Universal bans hundreds of underage drinkers during Horror Nights

[Disneyadore]

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer October 23, 2008 Not one sip.

That's Universal Orlando's policy toward underage drinking -- a zero-tolerance stance that is getting hundreds of people banned from the resort this month during its annual Halloween Horror Nights festival, which takes place evenings every weekend.

Robert Viands of Plantation learned the hard way Saturday after he bought an alcoholic "Jell-O shot" from a roaming vendor -- then let his 17-year-old daughter, Ashley, have a taste. He said the two of them and his daughter's friend, Sergio Jacas, 18, were quickly escorted out of the park and given trespass warnings that prevent their return.

"We have an aggressive zero-tolerance approach to underage drinking. It's against the law, and it's unsafe and we take it very seriously," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder explained -- even if it's just a sip. "We make no exceptions."

Last Friday and Saturday, Universal kicked out at least 127 people for underage drinking, underage possession of alcohol or providing alcohol to a minor. Many more may have been ejected; Orlando police, in releasing those trespass reports to the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday, noted that paperwork was not yet finished for about half of all the Universal trespass cases from last weekend.

Halloween Horror Nights is particularly popular with teenagers and young adults, and beer and stronger booze are sold by street vendors during the event.

Schroder insisted vendors carefully check patrons' identification cards. He would not comment on specific arrangements, but resort security and police are known to watch the crowd closely.


How warnings work
When someone is issued a trespass warning, there is no immediate criminal offense, provided the person leaves peacefully. However, if someone returns before the warning's expiration date, that person can be arrested and charged with either a first- or second-degree misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. Universal's warnings cover the entire resort property, including its three resort hotels.

"They obviously have a beverages license they want to protect," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, an Orlando Police Department spokeswoman. "It's private property."

Normally, a person is banished for one year. Viands said he was afraid he, his daughter and Jacas were about to be arrested Saturday night, so he refused to cooperate fully -- and wound up being banned from the resort for life.

He said he's writing to Universal higher-ups to appeal the lifetime ban, but he also complained that even the one-year banishment imposed on his daughter and Jacas was too much, considering all that happened was that he let his own daughter taste his drink.

'It's a lose-lose'
"It's a lose-lose for all involved. We go there all the time, stay in the hotels, spend money. We're not bad people. They're kicking out good people as well as the bad," Viands said. "It's not like we're teenagers who would go there and get drunk and start a fight."

Police and Universal security stay busy during the resort's annual Halloween event, which is a separate, nighttime admission. In addition to those kicked out for underage drinking last weekend, at least 69 other visitors were "trespassed" for other reasons, ranging from public urination to marijuana possession. Some were tossed for fighting, shoplifting or even line jumping.

Among the trespass warnings obtained by the Sentinel, 115 cited underage drinking or alcohol possession, while 12 targeted people age 21 or older -- such as Robert Viands -- who provided alcohol to a minor. The vast majority of those issued warnings were white, and most were from out of town, most typically from South Florida or the Tampa Bay area.

The youngest person busted for underage drinking was a Parkland teen several months shy of his 15th birthday. The oldest was a man from Ormond Beach who was just a week from Florida's legal drinking age of 21.

Orlando lawyer Jon Gutmacher said he gets many calls from people seeking his help after receiving trespass warnings at Universal or Walt Disney World.

He said there's not much he can do, beyond recommending that the person write the resort a nice letter seeking mercy, as Viands plans to do.

"It's insane," he said. "Unfortunately, the way the statutes are written, you can trespass anybody you don't want on your property."

Universal's zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking is not limited to Halloween Horror Nights.


Banished for life
Kathy Sherback, 47, of Tampa said she, her then-18-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter were banished for life from Universal's CityWalk dining district Sept. 5 after security saw her son holding her margarita.

That case led to criminal charges when the Sherbacks' encounter with Universal security and Orlando police became heated and turned into a physical confrontation.

But it all started, she said, when she handed her drink to her son to hold while she fished around in a bag she was carrying.

"It was just getting ridiculous," she said.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I can understand being asked to leave but to be bannished for life? The case of a mom asking her child to hold their drink while she looked in her purse, that is crazy. I don't drink but I am always asking my kids to hold something for me while I am looking in my purse, be it my keys, my water bottle, my camera what have you... I would know my child enough to know that if I did have a drink and asked them to "hold" it, they would do just that, hold it, not drink it. If they are going to banish her for life, why fight something like that.. they don't want your money.. why force them to take it... There are other theme parks to go to...

