Disney Security Run-in

[civileng68]

I want to let everyone know something that I encountered Tuesday night while leaving the Magic Kingdom. I first want to commend Denise (last name withheld) who is over the Magic Kingdom Van/Traffic/Parking Lot security department as she is VERY serious about misconduct by her employees.


While leaving the Mk we stopped by to pick up our dog at the kennel. While leaving we went down past the Poly and to an intersection. While our side did not have stop sign, the car coming the other way didn't seem to be slowing, so I stopped. When I did so, someone behind me in a van laid on the horn emphatically, which made me very nervous. Out of reaction I went (I am an AP and go to the parks monthly and know there is no stop sign there but didnt want to get hit by the oncoming car who didnt seem to see the stop sign) through the intersection, safely thank god. I was bothered that this person behind me basically pushed me through the interesection when I feared the oncoming car was not noticing he had a stop sign.

We turned left on to World Drive. At the point where the lanes opened up into 3 lanes the van flew past me and I noticed that it was a disney security van. I was very upset by this and then on a mission. I sped up and chased him down. I got up to speed to where I was following him (trying to read the van number) and noticed he was crusing at 70 mph in the 55 mph zone. He then notice I was following him and he problably realized what I was doing (getting his number) and so he start to switch to the slower lane. I then switched with him and at this point, he realized he was busted and tried to get away, so he flipped on his lights and swung into the median and stopped until I passed. then he turned his lights off and continued.

I called Disney security and finally got to the appropriate advisor who I told this story to and gave the van number XXXXX to. In many cases you never know whether they really care or not. THEY DID AT DISNEY. Denise called me back not once but 2 TIMES to speak with me about this on my cell phone and question me more to get more information. She even requested that I email her the situation personally and that it was being taken care of IMMEDIATELY. She said she will not put up with acts like this. I hate to say this but, I have a feeling this person lost their job, but, I cannot believe a security person acted like this.

I just wanted to write this in thankfullness and in gratitude to Disney's security management and wanted to let them know and everyone here know that if you ever have problems with a security officer, report it because they really do care and really will deal with it. Unfortunately sometimes they think they are beyond the law and take advantage of it.

 

[MNSusan]

It is great to hear that Disney takes incidents like that seriously. Can't say I'm surprised, though. Kudos to Denise!

 

[mom2grace]

If that was really the van number, I think you should edit it out!

Good for you! I also will call 911 when people appear to be driving drunk.

 

[afcgirl]

Not to defend the security van driver, but you said you came to a full stop at an intersection that did not have a stop sign? The driver behind you probably did not expect you to stop and possibly honked because he may have been close to hitting you. To come to a complete stop in a road with no stop sign seems dangerous to me. I know that I would have honked at you, and then I would have tried to pass you too.

It is also dangerous to chase someone at high speeds, no matter what the reason, especially over someone just honking at you.

Maybe I am not understanding the facts here?

Edited to add that I didn't mean for this to be so negative, but I have to admit I feel sort of bad if the man was fired just for honking at you and speeding a little. I am sure many of us would be out of work if that was cause for firing!

 

[Sammie]

Not to defend the security van driver, but you said you came to a full stop at an intersection that did not have a stop sign? The driver behind you probably did not expect you to stop and possibly honked because he may have been close to hitting you. To come to a complete stop in a road with no stop sign seems dangerous to me. I know that I would have honked at you, and then I would have tried to pass you too.

It is also dangerous to chase someone at high speeds, no matter what the reason, especially over someone just honking at you.

Maybe I am not understanding the facts here?

Edited to add that I didn't mean for this to be so negative, but I have to admit I feel sort of bad if the man was fired just for honking at you and speeding a little. I am sure many of us would be out of work if that was cause for firing!

Truly makes no difference if there was a stop sign there or not. It is the responsiblity of all drivers to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them and to be ready to stop at anytime.

If I was merging onto a road and felt the approaching car to my right was not stopping, I would do the same thing. The courteous and correct thing for you to do is stop at a safe distance and proceed when they do.

Obviously the van driver learned to drive where you did.

 

[Allison]

Not to defend the security van driver, but you said you came to a full stop at an intersection that did not have a stop sign? The driver behind you probably did not expect you to stop and possibly honked because he may have been close to hitting you. To come to a complete stop in a road with no stop sign seems dangerous to me. I know that I would have honked at you, and then I would have tried to pass you too.

It is also dangerous to chase someone at high speeds, no matter what the reason, especially over someone just honking at you.

Maybe I am not understanding the facts here?

Edited to add that I didn't mean for this to be so negative, but I have to admit I feel sort of bad if the man was fired just for honking at you and speeding a little. I am sure many of us would be out of work if that was cause for firing!

I think 70 in a 55 is more than speeding a little.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

I understand what you're saying on a general level, afcgirl, but it sounds like the van driver was driving alot more aggresively than needed, and it wasn't just a car honking...I think civileng68's actions were appropriate. I have slowed down and stopped numerous times when approaching an unprotected intersection or even green light when it appears side traffic isn't slowing down or paying attention...I've had one too many near misses with cell phone users to take my right-of-way without caution these days.

I'm glad the supervisor was interested and just didn't brush it off, civileng68. Sounds like an incident when I was at the Comedy Club (or whatever it's called) at Pleasure Island. Unwittingly I went during CM appreciation night (Thursday nights?)...if only I would have known...but a couple of off-duty CM's were really acting worse (fighting in line, crude comments during the monologue, etc.) than any guest would ever dare to be. Before I had a chance to speak with the manager, I noticed a supervisor had already taken the offending CM's to the side and gave them the third-degree. I'm sorry to say it felt good, but their actions really influenced my perception of Disney and am glad the supervisors realize this as well.

