Trespass Warning Boycott Universal Orlando

I recently found your website and wanted to share my experience with Universal and HHN. I was banned from HHN just last night for taking a sip of a Long Island Iced Tea that a friend, who was 21, had purchased for himself. I was holding the drink, took a sip and was handing it back to my friend when a security guard approached and asked if I was 21. Not wanting to get my 21-year-old friend in trouble (because I didn't know at this point if the guard had seen me handing my drink back to my friend), I said I was, and that I didn't have my ID (I am 20. A month and a few days after this incident I'll be 21). The guard then said to follow him. A female friend of mine started to ask if we could just pour out the drink and be on our way, since we had JUST arrived in the park. We were there to go to some of the houses and ride the rides, not get wasted. The guard was extremely rude to her and kept leading me to the hidden area where the Orlando police were gathered dealing with other offenders. An Orlando sergeant asked for my information and took a picture of my face; I was completely compliant, and was then told I'd be banned for a year. At this point my female friend came back and waited for the paperwork to be completed and attempt to explain to the officer that we had no phones and our other friends had the keys to her car, which we had driven to get there (the two over-21 friends that were with us-including the one who had bought the drink-had vanished at this point in order to get out of trouble. I wasn't about to tell on them and ruin their night as well). The Orlando officer just sighed and told us that I would be escorted off the premises. My friend came with me, seeing as how I'm a 20 year old female not from Orlando and had no way of getting back into the hotel we were staying in by myself. We were driven to an area outside of CityWalk, and then we re-entered CityWalk and saw a movie, since it was only around 8pm at that point and we were not about to spend the entire night in our hotel room, nor were we about to go out in Orlando by ourselves without our male friends, seeing as how Orlando has one of the highest crime rates in Florida. Overall, the situation was ridiculous. Yes, I was fully aware that underage drinking is illegal and should not be tolerated. YET I was polite the entire time and did not argue at any point. The guard who led me away had the nerve to ask where the guys we were with went, since they were standing next to us when he approached. I found it amusing that he was more concerned with kicking out someone who was not intoxicated or belligerent, than finding the guy who had bought the drink and could have potentially bought more alcohol for other under-age friends (my friend wouldn't have done that, but still...). I found it absurd that I was thrown into a van and escorted off the premises with people who had been caught smoking pot, attempting to buy pot, got caught shop-lifting, and had altercations with the guards and/or guests. I feel like that since I was compliant, I should have been let off with a warning or even a fee. Luckily, my family and I are lovers of DisneyWorld, and have plans to stay there for a week in December (after I turn 21). I will probably not be returning to Halloween Horror Nights even after my trespass ban has been lifted, and I will only go back to Orlando to visit the Harry Potter portion of Islands of Adventure, which will happen after I'm 21 (since it'll be after the banning) but the city of Orlando will receive no money on my part from the potential alcohol and food sales I could've offered. I'm currently a senior at xxxxxx and have never been in trouble with the law and have maintained excellent grades my entire life; I plan on attending grad school to earn a masters in the fall. While I understand this isn't going to be a blight on my career endeavors, it's still embarrassing and shameful to someone who's led a good life and plans on helping others as a career. Thanks for reading my story, and I hope more people will wake up to the stupidity of what Universal is doing (like having cops waste time signing trespass warnings for under-age drinkers rather than patrolling the dangerous areas of Orlando). Like you have mentioned on your page, it's no wonder their attendance rates are dropping; kicking out a couple thousand people ever year and banning some for life will catch up to them, as will the awful practice of charging extra for an Express Pass (another reason why more people I know of go to Disney--tickets aren't that much more expensive and Fast Passes are free).

10/12/09 - Here's another report. Read the article and i went through the SAME thing. im 20, got caught with a bottle of smirnoff in my hand. however i did have a wristband. i went to see if they would pay attention and obviously didn't cus they issued me a wristband. it was so stupid that they decided to check me, when i had a wristband, than to check anyone else. and im trespassed till next year. oh and i'm a universal employee. so freaking stupid!!

