Couple loses lawsuit after losing membership in Disney's Club 33

Few things grind my gears like people who believe they're entitled to live outside of rules. And seriously, they spent six figures a year going to the parks, and now he's crying about $400k in legal bills? Where do you even start with this dude's messed up priorities?

Jeff:

now he's crying about $400k in legal bills? Where do you even start with this dude's messed up priorities?

Reading between the lines: It's this or a divorce. This might be cheaper.

Phillips [Disney's lawyer] told jurors [...] that Scott Anderson’s conduct “cost his wife of 40 years her lifetime dream of having access to Club 33.”

Brian Noble:

Reading between the lines: It's this or a divorce. This might be cheaper.

Possibly because they're going on about being in club 33 being "her dream".

But she also got them suspended from her dream the year before for salty language. Sounds like they're used to doing whatever they want.

Yay Zonies! ;) As an alcoholic, I'd have also said I'd only had 2.5 drinks if I'd been caught plastered out front.

She would "sell a kidney" to get back in. Honey, you may have a problem. I suspect this couple was a thorn in the side and that it wasn't just one drunken episode or some F-bombs that got them blacklisted. I suspect they were trouble every time they walked into the place and that the husband gave them an out.

janfrederick:

As an alcoholic, I'd have also said I'd only had 2.5 drinks

I am with you on that. How many times have I said: "Oh, I only had a couple." Slurred speech? "Oh, I'm just tired; had a long day."

I mean, maybe the migraine thing is a thing, but occam's razor suggests maybe not so much.

Weird case all around. Why go public with this? Wife says they want to get husband's good name back. But it doesn't appear that he was arrested for public intoxication. No one would know why they got kicked out of the club unless the couple told other people. But now they will because they filed the lawsuit and went to the press when they lost (and now plan to appeal all the way to the Supremes presumably).

Did they expect going public would garner them support from anyone? How many people will find sympathy for people spending about $50k more on Disney/year than the average annual household income in the US? Or who spent $400k in an unsuccessful challenge of Disney kicking them out of a club that very few people even know exists and an even smaller percentage could ever afford.

He may well end up paying both the costs of the lawsuit and a divorce.

Not sure what selling a kidney will do in terms of being able to present a winning case. Jury made findings of fact that appellate courts will not overturn. And expect the law is on Disney's side in terms of being able to kick people out of the club if Disney deems it appropriate.

“My retirement is set back five years,” he said. “I’m paying through the nose. Every day, I’m seeing another bill, and I’m about to keel over.”

Poor guy...this really tugs at the heartstrings.

The fact that Disney let this go to court and went so far as having former employees testify says a lot (I'm inferring from the credibility comment that they testified).

So if one of you insensitive people had a couple of strong cocktails in the park and they took away your Magic Key without refund, and said you can never hold another again; you would be like I guess I am more like a Six Flags crowd so I will go there? I have been drunk in the DCA park about 20 years ago and they made sure I had a safe ride home, and didn't try to ban me for life or take away my annual pass. That was back when I would hit the Cove Bar and Califronia Screaming back to back for several hours.

He didn't (only) have a couple of strong cocktails. No one slurs their speech and has trouble standing after (only) a couple of strong cocktails---at least, no one with a functioning metabolism who weighs more than 80 pounds or so. Now, it is possible that he had some disabling migraine that just happens to look like "Dude, I'm soooooo HAMMERED!". Or, he was hammered. You're free to choose between those two.

Do I think Disney probably had other reasons to want the couple out of Club 33? Yep. Do I begrudge them the opportunity to take advantage of the "Club 33 guests may not be visibly intoxicated" rule to do it? Nope.

As far as I can tell, he wasn't tresspassed, so can still enter the park on a day ticket or AP. He's just no longer able to be a Club 33 Member

Yeah, I've tied on one more times than I can count at Disney parks. I've never been sloppy drunk like that though, not even completing a drink-around-the-world.

And let's be real, this is about status, not churros and Space Mountain.

When I worked there, we still never took anyones passes for being drunk in the park. We would for theft or other crimes. I guess the park was nicer to guests in the past. I saw in an article at Disneyworld, security turns you over to police if you have cannabis on you in any form in vape or edibles. Ouch!

As far as status, I don't see where he was mean or disrespectful to security. Why would being a member of Club 33 be negative?

Regardless of your experience with the park, they were removed from the club for violating its rules.

Jasonland:

I don't see where he was mean or disrespectful to security.

We really only have the story from the couple's perspective. Expect they are toning down what actually happened. And doubt it was just "salty language" with a "couple F-words" for the wife. And seems likely there may have been other interactions/issues the couple created that aren't even discussed at all. I expect looking at all the Club 33 members, there is at least one couple one of whom got a little drunk and the other dropped an F-bomb or two, but who didn't run afoul of Disney. Expect it takes more to get kicked out. From a business perspective, why would Disney want to kick out any of its best customers for no reason?

Jasonland:

As far as status, I don't see where he was mean or disrespectful to security.

I'm not seeing what one has to do with the other.

I wasn't aware of any f-bombs or what happened. It sounds like they were drunk and security approched them. I know several people that I had to explain to them that they did not want to see a show at the Dineyland House of Blues because you would be treated poorly by Disney security. We went to a Social Distortion concert there once all punked up and got followed every where by security because they judge people on appearance. When I dress all preppy though last March, I had two cocktails in my hand all day at DCA and wobbled around everywhere without any issues. I guess if you are spening tons of money, look harmless and don't bother anyone; they leave you alone. My brother in law and a couple of my ex co-workers were dressed security guards, foxes or eagles, and I worked in attractions so I kind of know what they look out for.

Is the status thing because they belong to Club 33, or because they tried to use status to get out of being told their night was over for being drunk? I know some people want Club 33 removed. I don't belong there so I dont care; but Walt wanted it for the 33 corporations that believed in him.

Jasonland:

Is the status thing because they belong to Club 33, or because they tried to use status to get out of being told their night was over for being drunk?

Jeff:

And let's be real, this is about status, not churros and Space Mountain.

Jeff answered this before you asked. They were "important" because they have money and were part of the club. No one implied (or could know without further information) that he pulled the status card to get out of anything.

Jasonland:

I wasn't aware of any f-bombs or what happened.

You might want to, you know, read the article we are discussing before discussing it.