News New security measures

[FerretAfros]

After years of promoting Disney Bounding and encouraging guests to show their Disney side, it's surprising to me that they're suddenly doing a 180 in regards to their (long established, but typically ignored) costume rules. I suspect they'll have a lot of trouble drawing the line for what is and isn't considered a costume

It's also interesting that they bumped the age limit up to 14, when it was previously 10 (the age for an adult park ticket)

I'll be curious to see if the rules are actually enforced at the Halloween parties, when those come around. In the short term, I'll be interested to see if they try to enforce these rules for the runDisney events, since there will certainly be runners who don't have alternate clothes to wear if they get turned away at 3am on race day

EDIT: The event guides for Marathon Weekend (published a couple weeks ago) and DLR's Star Wars Half (published earlier this week) both include guidelines for allowable costumes, and the caveat that they can remove anybody wearing anything "we consider inappropriate or attire that could detract from the experience of other Guests"

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Congratulations, terrorists. You win.

 

[bhg469]

It is a necessary evil of the world we live in today.... This is not a disney issue this is a world issue. People are crazy and it takes one gang banger or nut or extremist to make a trip to a movie or school or a trip to a mall or even disney to destroy a family lives for ever.

I again state we can not let fear rule us we need to keep going to these places and showing we are not afraid but extra protection extra security has to happen to catch those that are not smart enough to not get caught... anything helps!

I think you're grossly overusing the term necessary evil here. It is most certainly not necessary. Disney has been doing things well for a long time now in this regard. I trust them with my security. I do not trust a rent a cop off the street that gets his jollies by bouncing peoples heads off the ground.

 

[s8film40]

I saw that this is a contract company, but don't think children will be brought up to the scanner, but rather kept apart from it with a Disney employee while the family member is scanned. That in itself could cause some distress to the child as they don't like to be separated, but I'm sure what they'll do is place the child on the other side of the scanner so they can see mommy/daddy walking toward them.

I also think Disney will eventually take over the scanning operation on their own once they have the tools and training in place. Maybe they can make the scanner look like a looking glass and theme it to Alice.

I haven't heard that they are going to not scan children, if so that opens a hole in this already sham of security theater. I highly doubt they will separate out the children from their families.

 

[NowInc]

My question is who decides who gets scanned and who doesnt? If its the low-wage borderline criminals that work for CSC (Sorry if that seems harsh but this company has a really bad track record of hiring thugs), then this will be more of a joke than it already seems.

 

[Bolt]

Also, if all guns are being removed from the park, when do you guys think Buzz will close down? I want to ride it one last time before it closes for good.

Funnier reading that joke for the 4th time.

 

[JoeCamel]

Now they have a tool for that guy with a bulge in his pants. They can scan rather than grope. Seems like it is all for show and will not affect entry in the least.

 

[gmajew]

I think you're grossly overusing the term necessary evil here. It is most certainly not necessary. Disney has been doing things well for a long time now in this regard. I trust them with my security. I do not trust a rent a cop off the street that gets his jollies by bouncing peoples heads off the ground.

Walking through a scanner is not a big deal every major stadium in america now does it... Does it fix anything? Maybe not but if it catches one idiot that may do something stupid to hurt my family then gosh darn I can deal with walking though a metal detector.... I had no problem when they check my bags I have no problem if I get stopped by an officer asking what I am doing. I hate that this is what we have to do today but these people want to hurt children and innocent people. I will hold the lives of a child so high as they are the future of this world! We won't fix these problems in my lifetime so I need them to fix it one day. So if that means to save one childs live I have to be frisked and wanded and probed then I will deal with it.

 

[rnese]

Here's the reality!
1. I can no longer buy a Pirates of the Caribbean gun for my kids because one guy tried to bring a gun into a park. One guy's bad, so punish everyone!
2. If some bad person does sneak into the park and hurts someone, there will no doubt be a bunch of lawyers and PC idiots out there trying to place the blame on Disney and every place else...so Disney has to protect themselves from litigation.

Isn't the world just...PROGRESSING...wonderfully?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Scanners have also repeatedly shown to prevent weapons from getting through.

No it likely won't stop coordinated attacks. These measures wouldn't be put in place for them anyway, so yes it does matter why. It does make it harder or discourage other types of violence. Many targets are chosen because it is the path of least resistance. Theme parks are no longer the path of least resistance.

They typically find forgotten items, not ones that were deliberately being brought in for a violent purpose. And yes, if this is being done at the urging of the government and received threats, then they are very much about putting on a show in the face of coordinated attacks. Walt Disney World is still full of many hotels, which have repeatedly been targeted for attacks and hostage holding.

