Do we REALLY need bags checked?

[fillerup]

I might take bagcheck seriously if Disney took bagcheck seriously - but they don't.

Too many times, I've seen the satellite bagchecks at both Epcot and DHS abandoned and unsecured before park closing. And people with bags and strollers were still entering through those areas.

 

[DfromATX]

It doesn't bother me, but they seem to just give it a swift look over. I think if someone was really determined to do harm they could easily sneak something in.

 

[Duckberg]

They check, but they really DON'T check!

 

[disneysince71]

We bring food in all the time no one seems to care.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

But as far as I know those things ARE allowed to be brought in. You just can't bring in alcohol or things in glass containers.

True. You can bring any food you like as long as you don't bring in a rolling cooler. They changed that about three years ago. We bring in water, caffeine free soda and even sandwiches and such in one of those purse size cooler bags occasionally. The rules were on the old site. I haven't looked for them on the new site.
I have even seen people with the rolling coolers during the heat of the summer. Maybe they are a little more lenient when people need to drink a lot or the people carried them in and didn't pull out the handle and roll it until they were past the guard.

 

[JimboJones123]

The problem is that Disney World is one of the sexiest targets on the entire planet. They must show tight security. Bag checks. IDs checked at every hotel. It is the little things that they "show" to keep from having to have actual tight security.

Trunk checks at every gate. Metal detectors. Pat downs. Disney doesn't want to do these. That is why they put on the show.

The main purpose of the bag check is to stop the "big one."

20 plus murders. Lots of bullets or lots of BOOM.

 

[GenerationX]

I like the bag checks, because they slow other people down.

 

[luv]

Anyone who wants to can walk right in and start shooting with big guns.

People who are intent on killing aren't going to stop for bag check, lol. They're going to shoot all the people bunched up together in lines for bag check and then continue into the park to kill more people.

It is my hope that Disney has snipers, but I doubt it. I do expect they have some sort of armed guards all over the place. They had better be twice as busy ACTUALLY protecting us as they are pretending to protect us!! If they aren't, and people die because of it, I will very much blame Disney.

Put those security dollars to work paying people who ACTUALLY protect us!

 

[R W B]

Having firsthand seen a park guest pulled to one side during a bag check at the magic kingdom for having a firearm in her "handbag" i don't resent bagcheck at all..
No matter what Disney do in this respect it will never be right for some people.
As for a PP
"I could carry a small frame weapon in my pockets, no need for a bag (No, I've never carried in the parks). And as for knives? I ALWAYS have my 3 1/2 stainless steel lock back knife in my pocket. Always. You never need a knife until you need a knife badly."
Do you carry your knife everywhere at WDW... and if so WHY ??

I always carry my knife on me too, including wdw. Only place I don't is when I know they will have metal detectors where I'm going. Like said before, you never know when you need a knife, rather its to cut off some tags of something you buy or to cut a gun mans throat while he's changing clips in his gun. It is what it is. Now I feel safe at wdw but then again I bet everyone felt safe walking into that movie theater in CO and also dropping their kids off at school in CT. It's a fact, they have nut jobs out their and security guards or police will not always be right there when something happens. I'm not afraid to go to populated places (wdw, this years Superbowl,etc) but I also know nothing is predictable in today's world.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Do you carry your knife everywhere at WDW... and if so WHY ??

I carry my rapier wit and stunning good looks...all I have ever needed at the world!

 

[Prince-1]

Someone put it the best for me...security theater. I feel that it is a complete waste of time designed to make us all feel more secure. We go 4-5 times a year and my wife who always goes through the checkpoints rarely gets her bags checked beyond a glance. If anyone truly wanted to bring in anything that could harm others can easily just carry it in themselves. It does provide a sense of security to some but lets be honest, the checkpoints do nothing.

 

[R W B]

It is my hope that Disney has snipers, but I doubt it. I do expect they have some sort of armed guards all over the place. They had better be twice as busy ACTUALLY protecting us as they are pretending to protect us!! If they aren't, and people die because of it, I will very blame Disney

Speaking of snipers, random fact you may or may not know but every football stadium that hosts the Superbowl has sniper ledges built inside up top somewhere. I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[AintNoOtherMan]

It's an illusion of safety. Disney knows that if someone wanted to bring a weapon in, they could. But most people don't really think about that. I guess that if people feel safe, they're more likely to go to the parks.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

I always carry my knife on me too, including wdw. Only place I don't is when I know they will have metal detectors where I'm going. Like said before, you never know when you need a knife, rather its to cut off some tags of something you buy or to cut a gun mans throat while he's changing clips in his gun. It is what it is. Now I feel safe at wdw but then again I bet everyone felt safe walking into that movie theater in CO and also dropping their kids off at school in CT. It's a fact, they have nut jobs out their and security guards or police will not always be right there when something happens. I'm not afraid to go to populated places (wdw, this years Superbowl,etc) but I also know nothing is predictable in today's world.

Now this just makes me think you are putting yourself in a false sense of security you feel safe at WDW because you carry a knife yet in all reality it probably makes you no safer if someone starts shooting (imho)

to quote an old saying "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight "

 

[ChrisFL]

Bag check is about so much more than checking bags. It is about dividing people up so security can get a better look at a person. They are trained to noticed when people are uncomfortable, whether they are going through bag check or the regular entrance. There is so much more going on at the entrance to the park than we realize. I think I can handle taking a couple extra minutes to go through bag check in order to maintain the safety of my family.

THIS. The bag checks serve several purposes, many have been mentioned here already, but...

• Informing guests what is appropriate and not appropriate to bring into the parks
• Banning dangerous items that people may have forgotten they brought in
• Slowing people down to let security have more time to view suspicious behavior
• People without bags are sent to a separate area and its usually only 10% of guests, so again, easier for security to monitor them
• Visibility...there's usually a local police officer right nearby as well.
• And with the new MagicBigBrother+ they will need another way to slow guests down sinec the actual "turnstyles" might be going away.

 

[von Slapschtick]

The bag checks are completely redundant. If they do serve a purpose I can't see what it is, too many times I've passed through with nothing more than a cursory glance.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

THIS. The bag checks serve several purposes, many have been mentioned here already, but...

• Informing guests what is appropriate and not appropriate to bring into the parks
• Banning dangerous items that people may have forgotten they brought in
• Slowing people down to let security have more time to view suspicious behavior
• People without bags are sent to a separate area and its usually only 10% of guests, so again, easier for security to monitor them
• Visibility...there's usually a local police officer right nearby as well.
• And with the new MagicBigBrother+ they will need another way to slow guests down sinec the actual "turnstyles" might be going away.

I don't think the bag checks do prevent dangerous items to be brought by a good margin because there is ways to get around it such as putting dangerous items in your pockets.

 

[Disneykidder]

It definitely is annoying but worth the extra few minutes. I think it is necessary. In a very highly populated place like WDW, ya never know what could happen.

We always take water into the parks and some small snacks.

 

[rlm919]

I saw someone stopped while trying to bring a bottle of Jack into MK...... so I don't think bombs or guns are the only reason for bag checks and yes they are necessary.
Nothing against alcohol, but anyone who needs to bring that into the park is obviously going to, at some point, be a problem.

 

[ShookieJones]

Bag checks are a false sense of security. If someone REALLY wanted to cause harm they could easily get in. Then why do it?? This:

The problem with getting rid of bag checks at this point is that if something did happen, Disney would take a lot of heat for "loosing" their security.