The Sean incident on the show today.

[disneyland_is_magic]

Two additional thoughts specifically on the initial encounter inside HDD.

I know the tip is included but I am sure some parties leave additional tips occasionally, guests may be particularly generous during the holidays. Security chasing guests out before dessert is over sure keeps people from reaching for their wallet. I would have thought the dining staff would have become involved?

I also have worked retail and we had clear directions on what could be said at closing and by who and a timeline of executing subtle tricks like flipping lights, turning off music, etc.
I would think the HDD, being the longest running dinner show would have a well-oiled system to execute turning over and closing the dining room, and all CMs would know this routine and recognize this had gone rogue. It would seem they would have established policies where guests of the cast are allowed to wait. I am surprised restaurant staff didn’t intervene or alert their chain of command, unless they also were complicit?!
Just that initial encounter baffles me how systemic failures allowed this to occur.

 

[SoarinSC]

He also helped escalate the issue. No clean hands in this situation.

Duuude...no...so disagree...one and only one party escalated this.

 

[hertamaniac]

In thinking about this situation further, I have questions that I don't have clear-cut answers to:

Is Disney within it's rights to ask/demand a guest's phone/camera in an incident like this? Conversely, does a guest have a right to refuse to give Disney a cell phone/camera?

Is Disney being on private property have rights that allow them to perform a "confrontational" approach? Is it subjective?

If a guest does an obscene gesture towards a CM and/or Disney security, are there potential legal ramifications being onsite?

If a guest takes unsolicited photos of a Disney CM, is this in violation of a legal right of Disney? Does this apply to Disney security as well?

I honestly don't know the answer to any of these questions, but it did make me think about this type of situation.

 

[Jennasis]

I assume security is run by a third party in this situation. I also assume that Shaun received an acceptable apology and no ramifications to his brother. With the amount of time that has past, we would have been told otherwise on the show this week.

 

[Brianstl]

In thinking about this situation further, I have questions that I don't have clear-cut answers to:

Is Disney within it's rights to ask/demand a guest's phone/camera in an incident like this? Conversely, does a guest have a right to refuse to give Disney a cell phone/camera?

Is Disney being on private property have rights that allow them to perform a "confrontational" approach? Is it subjective?

If a guest does an obscene gesture towards a CM and/or Disney security, are there potential legal ramifications being onsite?

If a guest takes unsolicited photos of a Disney CM, is this in violation of a legal right of Disney? Does this apply to Disney security as well?

I honestly don't know the answer to any of these questions, but it did make me think about this type of situation.

Is Disney within it's rights to ask/demand a guest's phone/camera in an incident like this? No.

Conversely, does a guest have a right to refuse to give Disney a cell phone/camera? Yes

Is Disney being on private property have rights that allow them to perform a "confrontational" approach? Is it subjective? Disney can be "confrontational" with their customers if they choose, but it isn't good business.

If a guest does an obscene gesture towards a CM and/or Disney security, are there potential legal ramifications being onsite? NO

If a guest takes unsolicited photos of a Disney CM, is this in violation of a legal right of Disney? Does this apply to Disney security as well? When in a public place with no expectation of privacy, like HDD, if you can see it you can take a picture of it. Solicited or not.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Actually many of the Disney security officers are trained law enforcement professionals who have retired and moved to FL.

Which is a giant problem in itself.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I kind of hope Josh Demaro somehow catches wind of his episode. Or that Pete contacts him directly. What Disney should do is make an example of this security guard and penalize him to the fullest extent legally possible, especially since he has a history.

 

[Ross Kratter]

I kind of hope Josh Demaro somehow catches wind of his episode. Or that Pete contacts him directly. What Disney should do is make an example of this security guard and penalize him to the fullest extent legally possible, especially since he has a history.

I would think that Pete has already been in touch with Josh D’Amaro.

 

[Heather07438]

The common thread I see about WDW guest security complaints is they initially feel targeted and it escalates to unnecessary relentlessness. Like Sean and his family, others were not behaving abnormally when they were abruptly singled out provocatively. Security's frustrations should never be vented out on guests, even on Christmas Eve.

Pics and booze must be some of the magic words that help to defend themselves after over-reaching with their control/attitude, and divert attention away from their own behaviors that incited the conflict. With dispositions like that, they're probably very experienced covering their ****

 

[revdon64]

I can't get over the "unlock your phone and hand it to me" thing.

Sure, let me just surrender my civil rights so you and your co-workers can avoid being embarrassed because of your poor customer service skills. You want my phone? Call the police, get a judge, and get a warrant.

 

[Jennasis]

Let's not forget they confiscated his brother's cast member ID badge.

 

[KingLlama]

The security guard should be fired, and so should Duffy.

The security guard because of what happened with Sean that night at HDD.

