A big fight broke out at a deluxe Disney World resort over the Christmas holiday.
Fights and Altercations at Disney
It seems like fights and arguments occurring at Disney seem to be more common than in the past. Maybe it’s the increase of social media in our technological world or emotions at an all time during a pandemic. While we certainly don’t like reporting it, it does shed a light on the state of the theme parks and the daily happenings.
It definitely feel like all these arguments and fights are causing the magic to fade a bit at The Most Magical Place on Earth. No one likes to witness these incidents, especially when you are traveling with children.
We have reported fights and arguments on the trams, ferry boats, and in the parks. We share these incidents to make you aware that these physical fights and verbal arguments do happen in the park. We all like to think we leave the real world behind when we visit the parks, but that is not always the case.
Fight at the Polynesian
According to an eye witness account, a fight broke out at the Polynesian just two days before Christmas. Here is their story:
My family (including two minors) witnessed a physical altercation at the poly last night. Completely ridiculous.
I was in the gift shop with my mom and my dad, partner and minor siblings (one is disabled) were in the lobby. Apparently a group of 4 people, 3 boys and 1 girl, were sitting and drinking in the lobby. All of a sudden there were screams and one guy was pounding another guy who was still in his seat. Got the girl a couple of times too. The guy who was in the group but wasn’t fighting broke it up fast and took the aggressor into the parking lot.
When I came out of the gift shop and saw, there were beer bottles/mixed drinks everywhere still, alcohol all on the ground and Disney security.
A Reminder to be Kind
Disney World recently included a reminder on its website to be kind and courteous to other Guests and Cast Members.
This statements reminds Guests to show common courtesy to Cast Members and other Guests visiting the park. It also states that if you can’t follow this guideline, you may be asked to leave.
You can read the full statement HERE.
Please be kind to others! We all want to have a magical vacation.
Source: Reddit
Qanon??? LH (laughing hysterically) Have yet to see a video of THAT! Other groups, yes…
Every class of people, race , religion, walk of life has good or bad people , a jerk is a jerk no matter what , even some family members are jerks . Common respect and courtesy has been lost in the country , it starts by good parenting , in the schools , on sports fields and up through life, we need to get back to the basics and people need to be punished who don’t follow rules. Society needs rules and punishment when not followed.
Well said!
Wow you are vey judgmental. I didn’t grow up in wealth but my parents taught me respect and manners. I had to work hard to become an RN and save to take my family to Disney World. I am not rich but I do not start fighting anywhere I go either. So your words are not only offensive but wrong. I have met rich people that are rude and with no class. Money doesn’t buy manners or morals it is learned.
As the prices of daily tickets, ( and I hope they get to $500 a day!?) This type of behavior will go away!! Its the poor people who ruin it for everyone . Here in Panama city Beach FL its getting very expensive to live and I’m very glad because its forced the losers out of the area!!!
I use to go to Disney when I was a kid snd there was no alcohol inside the park. But you people are saying they need to stop letting trash in and judging people by their looks thsts just wrong you can’t judge s book by itd cover I’ve seen millionaires running around with tshirts and holes in their jeans how a person dresses doesn’t make them a good or bad person thst comes from within! The bad people are the ones judging people for the wsy they look not what’s inside
Exactly! Well said!
Sorry to hear, but what’s that got to do with the post?
I am currently out of work after the doctor I worked for retired. The same job for 16 years.
Trust me I’m not making a fortune on unemployment. I’m making $168 a week after taxes. Can’t take a luxury vacation on that !
Key words private settings for his guests and himself. Being able to drink alcohol in a public setting and maintain ones emotions and composure seems to be a thing of the past. Unfortunately these people can’t seem to control themselves and think nothing of how their behavior affects others. Narcissism at its best.
There’s nothing wrong with coming from a trailer park. I did l, and I would never criticize anyone for being raised somewhere when they didn’t have a choice. A lot of good people come from rough places.
