Canadian Man Arrested After Shoving Pandora World of Avatar Cast Member

Canadian Tourist Arrested After Allegedly Shoulder-Checking Disney Cast Member at Animal Kingdom

A Canadian man was arrested at Disney’s Animal Kingdom after allegedly shoulder-checking a Cast Member while attempting to force his way onto a closed attraction in Pandora: The World of Avatar after park closing. According to an Orange County Sheriff’s arrest report, 48-year-old Domenico Barbieri of Ontario, Canada, was charged with first-degree misdemeanor battery following the March 20 incident. Court records show Barbieri later pleaded not guilty.

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The confrontation reportedly unfolded around 7:10 p.m., shortly after Disney’s Animal Kingdom officially closed for the evening at 7 p.m. Authorities say Barbieri initially approached a Cast Member regarding his “family outside” an attraction queue. The Cast Member informed him the ride had already closed for the night and the entrance chains had been secured.

However, according to the report, three of Barbieri’s family members allegedly bypassed the chains and entered the queue anyway before being escorted out by the Cast Member.

The situation apparently escalated when Barbieri and his family returned a short time later and attempted to enter through the Lightning Lane entrance instead. The arrest report states the Cast Member physically positioned herself in front of Barbieri and asked him multiple times to leave the area. Investigators say Barbieri continued advancing despite instructions to stop.

According to the sheriff’s report, Barbieri allegedly shoved the Cast Member with his shoulder while attempting to move deeper into the queue. The report states the employee continued attempting to block him from reaching additional Cast Members and guests farther inside the line when Barbieri allegedly shoulder-checked her a second time. The incident finally stopped when Barbieri reached a crowd farther inside the queue area, after which the Cast Member contacted Disney Security and management.

Investigators later interviewed Barbieri, who reportedly “largely corroborated” the Cast Member’s version of events. According to the report, Barbieri admitted he continued walking forward against instructions and acknowledged making contact with the employee while trying to pass her.

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While the sheriff’s report did not specifically identify the attraction involved, law enforcement responded near Rainforest Road in Pandora: The World of Avatar. Based on the location and Lightning Lane reference, the incident likely involved Avatar: Flight of Passage or possibly Na’vi River Journey.

The case remains ongoing, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled for May 22.

Unfortunately, incidents involving guests becoming aggressive with Cast Members continue to be an issue across theme parks nationwide, particularly during stressful end-of-night operations when attractions close and crowds rush for “one last ride.” Cast Members are often tasked with enforcing operational rules while managing frustrated guests, making these situations especially difficult.

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