New Awful Security Screening Process

[TrainsOfDisney]

Tolerance levels are obviously personal, but if they need to go through my wallet, so what go ahead I got nothing in there that I'm embarrassed about.

To be clear, I was saying I don’t even remember them opening my wallet to glance inside, not that I care if they do.

If you have nothing to hide there should be no reason to care about them going through anything.

well that can go to unreasonable lengths in my opinion. If that’s the case then any police officer can search you or your car for any reason, anytime. “If you have nothing to hide you shouldn’t care!”

At Disneyland specifically- guests still have the right to privacy and inspecting and questioning medical devices or medicines could put a guest in an odd situation where they feel the need to disclose personal information.

 

[Disney Irish]

To be clear, I was saying I don’t even remember them opening my wallet to glance inside, not that I care if they do.

Yes I understood what you meant, I was just giving my take on it when I've gone through the checkpoint.

well that can go to unreasonable lengths in my opinion. If that’s the case then any police officer can search you or your car for any reason, anytime. “If you have nothing to hide you shouldn’t care!”

At Disneyland specifically- guests still have the right to privacy and inspecting and questioning medical devices or medicines could put a guest in an odd situation where they feel the need to disclose personal information.

As I mentioned before there is a balance between safety/security and personal privacy. But I think you're taking things to extremes. We're not talking about a traffic stop here, which has a specific set of legal standards regarding searches. We're talking about a huge public venue where people are bringing in all sorts of items many harmless and unsuspicious, but can potentially be harmful and illegal which is why the searches exist. The courts have basically upheld that security checks like this are an exception and don't violate personal privacy, its why the TSA is allowed to do what they do regarding searches at airports, this is no different.

If someone feels they are having to disclose personal information in public that they rather not, I'm sure anyone can ask to be taken aside out of earshot of others.

If you or anyone else feels differently I suggest you find a lawyer and see if it can be challenged in court, I doubt it'll get very far.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If you or anyone else feels differently I suggest you find a lawyer and see if it can be challenged in court, I doubt it'll get very far.

I do what most do… just get through as quickly as possible and move on to the fun part of the day! Haha. Same with TSA.

But I still disagree with it!

I also do my best to keep things simple - I carry my phone, my wallet, and chapstick. That’s it. And maybe a coffee if a Starbucks is in between my hotel and the entrance haha.

 

[Disney Irish]

I do what most do… just get through as quickly as possible and move on to the fun part of the day! Haha. Same with TSA.

But I still disagree with it!

I also do my best to keep things simple - I carry my phone, my wallet, and chapstick. That’s it. And maybe a coffee if a Starbucks is in between my hotel and the entrance haha.

The problem is most people don't keep it simple though when bringing things into the Disney Parks, and then get surprised when they end up having to have more scrutiny taken over their belongings.

And you can disagree with it all you want, but doesn't mean its going to change. Its part of the process now, just accept it and move on.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Its part of the process now, just accept it and move on.

i disagree with that advice when it comes to freedoms and privacy. Obviously this discussion has to stay on the topic of Disney parks but “accept it and move on” would have kept us, as humans, in some really bad places.

Now there isn’t much I can do, beyond mentioning my thoughts in surveys or sending an e-mail to guest relations when I have an issue, but I will do that much and hope things improve.

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

They always go through my wallet - which means I always have to stop afterwards to check all contents are still there (credit cards, cash, etc.) because they talk to distract you from what they're doing.

Lately though they've been obsessed with taking my keys out and inspecting them. It's literally three keys with nothing else on the key chain, but every time now they pull them out, feel them and stare at them. I'm with others who don't like all my stuff being touched by people who have touched thousands of other people's stuff, but it already takes an hour to get from the freeway offramp and actually into the parks. I can't imagine how much longer it would take if I and everyone else asked them to change gloves between every person. That said, it's still unsanitary and totally unnecessary for this. They can clearly see the keys. There's no need to take them out and handle them. Yet the past few months they've been obsessively doing so. It's weird. It's like they get fixated on something new every few months. They never used to pick through my wallet either but now they do. It's paper/cards/cash, nothing else. Why do you have to touch it all???

 

[Disney Irish]

i disagree with that advice when it comes to freedoms and privacy. Obviously this discussion has to stay on the topic of Disney parks but “accept it and move on” would have kept us, as humans, in some really bad places.

Now there isn’t much I can do, beyond mentioning my thoughts in surveys or sending an e-mail to guest relations when I have an issue, but I will do that much and hope things improve.

Actually there is a whole lot that you can do, as I mentioned, if you feel that strongly about it, get a lawyer and try to challenge it in court. However the courts have previously held up that TSA and other security checks at venues like Disney Parks are an exception to the privacy setup by the 4A.

But who knows maybe you'll be the hero that gets all the security taken down.

 

[SSG]

They always go through my wallet - which means I always have to stop afterwards to check all contents are still there (credit cards, cash, etc.) because they talk to distract you from what they're doing.

