Disneyland guests leaving the resort on Monday night found the eastern gateway closed. Two suspicious bags near the entrance brought a bomb squad to the Anaheim, California, resort on October 12, changing the route out for visitors.
Disney reporter Matt Desmond documented the disruption on X, identifying the blocked route as the east security entrance where guests board the Toy Story parking shuttles. People were being directed to the west end of the resort, he wrote.
“I’m not sure what’s happening but will post updates as they become available,” Desmond wrote.
In a separate post, he described guests being taken through a side exit because they could not leave through the front gates. “No confirmed reason has been reported at this time,” he wrote.
The Other Way
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Disneyland guests aren’t being allowed to exit through the front gates and are being taken through a side exit. The eastern gateway to the Disneyland Resort as well as access to the Toy Story shuttles remains closed. No confirmed reason has been reported at this time. https://t.co/n5qRKLFZEJ
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) October 13, 2026
Desmond also addressed speculation on social media that the disruption involved an active shooter. He said there was zero evidence supporting that explanation at the time, describing the claims as unconfirmed. He also wrote that the response would be much larger for an active shooter.
The detour extended through areas guests would not normally use to leave. In its account of the closure and examination of the bags, The Disney Scoop quoted Anaheim Police Sgt. Eric Andersen and reported that visitors were routed through backstage areas normally used by cast members into Downtown Disney.
The closure covered the Esplanade, the plaza between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, stretching from Harbor Boulevard to the start of Downtown Disney. Andersen described it as a precaution to keep guests away until the area could be made safe.
A Closer Look
Disneyland cast members had reported the items around 9:30 p.m. near the Harbor-East Shuttle Area. The two bags were on a dolly; wires protruded from one, while sharp objects protruded from the other, which was wrapped in duct tape.
A Disneyland Security bomb-sniffing dog responded without alerting to explosives. The bags’ appearance nevertheless prompted Anaheim police to request an examination by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad.
The pointed metal objects turned out to include Disney-type crowns, belt buckles, and other miscellaneous metal items. The bomb squad found no explosives, and the area was cleared around 11:45 p.m.