A Disneyland guest literally pulled the Excalibur sword from the stone. Adapted from the novel of the same name by T.H. White, The Sword In The Stone chronicles the humble beginnings of King Arthur. Following 12-year-old orphan Arthur who is deemed destined for greatest by wizard Merlin, The Sword in the Stone has a special place in the Disney catalog for being the last animated film released before Walt Disney’s death.

Released in 1963, The Sword in the Stone is best known for the scene when Arthur draws the Excalibur sword from its cemented place in the titular stone and solidifies his kingship. The Sword in the Stone was integrated into the Disneyland theme park in front of the King Arthur Carrousel in 1983. Enticing park goers with a chance to display their strength, The Sword in the Stone ceremony featured Merlin selecting volunteers who would attempt to pull the sword from its anvil housing. However, the ceremony ended and it has been over a decade since the sword was drawn from the stone. A seemingly docile section of the Disneyland park, The Sword in the Sword display caused quite a stir when it was revealed the magical sword was absent.

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According to WDWNT News, a Disneyland guest has actually pulled the sword from its place in the stone. Reportedly, the unidentified guest attempted to remove the sword and was successful, as the stone was swordless and noticed by park visitors earlier this week. Sans a magical sword, the infamous anvil housing donned a piece of duct tape where Excalibur once sat. An anonymous Disneyland attendee shed some light on the event that caused the sword’s noticeable absence:

The sword is not removed for refurbishment. My friend Sam broke it last week on the 8th when we went to Disneyland. He literally ripped it out. The staff said that it was really old and that’s why he was able to do so. It was his first time at Disney and he’s a pretty buff dude, I told him if he pulled it out he’d win a prize and he just used brute force I guess. It was broken and jagged. The staff said they taped it off so no one would stick their fingers in and cut it on the broken pieces left inside.

Fervently attempting to restore the magic, Disneyland returned Excalibur to its rightful place and added a fresh coat of polish to the anvil. Beginning January 21, the legendary King Arthur Carrousel will be closed for several months due to an extensive refurbishment. It remains to be seen how the transformation of King Arthur Carrousel will alter The Sword in the Stone attraction. Fans of the beloved animated classic fable can look forward to the live-action remake of The Sword in the Stone, set to debut on Disney +.

Disneyland has numerous plans in the works, with expanding Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the development of Marvel Super Hero Land. However, the same attention and nourishment should be paid to the structures and attractions that have been a part of the Disney theme park since its conception. Amid a slew of kinks, Disney continues to iron out issues, and the park’s swift remedy of the missing sword gave the display the most attention it’s had in years. Clearly, The Sword in the Stone attraction remains an impactful experience for visitors to Disney’s iconic theme park.

Source: WDWNT News

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Bethany Guerrero
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Bethany is a news writer for ScreenRant and has been with the team since 2019.

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