Sports

‘We paid to be here, how is that trespassing?’ asks friend of Alex Morgan after crew is kicked out of Epcot

Video shows Alex Morgan, Giles Toia and his wife, Courtney Toia, in a room talking with deputies.
Video shows Alex Morgan, Giles Toia and his wife, Courtney Toia, in a room talking with deputies. Orange County Sheriff’s Office

Alex Morgan and her friends couldn’t seem to understand why they were being ejected from one of the most magical places on earth, according to body camera footage released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The American soccer star, 28, along with Orlando City Soccer Club players Giles Barnes, Donny Toia and his wife, Courtney Toia, were asked to leave Disney’ Epcot Oct. 1 after allegedly disturbing other guests.

According to the sheriff’s office, Morgan was “yelling and screaming” while “highly impaired,” and her group was generally “aggressive.” Deputies say that Barnes instigated an altercation after cutting the line at a pub in the United Kingdom area of the park.

Managers then called deputies to the scene to escort Morgan’s group out of the park. The released video footage captures what happened next.

Deputies brought the company into a room to explain why they had been asked to leave.

A deputy informs the group that, “Walt Disney World is trespassing you guys.”

“I paid $107 per person, how is that trespassing?” Donny Toia responded.

The 30-minute video depicts Morgan repeatedly asking why she and her friends were taken to private room. She says that they were just “protecting their friend.”

“We didn’t curse, we didn’t get drunk, we didn’t interrupt any property,” Morgan said.

All three were given trespass warnings, which means that they will not be allowed back to Walt Disney World properties.

Morgan tweeted an apology three days after the incident occurred, stating she will “learn from this (and) make sure it does not happen again.”

Morgan plays for the Orlando Pride soccer team and is also on the United States women’s national soccer team.

No charges have been filed.

Ryan Callihan: 941-745-7095, @RCCallihan

This story was originally published October 11, 2017 at 10:15 AM with the headline "‘We paid to be here, how is that trespassing?’ asks friend of Alex Morgan after crew is kicked out of Epcot."

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