Nasty incident outside Club Cool at Epcot tonight

[PhotoDave219]

I always thought Disney had security guards all over the parks but just not in visible positions. I'm starting to think that once in the gate Disney is just relying on the guests to self police themselves???? It seems to take far to long for anyone who can end the situation to show up.

Yes but Epcot is a huge area. Considering this was in a backstage area and it was a moving incident…

 

[PhotoDave219]

Maybe I missed it, how did he get to the backstage areas?

That's unknown & is likely of to come out, considering how tight lipped Disney is.

I really want to know too... They must have video

 

[scarr13311]

Hi guys, had a look but couldn't see this posted elsewhere. Mrs M and I were in a very crowded Epcot tonight to have a meal at The Rose and Crown and to emjoy IllumiNations. We arrived late afternoon and did a bit in Future World before heading over to World Showcase, Around 7:30pm as we approached Club Cool to get our free drinks we could see a commotion ahead with a lot of angry shouting and movement. As we got close to the entrance there was an angry crowd with people pointing and shouting and there was a nasty atmosphere in the air. A guy lay flat out face down on the concrete with another guy kneeling on his back with his hand pressing the guys face firmly into the floor. The staff had come out of Club Cool and were getting people to move away from the area where possible and people were shouting at the guy held on the floor.

A couple nearby told me that the guy on the floor had been swinging a stick at peoples legs and had then taken a random stranger off her feet with it before a passer by had intervened and 'took him down' for everyones protection. Another guy was telling everyone 'not to panic' and that 'the guy restraining him was a marine' and 'all was ok'. The Club Cool staff member then said that 'security was on their way' and so we ventured in to sample the drinks in the now deserted Club Cool.

The whole thing seemed surreal as I've never witnessed anything (or at least the aftermath of anything) like it before at Disney. Seems like the idiot got what was coming to him anyway, but just wondered if anyone had heard anymore of this unpleasant incident?

I think this is the same incident, Here is the story that is in the Orlando Sentinal/Disney. What a SMUCK!!!

A Naval Academy graduate and former football player was charged with attacking three Walt Disney World cast members while intoxicated at the Epcot theme park this weekend.
Austin DeVan Hill, 23, of Pensacola was charged with aggravated battery and two counts of battery after he punched two male workers in the head and struck a female with a plastic pipe in an area off-limits to guests, according to an arrest report.
Deputies said Hill appeared to be drunk as he resisted efforts to restrain him, yelled and made incoherent statements. He caused a major disturbance during Epcot's annual International Food and Wine Festival, which attracts thousands of guests.
At one point, Hill broke free while being escorted to the security office, fell to the concrete and injured his chin and face, the report said.
The victims told deputies Hill entered a backstage office area in the East Innoventions attraction area when he punched Michael Connelly. He suffered a large gash to his forehead and was taken to Celebration Hospital for treatment.
Hill then encountered cast member Timothy Beltley in the tunnels workers use to get around the theme park.
Beltley tried to stop Hill from taking a cargo work cart but was punched in the face. He was also treated at the hospital.
Jessica Brown was struck in the left cheek and neck when she came across Hill after he grabbed a 3-foot-long PVC pipe. The injured area swelled but she was treated at the scene.
Disney security held Hill to the ground at the Flavors of Club Cool attraction, a variety soda pop fountain, until deputies arrived. He was bleeding from the knees, wrists and hands when they deputies found him.
Deputies described Hill's behavior as "fractious."
Hill graduated from the Naval Academy in 2012 as a Navy pilot and made the Dean's List while he attended. He was also a long snapper on the football team, according to the Navy Times and Navy Sports.com.
Hill bonded out of the Orange County Jail.

 

[draybook]

C'mon guys, lots of us have seen Adam the Woo's videos on Youtube. Getting backstage isn't exactly like trying to break the Windtalkers code.....

 

[tissandtully]

There's a VERY big reason as to why there is a very large OPD presence at HHN. Levels of alcohol consumption there make F&W seem like a cakewalk when it comes to drunk people. Every type of drunk is there, plus drunk line cutters and drunks who like to harass or even purposely injure the scareactors or other guests. There's also the issue of more than just drunks (stupid teenagers/college people, certain acts and illegal contraband).

If it tells you anything about how strict Universal is with HHN, every location (even the regular attractions) have at least two Universal Security representatives, with at least 1 OPD officer.