Ironically this is the only place I ever saw alcohol at Disney as a child. In the early 70s my grandfather would take my sister and I to the parks and we would always visit the lounge at The Poly as his reward for his good deed. We’d have fancy nonalcoholic drinks and eat Combos as he and my grandmother has their own little treat! lol
To much EVIL around!
Too many EVIL Animals around!
Consider yourselves lucky if you have “Disney memories” prior to 2010…..and amongst the luckiest prior to 2005! But the best of all 1990’s and anything prior!!
Except for the fact that Walt kept plenty of alcohol in private settings inside the park for his guests and himself.
This is what happens when people both young and old have no consideration or respect for others. Today’s society lives for themselves. There all a bunch of self centered beings, with no regards to anyone or anything around them. This is society’s fault. No one is held accountable for anything. Let’s stop worrying about hurting someone’s feelings and hold them accountable.
Ruh roh, somebody hit a nerve.
What free money? Nobody goes to Disney on unemployment. When did you get your last paycheck Ron? 1986?
You are so right!!..they were running around in their Qanon shirts and hats looking like as though they stepped out of trailer parks..then allowed to drink beers upon beers..it was so scary to see and nothing you could do!
Part of the problem, at least for us, is that the spontaneity is gone. Used to be that you could decide to go to Disney, find a room with your points, fly down, enjoy the parks,park hopping at will with a reasonable wait for each ride, avail yourself of lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants, then leave after a few days, or more, having enjoyed your stay and actually missing the place. Now everything is regimented to the point where you need to plan your trip months in advance and down to the smallest detail. Visits to Disney are getting more and more regimented, park attendance more limited, and overall less and less fun. This is, obviously, by design as it is more efficient and profitable for Disney to control access as they, not their guests, see fit. IMO there is a subconscious resentment to this overt and blatant “herding” that contributes to poor guest behavior.
I think if dis didn’t overpopulate the park, things might run a lot smoother. I’ve never been to Disney world but I have been to Disneyland several times. Purchasing tickets for the family, and parking fee is a big chunk out the wallet, let alone Spending $25 on a hot dog and soda, then standing in line for 3 hours for one ride , isn’t fun for anyone. Looking forward to your family trip and only got to go on a couple rides because the lines are too long. Money money money
Question? Did the other people you called trash .. get into Disney for free? How does Disney stop anybody from purchasing tickets and rooms like yourself for the resort and tickets? So again how do crack down on paying customers?
Not only is alcohol allowed it is encouraged at the Wine and Food Festivals and the other special festivals where alcohol is available. We were in the line at Frozen a few years ago, it was during the Food and Wine Festival and there was a small group in the line that had obviously overdone the Wine part of the festival that day. They were very loud and obnoxious and totally oblivious to those around them. Making most in the area uncomfortable. WDW is supposed to be a family park, leave the alcohol for the motel rooms.
The “vision”, Walt Disney had for children and family, has been destroyed. I have been going to the park in CA, for over 50+ years and this year it was my last. The crowds, bloated cost and crudest people imaginable are taking away the pleasure and fun for kids as well as adults. So sad
I think things have gotten worse, and sorry to say with more alcohol available in all location is playing into the problem.
Just talking to myself. Calhoun experimented with lab animals under conditions of increasing population, ideal in terms of resources, but confined over generations. He found that the inability to disperse caused spontaneous aggressive behavior not seen in the wild. A similar reaction occurred in Biosphere 2, where eight “Biospherians” spent just two years together in a 3-acre simulated space colony near Tucson, Arizona. Calhoun’s experimental setup has become global for humans. The entire planet is a cage. When too many lose control, the rest withdraw into their nesting boxes, fail to reproduce, and age out.That’s the worst case. In a better case, the rats break out.
The park is going to have to regulate 9nly so many people in these parks cause from what I’m seeing and hearing it’s not going to get any better just worse the park is to populated.
I agree. Let me say, I enjoy an occasional drink and have no problem with those who also enjoy a drink or 2 in an appropriate setting, but I had no problem depending an entire day at WDW before they allowed alcohol and it does seem there are more problems since alcohol is being served at the parks.
