Florida Man Chugs 2 Beers In Under 30 Seconds at EPCOT, Removes Shirt, and Almost Falls From Skyliner Platform During Skirmish with Police

Katie Francis

Florida Man Chugs 2 Beers In Under 30 Seconds at EPCOT, Removes Shirt, and Almost Falls From Skyliner Platform During Skirmish with Police

An intoxicated Florida man chugged two beers in less than 30 seconds at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
It would not take long for the rest of his visit to Disney World to unravel.

EPCOT Food Wine 2022

Chase Holderby sounded friendly at first as he offered handshakes and high-fives to everyone in line at one of the stands in EPCOT on September 10, according to a newly released Orange County Sheriff’s report.

The 30-year-old Merritt Island man had already caught the attention of authorities because he appeared to be intoxicated. He was “stumbling, being excessively loud, swearing, and appearing unsteady on his feet,” the sheriff’s report said.

Then deputies watched Holderby chug two beers in less than 30 seconds at the American Adventure Pavilion.

By then, visitors were already complaining about his behavior. A Disney food and beverage manager photographed Holderby and alerted all the food and beverage locations not to serve Holderby any more alcohol.

The others in Holderby’s group knew Holderby was getting himself into trouble. They tried to get him to drink water and head toward the park exit, but Holderby didn’t get very far. He got into an argument with his group at the Japan Pavilion, the sheriff’s report said. Deputies warned him to stop making disturbances.

When he got to the Morocco Pavilion, Holderby was confronted by a Disney security manager who ordered him to leave the theme park. Holderby placed his finger on the Disney employee’s chest and started causing a scene, swearing and yelling he hadn’t done anything wrong, the sheriff’s report said.

Chase Holderby
Chase Holderby

Holderby reached the International Gateway. He took off his shirt and kept asking what he had done wrong.

“Holderby continued to yell and ask what he did wrong all the way up the ramp to the Skyliner. Once in the line queue, he continued to act belligerent and cause the crowd of people in line to become alarmed,” the sheriff’s report said. “While attempting to get him onto the physical gondola car, he wouldn’t initially get in and was dangerously close to falling into the area beneath where the attraction operates. As the disturbance continued, the staff stopped the entire transportation system for Holderby’s safety, inconveniencing and delaying all other riders.”

All Holderby had to do was ride the gondola one stop to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, where his family was staying.
But he never made it.

“Holderby initially entered the individual gondola of the Skyliner, but then began to push his way out to hurl insults at members of security,” the sheriff’s report said.

Holderby was arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct and taken to jail.

Orange Circuit Court records showed he took a plea deal earlier this month. He pleaded no contest to the charges and paid a $273 fine. He was credited for already serving one day in jail and didn’t get additional jail time. Holderby’s attorney did not comment for this story.

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12 thoughts on “Florida Man Chugs 2 Beers In Under 30 Seconds at EPCOT, Removes Shirt, and Almost Falls From Skyliner Platform During Skirmish with Police”

  1. Drink around the world is a real Disney t-shirt – They push alcohol consumption in Epcot…We all know that this is how it ends up with some individuals sometimes…I would put the blame on Disney for continuing serving alcohol to guest until they are completely high

  2. Keep going with the alcohol. It’s all about the money now. How about the safety of the guest? I know that if I go to Epcot I may run into a drunk or 2. The last time that I was there 12/2019 right before the pandemic, I walked into H.S. and there was a line for Starbucks all the way down to Rocking Rollercoaster but at the entrance there were alcohol carts with no wait at all???! Really 7 a.m?? I also saw boys bringing back beers in line for girls obviously underage. Shame on you Disney. You are better than this.

  3. “He was “stumbling, being excessively loud, swearing, and appearing unsteady on his feet,” the sheriff’s report said.”
    And who among us could this not have been said about, at some point in life?

  4. I have been drunk a few times in my life. NEVER that drunk! WDW is NOT the place to act up like that. I hope he was banned forever.

  5. It’s all about the money. The reservation system, I was advised by senior staff is monitored for crowd control. It was dangerously out of control, health and safety is a major issue but clearly all they care about is the money. Perhaps a big law suit will get them to improve the system.

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