New Awful Security Screening Process

[TrojanUSC]

Haven't seen this posted elsewhere here but can anyone shed any light on the idiotic new security process at DLR? We waited 27 minutes last night to get into DTD from the Grand Californian entrance because of how inefficient the process was. Previously you went through the bag check, then to the metal detector. If you didn't have a bag, you were able to proceed to the metal detector. Once there you just put your wallet and keys on the table.

Now, everyone - bags or not - waits in the queue. Then you put ANY items you have onto the table, where a single person will root search them, regardless of if they are a personal item or not. They are now searching all bags, purse, wallet, glasses containers, etc. Some of these guards were pulling out credit cards, taking cash out to look in deeper wallet pockets, we watched in horror as someone had their retainer taken out from its case and held by a security guard's gloved hand.

All of this is leading to insane waits and for what? What is the purpose of rifling through someone's wallet that obviously has no weapons? It's incredibly intrusive, a bad guest experience and just wholly unnecessary.

This is the only theme park in the area doing this and the only Disney theme park in the world doing this. WDW has those great new scanners you just keep walking through where nothing leaves your pocket.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Going through wallets??? Yeesh.

Were guests getting annoyed/vocal about the intrusion?

 

[Disney Irish]

Its not new, they've been doing it awhile now, at least since early summer -

Disneyland security lines are brutal right now

Pack your patience if you're headed to Disneyland: Security lines are particularly rough right now, thanks to a combination of high school grad nights and the start of the summer travel season.

www.wbaltv.com

They must have received a security threat alert prior to the enhanced checks. Going through wallets and other things not normally checked is to ensure no prohibited items are making it through security.

NFL and other major venues I've been to have had similar enhanced security checks for awhile. So its not surprising Disney started adopting it for DLR as well.

 

[John park hopper]

Guess Disney wants to make sure you have sufficient credit cards to pay for their over priced stuff

 

[drizgirl]

Its not new, they've been doing it awhile now, at least since early summer -

Disneyland security lines are brutal right now

Pack your patience if you're headed to Disneyland: Security lines are particularly rough right now, thanks to a combination of high school grad nights and the start of the summer travel season.

www.wbaltv.com

They must have received a security threat alert prior to the enhanced checks. Going through wallets and other things not normally checked is to ensure no prohibited items are making it through security.

NFL and other major venues I've been to have had similar enhanced security checks for awhile. So its not surprising Disney started adopting it for DLR as well.

What security threat are they addressing opening a retainer case? What security threat are they addressing pulling things out of someone’s wallet?

 

[Phroobar]

Security and their managers are not the brightest bulbs in the pack. Don't forget to take off your shoes and belt.

 

[Disney Irish]

What security threat are they addressing opening a retainer case? What security threat are they addressing pulling things out of someone’s wallet?

"Going through wallets and other things not normally checked is to ensure no prohibited items are making it through security."

For example in someones wallet could be this fold-able knife -

 

[chadwpalm]

Haven't seen this posted elsewhere here but can anyone shed any light on the idiotic new security process at DLR? We waited 27 minutes last night to get into DTD from the Grand Californian entrance because of how inefficient the process was. Previously you went through the bag check, then to the metal detector. If you didn't have a bag, you were able to proceed to the metal detector. Once there you just put your wallet and keys on the table.

Now, everyone - bags or not - waits in the queue. Then you put ANY items you have onto the table, where a single person will root search them, regardless of if they are a personal item or not. They are now searching all bags, purse, wallet, glasses containers, etc. Some of these guards were pulling out credit cards, taking cash out to look in deeper wallet pockets, we watched in horror as someone had their retainer taken out from its case and held by a security guard's gloved hand.

All of this is leading to insane waits and for what? What is the purpose of rifling through someone's wallet that obviously has no weapons? It's incredibly intrusive, a bad guest experience and just wholly unnecessary.

This is the only theme park in the area doing this and the only Disney theme park in the world doing this. WDW has those great new scanners you just keep walking through where nothing leaves your pocket.

From what I understand from posts on Reddit, some time just before Memorial weekend, security/bagcheck was audited and failed miserably. The auditors were able to get through the lines with prohibited items and that forced increases in checks and updated protocols.

I remember this happening just before my trip on Memorial weekend and making sure I got to bag check earlier than usual (was staying across the street on Harbor) so I wasn't standing in long lines. I remember seeing posts on Reddit about that time of people complaining it was taking upwards of 2 hours to get through bag check during that time.