Alcohol should not be allowed in the parks where children are in attendance. Serve you alcohol in your hotel to your guests that can go to there room and sleep it off. If there is a problem with them there band them from the property.
My family and I, just recently went to Disney. And the amount of rude people was ridiculous. No common courtesy. For example my husband was looking at the big map display trying to figure out where we needed to go. Some guy literally sticks his phone about 2 inches from my husbands face and starts taking pictures of it. No excuse me no nothing. People will run right over you. I seen so many younger people just completely cut off elderly or handicapped. It’s a shame that you go to these places and people act like this. It was very disappointing and frustrating. And the worst part of all of it, is all the young children that are there are seeing these things and it’s not ok. We should all try to remember that we have younger generations that are watching.
So is it safe to say that you’re also one of those people who got free money for doing nothing since you were there? How do you know who is on a ship with free money? Ridiculous
What free money?
Agreed!
I agree. Alcohol is a huge problem. I never thought WDW was an appropriate place for it.
However, plenty of people have started fights while not drunk because of being overheated and aggravated waiting in long lines. People just really suck and don’t know how to act!
I saw This 1st hand on a cruise ship 6 months ago. the same people who are getting thousands of dollars to sit at home and do nothing have now decided to take luxury vacations.
.Only way to stop it? Quit the handouts. Of course unemployment will hit 8% overnight
It appears that they’re fighting on cruise lines as well. Carnival cruise lines to be exact. Makes me want to take a vacation in my living room
Totally agree these are no longer family oriented parks once they introduced alcohol.
Absolutely, NOT!! Key word: “drinking”! People are indulging too much in the drinking! This am has definitely become more of a trend!
Nope. But free government money that has allowed trash access to the parks is the correlation.
Well now isn’t that special they fight at home and they fight on vacation, so let them fight in Jail.
You clearly don’t know Universal, this happens almost daily there. It’s the crowds- Universal is full of young people with no children and. Drinks flow freely so there are a lot more fights- they just aren’t as big of news to report bc they don’t have the same attention
Hey! I love the zoo and take the grands there often. How about the trouble makers just stay home? Leave the zoo alone!
For what they charge for a drink, I can’t imagine anybody wanting to spend that much to get drunk
Should be no alcohol at the parks, and watching of how much they are drinking at resorts. Cutting them off like the bars do. More security
That’s exactly what the article says…WDW resort
The poly isn’t a theme park, it’s a resort.
Title clearly says, “at Deluxe Disney World Resort”
Alcohol is a big profit product. I agree with you, WDW is no place for it.
Amen. My dad has taken un since 72 also and takes our families now.
Disagree. This was in the lobby no park and it doesn’t happen at Universal Studios.
I have been to WDW every year since it opened in 72 , I always stay at the Polynesian because of park access , relaxed atmosphere, yes it’s expensive, but I do get what I pay for . It is totally amazing that the happiest place on earth has become a battleground . My father took us as kids , I’ve taken my kids , now I take my grandchildren , granted Disney may have it’s flaws and shortcomings , but it’s the quests who feel they are entitled and can do as they please . I have retired from two careers , USMC and the police dept. , Now teaching HS ,so working on my third , as with every aspect of Life , there are rules for safety , be responsible for yourself for the sake of your family and the other guests , common sense , relax and enjoy , if you can’t , don’t visit WDW , go to your local zoo .
It is bc Disney has allowed alcohol at the parks now. Stop allowing it and the fighting will go away. This should have never been allowed. These are parks with lots of children and supposed to be a happy place. Walt would have never allowed alcohol.
