Tourist brought AR-15 rifle, handgun to Disney World over worries about Orlando protests
By GABRIELLE RUSSON
ORLANDO SENTINEL
OCT 13, 2020 AT 11:58 AM



A South Florida man brought an AR-15 rifle and 9mm handgun with him on his Disney World vacation because he was worried about his family’s safety during the social justice protests in Central Florida last month, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The 43-year-old Palm Beach Gardens man checked into the Polynesian Village Resort with his guns in a tennis bag on Saturday of the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to a newly released sheriff’s incident report.


The man had a concealed weapons permit and was not arrested, so the Orlando Sentinel is not identifying him. Disney stored his guns for him until the end of his trip.

The bellman handling the bag to bring to the man’s room wondered why it was so heavy, made the discovery and reported it to his manager who then contacted the sheriff’s office, the report said.


The Sheriff’s Office questioned the man who told them “he brought the rifle with him for their safety because of the riots and civil unrest going on down south and in the Central Florida area,” the incident report said.

Protestors demonstrated regularly, including near Disney World, after a deputy fatally shot 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin outside the Florida Mall on Aug. 7. And like in many cities across the nation, Orlando has had protests in support of Black Lives Matters downtown as well as near Universal and other surrounding areas throughout the summer.

In addition to the guns, the man brought three rifle magazines with 90 total rounds and two 9mm magazines with 20 rounds total.

The sheriff’s office checked his concealed weapon permit. “We then gave [the man] back his firearms and told him we appreciated his cooperation,” the incident report said.

“No arrests were made because no laws were broken,” the sheriff’s office said Tuesday when reached for comment.

Disney Security held onto his handgun in the hotel’s safe, and the larger rifle was stored at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.


The man did not return a voicemail left on his cell phone for comment.

Disney World policy bans visitors from bringing weapons on its property.

“Our policy is clear that guns or weapons of any kind are not allowed at our resort regardless of whether someone has a permit,” Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said in a statement.

In July, a Georgia woman was arrested for leaving two guns in her child’s diaper bag as her family tried to enter Epcot. Yunique Smith, who didn’t have a concealed firearms permit, pleaded no contest last month to possession of a concealed weapon and was ordered to pay a $535 fine.

grusson@orlandosentinel.com


https://www.orlandosentinel.co...y6fs5z3oq-story.html

One more reason not to visit Disney

What the hell was the bellman doing looking inside his bags and "making the discovery"?

quote:

Originally posted by werzjon229:
The bellman handling the bag to bring to the man’s room wondered why it was so heavy, made the discovery and reported it to his manager who then contacted the sheriff’s office, the report said.

This statement from the article concerns me more than someone bringing a gun into a hotel. If I am reading this correctly the bellman thought the case was heavy so he opened it up, found out what was inside and then proceeded to contact his manager.

First off, I never let any handle my bags when checking into a hotel when I travel with firearms but what gives him the right to open that bag to investigate what is inside it.

I'm only speculating that he opened it but if he did I would be more than slightly pissed that hotel staff was going through my stuff.

Concealed means concealed. Dropping your guns off with the bellman is just stupid. Clearly the bag was unlocked, allowing the bellman to make the discovery.

quote:

Polynesian Village Resort

Not familiar with Disney World. Is this Disney property, part of the complex?

Never actually said the bellman opened the bag. He might have, or maybe he didn't. We don't know what the "bag" looks like. It could have been a soft sided molle covered tactical long gun bag for all we know.

The discovery could have been, "Uh, sir, is there a firearm in this bag?"

quote:

Originally posted by Phred:
Concealed means concealed. Dropping your guns off with the bellman is just stupid. Clearly the bag was unlocked, allowing the bellman to make the discovery.

He brought them with him for protection, but wasn't carrying the pistol.. SMH

quote:

Polynesian Village Resort

It is part of the Disney complex. They do not want firearms on their premises.

quote:

Disney stored his guns for him until the end of his trip.

Good to know Disney provided the service.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Never actually said the bellman opened the bag. He might have, or maybe he didn't. We don't know what the "bag" looks like. It could have been a soft sided molle covered tactical long gun bag for all we know.

The discovery could have been, "Uh, sir, is there a firearm in this bag?"

Per the article, the bag was a tennis bag. You’re right though, there isn’t any detail about the discovery, other than the bellman noticed the bag was heavy.

I’ve been to Disney, taken their bus transportation from the airport to one of their hotels. I handled my bags every step of the way. Guns or not, I prefer not to have others handle my luggage.

No desire to go to Mouse Land, but if I did want to go, the Bellman wouldnt be handling my luggage.

I can see that after the Las Vegas shooting, hotels might be a little sensitive about people checking in with an AR and 90 rounds of 5.56.

In any case, the hotel had a no firearms restriction and this guy could have chosen to stay somewhere else. Their business, their rules. Note that they didn’t kick him out, like they had a right to do, and generally neither Disney nor the cops made a big deal about it.

quote:

The bellman handling the bag to bring to the man’s room wondered why it was so heavy, made the discovery and reported it to his manager who then contacted the sheriff’s office, the report said.

Who the fuck give some random person a bag with an AR-15 or any firearm.

Why is this even news??

There may have or may not have been twice the firearms the last time I happened to be at Saratoga Springs and there was no civil unrest happening.

They pissed me off. I don’t let people take my bags. I have no problem carting them myself.
They have no bell carts available for use “because people steal them” I informed them We had 7 people staying for 10 days so a lot of stuff they said they would send multiple bell hops. I said nope I’ll handle it myself.
I went and found their linen carts and loaded them up with our stuff.

So, if you carry a gun into their facility, what crime are you committing?

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
So, if you carry a gun into their facility, what crime are you committing?

It’s private property and they have signage posted.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
So, if you carry a gun into their facility, what crime are you committing?

It’s private property and they have signage posted.

Yes, I get that.

But, not what I asked.

What crime are you committing?

Disorderly conduct? Some sort of concealed weapon violation? Trespassing?

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
So, if you carry a gun into their facility, what crime are you committing?

It’s private property and they have signage posted.

Yes, I get that.

But, not what I asked.

What crime are you committing?

Disorderly conduct? Some sort of concealed weapon violation?

Trespass, if the party doesn’t leAve when asked to do so by someone in charge, but it’s been 20 years since I lived in fla, but I think it’s only a misdemeanor for trespass.

Cops said no laws were broken