The happiest place on earth got decidedly grim last week when a man allegedly attacked a cast member.
The Disney World patron has been banned from the park for life after attempting to cut the line to meet a Disney performer dressed as Mirabel from the 2021 film Encanto.
Diego Rodriguez was visiting Epcot with a woman and child on April 21 and was waiting in line for a photo with Mirabel.
Abandoning patience and decorum, Rodriguez and his family attempted to skip the queue several times and were repeatedly told by the line attendant that it was not possible.
The child then reportedly tried to run to Mirabel but was stopped by the attendant.
The child’s mother tried to get Mirabel to sign their autograph book, but was informed by the cast member playing Mirabel that she was only taking photos at that time, not signing books.
The mother then reportedly brandished the book in Mirabel’s face.
At this point, Rodriguez allegedly grabbed the arm of an attendant and shook her while verbally assaulting her and the cast member playing Mirabel.
Reports claim the man lunged at Mirabel, shouting, “Why can everyone take a picture but us?”
Staff then stepped in, and police officers were called to the scene.
Rodriguez was arrested and held on battery charges at the Orange County Police Department and received a lifetime trespass notice, AKA a permanent ban from all Disney World Resort properties.
This is the latest in a long line (pun intended) of inflammatory incidents at Disney properties.
Last summer, a wild brawl erupted at Disneyland, Shanghai, after a couple and a family of three got into a heated argument over line-cutting.
An intense exchange of words quickly escalated into a fight, with security eventually jumping in to break it up.
In 2023, a physical fight between ten people broke out at Walt Disney World after one family asked another to move over so they could take a photo in front of the park’s 100th anniversary sign.
In 2019, a fight involving at least four relatives broke out in the Mickey’s Toontown section of Disneyland. In a then-viral video of the incident, children could be heard screaming and crying in the background.
In light of an uptick in fights, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World added courtesy sections to the “Know Before You Go” section on their website in 2022, reminding guests that inappropriate behavior can result in being kicked off the property.
Walt Disney World in Florida shares a message encouraging guests to “be the magic you want to see in the world” and to always treat others with respect, kindness, and compassion. The park warns that those who can’t live up to the “simple wish” will be asked to leave the resort.
Further, in the park rules section, line jumping and disruptive behavior are strictly against policy.
“Please show common courtesy to fellow Guests and our Cast Members by not using profanity or engaging in unsafe, illegal, disruptive, or offensive behavior, jumping lines, or saving places in lines for others.”
