The Whole Security Thing At Disney

[MIKETFROMRI]

Now let me say right off the bat that security measures have to be taken, but the checks they make at entrance borders on a joke. Now you can say, " well they have to at least put the perception out there of showing people they are doing due dilegence..but come on what are they accomplishing with those bage checks...AND then letting those without bags to just enter. Here is a story of one of the 100s of times we have entered the park ( MK). I of course was allowed to enter the park having no bags..could have had "whatever" on my possession to cause harm inside..but...I am allowed to wander on in. Then they flip through my wifes bag with those wands and she was allowed in after like 1/2 sec with the wand. My wife ( unaware herself that she hadnt left it home) was allowed through with "mace" in her bag. ** My wife is a nurse in a big city hospital and has to walk the parking garage at very late hours and we were able to get "mace" to have on her possession for those occassions. THE EVEN WORST THING IS THAT SHE WAS ALLOWED THROUGH SECURITY AT AIRPORT TOO!!!!! YIKES....Once in the park when she became aware she had it in her bag we were flabergasted that they had let that slip. WHAT ELSE do they allow slip??....

 

[copcarguyp71]

The security is a deterrent at best. If nothing else it MAY give people with ulterior motives a moment of pause to think about things but truthfully if they have gone so far as to bring items of mal-intent with them then chances are pretty slim that Barney Fife will deter them with his penlight of justice.

I think the best thing to come out of the security checkpoints is that we get in the parks that much quicker since we travel light leaving the folks who pack like it is an arctic expedition in the dust MUWAHAHAHA:ROFLOL:

 

[dreamfinder]

It is no different than the TSA. And the TSA with their billions spent still let guns, knives and the like slip through regularly.

Most security like that is just theater. It helps to make guests feel more secure knowing that the person next to them had their stuff searched. Now if someone really wanted to sneak something through, they could. But it is about stopping the obvious stuff, and convincing people to leave things at home that shouldn't be brought to the parks. For instance, they may let a few cans of pepper spray slip through, but by having security looking for it, most people will make a conscious effort to leave it at home, thus eliminating the chance that little Johnny pulls it out of the diaper bag and sprays the Dapper Dans thinking its a toy.

 

[rodserling27]

The only thing I ever got confiscated from security was a pair of yellow 3D glasses I "forgot" to return to "Honey I Shrunk the Audience." I needed them for my home-made DEVO Costume and was a bit of a jabroni of a teenager :lol: If someone wanted to do some serious damage at WDW, I'm sure they could, but it hasn't been a target for this long, I don't really foresee it being a target any time soon.

 

[Spikerdink]

I hate going through those insipid checkpoints. I carry a camera bag - just an over the shoulder carrier for my SLR. I have to wait in line behind the people who bring in coolers, backpacks, small suitcases with changes of clother for the entire family and watch as the security guy waves a small flashlight over the contents.

If someone wanted to bring in something to cause major harm, they will surely do so and not pack it in the diaper bag. I told my friends this was just a show for the people who want to be reassured that Disney is diligent.

I wish there were a line for people with just a camera so I can clear that line quickly.....

 

[DisneyJoe]

Most security like that is just theater. It helps to make guests feel more secure knowing that the person next to them had their stuff searched.

This.

If they didn't even make this "show", many people would be asking Why Not?

 

[Master Yoda]

It is largely security theater. They do find some things from time to time and it does provide a sense of security which keeps the masses calm and the legal department happy. The biggest issue I have is that if someone wants to harm people, security checkpoints create an ideal place in which to do it.

 

[Susan Savia]

Why don't they check thru strollers and not just open the gate for them to 'go on in'? Saw this quite a few times in February....

 

[mwbrown]

A few years ago we were chatting with a favourite cast member at the Barber Shop in MK who knew we were Canadian and said she loved ice wine. The following trip we brought a bottle of ice wine with us and we were able to bring a bottle of wine through MK security without so much as a glance.

Needless to say the CM was both thrilled with the gift and impressed that we got a bottle of alcohol into the dry park....

