Security check lines

[Eljay]

You can pretty much count on them looking in the camera case. I would think that they will probably just glance in & not make you take the camera out. I'm there about once a month, so I've seen a lot of security checks.

Back to the topic of thoroughness of the security & the ability of a determined lunatic to smuggle a weapon in. Of course they can't strip search (now, that's a visual I don't need!) or X-ray, but to do nothing at all isn't smart. There are shades of gray my friends, that we must accept when there is a no win, no solution situation. The world's problems are not solved with black or white, so we must accept gray, even if it isn't perfect.

OK, I'll get down from my soap box now.

 

[WDSearcher]

Any bag you carry or wear on you will be checked. Camera bags, purses, belly bags, kids backpacks ... no matter how small, if it's got a strap or a belt attachment and it's a bag, they'll check it.

 

[vincent]

How long does it take to get through the security checks? Also, how does this effect EE days?

 

[Eljay]

Originally posted by vincent
How long does it take to get through the security checks? Also, how does this effect EE days?

If you have no bag, they wave you right through. If you have a fanny pack or a regular purse, 5 or 10 seconds. A back pack or larger can take a minute. This multiplied by however many people are in line in front of you. You can speed it up by having it open & by quickly showing the contents to the officer. It doesn't affect EE in any way, you go through the same check.

 

[vincent]

We plan to have breakfast early mornning and take some snacks into the park. For example, some trail mix and some candy. Will the security personel confiscate anything like that. I heard that food is not allowed into the park. We plan on doing one meal (lunch) in the park and then dinner once the park closes.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

We took snacks- they never said a word nor confiscated them. Even on all ears net I just read a few minutes ago that while they technically do not allow food or beverages to be brought in- they generally will never mind you bringing water and light snacks in with you. They discourage bringing coolers.

That's what that website said. Sounds like to me they just don't want you bringing in big coolers full of food for your entire stay or something. They also might be more lenient when it comes to children because they'll often need/want a snack or drink at an inopportune time. But I could see them really doing this for anyone- what if you were hyperglycemic (sp?)??? Or diabetic? So this is probably why they have no problems with snacks being brought in.

What ARE the bag checks supposed to protect us from?
A terrorist attack?
During Christmas week, I saw 2 guys walk into the Animal Kingdom wearing those big long black coats. They didn't have any bags so they walked around the security check tables. They could have had a number of weapons under those coats... guns, dynamite etc...
I just don't see how anyone can think that some sick person who wants do a horrible, destructive thing at a Disney Park will decide not to do it because of the bag checks.

BUT, I don't mind the few minutes it takes, SOME people feel safer, Disney HAS to do SOMETHING, and the "bag-checkers" are always nice and friendly. There's one that we've seen at MGM twice and he always asks "Where are my donuts?"
Next time, we're bringing donuts.

I agree with this totally.
They did a cursory glance through our bags and fanny pack but did not ask us to remove anything- anything could have been at the bottom of them under the "normal looking" stuff we had in there.
They also did not ask to open our diaper bag in the stroller (yet they DID at Universal Studios and IOS... which also included wanting to see through the entire bag even if you had to remove some items- including asking to see in every single compartment of our backpack).
People came in with huge jackets on -on the cold days and walked on by the security tables.
It didn't bother me, since it was only a few seconds of my time even when the lines seemed long- but it didn't make me feel any safer. I already felt pretty safe there- they just didn't make me feel any safer.

And to answer the question- I think car alarms are a waste of money and don't own one on any of our vehicles. I also don't own mace connected to my car keys. I guess I don't waste money on false senses of security.
But I still agree with the above post... doesn't make me feel any safer because it probably ISN'T making me any safer- but it doesn't bother me for them to do it.

 

[Eljay]

I've never heard of food being confiscated, alcohol yes.

 

[jiminyfan]

We use a mesh bag and never had it checked once other than a yep there are things in there.

MGM didn't have a no bags line this past vacation, Jan 28-feb 7th, it did in september.

During our September trip we talked to a guy who had his knife taken from him fanny pack and giving to guest services until he left the park. He picked it up and then put it in his pocket and walked right back into EPCOT with it. He said he knew they wouldn't check him for it there. LOL

I also saw a family questioned at EPCOt about the gun their son had, YES he bought it at MK and it was fake.