Duffy because he's terrible in general.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm glad he didn't give up his phone. Know your rights. You don't have to give the police the unlock code for your phone, you definitely don't have to give it to any security guard.

Slightly off topic but make sure you have to enter a code to unlock your phone for every use. Not a fingerprint or facial recognition but a code. It is not yet settled law that your fingerprint or facial recognition is testimony and covered by your fifth amendment rights while a password and pass code are. There have been rulings both ways regarding biometrics and is one of the reasons I never use anything other than a code to unlock my phone.

 

[Abbie135]

So sorry to hear of Sean’s bad experience. I have cancelled a reservation next month for an 8:30 performance at Hoop. This was to celebrate my Daughter’s birthday. Will find another restaurant off property to celebrate. We do have other reservations on property, but I will be scaling those back also. I’m really tired of lack of customer service and over priced dining options. The Orlando area has very diverse and wonderful dining options to choose from. Time To Explore!

 

[gharter]

I kind of hope Josh Demaro somehow catches wind of his episode. Or that Pete contacts him directly. What Disney should do is make an example of this security guard and penalize him to the fullest extent legally possible, especially since he has a history.

Except the problem is not just the Security Guard.
He may have had a job to do of clearing the restaurant as quickly as possible and did it very poorly.
I find the behavior of his superiors a much bigger problem. The one that "didn't want to embarrass her staff ,the one who wanted his phone, and the one who took his brothers ID and threatened his job.

The problem there lies in management almost more than the guard. Their behavior shows that this behavior is condoned and protected.

I am glad that we have never had a situation with a security guard like that in all the years we have travelled there.

 

[Fred M]

If a guest takes unsolicited photos of a Disney CM, is this in violation of a legal right of Disney? Does this apply to Disney security as well? When in a public place with no expectation of privacy, like HDD, if you can see it you can take a picture of it. Solicited or not.

It won't violate Disney's rights to take a picture of a Cast Member. You can also generally take a Cast Member's photo, but depending on what you do with the photo, that's when you have things to consider (e.g. privacy rights of the Cast Member under Florida law, is the photo part of hate speech or online bullying).

Speech critical of Disney isn't a legal problem (aka not defamation). But if you do it on their property, they can always ask you to leave.

For me personally, I'd have no problem taking a rude CM's photo to forward to Disney to say "this is the CM in question." But I wouldn't post the photo on the boards, Facebook, etc..

 

[sharadoc]

I mostly felt sorry for Sean and his family who had made the brave gesture to go to HDD without their father/husband. I think the security guard who made a statement about "tweeting outside" was the first really rude statement that would have set me off. Like "here is a young guy, he's obviously just wasting his time tweeting. " RUDE!

On another note, we were there on 12/12, first show, and the food was terrible. Mushy chicken and dry hard ribs. I haven't sent my complaint yet but I will. HDD is obviously a bit of an issue for a lot of things.

 

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Your job as a security guard is always always always to deescalate a situation.

A security guard escalating a situation is not keeping people safe. He should be fired.

I personally don't agree with the idea that security guards at Disney need to be nice. It's not their job to be nice. It's their job to keep guests safe.

But then I also think about the cops here in NYC, particularly the ones in Times Square, where part of the job is extensive public interaction and outreach, usually with tourists. I guess I can understand the idea of expecting a similar level of friendliness from Bag Check CMs.

 

[rchristiansen]

I commented on the youtube video already - but wanted to share. Back in 2003 I was yelled at by a cast member at the boardwalk gift shop. Long story short, we didn't want anything, only to file a complaint. The manager insisted some compensation & gave us $200 voucher to use at any boardwalk restaurant!! I don't think that would happen today.

As far as it being a security guard, that would have been so scary. I mean what do you do? Definitely a case of someone abusing their position and they should be let go, or at least demoted and sent to sensitivity training.

 

[AnnMichele]

Something I thought of after watching... Sean mentioned that one of the resort security supervisors said, "You are a guest of your brother's, who works here, and you are putting his job in a jeopardizing position," by Sean threatening to post photos and the story online. While Sean was not in the wrong, there is a valid reason why the supervisor said this. If Sean and his family were at HDD as guests of his brother (i.e., getting some kind of CM benefit, like a discount or something), then, unfortunately, Sean's brother would be held responsible if something bad happened while they were dining or at the resort as his guests.

My sister is an employee at a major hotel chain and, as a sibling, I can book hotel rooms under a friends and family rate. If I were to cause an issue in or with the hotel while staying under my sister's employee rate, she would be held responsible for my behavior. A colleague of hers was fired because the colleague's guests were caught doing drugs in their hotel room while staying under the colleague's rate (aka as the colleague's guests).

Again, the security guard and other CMs are at fault here, not Sean, just wanted to give some context as to why the supervisor pulled that statement out of her pocket.