I agree, they should be tossing out under age drinkers, but they should really watch if the person is drinking or not.

 

[Purseval]

I can understand being asked to leave but to be bannished for life? The case of a mom asking her child to hold their drink while she looked in her purse, that is crazy.

No, it's a case of a mom saying she asked her child to hold a drink. You have no idea what actually happened.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

No, it's a case of a mom saying she asked her child to hold a drink. You have no idea what actually happened.

I am going by an article, where you there? I am not being nasty by asking, but if you were not there then you do not know either... If you do know what happened, please tell us since the article seemed to give the mom's version.

 

[JLTraveling]

This is a sensationalist article (in the Sentinel? No way! ), designed to stir people up. It's true that a one year trespass is the standard for dealing with major rule-breaking, from underage drinking to punching a scare-actor.

Trespasses are handed out right and left, especially during HHN. You do something majorly stupid, you're getting trespassed for a year. You escalate it, you're trespassed for life. You escalate it further, you're going to jail. It's a cut and dried, quick resolution system for handling things when there are thousands of guests and incidents popping up right and left.

But, here's the part the Sentinel isn't saying. Every single trespass can be contested. Do they tell you that at the time? Sure, if you ask politely. Not if you're being confrontational.

There's a review procedure in place for contested trespasses, that takes place after the fact, when there is time and energy to review the facts of the situation. Cases like the mother having the kid hold the drink while she fished through her purse, if true, are likely to be easily overturned. The father who didn't cooperate when caught giving his kid a sip of his drink? That might be a little tougher.

I'm not involved with trespasses, so I'm just working off my knowledge from 16 years of working off and on at the parks, but my info is correct to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Metro West]

This is a sensationalist article (in the Sentinel? No way! ), designed to stir people up.

Right...that NEVER happens!

 

[inkkognito]

I love how the Slantinel only interviews the poor "wronged" souls. Maybe they should interview some of us who love the zero-tolerance policy and who are happy to see the trouble-makers bounced. We've been to HHN 11 times this year and I've already lost count of the trouble-makers I've seen getting hauled off. Not one of them looked like a poor, innocent, misunderstood person to me.

 

[Purseval]

I am going by an article, where you there? I am not being nasty by asking, but if you were not there then you do not know either... If you do know what happened, please tell us since the article seemed to give the mom's version.

You just answered your own question, it only gave the mom's version. Taking that story on face value alone would have us believe that some cop decided that things were kind of boring so why not find some innocent family and ban them for life.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

You just answered your own question, it only gave the mom's version. Taking that story on face value alone would have us believe that some cop decided that things were kind of boring so why not find some innocent family and ban them for life.

I can see the police making a mistake. Once the mistake is made, the mom gets out of hand, therefore she gets into the confontation she was in and banned for life.. yes, I can see that happening. Can't you? I have seen innocent people getting blamed for things they did not do and this could be the case. Can you honestly say that everyone who has been accused of something is guilty of it?

Nearly 16 years ago Wal-Mart security grabbed me from behind, while I was at the register. They were accusing me of trying to steal a pair of "bow-biters" (they are the things that went on kids shoe laces). They saw my DD pick them up off he floor in the electronic department and hand them to me. They followed me all around the store while I shopped. When I went to the register, I asked the clerk where they kept them because we wanted to purchase them, but not that pair since the weren't in a package. The clerk looked them and said they did not belong to the store, a child must have lost them. We continue checking my items out, I got ready to pay and 2 security men came from behind and grabbed me. They said they were waiting to see if I was going to pay for the item I was seen picking up in the electronic department. I looked at them like they were nuts. I told them it didn't belong to the store and I was bringing it to the customer service because a child lost them. I had the clerk verify with them I was telling them the truth. It was a mistake on their part! I did nothing wrong, in fact, I was teaching my DD to bring something to customer service to give to the lost and found department. I was humiliated by security and the manager did not apoligize to me ( even after seeing I had spent over $100 in diapers, baby food and formula for my youngest DD). I called their main headquaters and explained what happened. They told me how sorry the were. I refused to step foot in that store for years after that. Why should I give them my money when they did that to me. The only reason why I decided to go back in was because they got a new store manager & the store went to super center. I don't go often but I do go.

I come from a family of police officers so I am not a police basher. I know that they do their job to the best of their ability; however, they are only human and to be human is to occasionally error. That is why there is a Judical System, to hear each case out. Maybe once this is actually heard, and if really true, the decision will be reversed for the mom.. and if I were her, I would be very upset.

