PHOTOS - New bag check areas greatly enhance Magic Kingdom arrival experience

[Mark P.]

Couldn't be more pleased with the new setup. The wide open plaza makes such a difference, aesthetically, and I didn't perceive any delays or greater wait times arriving via bus. Having dedicated checkpoints at each of the boat launches (our preferred arrival method) is a gamechanger, especially if you can position yourself to be one of the first onto the dock.

That being said - the only thing that irked me was having to go through security on arrival from the Poly when all we were doing was transferring to a WL boat. Not sure what can be done about that, though, other than a consolidated checkpoint for all boat-arriving guests, and I don't think that's necessarily the right move for what is ultimately a (comparatively) small number of guests using the MK boats as a transfer point.

 

[drizgirl]

The initial posts about MaxPass at DLR said it would be $10/day per ticket. So for a family of 4 for 5 days in the park, it would be an additional $200.

And I will add they called that an "introductory" price.

 

[21stamps]

Couldn't be more pleased with the new setup. The wide open plaza makes such a difference, aesthetically, and I didn't perceive any delays or greater wait times arriving via bus. Having dedicated checkpoints at each of the boat launches (our preferred arrival method) is a gamechanger, especially if you can position yourself to be one of the first onto the dock.

That being said - the only thing that irked me was having to go through security on arrival from the Poly when all we were doing was transferring to a WL boat. Not sure what can be done about that, though, other than a consolidated checkpoint for all boat-arriving guests, and I don't think that's necessarily the right move for what is ultimately a (comparatively) small number of guests using the MK boats as a transfer point.

Unless you're going Poly-GF. GF-Poly. WL-CR FW-CR or CR-WL/FW by launch, then it looks like you'll go thru security to get to any other monorail resort while staying at one.

I am so relieved that they put the check points at the arriving docks. Much better than at the resort ruining the look and the ability to quickly get between those resorts. Curious to see how Poly monorail lines are.

 

[GrumpyDude]

As long as I get into the park in a reasonable amount of time, I really don't care where it is located. You still have to go through it.

 

[disney4life2008]

Tried it out today. It was fabulous because the security at ttc is only as busy as the number of people on the tram. It still took the same amount of time to get into the magic kingdom though minus security

 

[disney4life2008]

However, leaving is terrible. That extra 20 steps is no good lol

 

[disney4life2008]

I hate the new security at poly. After ohana all I want is the monorail so I can go home. Just my luck tonight the monorail came and i had to get patted down by security and missed it.

 

[halltd]

I hate the new security at poly. After ohana all I want is the monorail so I can go home. Just my luck tonight the monorail came and i had to get patted down by security and missed it.

Where'd you park? MK lot? Why didn't you just walk instead of taking the monorail all the way around the loop if you were in such a hurry?

 

[disney4life2008]

Where'd you park? MK lot? Why didn't you just walk instead of taking the monorail all the way around the loop if you were in such a hurry?

I didn't say I was in a hurry in said its ridiculous to go through security to board the monorail after the magic kingdom is closed.

And i was placed all the way in ursala 337, you would have to be crazy to walk that far. And i could have walked to ttc from poly but nope

 

[ToTBellHop]

I didn't say I was in a hurry in said its ridiculous to go through security to board the monorail after the magic kingdom is closed.

And i was placed all the way in ursala 337, you would have to be crazy to walk that far. And i could have walked to ttc from poly but nope

Somehow, is manages to be whiny, lazy, and immature all at once! Congratulations! Wouldn't want something as trivial as security to inconvenience you.

It's quite simple. The monorail is within the secure zone, now.

If I had it my way, they'd station dementors at every entrance to Walt Disney World and scan everyone when they first arrive and be done with it. If Death Eaters need to board the Magical Express, so be it. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

 

[Bolt]

I hate the new security at poly. After ohana all I want is the monorail so I can go home. Just my luck tonight the monorail came and i had to get patted down by security and missed it.

The pat down only takes like 10 seconds and the monorail sits at a station for at least a 120 seconds. Sounds like you just poorly timed it.

 

[RustySpork]

I've been through the "new security" at TTC a few times now, and it's no improvement.

1. Walking in from the parking lot isn't as useful now.
2. The bag check tables are at the edge of the lot with no defined lines so it's a real zoo, people are cutting other people in line, etc.
3. There are no bag scanners, and the security people aren't really paying attention.
4. If you have no bags, you're unlikely to be scanned. I have not been through the x-ray one time, nor were 99% of the people both in front and behind me. They could be carrying anything into the park.

