Disney Cast Member Fired for Carrying Concealed Weapon in Disney Springs

With security measures having risen in the last year this next story is not surprising.  WFTV is reporting that a Disney Cast Member fired for a carrying concealed weapon in Disney Springs on his day off.  This violated Disney’s policies for off-duty Cast Members, but has many wondering if this violates his Second Amendment rights.

Sam Martinez is a transportation Cast Member and has worked at Disney for five years. He also has a valid concealed carry permit and had it on him at the time of the incident.  The gun was not out in the open but concealed at the time of the incident, but still the security guards at Disney Springs were able to figure out he had a weapon.

“I exit a store (and) I’ve got sheriffs around me, I’ve got security around me,” said Martinez. “I was treated pretty much like a criminal.”

“He showed the deputies and security officers his concealed-carry permit and at first, they simply asked him to leave the property. When they realized he was a Disney employee, everything changed.”

“(They said), ‘You can’t have that here, and you can’t be a Disney employee and be carrying. It’s against our policies,’” Martinez said. “Well, I had never been informed of that.”

Former Disney employee questions if 2nd amendment rights were violated after he was fired for bringing concealed weapon with permit to Disney Springs on his day off. #TV27at10 & #WFTVat11 @WFTV pic.twitter.com/gp3M765LjY

— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) December 8, 2017

After Martinez’s experience in Disney Springs, he was suspended for 19 days and then fired.  Martinez took issue to the incident stating that there are no signs at Disney Springs saying you can’t carry a gun, and that he was off-duty on his day off.

“It’s a Second Amendment right for me to carry legally,” Martinez said. “I did everything legally and now it’s almost like I’m being punished for it.”

Cast Members carrying a gun anywhere on Disney property whether you are on-duty or off-duty is strictly prohibited according to Disney policy, but apparently Martinez was not aware ahead of time.  If he didn’t know it seems that Disney has to do a better job making its employees aware of this rule, especially since breaking it comes with such big consequences.

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Ziggy Oskwarek

My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.