crazy fight in Disneyland (Updated, 7/23/19)

I also heard background of people calling 911 early in the fight. I hope that’s not how the park learned of the incident.

My takeaway from this event is that 911 should be the first call made when witnessing an event like this. At least in San Diego North County, when you call the non-emergency line, the recording tells you to call 911 to report a crime in progress.

While horrific, this could actually have been much worse. Seconds can save lives. The security theater at DL does not reliably keep anyone from bringing a knife into the park. In that case, seconds could matter.

I’m sure DL would rather handle it in house, but I am of the opinion that 911 should be the first call to report a crime in progress.
 
Second- undercover security- I know this is a big urban legend, and probably facing a lot of doubt now. I didn’t see it the first viewing- or second, I watched a video suggesting certain guests that got involved were possibly security... then I got my husband to watch it. *He did not want to for a couple of days- I drag him to Disney enough- why would he have to watch THIS happen there?- the point of Disney is getting away, not facing work/normal life.
So, I just showed it to him with the question, if you saw this, at what point would you take us away? Meaning me and our kids. As soon as the video started, he said “now, we’d leave, all of us. This is going to be bad.”
Granted, I realize his specific job, he usually has a warning. I knew he’d see the video and have the instant reaction that this had already evolved beyond de escalation, this is SO beyond that. So anyone suggesting that a security guard, or an ill advised park guest, should have run in by themselves to stop it, that is wrong, it’s the wrong choice, it’s the wrong tactic, I have enough training as a nurse to know that man is dangerous, and everyone just does crowd control until the PD shows up, then it’s all on them.
So I’m glad that was my husband’s response. Because on first viewing, I thought, oh gosh, he’d probably run in to help and get injured, or worse, banned from Disneyland forever.
Due to his training though, his legitimate first reaction was “we’d leave”, I suspect he would have left earlier, and we wouldn’t have witnessed much of anything. His training is more in predicting this stuff.
So- to return to #2- my husband immediately pointed out two guys that came in in T-shirt’s and shorts as being undercover security. I agreed with him, they definitely could be, but he insisted they have to be.
He’s just going off personal experience- for all he knows they are just guys like him on vacation- but he said they acted like they were working, so take that for whatever it’s worth 🤷‍♀️
This article seems to suggest that one of those guys was just a guy on vacation.

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-disneyland-fight-video-20190709-story.html
Edited to add: having reread that article and rewatched the video, I realized that Blair is not the person I initially thought he was... and probably not one of the people your husband identified as undercover security. On additional viewings, I agree with your husband. I think that the guy in black camo shorts and the guy with the backpack may both be undercover security. Later there is a guy in a black polo shirt who also fits the bill, but maybe not so undercover. I’m not sure what his polo shirt is.

Regardless, the guy in the black camo shorts has broken up fights before. This wasn’t his first rodeo.
 
Last edited:
My takeaway from this event is that 911 should be the first call made when witnessing an event like this. At least in San Diego North County, when you call the non-emergency line, the recording tells you to call 911 to report a crime in progress.

While horrific, this could actually have been much worse. Seconds can save lives. The security theater at DL does not reliably keep anyone from bringing a knife into the park. In that case, seconds could matter.

I’m sure DL would rather handle it in house, but I am of the opinion that 911 should be the first call to report a crime in progress.

Very good point. I hadn’t thought of that.
 
I’m sure DL would rather handle it in house, but I am of the opinion that 911 should be the first call to report a crime in progress.
Given criticism over the speed of response, I think Disney needs a review on how they do security in DL. It's definitely a stark contrast to the larger WDW, where a huge security presence is reassuring, and to hear of this incident happening is unlike anything I've ever heard come out of a Disney Park, though I have heard about the case involving a violent Italian father in Epcot years ago.
 




I understand that this incident may cause us to question security at Disney, specifically there seems to be a lot of people questioning how Disney could possibly respond to something more serious if this is how they handle a "simple" fight. I'm not disagreeing that they could take steps to improve their response time, but I think that it would be misguided to draw conclusions to Disney's response to a serious terrorist attack based on their response to this incident. Here's why.

Security CMs are just that, unarmed security staff trained by Disney to handle things like unruly guests and fights. As unsettling as this fight was, it's realistically a minor incident in the larger threat picture for Disney. In the event of a motivated attack, say an active shooter, I don't expect unarmed security CMs to be rushing to the threat, because really what are they going to accomplish. Addressing an attack like that requires the highest level of weaponized violence hyper-aggressively moving to end the threat. If Disney chooses to include this type of a response in their security plan i guarantee it would look nothing like the video and it certainly won't rely on the use of security CMs, at least not the ones seen in the video.

We all know that Disney has multiple layers of security as someone else pointed out. Some we see, some can be spotted by astute observers, some are like Big Foot; you may have heard people talk about it but no one has ever seen it. Assuming Disney does have assets staged inside the parks capable of responding to an attack, you can bet that it would be the Big Foot category and no one will ever see or hear about it. Disney certainly won't tip that hand over a family fight. My only hope is that Big Foot actually does exists in Disney and isn't just another urban legend.
 
Absolutely ridiculous . Imagine if every single person who witnessed this had tossed a cup of cold ice water on a fighting family member... maybe they wouldn't have needed the pathetic DL security "response".
 
Without knowing all the facts about the incident, I wouldn't pronounce judgement on DL security. "Pathetic" is pretty harsh, especially when no one knows the full story yet. I have been helped by Disney security on more than one occasion -- they were hardly "pathetic." In my opinion, treating any other person with that kind of violent behavior, especially in front of children (your own children??), is pathetic and tragic.
The case has been presented to the DA's office: https://abc7.com/police-present-case-to-da-after-brawl-at-disneyland-caught-on-video/5387227/.
 
