can happen. It’s important to be prepared for potential emergency situations, particularly if you’ll be traveling with small children.

Ahead of any potential emergency situation, go over the rules for your family. Make sure everyone knows to stay calm and listen to the Cast Members. If you’re traveling with smaller children, ensure that they know where to meet up with you again if they get separated, or be sure that they know how to ask a Cast Member for help and provide them with your phone number.

Click here to see what happens when a kid gets lost in Disney World.

Remember that in any emergency situation, it is critical to listen to and follow the instructions of the Cast Members and be aware of your surroundings. You can check out our video below to see more about how to handle these types of situations in Disney World.

Keep checking back with us for more updates.

Click here for more Disney news.