Regarding the wallets, there was someone in front of me and part of a vape pen was found, but he tried to explain that it wasn't functional because of a missing piece (maybe battery or cartridge? I don't vape so don't know how they work). They then asked for his wallet and sure enough, they found the missing piece in there.

You'd be surprised how much people try to sneak stuff in....often trying to hide things in strollers. Another post had shown (there was a pic) of a lady trying to bring a wine bottle in through her stroller.

Don't blame Disney/security on this.....blame the idiot guests who can't follow rules and try to sneak things in and force them to take more time to dig deeper.

 

[Disney Irish]

From what I understand from posts on Reddit, some time just before Memorial weekend, security/bagcheck was audited and failed miserably. The auditors were able to get through the lines with prohibited items and that forced increases in checks and updated protocols.

I remember this happening just before my trip on Memorial weekend and making sure I got to bag check earlier than usual (was staying across the street on Harbor) so I wasn't standing in long lines. I remember seeing posts on Reddit about that time of people complaining it was taking upwards of 2 hours to get through bag check during that time.

Regarding the wallets, there was someone in front of me and part of a vape pen was found, but he tried to explain that it wasn't functional because of a missing piece (maybe battery or cartridge? I don't vape so don't know how they work). They then asked for his wallet and sure enough, they found the missing piece in there.

You'd be surprised how much people try to sneak stuff in....often trying to hide things in strollers. Another post had shown (there was a pic) of a lady trying to bring a wine bottle in through her stroller.

Don't blame Disney/security on this.....blame the idiot guests who can't follow rules and try to sneak things in and force them to take more time to dig deeper.

Exactly, people think its just a wallet or just a retainer case, or whatever, that contraband can't be snuck using them. Like the image I showed, weapons can be snuck in via them, or the example you gave with vapes and alcohol.

Yeah it sucks to be stuck in a long line waiting for security, but blame the people trying to get around the rules as the reason they upped the security protocols.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Searching through wallets is unacceptable. At some point we all have to accept that we live in a dangerous world filled with potentially dangerous other people. Leave little Timmy’s retainer case alone, my god.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I'm a former federal agent. It's all theater. If there was contraband, this process would never find it ... and everyone, including Disney security upper management, knows it. This is entirely so that people feel safer because it looks like Disney is on top of things.

The additional wait is so people feel secure, not because it actually makes them any safer. Same thing is true at airports, the NFL, concerts, government buildings, etc.

 

[drizgirl]

"Going through wallets and other things not normally checked is to ensure no prohibited items are making it through security."

For example in someones wallet could be this fold-able knife -

You are absolutely nuts if you think security is going to be able to find every little (and by little in this case I mean thin) item someone could bring into the parks. It's a fool's errand to sift through wallets and retainer cases.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Exactly, people think its just a wallet or just a retainer case, or whatever, that contraband can't be snuck using them. Like the image I showed, weapons can be snuck in via them, or the example you gave with vapes and alcohol.

Yeah it sucks to be stuck in a long line waiting for security, but blame the people trying to get around the rules as the reason they upped the security protocols.

It just doesn't make sense when WDW, Universal and all the other outlets are doing less invasive procedures, using the new scanners where you just keep walking.

Is there some kind of more inherent threat at DLR than there is at Universal or Epcot?

Regarding the wallets, there was someone in front of me and part of a vape pen was found, but he tried to explain that it wasn't functional because of a missing piece (maybe battery or cartridge? I don't vape so don't know how they work). They then asked for his wallet and sure enough, they found the missing piece in there.

Obviously if you spot a vape in someone's bag or it sets of a metal detector, then great confiscate it for entry. However, a vape is not a security/safety issue, it's just a policy thing. Is searching through people's wallets and retainer cases really worth it in case on the off chance someone wants to disassemble a vape for later use?

 

[Disney Irish]

You are absolutely nuts if you think security is going to be able to find every little (and by little in this case I mean thin) item someone could bring into the parks. It's a fool's errand to sift through wallets and retainer cases.

I don't have any illusion that they are going to find every little prohibited item. But I rather be inconvenienced for a bit of extra time if there is a chance they can catch even a small percentage of prohibited items they didn't catch previously.

 

[Disney Irish]

It just doesn't make sense when WDW, Universal and all the other outlets are doing less invasive procedures, using the new scanners where you just keep walking.

I agree that DLR should be using the more extensive less invasive scanners, and I do think they will be coming soon enough as TDA was testing them at one point last year. But until then I'm fine with the current practice of more extensive searches.