I recently went to Halloween Horror Nights. I wanted to share with you my experience. I'm not sure how you could possibly help me, but hopefully you might have some advice for me. I appreciate your time in reading and possibly responding to this e-mail.

This is a recount of the events that happened on the night of Sunday, October 11th, of 2009. This is from my point of view and in no way does it depict anyone elses point of view. We decided that we wanted to see the first showing of Bill And Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure, which started at 7:30p. Before the show began, there was an announcer that clearly stated no videotaping or flash photography. It did not say anything about no cameras allowed, or no photography. I noticed that through out the crowd, guests were taking pictures, with no flash, and no one came up to them or said anything. So, towards the end of the show, when there was a Micheal Jackson mantage, and I started taking pictures. No flash was involved. After the end of the show, my friend had lost her camera case underneath the bleachers and we ended up staying to ask an attendant to please get it for us. I waited at the bottom of the of the stands for her, while she retreived her case. As I was doing so a Police officer was walking passed me. He did not call my attention or anything, but I walked up to the officer and told the him that all I had on the camera were pictures, that I had not video taped anything. I’m not sure why I did this. I guess because I just wanted to make sure that I did not break any rules. I turned on the camera and showed him the pictures. He did not state to me any concerns, he actually stood next to me and looked at the pictures as I showed them to him. My friend was able to retrieve her camera case, and we were off. Onwards towards scarey houses, picture taking and all in all a very good time.

We decided that after we had done all the haunted houses we would return to the Bill and Teds show to take photos of the characters we were unable to get the first time we were there. I had taken out my camera to take a picture of the introduction screen and a female staff member in a black shirt told me to put my camera away. I explained to her that it had no flash, and I was not video taping, she just shook her head and told me to put it away. So I put it down. I noticed about two rows infront of me, a male staff member, dressed in an orange shirt speak to a female with a camera. She asked if she could please take pictures as long as she did not use her flash. The male staff member nodded and said it was ok. So the show begins and nothing out of the ordinary happens. Having a good time, laughing. I started taking a few pictures, and about 5-10 minutes into the show was when the female staff member in the black shirt returned to tell me to put my camera away. I was really confused, because she did not go to anyone else that had their camera out to stop taking pictures. She only came up to me. So I voluntarily left my sit; which she did not ask me to leave; and asked her to please explain to me why it was that during the first show it was allowed, but that this show it was not. It made no sence to me. It does not say no phtography of any kind, just no videotaping and no flash photography. The person that responded to me was a different male in an orange shirt telling me that regardless of what the rules stipulate that no photography was allowed. It was very loud and I could not hear him very well. So I repeated my question, just to make sure I heard him the first time. He repeated himself, saying that unfortunately, there was no filming or flash photgraphy. So I said but I was not taking flash photgraphy I was just taking a picture. He said that that was still considered flash photgraphy. So I requested to speak with a supervisor, was there a supervisor available. That was when a police officer came and told me that I was asked to leave. I looked at him and told him that I was not asked to leave, I came up the stairs after the female staff member because I was confused about the rules. She did not eject me, she just told me to put my camera away. He in turn returned to speak to the male staff member that was speaking to me if I was in fact ejected from the stadium, and he nodded. I looked around me perplexed, because I could not understand how it came to be that from a question, I was getting ejected. So I tried to explain to the officer what was going on, that I was not asked to leave by any of the staff members, that I came up willingly to ask a question about the rules, and to point out that in one show we were allowed to, but in this one we were not. He said he did not care, I was asked to leave. I once again excused myself and told him to please listen to me, that is not what happened, please listen to what is going on. He in turn repeated that he did not care and told me that I asked to leave, to leave, if not that I was going to get arrested. I excused myself once more and said, look I have friends with me may I please tell them what is going on. He said that I could wait for them outside, but I had to leave. I was very confused at this point, because nothing of what was happening made any sence. I could not understand how in the world from one question, that I voluntarily went to ask, I was being kicked out. I put my hands up to show him I meant no harm, I just wanted him to listen to me. He pulled out his handcuffs and told me if I was going to make him use his handcuffs. At this point I was not even sure what I did or said to cause him to see me as a threat, or what I said to convince him that I was being a problem. I once again requested to speak with a supervisor, please. That was when he grabbed my wrist and yanked my arm behind my back. I completely freaked out and started crying and panicing. I wanted to know what was going on. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was aksing a question and I wanted a supervisor because it seemed like no one wanted to deal with my question or concern. He told me that now I am being arrested and that was that. I panicked even more and started to squirm, trying to face the officer. I wanted him to please listen to me. None of what was happening was making any sense. He kept forcing my arm behind my back and told me he didn’t care, I had my chance to leave, now I was being arrested. I had about 4 male officers at my back, forcing themselves on me trying to place handcuffs on me. All I wanted was an answer. I wanted to understand how the rules were stated. Other guests were taking pictures and it was all around me, not just at the front row.

