Tourist Arrested For Refusing Temp Check During $15K Florida Disney Trip
ORLANDO (CBSMiami) - When it comes to the pandemic, the rules are the rules even at "the most magical place on Earth."
A Lousiana man, who claimed he spent $15,000 on a Disney World vacation, was arrested February 13th at the resort after he reportedly refused to have his temperature checked before entering a restaurant at Disney Springs.
An arrest report said Kelly Sills, 47, of Baton Rouge, skipped the Boathouse restaurant's temperature screening tent, refused to go back to be tested, and wouldn't leave the property once asked to by Disney and Orange County sheriff's deputies.
After being told he was on private property, Sills repeatedly told authorities that he paid for his vacation and that "you can't trespass if you're paying $15,000," according to a video recording from the sheriff's office.
Sills told The Washington Post on Saturday that he would have "happily" consented to a screening but walked into the restaurant through an exit and didn't realize his mistake. He criticized a manager for escalating the conflict and compared Disney security to Nazis and the mafia, the newspaper reported.
"COVID is a very serious thing, but so is my vacation with my family," Sills said.
Sills is only the latest person arrested for refusing to follow Disney's health rules. Also in February, a man spat on a security guard after being asked to wear a mask and was charged with battery.
Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said most guests have followed the rules, which enabled Disney World to reopen in the pandemic.
"Millions of guests visit our theme parks each year, and in rare instances when things of this nature occur, we hold them accountable," Finger said in the statement.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)