Again, I am not saying I condone underage drinking, I do not. What I am saying is, I beleive in hearing everything and that mistakes do happen. I for one do not like seeing drunks puking their guts up, or young drunks running all around Universal. I don't drink and hate to see it. In fact, I hate to walk past someone that is drinking because the smell makes me sick. I am all for tossing the trouble makers (what ever the trouble is) out of the park, but like I said, I am also for being fair.

 

[macraven]

with the large crowds that go to the park, i'm sure some of the "banned for life" still get into the parks.

of course if some one has an ap and is banned and uses it, those individuals would be found out, but the average person that buys a one day ticket could be another story.

when i have seen an individual be in trouble at universal, if they stay calm and just leave the park when asked to, they don't get harsher restrictions.

underage drinking is an issue in all ways of life.
none of us want to see the under 21 crowd drinking.
but when they do, they should be nailed. let universal turn it over to the police then.

 

[elleherself]

A few years ago, 2003 or 2004, my boyfriend at the time and his best friend were both kicked out of HHN and banned for a year from both parks for underage drinking. Considering it is against the law and a criminal offense, I think they got off lucky with just a year ban from an amusement park.

The rules could not be any clearer, and those who violate them do so at their own risk.

 

[donaldduck352]

I've seen my share of people over indulge at the parks.More so at Mardi Gras then HHN..
I love to drink a few myself and know when my cutoff point is at..
But alot donnt and I'm glad too see US takes a firm stance on this.

But I have noticed this past HHN when a person has way too many they act real good around security and cops.But once they are not insight,they are falling allover the place and the actions are totally diff..

As far as underage drinkers,they are no excuse in my eyes.

There is deff two sides too a story,I know!!

I like too see US keep a firm stance on this personally tho!!

 

[princessgirl2238]

I for one absolutely love the zero tolerance policy. I can tell you from my viewpoint working at hhn and having to watch after scaractors, most of the people that hit, harass and anything else they do are drunk people that come to the event. Even though OPD gets many of the underage drinkers, they don't get them all. Combine those with the over age drunk people and we get a lot of scaractors that get hurt. And then the coordinators and management team has to deal with the drunk people who don't understand that being rude and abusive towards the scaractors until OPD arrives- and can I tell you it is the thing i look foward to the least.
The policy for all of Universal's rules reguarding underage alcohol and disorderly contact is that the person is trespassed for a year.
And with the whole "what if it was someone holding something for a minute or so" question, security watches for a little bit to make sure they are 100% sure of the situation before they approach a person.

 

[donaldduck352]

I for one absolutely love the zero tolerance policy. I can tell you from my viewpoint working at hhn and having to watch after scaractors, most of the people that hit, harass and anything else they do are drunk people that come to the event. Even though OPD gets many of the underage drinkers, they don't get them all. Combine those with the over age drunk people and we get a lot of scaractors that get hurt. And then the coordinators and management team has to deal with the drunk people who don't understand that being rude and abusive towards the scaractors until OPD arrives- and can I tell you it is the thing i look foward to the least.
The policy for all of Universal's rules reguarding underage alcohol and disorderly contact is that the person is trespassed for a year.
And with the whole "what if it was someone holding something for a minute or so" question, security watches for a little bit to make sure they are 100% sure of the situation before they approach a person.

I'm not a cop or anything,but I have seen a parent let there child hold a drink and seen them sip it--HUMM I can see the crime then!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jpeppers]

I have no tolerance for underage drinking and I am in law enforcement but I will share my experience with customer service at HHN. I went to make a complaint about what I felt was a very unsafe situation and I also complained about paying for the express pass when in a couple of houses the express line entered through the same line as the regular one so you had to wait just to get to your 15 minute wait. I was treated incredibly rudely by the cast members and told if I didn't leave that they would call the police. Fortunately my friend (who is a supervisor in a law enforcement capacity) told me it was time to quit arguing so we walked away. I felt like I was provoked by the person I spoke too. I do think this was probably just an isolated incident but I want to point out that it does happen although who really knows in this persons case? I will say that I have found the Orlando police to be nothing but professional at HHN but I do think Universal is letting way to may people in on certain nights.

