Bad incident on our trip

[AngiTN]

I would also let the Taxi dispatch know. It wasn't clear if you used Uber or somewhere else but if it was Uber let them know for sure.

On top of that you can still call Orange County and ask if they had an sheriff's patrolling that area that night and let them know what you experience. I believe that is who would be the actually police department for the Grand Floridan area.

Good point. There will be public liaison/ombudsman at the Sheriff's dept that should know about it. No matter what, there is no reason (based on the info provided thus far) for the officer to escalate the encounter to be so aggressive. Would love for them to provide the federal statute that covers gates at Disney resorts.

I've had to report an issue with a driver in Orlando area and Uber was very responsive. I too think they would want to know the details from your side.

 

[lustergirl]

Is it April Fools Day??

 

[AngiTN]

Why did you go to the Guest Relations at Epcot (which closed at 9pm, the same time your were getting out of dinner) instead of your resort that you posted you were headed to anyway?

Not trying to be confrontational, but really want to know...inquiring minds and all that.

Sounds like OP was at Swan/Dolphin so I guess they went to the nearest Park?

 

[BrianL]

What I don't get is how exactly the passengers in a car are supposed to be responsible for the driver running a gate. Only the driver committed any offence in the scenario (assuming that they did run a gate). I mean, I don't get a speeding ticket if I'm in the passenger seat. I am very curious to know what the sheriff was thinking or really what this was all about.

 

[butternut]

Why did you go to the Guest Relations at Epcot (which closed at 9pm, the same time your were getting out of dinner) instead of your resort that you posted you were headed to anyway?

Not trying to be confrontational, but really want to know...inquiring minds and all that.

I did not go to Epcot that night . As a matter of fact I went no place except back to my room. Had breakfast in the morning and a cast member recommended us to go to Guest relations which we did immediately upon our arrival at Epcot that morning. As I said I really didn't know what to do. I asked at guest relations if I should have called the police department as well and they said they were doing the investigating. Sorry if anyone thinks this is just a story but it's not. Thank you for all your recommendations I appreciate it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Man guys if you think it is fake why not just ignore the thread?

Again OP helpful steps. It is not too late to follow up with the Taxi company and with the Orange County Sheriffs department. With the exact date and time you should be able to get an answer from Orange County on if officers were actually there. Since back up was requested there would be something on file about that as well. If you are unsure which road you are on go to google maps and loop up where you believe it was. Right outside the gates for quite awhile is Floridan Way. It stays Floridan Way until it passes the car care center. Providing as much information as possible will help OC know if you were stopped by someone pretending to be an officer or an actual police officer.

 

[AngiTN]

I'd contact Uber right away.

 

[momrek06]

Aren't there cameras all over Disney property?

I am sure a camera would have caught all this as it appears OP, you were there awhile.

 

[wilkeliza]

Aren't there cameras all over Disney property?

I am sure a camera would have caught all this as it appears OP, you were there awhile.

Not really all over. You would notice if there were cameras on ever street as there would have to be a pole that holds them.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I'm confused as to how a golf cart can make a car pull over. Cars are much faster than golf carts. Did the golf cart have red & blue police-like lights on it? I've been pulled over more times than I'd like to admit, but no police officer has ever threatened a gun on me (it's all been minor traffic infractions) or asked for the ID of my passengers. I've also been in a car when the driver was pulled over and was not asked for ID. Running a gate on Disney property is hardly a federal offense.

It is good that you went to guest relations. It sounds like the main point of this thread is you trying to figure out if you did the "right" thing. Kindly, I would tell you that the optimal thing to have done would have been to call the police. Better yet, call the police while you're still in the Uber car on the way to your hotel. The guest relations people at Epcot couldn't do anything for you or about the situation 12+ hours after it happened.

 

[butternut]

I did not go to Epcot after dinner. As a matter of fact I went strait back to my resort. I went to Epcot as planned for that day and Immediately to guest relations. I did ask them if I should also contact the police about it and they said they would do the investigating. Please I hope no one thinks this is just a story because it's as real as can be. Thanks to everyone for your advice. Oh and yes it was Uber that we used that night.