The need to either get serious about the security or drop this charade.

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by jiminyfan
The need to either get serious about the security or drop this charade.

What do you define as 'serious'?? Do they need metal detectors, should everyone be patted down? What about those bomb sniffing machines, should they install those? Should you be taken into a private booth for body cavity exams? But what about anthrax or small pox? How would you know that someone doesn't have something like that in a lipstick case or some such?

You can NEVER be serious enough to do the job the way it SHOULD be done. If they did it that way, it would take hours to get into the parks, and nobody would want to go. Even doing it to the level they do at the airports wouldn't be feasible.

What is enough?

 

[jiminyfan]

everyone seems to know that they do little or nothing to deter anyone who wants to do soemthing. But then again what will?

I have seen metal detectors used and work at Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ and Magic Moutain in California.

Civil rights need to be protected, so body searches are out. Pat downs are alright with me as long as she is cute and likes short, fat married guys <VBG>.

I guess I am not sure what they are supposed to look for or what there real purpose is other than make people feel safer.

The past trip my 3 year old yelled, "NO BAGS!" and the guards waved us by with the bag attached to the stroller.

If they do want to keep them up then have enough to cover the amount of gates open. At Studios there were never more than 2 guards manning tables at any time we were there. the lines at times were at least 30 people or more in length. This surely does dampen the enthusiam when you have to wait anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to get into a park when you know that they are not really providing much extra security at all.

Some of the guards take it very serious, we had one check our pop corn container to make sure it contained only pop corn. Good thinking as I even told my wife that a pop corn container was a good hiding place for illegal contraband (is there such a thing as a legal contraband?). Funny thingis she never checked our bag on the stroller.

I applaud Disney for trying to make us feel safer, but they need to look at their current setup and make some modifications. Metal detectors would seem less inconvient and intrusive. Make them look like magical gates or another special entry and most people wouldn't even notice them.

Lets all be reasonable if anyone really wants to do a terroristic act at WDW or anywhere, no level of security can stop them. A book my sife just read dealt with a terroristic act at WDW, the plot was simple and involved biological agents. Not hard to get in and spread. Let's just all hope that WDW continues to be a Magical place free from these types of acts.

 

[nowellsl]

I always think about that when they let the stink bug smell loose in a bugs life. How easy would that be?!

 

[opal]

When we were there last month, almost every time we left a park we were stopped to participate in a survey. One was on our opinions of the current security check procedures. I think they know they are lacking and trying to deal with it. I think they are trying to figure out it security checks make guests feel safer and how extensive a check the average vacationer is willing to tolerate.

 

[Eljay]

On Sunday, I was checking in at the AKL. For the first time ever, I was asked for a photo ID at the guard shack, which he compared to my yellow reservation paper. Not the usual jovial welcoming mood, much more serious & somber.
We also noticed much more uniformed security present in the parks. Some who I thought might be plain-clothed security too, maybe I'm getting paranoid!

 

[katalina]

My guess is that most of the people on this board do not fit the "terrorist" profile. Like it or not, profiling does occur. So perhaps that's why it's just a cursory check and not a cavity search! Moms and dads from the Midwest with diaper bags just don't pose a high risk.

Personally, I'd be more afraid of some type of air attack, which could not be prevented by Disney.

 

[Magickndm]

Originally posted by TreeOfLife
But then again, how would they get out?

The hijackers didn't get out. I'm sorry, but there are such things as suicide bombers. Maybe Disney's security isn't the same as at airports, but everyone complains about the little inconvience you have to put up with now. I go 2 or 3 times a month and have never stood in line for 15 or 20 minutes. Tho the people who complain about the time waiting for security checks are more than happy to run in and wait in even longer lines for every attraction.

 

[discoduck]

I think metal detectors would be a better idea in the winter months just for the fact that you could hide anything in a coat, but would it be practical in the hot months,probably not.
So bag checks would be the way to go. I know they wouldnt put them in just for cold days so maybe a combonation of both would make people feel safer. It might be the start of a safer way to do it. Im sure some will find cons with this idea.


Anyway, If somthing tragic happens to me there, I couldnt think of a better place to die ( sorry if that sounds sick )



Disneys not a place its a way of life