Walt Disney World Resort is one of the most — if not the most — popular vacation destinations in the world for families. Disney World’s four theme parks are full of rides and attractions that will appeal to adults and kids of all ages. There’s also a ton of great food and amazing characters to meet, so it’s a wonderful time for everyone. Even though the memories are worth it, it’s no secret that taking kids to Disney World is exhausting. Between the long lines, the high temperatures, and the long days, tempers can run short.
No matter how tired a Guest is, or how long their day has been, it’s never an excuse to be unkind to Disney Resort Cast Members. And there is NEVER a reason that a Guest should assault a Cast Member. However, that’s exactly what happened to a Cast Member at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. According to a report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Pablo Falabella — a 37-year-old from Argentina — was arrested on May 7 for assaulting a Cast Member he accused of unlawfully taking his child.
The Sheriff’s report states that, around 3 p.m., Disney Cast Members were informed that a child had been left alone in Dinoland U.S.A. With temperatures rising and no parent in sight, a Cast Member moved the child into Restaurantosaurus, so they could be in the air conditioning. The Cast Member was speaking with a manager when they noticed Falabella “jumping up and down” and kicking a nearby wall.
The Cast Member went to speak with Falabella, but because he only spoke Spanish, they had trouble communicating. While trying to calm the irate man down, the Cast Member claims that he spit in her face multiple times. She said that it was not a mistake because he did it several times while continuing to yell at her. She said that she knew Falabella was upset about his missing child, and she was trying to de-escalate the situation. The report notes that the child was left alone for between 15 and 30 minutes at the Disney Park.
The Sheriff’s report states that Falabella had been on vacation with his wife and two children. His wife and older child had left to go on an attraction, and they were planning on doing Rider Swap. It’s here that the stories start to contradict each other. At one point, Falabella said that he thought his wife was with the child. However, he later said that he knew his wife was on a ride with his other child. He said that he didn’t think it was a problem to leave his toddler alone because he assumed there were cameras everywhere.
Falabella was arrested and taken to the Orange County Sheriff’s office. His lawyer — Luz Root — says that his client did nothing wrong, and it was the Cast Member who “unlawfully” moved the child.
“Most importantly, the baby was not left unattended. He put the baby to sleep in a shaded corner while his wife took their oldest daughter to a ride. His wife was walking back to him and couldn’t find him. He FaceTimed her (for 2 minutes to be exact) and he took a couple of steps to show her the area he was at so they could meet. Then the baby was gone…
“[The baby] was sleeping and unlawfully moved by a Disney employee who didn’t notify anyone. My client and his family thought someone kidnapped their daughter and Disney closed the park at one point while they were looking for her…They had about 15 WDW employees helping them find their baby. Five minutes after searching for her, thinking the worst, they were notified that a WDW employee moved the baby to a restaurant. The WDW employee who took the baby failed to notify the WDW colleagues who were cooperating in the search.”
“What infuriated my client the most is that no one could give him answers as to what’s the protocol when a child goes missing and whether a WDW employee can move a stroller with a baby sleeping without notifying anyone.”
After speaking with Falabella and the Cast Member, officers determined that there was enough evidence to arrest Falabella. He was also issued a trespass notice, meaning he is not allowed back in any Disney Park, not just Walt Disney World Resort.
