Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images from Hurricane Milton

By: Greg Gately

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Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images

Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images from Hurricane Milton. We stay as far away from politics as we can. In the past discussing Disney and Politics has ended badly for many different companies, we figure that you, the reader, can make your own decisions and make up your own minds, we are just a Disney news site. But, when it comes to Disney and disinformation, we do try and clear things up. Such is the case here where it has been proven that the images of a flooded Walt Disney World, just south of Orlando, Florida, during Hurricane Milton are Fake misinformation that Russian State Run Media started.

It was sad seeing the images being spread on Facebook, and other social media platforms of a flooded Main Street USA, Cinderella Castle appeared to be underwater, and Disney fans went crazy passing along these images to friends and family. There were three images; the other two could have been from the Magic Kingdom or any Disney area, but all three showed massive floods.

The images were first shared on October 10, when Russia’s state-owned news agency, RIA Novosti, spread misinformation on its Telegram channel. They falsely claimed that three images of a flooded Walt Disney World theme park in Orlando, Florida, depicted the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images
Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images

Numerous Russian news outlets amplified the false narrative by republishing the images with sensational headlines. The topic quickly gained traction on Yandex Dzen, Russia’s equivalent of Google News. Russia’s Business FM radio station even falsely reported, “Hurricane Milton flooded Disney World in Florida. People are walking knee-deep in water.”

It is hard to trace the first time the images were spread to Facebook, but it has been traced to other Facebook Russian accounts that have spread false political stories in the past that have been picked up by the population at large and massively shared across the platform. People were so quick to either go on the attack against Disney or defend the company using these flooding images. These images spread so fast that it was hard to not see them pop up on our own feed, and while we can tell when an image is AI-made because we live and report here, others were not that well aware. Which caused both panic and outrage.

Just some basic knowledge of Cinderella Castle and The Hub showed these images to be false. Where was the Partners Statue? You know the bronze statue of Walt Disney himself holding Mickey Mouse’s Hand? There were also a few spires missing from the castle. In fact, one of the spires is actually crooked.

After sharing to Facebook, X formally Twitter users started massively sharing these images and adding their own accounts or wording to the images. We will not be linking any of these to this article. They do not need any more clicks!

While there is no official reason for why Russian State Run Media would publish these images, it is being reported that these types of campaigns like to amplify the tensions surrounding the FEMA response to storms here in the United States. Like our own media is amplifying false narratives surrounding the response to Hurricane Helene in Southern US states. These Facebook accounts exist to sow misinformation like these flooding images. Welcome to an Election Year in America.

Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images
Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images

We heard two different Cast Members tell us stories of parents being many states away calling and sending messages concerned that they, the cast members, were in danger of being in the flooding. Both of these Cast Members were actually on the Disney World Rideout teams and were very safe, one was inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort helping keep guests calm, and the other was working at Pop Century Resort. Both were, as they put it, “probably in the safest place you can be during a hurricane”

We can talk from personal experience, we live 6 miles from the heart of Walt Disney World, and there was some flooding, but not as bad as the images appear to show. More importantly, there is zero percent chance that someone got into Disney’s Magic Kingdom, took these images during the height of Hurricane Milton, and then shared them with family or friends.

In fact, here are some images from October 11th, 2024. The day after Hurricane Milton hit central Florida. We personally went over the Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, and while there was residual damage, like dead branches, and leaves all along the drive into Disney World, there was ZERO damage or flooding inside the Parks.

Walt Disney World Official Statement:

We’re grateful Walt Disney World Resort weathered the storm. Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs will reopen on Friday, October 11 for the scheduled operating hours. Our hearts are with our fellow Floridians who were impacted by this storm.

Current operational impacts include:

Theme Parks & Disney Springs

All theme parks and Disney Springs—including the parking garages—are currently closed and will reopen on Friday, October 11 at the scheduled operating hours. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is canceled for Thursday, October 10 (event tickets will be refunded—view more details).

For partially used multi-day tickets, ticket expiration dates will be adjusted to expire on October 11, 2025. View more details.

This was first reported by Newsweek when they fact-checked the images.

Russia Behind AI Created Fake Walt Disney World Flood Images

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Greg Gately
Central Florida's brightest Disney expert (and quite possibly its brightest head!), Greg Gately, is the co-owner, photographer, podcaster, writer, and editor behind the award-winning Disney blog and news site, Fantasy Land News. More than just a fan, Greg boasts an impressive 4000+ articles on Fantasy Land News, showcasing his deep Disney knowledge. His unique perspective comes from years spent as an audio engineer and tour manager for legendary acts like Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, Collin Raye, and Dispatch. Now retired from touring, Greg dedicates his passion to bringing the magic of Disney to life. Catch him live on his weekly podcast, The Live Podcast, or collaborating with Sam's Disney Diary on Funatics Diary. Looking for the ultimate Disney resource? Dive into Greg's insightful articles, stunning photography, and engaging podcasts at Fantasy Land News. Connect with Greg: Email: [email protected] YouTube: YouTube Channel Instagram: Fantasy Land News Instagram Disney Blog, Disney News, Disney Parks, Disney Photography, Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Greg Gately, Fantasy Land News
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