Fight outside Tower of Terror

[thebutcher]

Just a quick update c/o MSNBC.com -

A man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly attacking workers in front of the Tower of Terror ride at Disney's California Adventure Park in Anaheim.

In a YouTube video of the encounter, the man is seen flailing at a security employee and struggling to keep his balance outside the ride. Another employee, dressed in the Tower of Terror bellhop uniform, can be seen asking the crowd to "back up." A woman is heard in the video shouting, "You're in Disneyland ... there are kids here." It was posted on the video sharing site with a caption that reads, "We had a weird day at Disneyland...Fiiiiight!!!"

Police responded to the park at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday to find patrons holding the man down on the ground, NBCLosAngeles.com reported. The suspect was identified as 53-year-old Glenn Horlacher. He was arrested on charges of battery and assault, and released from jail Saturday night, according to NBCLosAngeles.com. A security guard was treated for minor injuries.

"Our security cast member was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for the injuries he sustained and then released," according to a statement released by the park on Monday. "We appreciate the actions of the guests who came to his aid during this uncharacteristic incident."

Investigators were attempting to determine what prompted the altercation, which park officials described as a "very unusual occurrence." Park officials would not, however, quantify how often park visitors are arrested or detained. Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown told msnbc.com on Tuesday that there were no plans to change security procedures at the park as a result of the incident, which she said was still under review.

[LindsayinNJ]

I was really going to avoid reading or watching anything on this, but I watched the iPhone video someone posted on here because I was bored and let me tell you... if I saw this going on when I visited Disney I would be pissed because I do like a sheen of fantasy on my Disney trips where this sort of thing doesn't go down. I would've despised that woman who was standing there just watching, yelling out "helpful" statements like "Stop" & "There's children". -rolls eyes- Somebody likes attention.. I personally think this man is definitely drunk. May be the pepper spray but from his face, how his words come out looks like he was heavily intoxicated and this may seem harsh but I sincerely hope he was banned from Disney for life. He is a sad individual and NO ONE deserves to take the brunt of his stupidity. I feel terrible for that older CM who was pepper spraying him and then got tossed around. That's a terrible thing to happen at "The Happiest Place On Earth". I know not all CMs are happy with their jobs at times, but for the most part I feel there is a sort of reference for working for Disney among CMs and I just would never want that to happen to anyone I know who works at the parks in Guest Relations let alone any CM out there doing any job at the Parks. Really brings to reality how Disney is just a theme park. Let's be real though, this behavior is more Six Flags material.. I find it interesting Disney won't comment on how many people are detained per year. Doesn't surprise me, but I do wonder how frequently assaults happen because honestly I wouldn't expect it to be many at all. I only really hear about people getting out of ride vehicles, not brawls happening at the Parks.

Bottom line: this guy is a jerk who should be banned for life & I feel sorry for the CMs.

[Phylers]

I do wonder how frequently assaults happen because honestly I wouldn't expect it to be many at all.

In all my visits to the parks, I've only witnessed one altercation, and it was a domestic violence thing. From what I heard from a CM, it's uncommon, but it's not unheard of.

In this situation, I feel like the security guard only served to further inflame the situation. I understand he's old and (very) clearly not in the best shape, but he had the unruly guy down twice. In a security situation, he should have pinned the guy down and waited for backup, as the good samaritans did (and good on them - that security CM seemed to have no clue what to do). By just pacing around and continuously pepper-spraying, he did nothing to defuse that situation; quite the opposite, all he did was further escalate it.

Yes, the guy should probably be barred from the park for some period of time, but that security guard should also probably be reassigned to a backstage role.

[crazybones27]

In all my visits to the parks, I've only witnessed one altercation, and it was a domestic violence thing. From what I heard from a CM, it's uncommon, but it's not unheard of.

In this situation, I feel like the security guard only served to further inflame the situation. I understand he's old and (very) clearly not in the best shape, but he had the unruly guy down twice. In a security situation, he should have pinned the guy down and waited for backup, as the good samaritans did (and good on them - that security CM seemed to have no clue what to do). By just pacing around and continuously pepper-spraying, he did nothing to defuse that situation; quite the opposite, all he did was further escalate it.

Yes, the guy should probably be barred from the park for some period of time, but that security guard should also probably be reassigned to a backstage role.

This!! I said the exact same thing to JT while he was watching it this morning. I said I didn't understand why he peppered the guy twice when all he was doing was wiping his eyes. He wasn't doing anything. He didn't even flinch and he sprayed him. I mean where the heck was security in getting there for back up? You see Mall cops running full speed when they hear the word shoplifter. There are enough tunnels that security could have been there a bit aster to back the guy up I think .

[Phylers]

This!! I said the exact same thing to JT while he was watching it this morning. I said I didn't understand why he peppered the guy twice when all he was doing was wiping his eyes. He wasn't doing anything. He didn't even flinch and he sprayed him. I mean where the heck was security in getting there for back up? You see Mall cops running full speed when they hear the word shoplifter. There are enough tunnels that security could have been there a bit aster to back the guy up I think .

I don't know how DLR's park is laid out for security routes, but based on that day in MK, WDW security can be on the scene in under about 90 seconds.