Exactly, should be zero fights in Disney World, a lot of these fights are because the people attending Disney are there just to drink , especially the locals they don’t do anything but drink and cause problems. You can pick them out from a mile away , to them it is a local theme park and they don’t cherish the moment
Definitely letting a lot of trash in , Magic Kingdom looked like a ghetto on Xmas day
At Disney world right now , and all of these posts are so true . As a DVC member for 16 years , I have never been so disappointed with Disney. The parks have become absolutely filthy and the attendees are getting more and more disgusting behavior wise. You can see the parks are attracting a different class of people. The resorts definitely have people getting dropped off in white vans , I have seen it my last two trips. Disney needs to have a huge crackdown. People spend money to have peace and quiet at high end resorts not for ghetto riff raff to be walking around. Bob Chapek destroyed Disney, so hopefully 2023 some big changes come and Disney Magic returns.
Depends on the intensity. There are fights and there are FIGHTS!
2 people fighting is NOT a big fight!!
You’re in Disney World and two people fighting is a big fight and really dumb, in my opinion.
Hey Tara!
Good Morning!
Whom did you contact about this?
Hi Jack!
It actually has a very simple solution:
The way for Dis to limit it, ie STOP IT, would simply be for Dis to first contact the AirBnB individual and advise him he is to stop/remove the listing immediately. If he hasn’t in a 48hr- Dis attorneys should issue a cease and desist to ABB’s attorneys, advising them they will be held solely responsible for all incidents linked to said activities.
It’s not a matter of if but when… someone’s child is going to be touched and/or taken, someone is going to be sexually assaulted and/or robbed at gun point (think about it- nowhere has there been a security check & again- NONE are registered w Dis in ANY fashion, not even as theme park guests; LE will be SOL), and we already know theft/smash n grabs etc have become issues in the resort parking lots… for which we all pay to park in now.
Of course- the resorts are there for all Dis guests to enjoy. One may be staying POFQ, have a MK park reservation, & ride the monorail over to see what the Poly is all about. But again- they’re registered & w bands, easily tracked. Even a person w just a theme park ticket is now on file, camera, & more. That there seems to be no concern about this, but they want to be sure their resort guests pay to park their car, kinda says it all
Last wk Dis announced they’re going to ‘stop’ folks from parking free at resorts by placing pick up food orders & then heading to parks from there. Little issue w that; Resort guests need the room to park now that ME is gone. But still seems they’re very concerned w collecting parking fees from ppl they themselves admit have at least reserved a meal & a theme park. Protecting guests/children from unknowns, creating a near pub crawl situ @ 3 of their deluxe resorts (6 if one includes Bay Towers & the Villas at GF & Poly), & ensuring they provide the amenities promised to paying, registered Resort guests… not so much. *sigh*
I do think your idea of providing a theme park ticket or resort ‘key’ frankly a good one for the purchase of alcohol. “I’ll just need to see your rm key or park ticket & an ID, pls” w a smile not *too* awkward lol Dis should also post a CM at ropes for these viewing areas to check for same. But for me, the biggest problem remains- unregistered unknown adults are wondering these resorts for hours in the evenings… resorts that are packed w children. Can the potential be removed for a bad actor accessing resorts? No. Could this nightly ritual of bringing in double digit numbers be stopped? Absolutely!!
Probably most egregious- this individual apparently cares not that he may be driving a predator to his dream ‘buffet’, setting him lose for hours, and finally- helping him to abscond. As long as he is lining his pockets, no matter. $MH
Maybe this too will be stopped w the changing of the guard, but considering it was reported twice and nothing happened- little hope. Iger has his hands full; 2 years is not very long in the corporate world/scheme of things; it typically takes a min of 2x as long to unwind a mess a previous executive has created. I suppose we should all just be grateful BP didn’t turn it into a money maker by selling Dis themed child leashes.
Wow! Never heard of that! Amazing loophole! Trying to think practical ways to limit it. Only thing that comes to mind is that you’d have to show either a park ticket for that day or a hotel “key” or dinner reservations to drink. It’d be awkward at best and, of course, Disney wants the booze bucks so they won’t be inclined to try to limit this.
No, this is happening on Cruise ships too. Alcohol (large amounts)has been common place on Cruises, but fighting was not until recently times.