Last edited:
Without knowing all the facts about the incident, I wouldn't pronounce judgement on DL security. "Pathetic" is pretty harsh, especially when no one knows the full story yet. I have been helped by Disney security on more than one occasion -- they were hardly "pathetic." In my opinion, treating any other person with that kind of violent behavior, especially in front of children (your own children??), is pathetic and tragic.
The case has been presented to the DA's office: https://abc7.com/police-present-case-to-da-after-brawl-at-disneyland-caught-on-video/5387227/.
I don't know this family, but based on the behavior, it does not surprise me they are saying nothing happened. Not only could they be prosecuted, but they may be terrified of what this man will do to them, or that baby, if they talk. What a sad case.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
At the very least they should be charged with a creating a public disturbance and being a public nuisance.

They can't be charged with that unless a victim is willing to press charges as the crime wasn't committed in the presence of a peace officer. Laws of arrest in California.
 
I feel sorry for their kids. Can you believe these people were all family?? I had to watch it a few times to figure why the guy in red started beating on (what I thought was) his own girlfriend/wife.

While I wished security was faster, they were in a weird spot in the park. It's kind of up and off from everything. Probably not too many expected a knock out brawl in the middle of flippin' ToonTown.

I would also add, the real hero is the woman who finally grabs the toddler who is just wandering around in all of this to shelter him. (near the end of the video)
I applaud the poor parkgoers, that lady and the men who stepped in to try to control all this while security was nowhere in sight. I'm normally the first to defend DL, but I was shocked at how long security took to get there. That poor child, and all of the poor kids who saw and heard this going on.
 
I wonder what they could be charged with under current statues.

Likely either misdemeanor domestic battery or felony corporal injury on a domestic partner. While it varies between jurisdictions, these domestic violence charges are generally the only ones that DAs in California will proceed on without a cooperative victim. Misdemeanor domestic battery is an exception to the laws of arrest i mentioned in my last post.
 
First- the uniformed security officers you see at bag check- they check your bags, they stop you from entering, it’s security theater, in the parks, I think they are at best crowd control in this situation =they probably did their job.
Second- undercover security- I know this is a big urban legend, and probably facing a lot of doubt now. I didn’t see it the first viewing- or second, I watched a video suggesting certain guests that got involved were possibly security... then I got my husband to watch it. my husband immediately pointed out two guys that came in in T-shirt’s and shorts as being undercover security. I agreed with him, they definitely could be, but he insisted they have to be.
He’s just going off personal experience- for all he knows they are just guys like him on vacation- but he said they acted like they were working, so take that for whatever it’s worth 🤷‍♀️
3- are there “Disney police”? Or is it just Anaheim PD? There were obvious security in the video, what looked like EMS, someone with a badge on their belt? I can see all the official Disneyland security being very limited by states laws, etc, as far as what they can do due to training, so I’m genuinely curious now.

Disclaimer: I have no inside information on this topic so all my comments are from observing on the outside.

I don't believe there is any kind of "Disney police" in DL. I know WDW has the Reedy Creek Improvement District which kind of grants Disney semi-governement status? Something like that. Either way, there's nothing like that in California and it would require legislative action for Disney to create their police force in DL. Anaheim PD seems to provide a uniform presence on property outside the Parks on a contract basis, basically off duty officers moonlighting. I've never seen Anaheim police officers anywhere other than their fixed posts so my assumption is that Disney is very restrictive on when officers can take action.

I do personally believe that Disney has undercover security. After watching the video I agree with your husband and definitely believe that a couple of people were security. I think that the undercovers' primary mission would be observation and minimal intervention, as that would blow their cover. This fight may not have been something that they want to compromise themselves over. And i'm hoping that if and when the big boom happens that the undercovers are the ones that have the ace up their sleeves so to speak, because the cops at the bag check lines are way too far to be of any help. I'm still holding the faith on this one and fingers crossed we will never have to find out if I'm right or wrong.
 
Last edited:
Disclaimer: I have no inside information on this topic so all my comments are from observing on the outside.

I don't believe there is any kind of "Disney police" in DL. I know WDW has the Reedy Creek Improvement District which kind of grants Disney semi-governement status? Something like that. Either way, there's nothing like that in California and it would require legislative action for Disney to create their police force in DL. Anaheim PD seems to provide a uniform presence on property outside the Parks on a contract basis, basically off duty officers moonlighting. I've never seen Anaheim police officers anywhere other than their fixed posts so my assumption is that Disney is very restrictive on when officers can take action.

I do personally believe that Disney has undercover security. After watching the video I agree with your husband and definitely that believe a couple of people were security. I think that the undercovers' primary mission would be observation and minimal intervention, as that would blow their cover. This fight may not have been something that they want to compromise themselves over. And i'm hoping that if and when the big boom happens that the undercovers are the ones that have the ace up their sleeves so to speak, because the cops at the bag check lines are way too far to be of any help. I'm still holding the faith on this one and fingers crossed we will never have to find out if I'm right or wrong.
Reedy Creek does not have a police force. WDW is under the jurisdiction of the county sheriffs (WDW is in two counties- Orange and Osceola).
 
Reedy Creek does not have a police force. WDW is under the jurisdiction of the county sheriffs (WDW is in two counties- Orange and Osceola).

I know they have their own fire department so i wasn't sure. Thanks for the clarification. So are law enforcement services split between the two sheriff departments along the county line?
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!










Top