PHOTOS - New bag check areas greatly enhance Magic Kingdom arrival experience

[LuvtheGoof]

I guess technically, it was a loophole in security. If someone wanted, they probably could have gotten off on the "enter" side of the monorail at EPCOT, then walked down the entrance ramp, and entered the park without going through security. I don't know how closely they monitored this.

They have CMs on that side to help people entering the monorail. I'm sure someone would say something if you tried to get off the wrong side, especially nowadays.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If you say that then we've certainly had different experiences!

Maybe you shouldn't be showing off your guns whenever you walk into the park.

 

[RSoxNo1]

There are only a small number of print readers on the market, they all do the same thing. They capture the print and convert it to a numeric representation. That's used to query a database using the PAN from your magic band or your ticket/pass. Are you saying that Disney is somehow better at database queries?

I'm saying that whatever the reason, Universal's system is far slower and always requires the team member to wipe it down after each use. It's not a good system and I can't be the only person to experience this.

 

[RustySpork]

I'm saying that whatever the reason, Universal's system is far slower and always requires the team member to wipe it down after each use. It's not a good system and I can't be the only person to experience this.

It takes the same amount of time to go through either gate. Neither parks readers will work if they're dirty, they both get cleaned as often.

No finger print reader is going to get a good read if the reader is dirty.

 

[marni1971]

Maybe you shouldn't be showing off your guns whenever you walk into the park.

Ha!

 

[RustySpork]

Maybe you shouldn't be showing off your guns whenever you walk into the park.

Sun's out, guns out.

 

[Mouse3268]

This has probably been previously discussed, but what happens if you take the monorail from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom? Would you go through screening before getting on the monorail at Epcot?

 

[Grimley1968]

This has probably been previously discussed, but what happens if you take the monorail from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom? Would you go through screening before getting on the monorail at Epcot?

From the previous page:

Actually, the entrance to the monorail station at EPCOT is (and always was) within the secure zone. I found this out the hard way. I wanted to take a bus from EPCOT to the Grand Floridian. I walked all the way down to the bus area before I found out that there wasn't a bus from EP to the GF. The monorail was my only option. In order to get back to the monorail station, I had to go back through security.

You are correct, they need to (and probably will) make the monorail exit at EPCOT within the secure zone. I think they will just need to move the screening area a little closer to the bus area.

 

[marni1971]

Sun's out, guns out.

And tourists are in town...

 

[ford91exploder]

Eventually we will all need a background check to get in here. I've held a US secret clearance so I should be fine.

First rule of security clearance is to not talk about security clearance, I'm sure you remember THAT lecture I do at least...

 

[MichWolv]

I honestly don't see why they would change that. They have screening at each park. I realize there is screening at TTC before boarding the Express Monorail and Resort Monorail to MK. Is there screening for the Epcot monorail? If not, then the screening at Epcot takes care of that. If so, then the screening is really for the monorail itself.

There is screening at the TTC before you board any monorail (Resort, Express, or Epcot), unless you arrive from a park or resort, in which case you were screened there. So the screening at Epcot after you get off the monorail is currently redundant. There is no way to arrive at Epcot on the monorail without already having been screened.

 

[rushtest4echo]

Okay, so that would mean somehow changing the traffic flow so that you could directly enter Epcot from the monorail. Right now, you go through security again.

Also, someone else mentioned that if you enter Epcot via the International Gateway, you're already screened before boarding the Epcot monorail. Don't see how that's possible. You exit Epcot at the front entrance before boarding the monorail. So my guess is that when arriving at the TTC and going down the ramp before boarding the Resort or Express monorail, you have to leave the security zone and re-enter it for screening. Can someone clarify this?

Previously, you could walk through Intl Gateway's security (being checked), walk up to the front of the park and exit, straight to the monorail without being checked. I don't believe this has changed. If you look at it in a roundabout way, the monorail now "links" secure zones within the Magic Kingdom, TTC, and EPCOT. That link is broken when you exit the monorail at EPCOT or a hotel and currently, you must be rescreened if you want to re-enter that zone. However, most people tend to think that they'll address thos by moving a bag check or moving the exit of the monorail, at EPCOT which would keep you inside the overall larger safe zone. But for now, once you're inside EPCOT's safe zone, you're also technically inside Magic Kingdom and TTC's until you choose to exit those zones. The EPCOT one is the only real one at the parks that removes you from the zone immediately when you exit.

 

[MichWolv]

Also, someone else mentioned that if you enter Epcot via the International Gateway, you're already screened before boarding the Epcot monorail. Don't see how that's possible. You exit Epcot at the front entrance before boarding the monorail. So my guess is that when arriving at the TTC and going down the ramp before boarding the Resort or Express monorail, you have to leave the security zone and re-enter it for screening. Can someone clarify this?