 

[Phroobar]

I have never had a problem getting into Knotts even during Scary Farm events. They have scanners that you can just walk through with bags. Universal even has airport scanners. If you have a bag, they redirect you to tables to be looked though. If not, you just keep walking. No need to get phone, wallet, belt, shoes off before walking though. What bothers me is people stop infront of the scanner instead of keep walking. We are trained on the old equipment.

Why can't Disneyland get the same scanners Knotts and Universal have? Disney keeps building new security checkpoints but never upgrades their scanners. Why do the check points have to look like temporary structures? It's been 23 years since 9/11. I don't think they should be temporary anymore.

 

[Disney Irish]

I have never had a problem getting into Knotts even during Scary Farm events. They have scanners that you can just walk through with bags. Universal even has airport scanners. If you have a bag, they redirect you to tables to be looked though. If not, you just keep walking. No need to get phone, wallet, belt, shoes off before walking though. What bothers me is people stop infront of the scanner instead of keep walking. We are trained on the old equipment.

Why can't Disneyland get the same scanners Knotts and Universal have? Disney keeps building new security checkpoints but never upgrades their scanners. Why do the check points have to look like temporary structures? It's been 23 years since 9/11. I don't think they should be temporary anymore.

TDA was testing the Evolv scanners (same ones used at WDW) last year I believe, so they are looking to have the scanners where you just keep walking without stopping. Its just a matter of implementing them, something I sure takes time and money, and likely part of their plans as they continue to upgrade all their security checkpoints.

 

[TrojanUSC]

TDA was testing the Evolv scanners (same ones used at WDW) last year I believe, so they are looking to have the scanners where you just keep walking without stopping. Its just a matter of implementing them, something I sure takes time and money, and likely part of their plans as they continue to upgrade all their security checkpoints.

Last I heard was that the security union threw a fit because there's an assumption it will require less labor and result in layoffs/fewer hours, which led to them not implementing them. They aren't entirely wrong, as the process is just a lot more streamlined since you need fewer detectors and don't need someone to do the secondary wanding. Plus you only need one or two bag check tables for each checkpoint vs one for every metal detector. At WDW for example, they only need 1-2 Evolv scanners operating at even very busy entrances, as they are just so efficient.

Even with the Evolv scanners though, they aren't catching everything. I still fail to understand why you need to rifle through someone's retainer case or wallet. It's invasive and unnecessary. Whatever they catch that small isn't going to be worth the inconvenience of thousands of guests. So someone gets a vape in - who cares? If they start using it, they should be told to not use it by any CM who seems them.

 

[drizgirl]

I don't have any illusion that they are going to find every little prohibited item. But I rather be inconvenienced for a bit of extra time if there is a chance they can catch even a small percentage of prohibited items they didn't catch previously.

And I'd rather not be inconvenienced to the point that they are searching wallets and retainer cases causing me to wait in line 30 minutes to enter. There is definitely a point of significantly diminishing returns.

But I'm not local and get very limited time to be in the parks. I pay full freight to be in there. No discounts. No Magic Key. I'm sure the decision making calculus is different for someone who goes on a regular basis.

 

[Disney Irish]

Last I heard was that the security union threw a fit because there's an assumption it will require less labor and result in layoffs/fewer hours, which led to them not implementing them. They aren't entirely wrong, as the process is just a lot more streamlined since you need fewer detectors and don't need someone to do the secondary wanting. Plus you only need one or two bag check tables for each checkpoint vs one for every metal detector. At WDW for example, they only need 1-2 Evolv scanners operating even very busy entrances, as they are just so efficient.

I have a feeling it'll just be a matter of time before they're implemented, even if the union is throwing a fit. It just makes the most sense in the long run. You can tell how even the new DTD checkpoint looks like it was built to have those scanners there. So Disney does appear to have a plan to get them in there eventually.

Even with the scanners though, they aren't catching everything. I still fail to understand why you need to rifle through someone's retainer case or wallet. It's invasive and unnecessary. Whatever they catch that small isn't going to be worth the inconvenience of thousands of guests.

And I'd rather not be inconvenienced to the point that they are searching wallets and retainer cases causing me to wait in line 30 minutes to enter. There is definitely a point of significantly diminishing returns.

But I'm not local and get very limited time to be in the parks. I pay full freight to be in there. No discounts. No Magic Key. I'm sure the decision making calculus is different for someone who goes on a regular basis.

Agree to disagree. Everyone has their own tolerance for what is acceptable to wait, and at this point I've come to terms with security checkpoints being just one place where a wait is currently necessary. Also while I do have a Key, I'm not local as I don't just pop down every day or even every weekend. I go a couple times a year and just accept what has occurred, as I said before its something I've even experienced at other venues like at NFL games.