Late nights around Walt Disney World are usually predictable. Crowds thin, music fades, and guests make their way back to their resorts. But on January 5, 2026, one night near Disney’s BoardWalk took a far different turn.
The incident began at the Atlantic Dance Hall inside Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, where staff reported that a guest was heavily intoxicated and behaving in a disorderly manner. Cast Members requested that she leave the venue, a step Disney frequently takes to prevent situations from escalating.
Initially, the removal appeared routine. Transportation was arranged to take her away from the area, and there was no immediate law enforcement action. However, while waiting outside, her behavior reportedly intensified, prompting staff to contact deputies to issue a trespass warning from Disney property.
Before deputies arrived, the situation shifted again. A taxi arrived, and the woman departed the BoardWalk area. Because she left Disney property before law enforcement arrived, no Disney trespass was issued.
The night didn’t end there.
The taxi transported her to the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, located along Hotel Plaza Boulevard. While the hotel sits just outside Disney Springs, it is not operated by Disney, and hotel staff soon encountered ongoing issues.
According to reports, the woman became disruptive in the lobby shortly after arriving. Hotel security instructed her multiple times to return to her room, but she repeatedly came back into public spaces. After several disturbances, management contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to evict and trespass her from the hotel.
When deputies arrived at her room, the situation was still administrative. A uniformed deputy was completing trespass paperwork while holding her driver’s license. At that moment, the encounter took a serious turn.
The woman reportedly attempted to grab the license, striking the deputy’s hand in the process. While no injury was reported, the contact was deemed intentional and unwanted. Because the deputy was performing official duties, the charge was elevated to battery on a law enforcement officer.
Deputies informed her she was under arrest. According to the report, she resisted, pulling away from attempts to handcuff her and refusing to comply with commands. Additional deputies assisted in the arrest, and she was eventually escorted from the room.
Following the arrest, hotel management formally trespassed her from the Hilton. She was then transported to the Orange County Booking and Receiving Center. Charges include battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence.
The incident underscores how quickly situations can escalate when alcohol, refusal to comply, and multiple locations are involved. What began as a removal from a Disney venue ended in felony charges off property—an outcome shaped by a series of decisions made over the course of the night.
