Bag Checks At All Parks - A Joke

[RogueHabit]

OK, ahead of me actually trying to get a trip report together I wasnted to post this as I feel it is rather important.

During our two week vacation we went to one park or another on nearly everyday and I was severely unimpressed with the bag searches.

Not that they occurred, but at how totally useless and ineffective they are. The security have absolutely no idea what they are looking for.

On 14 days I carried in a 9" x 4" x 6" baby wipes box and it wasn't until the last day that a guard actually asked me to open it. In addition they never looked beyond the top of the bag, a rather deep backpack.

As I pointed out on the last day to the guard, that box could have had a gun or a knife or even a bomb in it and not once had it been checked previously.

They answer I recieved from a rather cocky security guard was that they could tell who they should focus on by looking at their eyes.... Cool trick behind sunglasses I'm sure. They should teach that trick to the FBI!!!!

Unfortunately this problem wasn't restricted to WDW, but also the same at USF.

Certainly I didn't feel safer for the checks, because it was plainly obvious that if anyone wanted to take a device into WDW it would be no problem whatsoever to do.

 

[WDWspider]

Maybe they do know what they are doing. After all, you didn't have a bomb or knife or anything. I guess the only way to test this would be to try and carry such an item into the park, then you will know whether they are compitent or not to be checking bags. I imagine most people concealing weapons would be less willing to let someone look into there bag, or may be nervous acting, who knows. Since it has never happened, I don't feel very scared about going to WDW. I'm glad they are relaxed about it personally. I went to Kings Dominion and almost had to go through a strip search because of some stupid keys or something in my pockets. They were mean about it too.

 

[RogueHabit]

Oh, I didn't mean to imply you should feel unsafe at all. More that the checks are pointless because they aren't very well done.

My point being that if they are going to do bag searches then that is what they should do. Opening the top zipper and peaking inside is not going to prevent someone from taking a weapon into the parks.

 

[Holly]

I would think that the bag checks are more to make *you* feel safe (which it didn't) - than to actually ensure safety.

If someone wants to sneak a weapon, a bomb or any other threatening device into WDW (or anywhere for that matter) no simple bag check is going to deter them. Actually, if they're that dead set on causing harm, nothing is going to stop them.

 

[DanStat]

It depends where you go, and when you go as well.

We found the MGM-Studios to be the most slack...the Animal Kingdom's to be medium, EPCOT's almost non-existent, and Magic Kingdom was the strictest...they made us dump our bag out, and open everything!

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by Holly
I would think that the bag checks are more to make *you* feel safe (which it didn't) - than to actually ensure safety.

If someone wants to sneak a weapon, a bomb or any other threatening device into WDW (or anywhere for that matter) no simple bag check is going to deter them. Actually, if they're that dead set on causing harm, nothing is going to stop them.

Yep. It's more of a safety blanket to make nervous and uneasy guests feel a little more comfortable.

Like others have said before, they and I have worn baggy clothes with many pockets. I could easily have taken a good sized knife or a gun in and they wouldn't have known.

 

[Rider]

It is what customs does at the airport.

If you have a group they will check only 1 or 2 bags. But what they are really doing is looking for how you react. If you look nervious or something, then they act.

 

[Hyperion93]

They don't even check pockets. I could have easily brough in a small nuclear device in my pocket, and nobody would have known.

 

[CmdrTostada]

If you guys really wanted to be safe at Disney it would probably take an hour just to get in the park. They would have to stop your car have the dogs sniff it. Then when you get to TTC ( If your gong to MK) they would have you walk through metal detectors, have your bag go through x-ray machine, then explosives detection machine. They would have to have this outside every park and every resort, so they can check your luggage.

 

[thumper]

I have to agree in the fact that the searches made us feel a little bit more comfortable. We did see the guards doing thorough searches at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. In EPCOT, the guard that was handling the line we were in was even checking the strollers. In Animal Kingdom, some lady tried to bring in one of those mason jar mugs from Fort Wilderness and they took that right away!

 

[BigAL]

Check

I agree the bag checks are not sufficient to detect anyone carrying anyhting in to the parks.

 

[raven]

I was at WDW the 4 days after 9/11 and the bag checks were very complicated. It took so much time to check in people that it held up the line and people were getting very irritated. After about a week, the bag checks went faster.

I guess after doing this for a year they know exactly what to look for now. They must also want to keep people happy while waiting to get in.

 

[DanStat]

Originally posted by raven
I was at WDW the 4 days after 9/11 and the bag checks were very complicated. It took so much time to check in people that it held up the line and people were getting very irritated. After about a week, the bag checks went faster.

I guess after doing this for a year they know exactly what to look for now. They must also want to keep people happy while waiting to get in.

I'm sure that's because the checks were just beginning, everyone's nerves were "on the fritz".

I don't see getting angry about it though...what do you have to hide?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

How could they possibly do a thorough bag check? have you ever seen the contents of a womans handbag, youd be there a week

 

[tiggerlover1971]

Originally posted by happy snapper
How could they possibly do a thorough bag check? have you ever seen the contents of a womans handbag, youd be there a week

lol thats because we have to hold our childrens and husbands stuff in our purses :lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Originally posted by tiggerlover1971


lol thats because we have to hold our childrens and husbands stuff in our purses :lol:

Theres no way id leave my wife with my wallet, shed work out how much I was spending....

 

[tiggerlover1971]

Originally posted by happy snapper


Theres no way id leave my wife with my wallet, shed work out how much I was spending....

not my husband he hates holding anything except............................:lol: :animwink:

 

[cruiseman]

I had a pretty thorogh bag check once and the rest were pretty week, i think they are just being disney about it and trying not to bug the vacationers although maybe a little more thoroghness would be appreciated

 

[JLW11Hi]

Now, honestly, they are doing what they can to continue to keep the parks safe. If they had thorough checks all the way through, you'd never get everyone into the parks in a day. I agree with the idea that they do it to check people's reactions.

Besides the gate checks, there is probably someone watching you the entire time you are in the park. There are probably security measurements taken that Disney hasn't even told anyone about to make it extra safe.

It could also be that they are just catching any "stupid" people. I heard of a teenager at an airport who had a razor in his shoe, and it fell out at a security checkpoint.

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Originally posted by Ratcat
Oh, I didn't mean to imply you should feel unsafe at all. More that the checks are pointless because they aren't very well done.

My point being that if they are going to do bag searches then that is what they should do. Opening the top zipper and peaking inside is not going to prevent someone from taking a weapon into the parks.

i agree! people have said before that our feeling of being generally safe in the US pre-Sept 11 was all an illusion...i say it still is. the bag checks are to help people feel safe...but i've found them to be pointless since day 1. even if they did go completely through the bag, someone could still be hiding a knife or gun under their clothing.