A hotel vice president was accused of slapping a young hostess three times in the forehead at a Walt Disney World Resort restaurant in November 2023, and he is set to make his first court appearance in February. John Munro, 64, was reportedly drunk and the hostess had refused to seat him due to him not meeting the dress code required for the restaurant, Cítricos, which is inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. He was charged with battery after the altercation involving him and the 19-year-old hostess.
Munro is the vice president of Hospitality, Sales, and Marketing at the Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina, which is where he lives. According to the report, the server was checking in a family who had a reservation for three at 7:30 p.m., but the group arrived with four people.
The arrest records states that Munro was not dressed in attire that accorded with the restaurant’s dress code. He was wearing swim trunks and a T-shirt. Cítricos’ website states “guests are expected to dress accordingly in attire that respects the restaurant’s sophisticated and upscale aesthetic,” and also states that swimwear is not allowed.
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The hostess told Munro that he would not be allowed to eat at the restaurant.
The report says that he seemed to understand, saying he’d wait with his family until they were seated.
The hostess allowed him to remain with them, but once she took the group to be seated, things escalated. Munro followed the group to their table, even though he was told he wasn't allowed to dine there.
According to the report, one of the women in the party told the hostess, “Please don’t allow him to sit with us, he is really drunk, underdressed, it’s my birthday, and I’m embarrassed." The hostess then told Munro that he wasn't allowed to sit with them.
Things quickly went downhill when Munro reportedly proceeded to slap the hostess in her forehead three times while stating her name, which he read from her name tag. She did not sustain injuries or need medical attention. But she did press charges.
Once authorities caught up with Munro, they could tell he was intoxicated based on his “slurred speech, glossy red eyes, and constant repeating that he was going to sue Disney,” the arrest affidavit read. He was arrested and released on a $1,000 bond the next morning.
He is also currently on administrative leave from his job “amid review of this personnel matter,” resort spokesperson Karen Moraghan explained. He pleaded not guilty and is expected to appear in court for a pre-trial conference hearing on February 16, 2024.