Of course it was the responsibility of those involved, BUT, as it does on many occasions, alcohol apparently exacerbated and amplified poor behavior. . . . . Dude.
We have been going to Disney for over 20 years and just visited over Thanksgiving break for the last time. Disney used to be about putting their visitors first but now it feels like they are just sucking the dollars out of your wallet as fast as possible. The magic is truly gone. It feels like a state fair.
What segment are you referring to?
It’s ETHOLOGIST, not ethnologist (sometimes I hate autocorrection). Walt never wanted to serve alcohol in his parks.
John B Calhoun, an ethnologist at the National Institutes of Mental Health in the ‘60s, produced animal experiments with results just like the described violent behavior.
If you go on AirBnB experiences, someone is taking a lg van load of ppl in sevl nts a wk to roam the Poly, Grand Floridian, & Contemporary free of any hotel reservation & w only a dining reservation for the ‘host’ & perhaps a guest or 2 which provides entry & parking. There is no record anywhere of these individuals being on site- not registered as resort, dining, or even theme park guests. Selling points of this ‘experience’ which is NOT run by Dis btw but apparently a private citizen- The bars & lounges at ea resort where these unregistered ‘day guests’ can belly up to the bar for hrs prior to fireworks… which they can then watch from ‘amazing’ viewing areas.
A) What about the actual resort guests who are actually paying to stay in the resorts, in part for these amazing views?? Viewing areas which are in fact for registered Resort guests.
B) Restaurants & lounges are stocked & staffed according to reservations, hotel occupancy ie registered guests, & in part- theme park reservations for spillover. This ‘experience’, aka selfish money grab, creates an opportunity for registered guests to be left high & dry (literally) as well as for poor cast members to deal w their (legitimate) ire. The AirBnB dude just gets in his van and leaves. SMH
C) Most important BY FAR- actual resort guests are surely unaware groups of unregistered persons are being brought in nightly to wander these 3 Deluxe Resorts & their grounds freely, unsupervised, for HOURS. The prime concern: There are children EVERYWHERE. Good grief!!!! But it also invites the potential for theft in car lots, danger for women traveling alone, and much more.
Little doubt that the majority of individuals who purchase this ‘experience’ on AirBnB are good ppl who merely wish to see a few resorts they otherwise might not. But there is a SERIOUS security issue here. Bad actors tend to know their way around ‘road blocks’, but this is an actual Welcome mat! Dis has been notified of the AirBnB experience- TWICE- and last time checked, it remained listed and actives.
Sad… and SCARY.
What happened to personal responsibility? One person blames alcohol, the next Disney. It is solely on the person who decided to lay his hands on another. Stop making excuses for poor behavior. Dude Maintain!
Your second and third sentences are completely correct. Unfortunately your first sentence is not.
Civility in the United States is at an all time low. Disney pushing more alcohol does not help. But they get huge profits from alcohol sales.
Honestly, I think it’s a combination of the alcohol and the current lack of respect that a lot of folks have in our world at the moment. I like to have an adult beverage but never have I felt the need to go to Disney and get hammered. Why would I want to miss out on the magic under an altered state of mind, or worse yet, drunk as a skunk. I wouldn’t be in the least upset if they stopped serving alcohol in at least the Magic Kingdom.
This has nothing to do with alcohol. Our culture is changing. People are losing their civility and manners.
I completely agree – in the parks, on planes, road rage….Many people are just so angry and unappreciative of how well we actually have it in this country. Makes me so sad.
Stop the serving the booze and remove the trash they let in!
I wonder if the increased sale of alcohol at Disney parks has any correlation to the increased in fights
Ya gotta love selfish people who ruin it for others. Maybe Disney ought to start limiting drinks to two per customer? Of course this will ruin things for people who actually know how to enjoy themselves in public. It’s a pity that responsible people always seem to have to suffer restrictions because of a small segment of the population who feel the necessity to act stupidly but this is fast becoming the norm.