While I was taken to the front of Universal Studios I once again retold my story, and no one would listen to me. They all ignored me. Even while I was sitting at the front of two officers, they would not listen to me either. They took a photo graph of me, began to ask me questions and I couldn’t even think to give them clear answers. I was too upset at the situation to think clearly. All that stayed with me was what happened to get me to this. I saw nothing wrong. I questioned a rule that made no sence. If that was what they did not want, they should have said no photgraphy, no flash photgraphy. Like what is seen on some Disney World rides, or concert events or the like. I was not trying to start an argument, I was trying to ask a question and get back to my friends. I did not have a cell phone on me to get in touch with them. The stadium was filled with loads and loads of guests. It was very dark in the area. The only lights available were the ones from the staidum.

The police officers that were there were not professional at all. They spoke about Barnie and how they would never allow their children to watch it. That freaked me out even more, because I honestly felt like that was that. I was no longer a guest that paid to get into the park. I was treated like if I had attacked someone, or thrown someone down a flight of stairs, or that I had stolen. I was another number to them. I waited for like 20 minutes for the officer to come and tell me that I was being tresspassed from Universal Studios and that I was going to jail. I asked him why? I did nothing wrong. He started to explain to me that he heard the female worker that I needed to leave, and I interjected saying that that was not what happened. There was another officer that that told me that I needed to shut up. I turned to face him to try and see if I could see a badge or a name, and could see niether, because it was dark. I faced the officer that had arrested me and heard him recount another incorrect statement and I began to shake my head. The officer that was to my back repeated for me to shut up. I turned to face him and told him that this was not what happened, that I vouluntarily went up, asked a question then requested to see a supervisor. The officer that arrested me siad: yes, and that you could speak to one in the front. That you needed to leave. I said to him that I wanted to go to my friends, and he shoke his head and said that I was already told to leave I could wait for them outside. The officer behind me told me to shut up once more. Later a female officer came up to me and told me that I was not helping my situation. I explained to her that I was freaking out because I have never been arrested before, that I was freaking out because of the situation. She asked me if I was drinking or doing drugs. I told her I do not drink or do drugs. She just lookied at me and left. Then they came to me telling me that my friends were there looking for me. I freaked out even more because this was not how my friends have ever seen me. I did not want them to see me. I was scared at everything. I just could not understand what was going on.