All it does is move the bottleneck, and actually makes the process worse.

 

[nickys]

I've been through the "new security" at TTC a few times now, and it's no improvement.

1. Walking in from the parking lot isn't as useful now.
2. The bag check tables are at the edge of the lot with no defined lines so it's a real zoo, people are cutting other people in line, etc.
3. There are no bag scanners, and the security people aren't really paying attention.
4. If you have no bags, you're unlikely to be scanned. I have not been through the x-ray one time, nor were 99% of the people both in front and behind me. They could be carrying anything into the park.

All it does is move the bottleneck, and actually makes the process worse.

Except that you aren't waiting with people coming in on the resort buses, nor from any of the monorail resorts or WL. So it's only a bottleneck with those driving in.

And a much nicer entrance to MK itself.

 

[RustySpork]

Except that you aren't waiting with people coming in on the resort buses, nor from any of the monorail resorts or WL. So it's only a bottleneck with those driving in.

And a much nicer entrance to MK itself.

That's so much more important than it not being security theater.

 

[nickys]

That's so much more important than it not being security theater.

You said it had made it more of a bottleneck. I merely pointed out it had probably halved the number of people going through security at that point.

 

[RustySpork]

You said it had made it more of a bottleneck. I merely pointed out it had probably halved the number of people going through security at that point.

Having less people in the line doesn't matter if there are less security tables and there are no defined lines. If you send 50% of the people through, but cut the capacity by 50% you still have 100% of the bottleneck.

 

[Kman101]

Just curious as to why you couldn't? I walked from the TTC to Poly and back Thursday evening with no trouble. And to offer my experience, I found the resort security check at the Poly to be a breeze. No more or less "aggravating" than the ones at the main check. But, I would be interested to see how it's handled during a busier period as Thursday was quite slow.

I found the MK to be quite busy, even though it was supposed to be "slow". Epcot was wonderful though. So many things had no wait times, short wait times and Spaceship Earth was walk-on like it should have been. Low crowds, great day there. I couldn't get out of the MK fast enough Thursday. I parked at Epcot, went through security there and monorailed over to the MK. The line to get on the monorail was ridiculous so I boated. While I love taking the monorail and ferry boat into the MK, it'd be nice if there were quicker ways to get in (this has nothing to do with security though), that's why it's nice the busses drop you off at the MK entrance now ... lol but that's a first world complaint.

 

[disney4life2008]

Just curious as to why you couldn't? I walked from the TTC to Poly and back Thursday evening with no trouble. And to offer my experience, I found the resort security check at the Poly to be a breeze. No more or less "aggravating" than the ones at the main check. But, I would be interested to see how it's handled during a busier period as Thursday was quite slow.

Long walk on a full stomach... No lol

Somehow, is manages to be whiny, lazy, and immature all at once! Congratulations! Wouldn't want something as trivial as security to inconvenience you.

It's quite simple. The monorail is within the secure zone, now.

If I had it my way, they'd station dementors at every entrance to Walt Disney World and scan everyone when they first arrive and be done with it. If Death Eaters need to board the Magical Express, so be it. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

I suggest you back off. You don't know who you are calling immature, whiny, lazy. You will never have what i have.

This is my opinion. If you don't like it too bad but you are not going to talk to me anyway you please.

 

[disney4life2008]

I've been through the "new security" at TTC a few times now, and it's no improvement.

1. Walking in from the parking lot isn't as useful now.
2. The bag check tables are at the edge of the lot with no defined lines so it's a real zoo, people are cutting other people in line, etc.
3. There are no bag scanners, and the security people aren't really paying attention.
4. If you have no bags, you're unlikely to be scanned. I have not been through the x-ray one time, nor were 99% of the people both in front and behind me. They could be carrying anything into the park.

All it does is move the bottleneck, and actually makes the process worse.

I do agree its a little disorganized. Last night was packed and many people just walked right through though a good portion were flagged down to go through the scanner.

Arriving is no problem. But there seems to be an issue with leaving the magic kingdom. At closing, both the monorail and ferry seem to have doubled waits even a year to date.

 

[marshmallow peep]

I hate the new security at poly. After ohana all I want is the monorail so I can go home. Just my luck tonight the monorail came and i had to get patted down by security and missed it.

They're actually patting people down now? Seriously? You had to have hands placed upon you to ride the monorail? I didn't realize it had come to this.