Fact Check

No, Elon Musk Is Not Buying Disney World

Musk announced in May 2023 that he would be stepping down as Twitter's CEO.

Published May 31, 2023

 (Ministério Das Comunicações/Wikimedia Commons)
Image courtesy of Ministério Das Comunicações/Wikimedia Commons
Claim:
Billionaire Elon Musk is planning on purchasing the Disney World theme park.

On May 28, 2023, an article on Mouse Trap News claimed in its headline that Elon Musk was rumored to be planning to buy the Disney World theme park in Florida. The article added that Musk, who announced in May 2023 that he was stepping down as CEO of Twitter, was looking for his next business venture.

The article stated:

According to a source familiar with it, Musk sees a huge opportunity to improve Disney World and bring them out of financial trouble. This is exactly what Musk did with Twitter. He saw weakness, bought the company, made significant improvements, and turned the corner for a struggling company. Musk thinks that he can replicate this success with Disney World, especially given its current state.

This story is false and originated from a website that is satirical in nature. Mouse Trap News describes itself as "the world's best satire site." Additionally, their "About" page states: "We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be assured that anything you read here is not true, real, or accurate, but it is fun."

If Musk were considering buying Disney World, it would be a major news story. 

Given that it originated from a satirical site, we rate this claim as "Labeled Satire." 
 

Sources

"About." Mouse Trap News, 22 Dec. 2022, https://mousetrapnews.com/about/. Accessed 31 May 2023.

"BREAKING: Elon Musk Rumored To Buy Disney World." Mouse Trap News, 28 May 2023, https://mousetrapnews.com/breaking-elon-musk-rumored-to-buy-disney-world/. Accessed 31 May 2023. 
 

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.