WDW...OPD visits every so often to the parks or resorts, but normally has to be called upon if Disney Security can't handle the situation firsthand.[/quote]

Seems like F&W is getting close to HHN and may need the extra manpower.

 

[AndyGator]

Maybe I missed it, how did he get to the backstage areas?

Exactly. How do they not have backstage entry badges??? I bet they are installed immediately.

 

[Gabe1]

I always thought Disney had security guards all over the parks but just not in visible positions. I'm starting to think that once in the gate Disney is just relying on the guests to self police themselves???? It seems to take far to long for anyone who can end the situation to show up.

Yep, we got a glimpse of this with the car robberies and only a couple of security officers in the Disney Parking Lots, lack of security cameras, last year when a ring was driving up and down the isles clicking car door openers and it took forever and day before security arrived and by then the guests who had car robbed called the sheriff.

We also saw the YouTube of the drunk outside the Tower of Terror being held down for security to arrive.

Exactly. How do they not have backstage entry badges??? I bet they are installed immediately.

Doubt that very much. They could have done that when the video dudes kept going back stage areas and filming abandoned attractions. Disney would have to spend a small fortune to upgrade every attraction, back stage area throughout WDW. I bet they just gamble that it is a while before any other guest or CM is seriously hurt by a drunk.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Exactly. How do they not have backstage entry badges??? I bet they are installed immediately.

Not in all areas. Specific areas - like Dacs is access control as are all the money rooms - are tightly controlled.

 

[Gabe1]

While this is, indeed "stuff that could happen anywhere on any given day", it shouldn't be happening at a family theme park.

Oh my! I'm sorry that is a nieve thought. It does happen everyday throughout the country. It doesn't need alcohol to fuel. Don't you remember the lady charged with Line Rage at the Tea Cups? The world is full of nuts, it will continue to happen at WDW and other family theme parks. The woman who was charged in the fight was given 90 days in jail, 50 hours community service,and must attend anger management classes.

I think that is part of the problem, guests put their guard down at Disney and don't want to believe, CMs have been caught stealing and worse, so have the guests.

 

[shipley731]

While this is, indeed "stuff that could happen anywhere on any given day", it shouldn't be happening at a family theme park.

It really shouldn't be happening anywhere, but it does.

 

[Gabe1]

Not in all areas. Specific areas - like Dacs is access control as are all the money rooms - are tightly controlled.

Lol. Well sometimes but not always. Have you ever seen how Vacation Planners transport their drawer to and from their individual booths to drawer lock-up?

 

[JenniferS]

Oh my! I'm sorry that is a nieve thought. It does happen everyday throughout the country. It doesn't need alcohol to fuel. Don't you remember the lady charged with Line Rage at the Tea Cups? The world is full of nuts, it will continue to happen at WDW and other family theme parks. The woman who was charged in the fight was given 90 days in jail, 50 hours community service,and must attend anger management classes.

I think that is part of the problem, guests put their guard down at Disney and don't want to believe, CMs have been caught stealing and worse, so have the guests.

I was at Food and Wine, two weeks ago, mid-afternoon. I'm not naive. I just have the misguided notion that I shouldn't have idiot drunks spilling their drinks on me at 3:00 on a Monday afternoon. When I paid my huge $$
entry fee, this is NOT what I signed up for.
And oh yeah, we deliberately scheduled our "Epcot evening" for the Thursday before F & W started, only to discover that most booths opened one day early. Given that we had ADR's at Via Napoli that evening, we had no choice but to wade through the ill-behaved mob. I recognize that the fools are in the vast minority, but they should be identified immediately, cut off, and escorted out if necessary.
Better security and more vigilant attention to not serving those who are already falling down drunk, would go a long way to increasing my sense of safety.
I mentioned last year at F & W that I was badly jostled, and that my 9 year old niece was knocked to the ground.
Should ... not ... happen. Period.

 

[mr spalding]

I seriously doubt that a vacationer with a multi-day ticket is going to get hammered to the extent that they won't be able to function the next day. I don't know what it is but I find myself drinking very little when I am on a Disney vacation compared to a beach vacation or any other vacation for that matter. Too tired?

 

[JenniferS]

I seriously doubt that a vacationer with a multi-day ticket is going to get hammered to the extent that they won't be able to function the next day. I don't know what it is but I find myself drinking very little when I am on a Disney vacation compared to a beach vacation or any other vacation for that matter. Too tired?

Good point.