Kudos to the Disney supervisors....

-R

 

[CalvaryMike]

This is not meant to flame at all, but I also don't advocate speeding to catch someones' license. This meant now there were two vehicles driving recklessly. In the future, I would just report the vehicle and give as much informaton as possible (i.e. vehicle, color, date and time, location, etc.) Disney Security keeps logs on their personnel and they could've probably ascertained the CM by the logs.

 

[Got Quattro?]

Good for you! I also will call 911 when people appear to be driving drunk.

appear

Way to waste the police force.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

Good for you! I also will call 911 when people appear to be driving drunk.

appear

Way to waste the police force

 

[Otter49]

WDW is a place populated by tourists - 50% of whom, in cars, are lost at any given time.

Seeing strange driving behavior - stopping at non-existent stop signs, crossing 3 lanes of traffic so as not to miss the needed left turn, etc. is something that every CM is very well familiar with. And that goes especially for Security I suspect.

This Security CM was just bringing to work the boorish, uncivil, hostile, and agressive behavior that we all witness every day on the roadways and elsewhere. I applaud the OP for reporting this.

On a similar note - in the last 12 months, we have increasingly witnessed Disney buses blowing through red lights at excessive speeds just like the drivers undoubtedly do on their way home in their own cars. I've decided I will now begin discovering vehicle numbers and reporting these incidents whenever I can safely do so.

 

[Joanna71985]

I would have done the same thing. If the other car didn't look like they were going to stop, then I would have stopped. My sister got into a car accident because she thought the car was going to turn, and then they didn't. You can't afford to assume what the other car will do. Rather be safe then sorry. Besides, like someone else said, you're taught to leave enough room between cars in case you need to stop short for any reason (at least I was).

 

[willis37862]

I would have done the same thing. If the other car didn't look like they were going to stop, then I would have stopped. My sister got into a car accident because she thought the car was going to turn, and then they didn't. You can't afford to assume what the other car will do. Rather be safe then sorry. Besides, like someone else said, you're taught to leave enough room between cars in case you need to stop short for any reason (at least I was).

I totally agree with this. It is always better safe than sorry. Fools run red lights and stop signs all the time. And he should have been reported there is no need for recklessness. And he shouldn't have been following so close that he couldn't stop. There are too many bad drivers around.

 

[civileng68]

I totally agree with this. It is always better safe than sorry. Fools run red lights and stop signs all the time. And he should have been reported there is no need for recklessness. And he shouldn't have been following so close that he couldn't stop. There are too many bad drivers around.

Let me clarify that there was no risk of this security officer running into my car, even though that would have been his fault.

We were both already stopped. He simply was impatient. I was stopped at the intersection and he was stopped behind me and got impatient and then just laid on the horn.

 

[pyrxtc]

appear

Way to waste the police force.

you wouldn't call to report a drunk driver !! I have and found out later they were very drunk. the last person I called on was folowed through 3 towns before finally stopping. If the car has repeatedly gone over lines and is swerving, it poses a danger to my family and everyone around me. I had the highway patrol called last night on a 18-wheeler who was driving in front of me with NO LIGHTS ON ! it was black out and no lights on the highway. I almost ran into him cuz I didn't see him tl i was on top of him.

 

[snyderla]

appear

Way to waste the police force.

I'm sure OP doesn't carry a sobriety test and doesn't pull people over to make sure they are actually driving under the influence before calling the police, so as not to "waste" their time. Come on...how else do you get drunk drivers off the street B4 they injure someone? On the highways in the area where I live, drivers are encouraged to pull over and use their cell phones to help get drunk drivers off the streets. We have street signs that say so. Law enforcement here encourages it!

The CM's behavior was totally inappropriate. As stated before, visitors to WDW are sometimes (frequently?) lost and will drive slow or even stop at signs that aren't there. I know the first several times we were there we didn't know exactly where to go and were quite tentative in our driving. Plus, I have been hit twice by drivers that didn't stop for their signs, so I always stop/slow down if someone appears to be driving too fast to be stopping for their sign. I am glad that CM was reprimanded, in whatever way, for inappropriate or possibly dangerous behavior. JMHO.

Lori

 

[afcgirl]

Truly makes no difference if there was a stop sign there or not. It is the responsiblity of all drivers to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them and to be ready to stop at anytime.

I didn't say that it wouldn't have been the security driver's fault had he hit the OP. All I said was that to me it was reasonable to honk at (and then pass) someone that comes to a complete stop on a street where the speed limit is 55 mph. I understand slowing down, but completely stopping seems dangerous.

The OP now says they were both at a complete stop when the van driver started honking, so that changes things. Still, is that really a reason to chase someone doing 70 for honking at you? This is why road rage incidents occur so frequently these days.

Anyway, the point of the post was that Disney responds quickly to complaints so that is a good thing. Didn't mean to sidetrack, just felt a little bad for the van driver.

 

[afcgirl]

I think 70 in a 55 is more than speeding a little.

Not when someone is chasing you!

 

[daisax]

I wouldn't feel bad for him if he got fired -- I'm sure it wouldn't happen on an alleged first offense called in by one person.

My guess from your description of her reaction is that this is a guy who has a laundry list of infractions and she was waiting to fire his butt

Your call just gave her the final momentum to push him out the door.

 

[TSR6]

I honk at people all the time at WDW when they make unnessisary stops.

There are a lot of places at WDW where off ramps dump into NEW lanes, and people always stop at two I take into WDW every day. I'll wait for a stop and go, I figure it takes them a second to realize it's a new lane, but as soon as im sitting there - i honk, as in "Hey, It's a new lane.... lookie there!"

Would I do that in a WDW Co. Vehicle? Oh heck no...