Universal's "Brown Shirts" at it again

[Disneyhead]

‘Harry Potter’ Fan Banned From Universal Orlando For One Year – Live Video Explanation Goes Viral

 

[jtsalien]

First, hard lol at 28K views being viral.

I feel for the family, but it's hard to operate in gray areas with stuff like this. Ideally, she doesn't leave the park without being given some sort of recovery for the family first. That should have included the ice cream the kid dropped.

But I can't help from feeling there's more to this story. Doesn't seem like an appropriate reaction from security given her side of the story.

 

[SeventyOne]

"Brown Shirts"? She shoplifted. Universal has a zero tolerance policy--and rightfully so, they've always needed it for over a decade to avoid being the "trashy" cheaper park option in Orlando (why they're so anal about alcohol as well). Does the mom have a cute story about why she didn't do it? Sure. So does every other convict sitting in jail. Security just did their job. It's generous of UOR to refund her tickets.

 

[Andysol]

"Brown Shirts"? She shoplifted. Universal has a zero tolerance policy--and rightfully so, they've always needed it for over a decade to avoid being the "trashy" cheaper park option in Orlando (why they're so anal about alcohol as well). Does the mom have a cute story about why she didn't do it? Sure. So does every other convict sitting in jail. Security just did their job. It's generous of UOR to refund her tickets.

You forgot about her “special needs 9 year old” who doesn’t look special needs that somehow needed to be mentioned to make this story relevant?

Now, she would be the first to argue with you and say that all special needs can’t be visibly seen.

To which I would rebut the same about her shoplifting. They can’t see if you “accidentally stole or not.

At least she was white so discrimination can’t be claimed.

 

[Nick]

Three replies and this thread is already going off the rails.

Reign it in guys.

 

[JoeCamel]

I was more interested in the link to the wand seller story. Not much to see here and UoR was very generous in offering a refund for the tickets. Hope they had a good time at the mouse.

 

[rhino4evr]

I don't know, would you really just leave the gloves out on display if you planned on stealing them? My daughter once walked out a Home Depot with a sprinkler head in her pocket, that we did not see her take. I mean it's not the same scenario but it's close. Futhermore, this is a guest that spent money traveling from IL to FL, and buying theme park tickets, why would she now steal? and right in front of her children?

I tend to believe the mother, sorry folks.

 

[jtsalien]

I don't know, would you really just leave the gloves out on display if you planned on stealing them? My daughter once walked out a Home Depot with a sprinkler head in her pocket, that we did not see her take. I mean it's not the same scenario but it's close. Futhermore, this is a guest that spent money traveling from IL to FL, and buying theme park tickets, why would she now steal? and right in front of her children?

I tend to believe the mother, sorry folks.

Granted, I could not watch the video so I have only read about the account.

But to me, fault lies more with the Store and area TMs than Security. If there really was an ice cream mishap, or this woman was clearly having an issue, someone should have stepped in for guest recovery. Then she likely never leaves the store and security never gets involved.

But once it gets to that point, it's hard to make exceptions. Everyone has excuses when they are caught. It's just too difficult to start trying to make distinctions.

 

[rhino4evr]

I can understand banning them from the park for the day, but for a year? I mean there has to be some common sense involved when dealing with stuff like this. If this was a bunch of local teenagers, where the motive seemed more apparent, then I could understand the harsh sentence.

In this happened in a shopping mall, do you think mall security would ban this family?

 

[fryoj]

My gut feeling is it was probably her reaction to being accused of stealing that got her banned, and not the actual act of leaving the store with them.

 

[Nick]

Granted, I could not watch the video so I have only read about the account.

But to me, fault lies more with the Store and area TMs than Security. If there really was an ice cream mishap, or this woman was clearly having an issue, someone should have stepped in for guest recovery. Then she likely never leaves the store and security never gets involved.

But once it gets to that point, it's hard to make exceptions. Everyone has excuses when they are caught. It's just too difficult to start trying to make distinctions.

My issue is that, if her story is true, this is a guest that spent over $1000 on one day at the park and was clearly willing to keep on spending. If it was really just the gloves and she then told the security officer she was willing to pay, it just seems like an overreach on UORs part when it comes to policy.

Now she could be lying too, i'm not dismissing that. But if telling the truth, it's a little ridiculous to ban someone from the park for a year who was very obviously willing to spend money over gloves.

Based on the pics she has posted from that day of things she bought, i'm inclined to believe her.

 

[jtsalien]

I can understand banning them from the park for the day, but for a year? I mean there has to be some common sense involved when dealing with stuff like this. If this was a bunch of local teenagers, where the motive seemed more apparent, then I could understand the harsh sentence.

In this happened in a shopping mall, do you think mall security would ban this family?

I see what you're getting at. But a company like Universal aka NBC Universal aka Comcast would have far bigger problems than this on their hands, if they attempted to start discriminating punishments and policies like that. Has to be clear and black and white. That's just the way it is.

 

[Mad Dog]

Reminds me of the story of the now Disney Insider (and I believe he confirmed it when confronted) that was banned from WDW for a period of time for shoplifting from WDW stores. Not to name names, but his almost always wrong rumors get quoted here an awful lot.

 

[Andysol]

I tend to believe the mother, sorry folks.

Based on the pics she has posted from that day of things she bought, i'm inclined to believe her.

I believe her too as it relates to stealing. I would think it highly unlikely she tried to steal the gloves.

The ban almost assuredly boiled down to:

1) Her overreaction

2) Security's overreaction

Either is equally plausible.
There's her story, there's the securities story, and there's the truth.
We're only getting her story.

 

[Scott W.]

I’m guessing there is more to this story. Were security already watching her to catch her so quickly or do the shops have all their products tagged?

 

[Teebin]

I’m guessing there is more to this story.

Bingo!

 

[Nick]

I believe her because if you look online and on youtube, there are a lot of stories of people getting banned from Universal for similar reasons. This woman for instance. Pretty much same story.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Disneyhead has had run-ins with security too, hence the thread title. Park security is over zealous at times.

 

[Scott W.]

I believe her because if you look online and on youtube, there are a lot of stories of people getting banned from Universal for similar reasons. This woman for instance. Pretty much same story.

Wow, that's a whole lot more believable.

 

[rhino4evr]

I mean , you have $$$ of merchandise with receipts and they kick you out because someone threw a $4 necklace on you, and you thought it was a Mardi Gras gift? I’m sorry, but I would have fought that so hard if that had happened to me on accident. That’s ridiculous.