 

[Gabe1]

I was at Food and Wine, two weeks ago, mid-afternoon. I'm not naive. I just have the misguided notion that I shouldn't have idiot drunks spilling their drinks on me at 3:00 on a Monday afternoon. When I paid my huge $$
entry fee, this is NOT what I signed up for.
And oh yeah, we deliberately scheduled our "Epcot evening" for the Thursday before F & W started, only to discover that most booths opened one day early. Given that we had ADR's at Via Napoli that evening, we had no choice but to wade through the ill-behaved mob. I recognize that the fools are in the vast minority, but they should be identified immediately, cut off, and escorted out if necessary.
Better security and more vigilant attention to not serving those who are already falling down drunk, would go a long way to increasing my sense of safety.
I mentioned last year at F & W that I was badly jostled, and that my 9 year old niece was knocked to the ground.
Should ... not ... happen. Period.

Awe come on! For sure, I agree the notion is misguided. Never have I been nieve enough to believe the World Showcase is not all about liquor sales, second food. And I certainly expect to see over-served guests everywhere. If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't go. I certainly did not take my kids when they were not adults, I used good judgement. I can't believe you were clueless to the happenings of F&W to be that appalled. And if you knew, you went anyhow being so apposed?

Liquor is huge to the bottom line of Epcot, so much so they added liquor and food to draw more guests to Flower and Garden, Dole Whip with Spiced Rum. General practice is Disney guests a new outfit. Done.

 

[Gabe1]

I seriously doubt that a vacationer with a multi-day ticket is going to get hammered to the extent that they won't be able to function the next day. I don't know what it is but I find myself drinking very little when I am on a Disney vacation compared to a beach vacation or any other vacation for that matter. Too tired?

Me, Heat & Liquor don't mix. I can have my single allotment of one margarita on a hot evening and I am out.
But those who hang at F&W, a good chunk of them are way too 'happy.' My DS & GF will be at F&W for the next six days, along with 2 others. They picked Boardwalk Inn, walking distance for a reason. No getting behind the wheel of a car. Main reason, F&W. Parks are the perk this trip.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Lol. Well sometimes but not always. Have you ever seen how Vacation Planners transport their drawer to and from their individual booths to drawer lock-up?

Yes. I have. I'm talking about cash control under the kingdom. All of these rooms are tightly controlled.

How the money gets there? No comment.

 

[Gabe1]

How the money gets there? No comment.

Already aware. No comment necessary.

 

[JenniferS]

Awe come on! For sure, I agree the notion is misguided. Never have I been nieve enough to believe the World Showcase is not all about liquor sales, second food. And I certainly expect to see over-served guests everywhere. If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't go. I certainly did not take my kids when they were not adults, I used good judgement. I can't believe you were clueless to the happenings of F&W to be that appalled. And if you knew, you went anyhow being so apposed?

Liquor is huge to the bottom line of Epcot, so much so they added liquor and food to draw more guests to Flower and Garden, Dole Whip with Spiced Rum. General practice is Disney guests a new outfit. Done.

You're right. How dare I visit an entire section of a theme park in the middle of the afternoon? And what was I thinking trying to get a one day jump on the festival's official start date?
I must, as you so politely indicated, be clueless, and lacking in good judgment.

 

[Gabe1]

You're right. How dare I visit an entire section of a theme park in the middle of the afternoon? And what was I thinking trying to get a one day jump on the festival's official start date?
I must, as you so politely indicated, be clueless, and lacking in good judgment.

I live in Northern IL. When I visit Chicago it has a beautiful park called Grant Park. I visit there a couple times a year. When the Taste of Chicago festival is on it is a completely different atmosphere afternoon or evening. Food is not the only thing guests are tasting, the spirits like F&W at Epcot are a major draw for the event. People who do not like these type of events all that comes with them, stay clear during that limited time of the fest. They don't go and then complain that the Taste is exactly what is known to be.

I don't know how else to phrase it, if you hate what F&W brings, avoid the World Showcase those weeks. Simple. If you want to participate, accept what it is. Disney isn't going to change it. I had a horrible experience back in the 90's with Gay Days, I don't go to Disney that week and Disney isn't going to discourage the antics, there is big money in conventions. I had the misfortune of staying at a resort that housed Pop Warner teams and families. It was a nightmare, parents being worse that the small athletes. I went elsewhere, upgraded to a Deluxe resort. Disney wasn't going to move them and those families bring in revenue during a slower season. I take charge of my vacation and if something makes me uncomfortable, I move on. It really is as simple as that.