Lately though they've been obsessed with taking my keys out and inspecting them. It's literally three keys with nothing else on the key chain, but every time now they pull them out, feel them and stare at them. I'm with others who don't like all my stuff being touched by people who have touched thousands of other people's stuff, but it already takes an hour to get from the freeway offramp and actually into the parks. I can't imagine how much longer it would take if I and everyone else asked them to change gloves between every person. That said, it's still unsanitary and totally unnecessary for this. They can clearly see the keys. There's no need to take them out and handle them. Yet the past few months they've been obsessively doing so. It's weird. It's like they get fixated on something new every few months. They never used to pick through my wallet either but now they do. It's paper/cards/cash, nothing else. Why do you have to touch it all???

The key scrutiny is because of these things.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Actually there is a whole lot that you can do, as I mentioned, if you feel that strongly about it, get a lawyer and try to challenge it in court.

I feel much more strongly about the destruction of MuppetVision and the Rivers of America, so if I was going to the trouble I’d start by trying to save them and then move on to security procedures and guest experiences at the entrance.

 

[Chi84]

Actually there is a whole lot that you can do, as I mentioned, if you feel that strongly about it, get a lawyer and try to challenge it in court. However the courts have previously held up that TSA and other security checks at venues like Disney Parks are an exception to the privacy setup by the 4A.

But who knows maybe you'll be the hero that gets all the security taken down.

What if someone just likes to talk and doesn’t really have any ideas or strong convictions?

 

[Disney Irish]

What if someone just likes to talk and doesn’t really have any ideas or strong convictions?

Well as the saying goes, Talk is cheap.

 

[Parteecia]

I mentioned this particular event because I've been going once a week on average for decades, always with the same items in my pack, and never experienced this degree of scrutiny before.

I was honestly trying to be helpful when I asked if he wanted to sniff the baby powder. I was demonstrating and explaining whatever he asked about, eager to prove I wasn't bringing in any contraband.

Only after it was all done did my friend and I marvel and laugh.

ETA I don't know if it makes a difference but my friend and I are both 70 year old women who are friendly to the CMs because we have nothing to hide. I know they shouldn't choose who to suspect based on looks but really.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The key scrutiny is because of these things.

There are quite a few knifes in the parks so if they are looking for these I’m not sure what it helps.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I’m more bothered by the casual search of the strollers than the detailed search of my small items, it’s annoying to have to open my sunglasses case, open my prescription pill case, pull out and shake my mittens and scarf, etc when the stroller in front of me holds 2 kids, blankets, bags pushed into every nook and cranny and is just waved through with barely a glance, that’s when my search starts to feel a bit invasive and also a bit like security theater.

 

[Chi84]

I’m more bothered by the casual search of the strollers than the detailed search of my small items, it’s annoying to have to open my sunglasses case, open my prescription pill case, pull out and shake my mittens and scarf, etc when the stroller in front of me holds 2 kids, blankets, bags pushed into every nook and cranny and is just waved through with barely a glance, that’s when my search starts to feel a bit invasive and also a bit like security theater.

Does that happen or does it just seem that way? Are you talking about Disneyland?

 

[Parteecia]

Does that happen or does it just seem that way? Are you talking about Disneyland?

At Disneyland it varies wildly. In general I do not see strollers get the same level of inspection, possibly because it takes forever.

It is annoying to get special attention when you see others sail through based on the luck of the line you choose or the CM's whim. Makes the theater of it all even more blatant. The same visit that I got thoroughly searched, my friend went through a different line with a bigger backpack that was barely glanced at.

 

[Chi84]

At Disneyland it varies wildly. In general I do not see strollers get the same level of inspection, possibly because it takes forever.

It is annoying to get special attention when you see others sail through based on the luck of the line you choose or the CM's whim. Makes the theater of it all even more blatant. The same visit that I got thoroughly searched, my friend went through a different line with a bigger backpack that was barely glanced at.

There’s a deterrence factor though. The fact that some searches are thorough, even if not perfectly consistent, will act to deter people from taking a chance.

 

[Parteecia]

There’s a deterrence factor though. The fact that some searches are thorough, even if not perfectly consistent, will act to deter people from taking a chance.

Lol, I see it as the opposite, letting people know they have a gambler's chance. The smugglers can always express surprise -- "how did THAT get in there?" -- and try again later and/or elsewhere.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

There’s a deterrence factor though. The fact that some searches are thorough, even if not perfectly consistent, will act to deter people from taking a chance.

It likely is a deterrent to most but also a very glaring security flaw to anyone paying attention, many times as I’ve stood in the long security line I’ve thought about how easy it would be to smuggle anything I want into the parks using a stroller. Big carts with hollow tubes and hollow plastic trays… it would be so simple to sneak in booze (or worse if you had ill intent)… without close inspections security would never find the items, it’s why I prefer WDWs more passive system, since I have no idea what it’s capable of finding I wouldn’t even attempt to sneak in things I know aren’t allowed.

With all the strollers, umbrellas, walking sticks, motorized scooters, etc that come into the parks the sniffing dogs likely provide 99% of the real security with the bag checks the remaining 1%.

 

[Chi84]

Lol, I see it as the opposite, letting people know they have a gambler's chance. The smugglers can always express surprise -- "how did THAT get in there?" -- and try again later and/or elsewhere.

Yeah I don’t think “how did THAT get in there?” would work.

The Orlando club shooter said he scoped out Disney Springs but chose another target because of security. So it does have a deterrent effect.