A South Carolina man is set to make his first court appearance next month after he was accused of slapping a teenage hostess at a Walt Disney World Resort restaurant three times in the forehead, while under the influence, after she refused to seat him due to the restaurant’s dress code.
John Munro, 64, of South Carolina, was arrested and charged with battery after an altercation involving him and a 19-year-old hostess at Cítricos inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort back in November.
Munro, no stranger to luxury hotels, is the Vice President of Hospitality, Sales, and Marketing at the prestigious Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, where he lives, according to Walt Disney World News Today.
According to the arrest affidavit obtained by Fox 35 Orlando, on Nov. 19, 2023, deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to the resort in reference to a battery.
Drunk man allegedly slaps teenage Walt Disney World hotel restaurant hostess over dress code snub. (Orange County Corrections Department)
A preliminary investigation revealed that just before 7:30 p.m., a restaurant hostess was checking a family in who had a reservation for three. However, the group arrived with four people; two women and two men.
According to the arrest records, one of the men, identified as Munro, was not dressed in accordance with the restaurant’s dress code.
He was wearing swim shorts and a T-shirt and Cítricos’ website states that “guests are expected to dress accordingly in attire that respects the restaurant’s sophisticated and upscale aesthetic,” adding explicitly that swimwear isn’t allowed.
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The incident took place at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, pictured. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Because Munro was wearing “swimming shorts and a T-shirt,” he was told by the hostess that he would not be allowed to dine with his family, the report stated. Munro seemed to understand but said he’d wait with his group until they were seated. The hostess agreed to his request, but the situation escalated when she took the group to be seated moments later.
According to deputies, Munro followed the party of three to their table even though he was told he was not allowed to do so.
“Please don’t allow him to sit with us, he is really drunk, underdressed, it’s my birthday, and I’m embarrassed,” one of the woman told the hostess, according to the affidavit.
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Drivers approaching the entrance to Florida’s Walt Disney World resort. (Brian Carlson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
When the hostess told Munro that he couldn’t sit with the group, he “began to repeatedly slap her forehead” three times while stating her name, which he read from the name tag on her shirt, deputies stated.
The hostess sustained no injuries and declined medical treatment, and wished to pursue charges, deputies said.
Deputies caught up with Munro, who they said was apparently intoxicated based on his “slurred speech, glossy red eyes, and constant repeating that he was going to sue Disney,” the arrest affidavit said.
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A crowd is seen in front of the iconic castle at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. (2024 Wealth of Geeks)
Munro was arrested and released on a $1,000 bond the next morning.
He has also been placed on administrative leave “amid review of this personnel matter,” resort spokesperson Karen Moraghan confirmed Thursday to The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
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Surveillance video from the restaurant was not available, but prosecutors plan to use police body camera footage from the incident, according to Florida court records.
Munro entered a plea of not guilty and is expected to appear in court for a pre-trial conference hearing on Feb. 16.