Remember, our US gov't doesn't really tell us everything. It's going to be a couple of very busy weeks coming up, Christmas is always the busiest.

It's the reality of our world now after 9/11 and the recent attacks.

SUCKS

This is not a reality, just a paranoid delusion.

 

[FullSailDan]

There is risk everywhere, this does nothing to solve the problem and it does everything to escalate fear and anxiety, undermining the guest experience. (actual letter I wrote to Disney)

All three theme park operators in Orlando agreed to implement increased security last night, at least temporarily. My partner and I both operate in the security arena, (I'm IT cyber warfare, he's intel threat analyst) and we both immediately felt there is more than just "something may happen someday" going on. There had to be a credible threat on the table for them to take this seriously. More than likely all three companies did EVERYTHING they could to keep talk of the threat out of the news because it would KILL visitor counts. Yes, security at the airports is theater, and yes there is a level of irrational anxiety that plays into the cycle. But, if we don't take basic steps, we have no one to blame but ourselves when something does go wrong.

I'm skeptical of a foreign terror plot at the parks, but I suppose it's possible. I would be more inclined based on recent trends to see crazies within the US attempting something.

 

[Horizons1]

Funnier reading that joke for the 4th time.

I can say it again to make it the fifth time. How about I PM it to you several times? You'd like that wouldn't you? Wouldn't you? Yea, yea you would. You enjoy that sort of thing. Mmmm.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I personally never understood why Disney has not permanently installed metal detection or at least a pat down search at the entrance. I always bypass the bag check and walk right in wearing my cargo shorts with the pockets full of stuff and the pockets could easily conceal a compact handgun without anyone noticing.

And yet nobody has shot up Walt Disney World. Imagine that.

 

[s8film40]

Looking at the photos from Universal it looks like they are using their own staff and not CSC. If this is the case it's probably because they have experience with that company. I think people are a little more forgiving of the way they operate for HHN. I can't imagine how people are going to react walking into MK expecting that Disney customer service and met by these people.

 

[NowInc]

Looking at the photos from Universal it looks like they are using their own staff and not CSC. If this is the case it's probably because they have experience with that company. I think people are a little more forgiving of the way they operate for HHN. I can't imagine how people are going to react walking into MK expecting that Disney customer service and met by these people.

They are also only using wands from what I've seen.

 

[Rteetz]

Anyone know how or if this will affect Marathon weekend events? Costumes are a huge deal for the races.

 

[s8film40]

They are also only using wands from what I've seen.

Yeah, I don't think Universal owns metal detectors. I believe CSC brings them in as apart of their contract. This was a smart move on Universals part, they'll probably have significantly fewer complaints than Disney.

 

[NowInc]

Already talked about this on twitter:

Part of my current employment is me dealing with a large amount of lawsuits involving the negligence of private security firms (CSC included). Most hire low-wage employees (some with violent criminal records), do minimal training, slap a jacket on them and put them in a position of authority/power. Very few adequate background checks are conducted (you'd be scared to know how many of the guards hired have been in jail 5+ times in recent years), and a lot of times they are a bigger danger than what they are supposed to be protecting the public from.

The staff manning the metal detectors are the not trained in guest relations at all, in fact I would go as far as to say they are the types you DON'T want interacting with someone on property.

I can only hope that CSC was brought in as a quick, temporary solution before disney can get their own staff adequately trained and bounce these thugs from guest interaction

 

[PhotoDave219]

My question is why now? It seems something triggered this. Maybe the recent terrorist attacks? Maybe something more?

Personally for me, I'm not going to overreact to a couple of metal detectors until I can see how this all plays out.

Now if they go through with the costume ban for MNSSHP...that would suck.

San Bernadino. At the Government's "suggestion"

 

[s8film40]

Already talked about this on twitter:

Part of my current employment is me dealing with a large amount of lawsuits involving the negligence of private security firms (CSC included). Most hire low-wage employees (some with violent criminal records), do minimal training, slap a jacket on them and put them in a position of authority/power. Very few adequate background checks are conducted (you'd be scared to know how many of the guards hired have been in jail 5+ times in recent years), and a lot of times they are a bigger danger than what they are supposed to be protecting the public from.

The staff manning the metal detectors are the not trained in guest relations at all, in fact I would go as far as to say they are the types you DON'T want interacting with someone on property.

I can only hope that CSC was brought in as a quick, temporary solution before disney can get their own staff adequately trained and bounce these thugs from guest interaction

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney asks them to leave before the end of the day.

If anyone wants something free at Disney this is your big chance!