 

[wilkeliza]

I did not go to Epcot after dinner. As a matter of fact I went strait back to my resort. I went to Epcot as planned for that day and Immediately to guest relations. I did ask them if I should also contact the police about it and they said they would do the investigating. Please I hope no one thinks this is just a story because it's as real as can be. Thanks to everyone for your advice. Oh and yes it was Uber that we used that night.

Personally I wouldn't let Disney handle the investigation solely on themselves. I would do as I suggested in other posts. That would give me peace of mind on for myself if it had happened to me.

 

[Hikergirl]

I'm not sure if this is where to ask this info or not . Sorry if it's not. On Sunday October 9th my son and I went to GF for dinner from S/D. Upon finishing around 9 pm we called for a car to take us back to our report. About one minute into our drive we were approached by a man on a golf cart and made the car pull over. He began ranting that we ran a gate ,which there was no gate or I'm sure we would have felt it hit the car. This man said he was a sheriff and had a gun with his hand on it and began interrogating us as if we were criminals. Told us we were going to jail and began calling for back ups to come assist him . This went on for 10 minutes and I can't even begin to tell you how scared and upset we were. We told him where we were and where we were going and he told us we were lying. His back ups came and made us pull over to another area and began questioning more, took our identification(our license) and told us we committed a federal offense. Now we know nothing about the roads in Disney or how to drive anywhere around there so we rely on cabs users or the Disney bus. After quite some time they let us leave and told us never to come back . The driver and my family were all at this time crying hysterically as we left. Has anyone ever come across anything like this. I went to Guest Relations but don't know if that was the right thing to do or not. Any help with this?

What questions did they ask you? I wonder if the driver did something before she picked you guys up. Just because she was crying and claiming to be innocent doesn't mean she was.

 

[butternut]

He asked what we were doing there and our response was we went to Grand Floridian Cafe for our ADR. Then he asked about running the gate and we said we did not run a gate. Then asked where we were staying and we told him S/D so then he said you are lying you just told me you were staying here. We NEVER told him that. That's when he called back up began his badgering. I will give Disney till tomorrow and then will follow up with the police department as some have advised on here. This man questioned us as if we knew where we were going on the roads which we did not. We are from Pennsylvania and have never driven a car on Disney property but all I can say is it was less then a minute from the time we entered the car till the golf cart appeared.

 

[AngiTN]

He asked what we were doing there and our response was we went to Grand Floridian Cafe for our ADR. Then he asked about running the gate and we said we did not run a gate. Then asked where we were staying and we told him S/D so then he said you are lying you just told me you were staying here. We NEVER told him that. That's when he called back up began his badgering. I will give Disney till tomorrow and then will follow up with the police department as some have advised on here. This man questioned us as if we knew where we were going on the roads which we did not. We are from Pennsylvania and have never driven a car on Disney property but all I can say is it was less then a minute from the time we entered the car till the golf cart appeared.

Did you ever tell him it was an Uber ride and not your car?

 

[ELSA711]

Did you ever tell him it was an Uber ride and not your car?

Right, I'm just wondering why he questioned everyone? Maybe the driver did something prior to picking up the guests.

 

[AngiTN]

And honestly, I would not be waiting for Disney to do anything. The more time passes, the more you forget, they forget, etc.

 

[Oswin]

It honestly sounds like the driver had done something suspicious before picking you up, and when you all got in the car you were lumped in with the driver. They could have been using the gate as an excuse to stop the car and hold you all because they suspected something else. Likely something to do with drugs.

 

[ELSA711]

Can't the OP report this to Uber as well? Not familiar with Uber but the drivers are all employees, correct? I mean I would think the Uber driver would have reported something.
If this happened and someone claimed to be a police officer, Disney or not. I'd be calling the police department.
Disney isn't a Utopia, call the police.

 

[AngiTN]

It honestly sounds like the driver had done something suspicious before picking you up, and when you all got in the car you were lumped in with the driver. They could have been using the gate as an excuse to stop the car and hold you all because they suspected something else. Likely something to do with drugs.

Even more of a reason to report it to Uber