Drunk Parents Arrested For Child Neglect, Abuse at Popular Disney World Hotel

When Walt Disney sat on a bench in Griffith Park and dreamt up Disneyland, he dreamed of a place where adults and children could spend time together enjoying fun rides and attractions. And that place would have no alcohol.

Mr. Disney was adamant about not having booze in his theme parks, but that only lasted until 1982, when EPCOT opened at Walt Disney World. Since then, alcohol can be found in nearly every Disney theme park around the world.

Credit: Disney

Related: EPCOT’s Drinking Around the World is Becoming a Problem

Drinking at Disney has really become a point of contention among guests, with some thinking Disney made a mistake in allowing alcohol in the parks and resort hotels. Many guests do not know how to handle their alcohol, get drunk at Disney, and make fools of themselves. They can also get violent and put their loved ones at risk.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, that is exactly what happened at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

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In a recently released police report, deputies stated that they were called to Polynesian Village on reports of a battery. When they entered the hotel room in question, the officer observed Robert and Janine Pecha passed out on the bed.

They made several attempts to wake the couple up, and when they did, they realized the two were “heavily intoxicated.” They both had slurred speech, had trouble responding to questions, struggled to stand up and walk, and Janine nearly fell over in the bathroom.

When law enforcement officials asked how much alcohol they had consumed, Mr. Pecha said that he had only had one drink and Mrs. Pecha said that she had not had anything to drink. However, officers found a “paper shopping bag” full of empty cans and bottles in the room.

Credit: Orange County Clerk’s Office

Sadly, the couple’s two young children — ages just 5 and 3 years old — told an entirely different story.

The arrest report says the couple’s children told detectives that their parents had been drinking all day. They said that their parents got into a fight about Mr. Pecha not spending enough time with his family. The children then said that they saw Mr. Pecha hit Mrs. Pecha on the face several times with an open hand. They also told police that they tried to get their dad to stop hitting their mom by saying “no daddy” several times.

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Related: Drunk Guest Assaults Teenage Cast Member at Popular Disney World Restaurant

Due to their extreme levels of intoxication, both Mr. Pecha and Mrs. Pecha were transported to the local hospital for treatment. The Florida Department of Children and Families was called and took custody of the two children.

After being discharged from the hospital, both parents were arrested and charges were filed. Mrs. Pecha was charged with child neglect and Mr. Pecha was charged with child neglect, as well as domestic battery. Mr. Pecha was released on $3,000 bond and Mrs. Pecha was released on $2,500 bond.

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Drunken Arrests Are Becoming More Common

Sadly, this is not the first time, and it will not be the last time that a drunken guest is arrested at a place that is known as The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Earlier this year, a drunk man was arrested at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn after getting into an altercation with another group of guests. The man claimed that he was just having a good time. However, the other group claimed that the man made fun of one of the women in their group. The woman had Down Syndrome, and they defended her after the drunk man attacked them.

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Related: How (Not) to Get Arrested at Disney World

Also in January of this year, a police officer from Massachusetts visited EPCOT and had too much to drink. He then tried to enter a private event being held at the park, and got angry when told the event was not open to all guests. The drunk man — who, again, was a police officer — then threatened to kill a Disney security guard. He also shoved the security guard before he was arrested.

Credit: Disney

It is important to remember that while Disney wants everyone to have a good time and enjoy all the parks have to offer, they must do so responsibly. There are so many amazing cocktails and drinks to enjoy, but guests having way too much to drink and then getting violent is absolutely unacceptable.

Disney does not stand for that, and those guests will quickly find themselves escorted out by security and possibly even banned from visiting in the future.

Have you ever seen drunk guests ruining the experience for others? Let us know in the comments.