When I saw the incident, I casually walked over to the nearest CM at the souvenir kiosk (near the Snow White bathrooms) to ask if someone should maybe notify security, and he quietly said, "it's been taken care of. [pause for five seconds] And there they are." Sure enough, three security guards, one Guest Relations CM, and someone who was clearly in charge of something came briskly strolling from out of nowhere!

[lintman]

This!! I said the exact same thing to JT while he was watching it this morning. I said I didn't understand why he peppered the guy twice when all he was doing was wiping his eyes. He wasn't doing anything. He didn't even flinch and he sprayed him. I mean where the heck was security in getting there for back up? You see Mall cops running full speed when they hear the word shoplifter. There are enough tunnels that security could have been there a bit aster to back the guy up I think .

There are no tunnels in DCA and only a couple in DL.

I don't really know where security is in the park either but it would seem that someone else could have gotten there faster. That video was over 3 minutes long and there wasn't another uniformed security guard on site when it ended. I have seen them much closer together than that every time I have ever been there. I would also think that DCA would have more security just based on the fact that they serve alcohol. I have never seen anybody get so drunk that security needed to be there but I am sure it happens.

[BrittLee]

The only altercation that ever occurred while I was at Disney I didn't even see. A family was fighting in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge on our last trip, like, hair-pulling, Jerry Springer style fighting. My boyfriend was walking by the lobby when it happened and he said it was diffused VERY quickly. Situations like this are made a bigger deal because they are so rare at Disney, if there's ever a problem it's usually instantly taken care of. I do agree that they seem to need more security at DCA considering how long it took for someone to help the CM in the video out, but it's Disney, and I'm sure they are taking care of it immediately.

[SirScott99]

The woman screaming was hilarious and I would have started a fight with her (not really) cause she was annoying and not helping in any way shape or form. The guy was like the Hulk after getting doused with pepper spray he came back for more which was funny. Big deal "you're in Disneyland, get on the ground" but if it happened anywhere else it would be ok? The guy was obviously trashed so there's nothing that can be done by someone screaming at him

[thebutcher]

The best security run-in at a theme park IMO:

[SirScott99]

The best security run-in at a theme park IMO:

Forgive me but that makes no sense to me whatsoever

[thebutcher]

Have you seen National Lampoon's Vacation? They try to go to Wally World and find out it's closed when they get there. Chevy Chase then pulls a BB gun on John Candy (Park Security) to let them in and go on the rides.

That's the best security run-in at a theme park in my opinion, even better than this incident at California Adventure.

I do suggest you go rent it at your local Blockbuster, SirScott99, it's a hoot!

[SirScott99]

I do suggest you go rent it at your local Blockbuster, SirScott99, it's a hoot!

Blockbusters don't exist around here anymore, they're all gone. Thanks for the info, I'll check it out one day

[ironlou]

That is not right! Not ever have seen Vacation! Thats a must!

[Samibee]

Let's be real though, this behavior is more Six Flags material..

I agree 100 percent w your entire post but this had me in stitches! Even those its 40 minute drive, i refuse to go there ever again. Reminds me of the time we got free tickets to Great Adventure and I realized how much of a Disney snob I am!

Back on topic, I feel terrible for the older CM. I felt like it took forever for security to show up, and I'm sure for the Cm it felt even longer.

[modnar24]

A lot of places with large crowds have policies about security running to a scene. Can you imagine how much larger the crowd would have been if 4-5 security guards had gone sprinting through the park to where this was happening? Everyone wants to see whats going on. Security for tourism locations really is mostly deescalation and crowd control.

[stitch1085]

I love how someone in the video says "we were just trying to help out." REALLY?! I feel sad for all parties involved, in no way do I condone this guy's behavior. But I remind everyone to not judge this individual who is shown in a less than flattering light; "let who is without sin cast the first stone..." I hope that security guard is okay because he hit the floor HARD!

[kb24]

just watched the vid; in all honesty that lady who kept screaming was annoying and so embarrassing that i became embarrassed just watching and hearing,

but yes glad the situation was handled and that no one was seriously injured in this event.

[Chris 101009]

Like everyone else said, that girl was asking things worse and more annoying. From all the comments I was reading I laughed out loud enough that I snorted! I think it was createamation's comment on pepper spraying himself.

[nickalew]

I just couldn't help but wonder why there was not at least one additional security guard to back this poor CM up. C'mon, seriously, just one other guy and this could have been handled. I agree that pepper spraying the perp again wasn't such a great idea...but think about what you would do if this drunk guy came out of no where and was cursing at you and attacking you randomly...just saying! (I would have been pissed as heck)

[2zon]

Watching the video, there weren't any kids there. That lady was wrong. All of the kids were in Fantasyland.

In all seriousness, security should have been there a lot earlier. FFS The Incredibles Parade passes right by there! Where were The Supers to help out the citizens of California Adventures in a desperate time of need? The people trying to 'help' out could possibly be liable for some dumb loophole down the line just like how Mr. Incredible got sued for saving that man who was trying to commit suicide.

[JoshW]

Jeez. Two of my friends were there during the fight. Scary it made me want to...