ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man who filmed himself for YouTube as he camped out on an abandoned Disney World attraction during the coronavirus pandemic has accepted a plea deal in the case, court records show.
Orange County deputies said Richard McGuire was arrested on April 30 after a manhunt on Walt Disney World’s Discovery Island, a zoological attraction that has been closed since 1999.
When he was arrested, McGuire said he’d been camping on the 11-acre island for several days and called it a “tropical paradise,” according to the report.
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Body camera video obtained by News 6 shows authorities spent hours searching for McGuire after he triggered a wildlife trail camera.
McGuire posted YouTube videos of the encounter that showed him covering himself with leaves as the sheriff’s helicopter can be heard circling overhead.
“Disney world ain’t playing. Disney World ain’t (expletive) playing,” McGuire said in the footage.
As part of the plea deal, McGuire must pay a $100 fine, plus court and prosecution costs.
He entered a plea of no contest and adjudication will be withheld, meaning the trespassing charge will not show up as a conviction on his criminal record.
The plea was filed Sept. 30 and records show the case is now closed.
McGuire has also been banned for life from Walt Disney World.