Guest Attacks Bus Driver For Taking Him to Disney World
One of Walt Disney’s favorite authors, Mark Twain, once said that “truth is stranger than fiction,” and a recent incident at the Walt Disney World Resort is proof.
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Disney’s theme parks are extremely popular with guests, and the Walt Disney World Resort, in particular, is among the most popular vacation destinations on earth, but there are, of course, other theme parks to choose from–many of which are located only miles from Disney’s theme parks, especially in Central Florida.
Other Non-Disney Options in Orlando
The Orlando area is home to the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the parks at Universal Studios Orlando Resort, smaller venues like ICON Park on International Drive in Orlando, and other parks like SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove and Aquatica water park.
Angry at Disney World
A recently released report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office gives details about events that transpired when a would-be Walt Disney World guest was dropped off at “The Most Magical Place on Earth” instead of at SeaWorld Orlando.
The incident took place after a Florida man, 37-year-old Elijah Thomas, boarded a Lynx bus at the Downtown Orlando station on November 17 on his way to SeaWorld. Shortly after he boarded, he fell asleep, missing the stop for SeaWorld entirely.
He awoke at the last stop on the Lynx bus route and realized he was at Disney Springs inside the Walt Disney World Resort–and not at SeaWorld as he had planned. But because it was the last stop on the route, Thomas–angry that he was at Disney World and not SeaWorld–had to disembark at Disney World.
The sheriff’s report stated that the driver closed the bus door once Thomas had disembarked, and the driver welcomed two new passengers who were traveling back toward Orlando. But once Thomas was outside, he began saying that he needed to go to SeaWorld, not Disney World. The driver, however, couldn’t let him back on the bus, and he reportedly became enraged.
An “Irate” Non-Passenger
Per the Sheriff’s report, the man was described as “irate.” He was so angry that he began to verbally attack the Lynx bus driver, yelling and cursing at him, according to the report.
“When [the driver] would not allow him on the bus, [Thomas] punched the front door glass several times and then kicked the bottom glass of the front door, causing it to break in a spider web pattern,” the report reads.
Thomas reportedly finally left Disney Springs on foot, but shortly thereafter, law enforcement approached him and arrested him. He was charged with criminal mischief.
Once the case made it to the Florida State Attorney’s office, however, the charges were not pursued by the state, though the reasons for that decision aren’t entirely clear. Documents from the associated court filing only state that the case was “not suitable for prosecution.”