Others may have gotten to this already, but here's the lay of it right now. The ENTRANCE to the monorail at the front of Epcot is IN the secure zone. Thus, you can leave Epcot, take the monorail to TTC and then to MK and never leave the secured zone. And you won't have to be screened again. The EXIT from the monorail at the front of Epcot takes you, however, outside of the secure zone.

 

[Disney Hound]

I don't really understand why people have an issue with the improvements in security. If you end up going through twice - who cares if you have nothing to hide??

Anyone from the UK (and hopefully everywhere else considering recent worldwide events) will realise the threats that we are up against, particularly it seems with transportation systems - be it trains, buses or pedestrian areas next to roads!.

DH and I have been commenting to each other for a few years about what an easy target the monorail would be as it had no security! You can only imagine the horror of that! I am delighted that they have started screening guests before they enter the train, and also the impact this has had to reduce congestion at the park entrance! Now I just hope they introduce security for the buses and Disney Springs as well!

There is always a nutter who wants to do harm! At the end of the day, you have to continue with life so they don't win - anything Disney does to reduce the risk is very welcome from Me!

 

[MichWolv]

First rule of security clearance is to not talk about security clearance, I'm sure you remember THAT lecture I do at least...

You should talk to the person who gave you that lecture and find why others with security clearances didn't get it. Perhaps it was April Fool's Day when you were lectured, but you didn't catch on to the prank?

 

[Scuttle]

I'm saying that whatever the reason, Universal's system is far slower and always requires the team member to wipe it down after each use. It's not a good system and I can't be the only person to experience this.

I concur that UO's system is not what Disney's is.

 

[EOD K9]

So, as far as strollers and all... I know my idea is controversial, but I think all outside strollers should be banned. You can hide anything in them and strollers for some reason get bigger and bigger every year. You may rent "Disney" strollers that are all uniform in size and you get to "after" you have been screened. Am I a jerk for thinking this?

Yes and I'll tell you why. The first time I took my daughters they were ten months old. Those hard plastic seats would not have supported them. One size does not fit all. However, that being said, if they had the same strollers that Kingdom Strollers rents, that are padded, soft, and are reclining, then that would be fine.

 

[rushtest4echo]

I don't really understand why people have an issue with the improvements in security. If you end up going through twice - who cares if you have nothing to hide??

Anyone from the UK (and hopefully everywhere else considering recent worldwide events) will realise the threats that we are up against, particularly it seems with transportation systems - be it trains, buses or pedestrian areas next to roads!.

DH and I have been commenting to each other for a few years about what an easy target the monorail would be as it had no security! You can only imagine the horror of that! I am delighted that they have started screening guests before they enter the train, and also the impact this has had to reduce congestion at the park entrance! Now I just hope they introduce security for the buses and Disney Springs as well!

There is always a nutter who wants to do harm! At the end of the day, you have to continue with life so they don't win - anything Disney does to reduce the risk is very welcome from Me!

You're conflating the appearance of security with actual security. You're also saying that it's a positive sum game (we get more security and there's really no hassle), when in fact it's a negative sum game (we have no increase in security and more of a hassle).

It's not about whether or not you have something to hide. The monorail is a massive target, but none of these measures would stop me from throwing a heavy gauge cable over the beam, securing it to a pillar, and waiting for the train to either rip itself apart or collapse the beam itself. Similar threats exist on transportation options all over the earth. We simply can't secure them. It's impossible. Adding security is always welcome when it has positive effect. The gripes here are centered around the fact that it offers no positive effect. In fact it causes situations that experts have explicitly stated are the worst conditions for an attack.

I completely agree that at the end of the day there's nothing you can do if someone wants to cause harm. In the case of terrorism, how we've responded to it speaks volumes about the effectiveness of their goals. They don't do the things they do for attention or to kill people, those are just the methods. Their goals are to destabilize and induce fear. We've certainly helped them with those goals over the past 15 years. Some other places have continued to go about their business and show the terrorists that their horrific acts won't cause society to change. Lets hope France remembers that during their next elections.

As long as we're discussing strollers, can we just get rid of all of em? (out come the pitchforks).

 

[MichWolv]

So, as far as strollers and all... I know my idea is controversial, but I think all outside strollers should be banned. You can hide anything in them and strollers for some reason get bigger and bigger every year. You may rent "Disney" strollers that are all uniform in size and you get to "after" you have been screened. Am I a jerk for thinking this?

Yes, you are.

Disney's strollers are utilitarian and expensive to rent. They are not comfortable to sit in and certainly not to sleep in. And your policy would result in the need for kids that can't walk far to be carried by their parents from the car, to the tram, through security and to the stroller rental station.

Perhaps Disney should ban outside wheelchairs and ECVs as well, at least the ones with baskets and places to store things.

 

[EOD K9]

Eventually we will all need a background check to get in here. I've held a US secret clearance so I should be fine.

Just secret???? Pfffft!

 

[Disney-Trains]

I wonder if Disney is thinking of screening all guests at hotels before boarding busses one day?