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Disney World claims exemption to Florida’s Right to Self Defense At Work Law, Guns Still Banned

Despite Florida becoming the winter headquarters for much of the north’s population and the migratory destination for countless others, it still remains firmly planted in the traditions of the south. One of those traditions is a strong protectionist argument for the right to bear arms.

When state legislators felt too much infringing on that right, they passed the “Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Motor Vehicles Act of 2008” a.k.a the Guns-At-Work law. The law lets an employee keep a firearm in their vehicle when at work, in case it is ever needed for self-defense (most likely when some other employee who brought their firearm to work decides to weld it unwisely).

Smartly Disney and a few other groups had a couple last minute exemptions written into the law. One of which forbids firearms when the company has a permit for explosives which includes, in Disney’s case, fireworks. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the bill’s supporters are upset saying they didn’t mean to exempt all of Walt Disney World. And yet, that’s how the bill reads.

So for now, leave that firearm at home Disney Cast Member. Okay.

Oddly enough Universal Studios and SeaWorld, both of whom could apply the fireworks exemption, each choose a different path.

[Universal] houses a work-study program, the Universal Education Center, that is staffed by Orange County Public Schools. “We are required to follow school district policies,” spokesman Tom Schroder said. “The Orange County Public School System is exempt from this law. We have so informed our team members.”

SeaWorld takes an entirely different approach: That company supports the rights of its employees or visitors to transport legal firearms in their cars, “and we have for some time,” spokeswoman Becca Bides said.

I can see both sides of the argument and mostly just hope I’ll never end up in a situation where the law could be used because gun violence is bad in my book.

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7 thoughts on “Disney World claims exemption to Florida’s Right to Self Defense At Work Law, Guns Still Banned”

  1. Chris Wade

    Banning guns or preventing them from being carried does NOTHING to stop the criminals, they are criminals after all. All it does is create a situation where people cannot defend themselves against those that will carry guns regardless of the laws that are passed. Ultimately when guns are not allowed to be carried, this leads to a higher crime rate.

  2. Andy

    “Ultimately when guns are not allowed to be carried, this leads to a higher crime rate.”

    I can only guess where you pulled that statement from. Did it hurt much?

  5. t.swift

    I totally agree with the stand Disney took. Guns do not belong in WDW. Either with Cast Members or Guests. Period.

    Our family visits WDW (once or twice annually the past 25 years) to escape the outside world as much as possible. We stay at either Wilderness Lodge or Contemporary for an average of 10 days each trip.

    We always feel safe and happy.

    Why would a anyone feel it’s necessary to carry a gun at MK or Epcot for his or her protection anyway?

  6. David T

    Since this is Disneys position, they should be held liable if anything happens to an employee i.e. robbery, mugging, carjacking, etc. to, at and from work. They should be sued for millions of dollars in court for failure to provide personal security and violation of constitional/civil rights.

  7. CCW holder

    Disney has a large amount of crime. Criminals know that tourists have money, are disoriented, unfamiliar with the area, and are thus easy prey. Hardly a crime free zone.

    With that being said, the law does not prohibit a person from having a firearm at Disney. In fact, all this law would do is prevent the company from firing an employee who was found to have a gun in his or her car. Employee parking is a mile away from any of the parks.

    I have a concealed weapons permit, and an annual pass to the parks. I routinely carry my pistol on my person while I am in the parks, and it is completely legal for me to do so. I bet criminals would whether it was legal or not. To think that there are no guns at Disney is naive at best.

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