The police officer came towards me and told me that I was leaving. I asked him where he was taking me and he turned to me and said I was going to jail. That made things even worse because then I could not control my crying, it was getting harder for me to breath, I couldn’t feel my arms, and I expressed all these concerns to him. He said the cuffs were not tight I was going to be fine. I said, all I wanted was to speak with a supervisor. The police officer that had told me to shut up before, piped up and said, you already spoke to a supervisor, he was the supervisor and that I was going to jail. Everyone started laughing at this. I cried harder, because nothing made sence. As the officer that arrested me walked me to his car, I tried explaining once again and he said too late now, you have been arrested. While in the car, he was joking with his fellow police officer outside the car saying how this was going to be fun. I lost it. I began to cry harder. Everything made no sence. And what was worse was that he didn’t listen to anything I had to say. Once in the car, he drove off and he began playing his iPod. That did not calm me down. He didn’t speak to me about the charges, he spoke on the phone with his supervisor to be clocked out at midnight so he wouldn’t get something called street time, or straight time for street time. I tried calming down. Talking to the officer and explaining myself to him, irregardless of him listening. I was booked at 33rd and was left there for 8 hours before anyone called me. As I was there, no one was doing anything. Police officers were sitting around gossiping. I phones did not work properly, so it was close to 1:30-ish before I could get a hold of my friends. I tried asking how to get the phones to work and a police officer that I asked told me to shut up, that he was in the middle of a conversation and that when he was done, he would answer my question about the phone not working. I was too scared to ask anything more of them. I had to ask other people that were not officers or medical personnel to please explain to me what was going on. It was not until around 8:00am that I was released and allowed to go home.

Please, if anyone if reading this, I need to know where the logic is in any of this. The cause does not justify the means in anything that has happened. I did not threaten anyone. Did not cause a scene, or intentional harm on anyone. I just followed a female staff member up the stairs and asked her about the rules, and was answered by another staff member who told the officer that I was asked to leave, when clearly I was not. She did not tell me anything. She stood off to the side, while the male staff member in the orange shirt, spoke to me. To then have a police officer come up behind me and tell me that he did not care what I needed to say, I needed to leave. That my friends could meet me outside. My two friends out of a packed stadium of people, looking for me in a theme park that was full of people as well. I did not have my cell phone and wanted to just ask a question that I found valid.

Thank you very much for your time and have a wonderful day.

I'm on my phone so I can't write in detail what happend but I read over your site and wanted to share my experience that happend last Wednesday. My friend touched one of the scare charectors so we were stopped by about 5 universal staff, security and one opd officer. After about 10 minutes Of talking with them the officer approached me tellin me to stfu and pushed me 3 times. I yelled he had no right to push me or touch me to which he replied "do something about it pussy". I explained that I'm not dumb and would not touch him. After about 2 minutes of him insulting me And trying to start a fight with me I told the officer "just becase you have that badge, it does not give you the right to be an asshole. Go fuck yourself" his response was you're under arrest. I said for what, he said assault on a Leo. I said how did I assault you, by time I finished that sentance I was being pepper sprayed. 5 seconds after that he shot me with his taser. This happend at 11:15pm about 100 feet south of the mummy. There were 100-200 ppl that watched this happen to me. My iPhone 32gb 3gs was on me when I wad arrested, it was not with my stuff when I got to jail. I am in process if getting a lawyer.

11/03/09 - Yet another attendance story from Jason. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-universal-orlando-attendance-102909,0,1070672.story Attendance continues to fall at Universal Orlando Universal's attendance sank 11 percent in the 3rd quarter, as a harsh economy continues to squeeze the resort Attendance at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure sank 11 percent during the three months that ended Sept. 27, dropping from 3 million a year ago to 2.7 million. The people who did visit the parks spent less on food, drinks and souvenirs, as per-capita guest spending dropped 2 percent.

That's 3 articles in a row by Jason saying it's the recession causing the drop in attendance. No Jason, it's not the recession, more like 20k people are banned each year. Plus many complain that ticket prices are too high. Does Universal care? No.

Many complained that HHN sucked this year, was too expensive, and the big new attraction they're building at IOA is nothing more than an HP Shopping Mall. Only one new ride in the castle that will be a family simulator. Boring.