 

[JIMINYCR]

Some security guards really tear through those bags and others just take a quick glance. There's no uniform process they go through. Upon approaching the lines I always look to see which guard is going to tie me up longer and avoid his line.:shrug:

 

[Becky]

Hum, "cargo pants", "duster coats", no bag. Come on in. :lookaroun

 

[Florida_is_hot]

Here is the thing I like to know is will people stop over reacting?

There are and have always been bad people what are you going to do live under 24/7 surveillance, submit to strip searches everywhere you go?

When are you going to say enough is enough?
I refuse to live in fear?

Think about malls, subways there are hundreds, thousands of places where attacks can happen. I think this has gone on too far, 9/11was not the real terrorist win, the win is they the terrorists got 100s of millions of people to give away everything that makes their country great.... give away freedom for a false sense of security.

 

[Tigger#1]

I always got a kick out of the security at our local stadium going through my wifes purse but just letting me walk right into the concert in a duster coat. One time I actually walked right past the security checkpoint with a handgun and these were real police doing the checkin.
So like was said before they are mainly for show and a deturent for people afraid they might get caught.

 

[Master Yoda]

Here is the thing I like to know is will people stop over reacting?

There are and have always been bad people what are you going to do live under 24/7 surveillance, submit to strip searches everywhere you go?

When are you going to say enough is enough?
I refuse to live in fear?

Think about malls, subways there are hundreds, thousands of places where attacks can happen. I think this has gone on too far, 9/11was not the real terrorist win, the win is they the terrorists got 100s of millions of people to give away everything that makes their country great.... give away freedom for a false sense of security.

No, and this is not unique to security.
Currently people are loosing their minds over "pink slime" for no logical reason. The average person seems to be almost conditioned to instantly blow things completely out of the water with out the first attempt to understand the situation.

 

[Phonedave]

Long ago - maybe 2003 or so - I was stopped because I had a waterproof match case.

I grabbed one of my day packs that I use for hiking / camping to take with us. I guess I left a waterproof match case in it (stainless steel with a screw on top, about the size of a 35mm film can). The CM found it, made me open it, and wanted to know what I was going to do with matches. I said "nothing, I have them by accident" and he let me in. I was impressed that he spotted it, and was concerned enough to ask what it was.

Of course I could have had it in my pocket and nobody would have been the wiser.

-dave

 

[DawnCt]

I never even take a purse into any of the theme parks. I carry my camera on a wrist strap and I keep my cash, credit card and pass in a surf safe around my neck. If someone were intent on creating havoc, they wouldn't carry it in, in a bag. They would conceal items in their clothing or on their body. Since they don't and will probably never have metal detectors, the current system is "theatre", as someone said before.

 

[phlydude]

Long ago - maybe 2003 or so - I was stopped because I had a waterproof match case.

I grabbed one of my day packs that I use for hiking / camping to take with us. I guess I left a waterproof match case in it (stainless steel with a screw on top, about the size of a 35mm film can). The CM found it, made me open it, and wanted to know what I was going to do with matches. I said "nothing, I have them by accident" and he let me in. I was impressed that he spotted it, and was concerned enough to ask what it was.

Of course I could have had it in my pocket and nobody would have been the wiser.

-dave

What do people light cigarettes with? (aside from lighters) - stupid question about the matches honestly (realizing that waterproof matches may be a little extreme for cigarettes but still, they are matches) . Kudos for catching the container but once they saw matches, they should have just moved you along.

 

[PirateFrank]

A few years ago we were chatting with a favourite cast member at the Barber Shop in MK who knew we were Canadian and said she loved ice wine. The following trip we brought a bottle of ice wine with us and we were able to bring a bottle of wine through MK security without so much as a glance.

Needless to say the CM was both thrilled with the gift and impressed that we got a bottle of alcohol into the dry park....

so am I...what's your secret?

 

[murphysmom]

What I have heard is that the real security is watching you, in order to do some profiling, not the people looking thru your bag. Though I did notice on my last trip that they were being more thorough than before in their searches. Looking in with a little flashlight, lifting bags up and down a few times.

 

[DisneyJoe]

What I have heard is that the real security is watching you, in order to do some profiling, not the people looking thru your bag.

Most definitely! They have plenty of security, plain clothes, undercover, whatever you want to call them, as well as security cameras.