Credit: Hecallsmepp (@hecallsmePP) (circle photo), Marcsfp Flickr (background photo)Yesterday, Universal Orlando Resort experienced a violent event in which security had to tackle guests who were trying to escape to the ground.
If you were at Universal Orlando Resort yesterday, specifically, at Islands of Adventure, you may have noticed an increased presence of cops and security. It was reported by guests online with video confirmation that a man and woman had to be tackled after trying to escape security.
Universal guest Hecallsmepp (@hecallsmePP) shared multiple videos on X of this altercation. In the videos, we can see that the woman still appears to be on the ground, surrounded by security and other staff.
The guest recounted the situation, stating, “Craziest situation just happened at IOA. Passed a woman who was speaking to cops, next thing we see is her running, cops chasing her, tackling her and her husband(?) going after them with a stroller. There was a struggle but she was arrested for whatever she did.”
Craziest situation just happened at IOA. Passed a woman who was speaking to cops, next thing we see is her running, cops chasing her, tackling her and her husband(?) going after them with a stroller. There was a struggle but she was arrested for whatever she did. pic.twitter.com/vR44rFK75C
— Hecallsmepp ✨ (@hecallsmePP) March 24, 2024
As we can see from the description and video, it is not clear as to what exactly happened that prompted the man and woman to be stopped, take off running, and then tackled down to the ground. In the end, they were arrested.
In the thread of the post on X (formally Twitter), HecallsmePP said, “Based on what I heard passing by, sounds like she didn’t have a ticket to get in, but I could be wrong. Either way, she ran”.
Some others thought that perhaps theft may have been involved. One reply stated, “Universal Orlando does not play around. I watched a guy running out of CityWalk get tackled by security before he got to the first moving walkway. He was carrying a clear trash bag full of merch, so it was pretty obvious what they took him down for.”
As of late, we have certainly seen theme park guest behavior become worse.
While some guests decided to relax in the EPCOT France pavilion fountain with their drinks, another guest made headlines by leaping into the World Showcase lagoon from the Italy pavilion bridge. Meanwhile, at Magic Kingdom, a guest exited a boat at Tom Sawyer’s Island and ventured into the river, despite its known inhabitance by alligators. Recently, a woman was spotted swimming shirtless in the Sassagoula River adjacent to Port Orleans Resort. Additionally, another incident occurred at DisneySea AquaSphere, a grand fountain situated at the entrance of Tokyo DisneySea, where a guest jumped in.
Guests have also been caught streaking at Disneyland, stealing cucumbers from rides, jumping out of their ride vehicles and getting pinned down by the attraction, intentionally breaking the dress code, and more.
As we have seen at Disney World and Universal, in this instance, Orlando theme parks are certainly taking these issues and rule breaks more seriously moving forward. Both Disney and Universal have banned guests from their parks for life, which is a sure way to ruin your vacation.
More on Universal Orlando Resort
Before visiting Universal, guests should note a few closures: E.T. Adventure will be unavailable from May 6 to May 15, 2024.
Over at Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando has announced an extended closure for One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish from April 27 to May 24, 2024.
Furthermore, The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle, located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, will remain closed indefinitely. Poseidon’s Fury has been permanently closed for several months, with no news on its replacement. However, Universal Orlando’s Horror Makeup Show recently reopened after an initial closure, along with Revenge of the Mummy.
In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will expand with the opening of Epic Universe, and on March 28th, 2024, the theme park has teased some big news to surface regarding the new park.
Have you noticed guests acting out at Universal or Disney lately?