 

[macraven]

I have no tolerance for underage drinking and I am in law enforcement but I will share my experience with customer service at HHN. I went to make a complaint about what I felt was a very unsafe situation and I also complained about paying for the express pass when in a couple of houses the express line entered through the same line as the regular one so you had to wait just to get to your 15 minute wait. I was treated incredibly rudely by the cast members and told if I didn't leave that they would call the police. Fortunately my friend (who is a supervisor in a law enforcement capacity) told me it was time to quit arguing so we walked away. I felt like I was provoked by the person I spoke too. I do think this was probably just an isolated incident but I want to point out that it does happen although who really knows in this persons case? I will say that I have found the Orlando police to be nothing but professional at HHN but I do think Universal is letting way to may people in on certain nights.

universal hires the off duty orlando police for extra security.
did you notice the amount of police in uniform throughout the park?

you are correct about one thing in your post. don't argue with a cop.


a 15 minute wait with an express pass is nothing.
depending on the night you went could make the difference on the length of waits.

this is not the first year that the regular line and express line merge for a house. having the express pass doesn 't mean instant entrance to a house.

If you were at Guest Services to talk to a Team Member and were told to leave by the security there, you would have seen security in an orlando police uniform. very wise decision you made to leave on your own.
security was very strict in the parks for the night i attended hhn.

now that i have reread your post, i am confused.

did you go to guest services, you said you reported an unsafe situation and the complaint of having the ep line merge with the regular line?

i can understand you saying you were provoked, but if you gave the team member's location and time it occurred at g.s. when you reported your experience, they would have made a report on it.

did you do this right when it happened or wait until the end of hhn to do your reporting?

 

[inkkognito]

In the incidents that I have witnessed personally while at guest services or waiting in long house lines, things didn't escalate to involve security unless the person started getting too loud, abusive, or otherwise escalating the situation. They don't just willy-nilly have OPD swoop down on people. As far as I'm concerned they should be extremely strict and stick to their guns at Universal. If they got a reputation of being slack, I can just imagine how quickly things would go downhill. People drink and their brains disappear. If they don't know when to stop, or if they're just a sober jerk with an attitude problem (I've seen those too), let 'em be removed so the rest of us don't have to deal with it.

 

[tochis]

I must thank the person that at least knows not to voice an opinion on their own assumptions but only on what they've read. Unless any of you were there you know not what happened, nor how things escalated that day out of hand by inexperienced security guards and obviously an officer who did not know the law herself. The judge, himself, saw the officer's mistake immediately, the supervisor with Universal Studios apologized that day in court and congratulated me for having the charges totally aquitted, and the state attorney apologized for not knowing all the details to the case and having to put me through all the trouble. My daughter did slap the security guard, this I admit, but the security guard started agressively shoving a camera in our faces without telling us of such and then pushed my daughter agressively only because my daughter tried to block the camera from taking her picture. These security guards were so out of place, made such a big deal over something so minor, and NO, no one informed us at all that we could appeal such a case until everything escalated, and charges were made. You want further information....read the whole case, then judge.

 

[tochis]

I must thank the person that at least knows not to voice an opinion on their own assumptions but only on what they've read. Unless any of you were there you know not what happened, nor how things escalated that day out of hand by inexperienced security guards and obviously an officer who did not know the law herself. The judge, himself, saw the officer's mistake immediately, the supervisor with Universal Studios apologized that day in court and congratulated me for having the charges totally aquitted, and the state attorney apologized for not knowing all the details to the case and having to put me through all the trouble. My daughter did slap the security guard, this I admit, but the security guard started agressively shoving a camera in our faces without telling us of such and then pushed my daughter agressively only because my daughter tried to block the camera from taking her picture. These security guards were so out of place, made such a big deal over something so minor, and NO, no one informed us at all that we could appeal such a case until everything escalated, and charges were made. You want further information....read the whole case, then judge.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I must thank the person that at least knows not to voice an opinion on their own assumptions but only on what they've read. Unless any of you were there you know not what happened, nor how things escalated that day out of hand by inexperienced security guards and obviously an officer who did not know the law herself. The judge, himself, saw the officer's mistake immediately, the supervisor with Universal Studios apologized that day in court and congratulated me for having the charges totally aquitted, and the state attorney apologized for not knowing all the details to the case and having to put me through all the trouble. My daughter did slap the security guard, this I admit, but the security guard started agressively shoving a camera in our faces without telling us of such and then pushed my daughter agressively only because my daughter tried to block the camera from taking her picture. These security guards were so out of place, made such a big deal over something so minor, and NO, no one informed us at all that we could appeal such a case until everything escalated, and charges were made. You want further information....read the whole case, then judge.

that would be me who judges by what she reads and tries not ASSuming anything else unless I was there. Congrats on your case (DD and the camera) and welcome to the DIS Boards.. dispite what you are reading here, it is a nice place... please give us a chance...