Pocket knives at the parks

[FettFan]

Wait wait wait...you mean Disney GIVES you knives???? And anyone can walk up there to get one or 6 at any given time???? What are we going to do???

Lol

Just bring a plastic gun to the plastic knife fight.

 

[thomas998]

The bag checks and cursory glances at clips on pants will do precious little to stop people who truly want to cause criminal mischief or worse at WDW from trying. That's a given.

But WDW is private property. If you were going to someone's house - even if it's a house you've gone to dozens, hundreds of times before, but this time is the time they go "hey, if you've got a knife on you, would you mind leaving it in your car or something," would you? I mean after all, it's not like there aren't knives in the house, probably bigger and deadlier ones. And it's not like you anticipate a need for you to use your knife. So who's it harming by you keeping your knife on you?

Nonetheless, I'm willing to bet you'd adhere to the wishes of your host and leave the knife in your car, or even at home. Because it's not your house and you don't want to make people uncomfortable.

Perhaps not the best analogy, but we all go to WDW acknowledging that, while not a residence, it's not public property either, so whatever their rules are, may as well follow 'em. After all, we're voluntarily putting a thing on our wrists that lets them track our movements, know where we intend to go and approximately when, customizing things to happen to react specifically to us. So we can't exactly complain that not being allowed to carry a weapon is an infringement on our freedoms.

I don't ask my house guest if they have pocket knives, nor do I ask if they have concealed weapons. I don't care... If I did ask people not to bring knives or guns it would quite frankly be very rude of me as a host. Now I have little problem with Disney posting no gun signs, that's fine... who really cares. But if they get down to pocket knives and nail clippers that's going way to far into the silly camp.

As for adhering to the wishes of your host... well as I pointed out none of my friends would ever be so rude as to send me a list of what I could or couldn't bring. Frankly if they said I couldn't bring a pocket knife, which I don't even typically carry I would politely tell them what they could do to there self... But hey, I'm in the camp that doesn't see a pocket knife as a weapon.

 

[marni1971]

Or how about the poweraid she brings, it's not needed either since they sell drinks there?

Someone can't be seriously injured or killed by Powerade. But you knew that.

 

[UncleMike101]

A knife IS a weapon though. Even a 3 inch one is a weapon, and a deadly one at that. This being a family friendly board, I won't go into the hows and whys it's a weapon, but it is. A pen is not a weapon, it's a pen. Yes, someone can turn it into a weapon, but it's difficult and ineffective for the most part. A pocket knife is a weapon, I am not sure why this is some controversial stance.

There is a balance between something being useful and that same thing making guest uncomfortable and feeling in danger. Taking your smart phone example, the uses of the phone for the general pop, far outweigh the potential for danger/uncomfortableness. I fail to see how the same can be said of a pocket knife.

The belief that one object is a weapon, and another object is not a weapon is precisely why discussions like this one prosper.
ANYTHING can be a weapon!!!!
It doesn't have to be sharp, pointed, or shoot projectiles to kill a human.

 

[R W B]

Also, lets NOT bring up firearms in this thread any more please! We have a mod on this form that is apparently vary sensitive to that subject and has closed a few threads when it comes up so lets keep that topic out of here please.

 

[marni1971]

Also, lets NOT bring up firearms in this thread any more please! We have a mod on this form that is apparently vary sensitive to that subject and has closed a few threads when it comes up so lets keep that topic out of here please.

And so the mods should be. Very sensitive that is.

I guess you need to live out of the US to see why.

 

[AndyS2992]

Also, lets NOT bring up firearms in this thread any more please! We have a mod on this form that is apparently vary sensitive to that subject and has closed a few threads when it comes up so lets keep that topic out of here please.

Even more the reason to keep discussing them. This thread isn't going anywhere productive.

 

[slappy magoo]

I don't ask my house guest if they have pocket knives, nor do I ask if they have concealed weapons. I don't care... If I did ask people not to bring knives or guns it would quite frankly be very rude of me as a host. Now I have little problem with Disney posting no gun signs, that's fine... who really cares. But if they get down to pocket knives and nail clippers that's going way to far into the silly camp.

As for adhering to the wishes of your host... well as I pointed out none of my friends would ever be so rude as to send me a list of what I could or couldn't bring. Frankly if they said I couldn't bring a pocket knife, which I don't even typically carry I would politely tell them what they could do to there self... But hey, I'm in the camp that doesn't see a pocket knife as a weapon.

Thanks for the laughter.

Granted, "no knives or guns" is not the sort of thing that comes printed on most invitations, but that doesn't mean it's rude if you discover someone brought a gun to your house and you asked them to get it out.

Seriously, that was high-larious. Thanks again.

 

[R W B]

I beg to differ. I drive to the theme parks because my bicycle just is not practical.

Actually your bicycle is not allowed on the roads I've read at wdw, lol.

 

[mickeysshoes]

Please pass the popcorn!

 

[thomas998]

A knife is a knife. No need for one in a theme park.

Even if you don't think so, loosing or dropping it and having someone else take possession could be worse.

First I would ask you why you have weapons in your kitchen.... think about it do you really consider a kitchen knife to be a weapon? It isn't a weapon, its a tool.

As for one being picked up by someone that doesn't know how to use it, well I put that into the Darwin Award winner camp... if you don't know enough not to kill yourself with a knife you might happen to find then frankly my world is better off without you in it, be it an adult or kid... common sense needs to be in there somewhere and the complete lack of it to the point you kill yourself with a pocket knife is laughable at best.

 

[marni1971]

As for one being picked up by someone that doesn't know how to use it..

That is not what I said.

On the contrary, its the thought of one being picked up by someone who knows exactly how to use it.

And I take nothing sharp from my kitchen to a theme park. That would be stupid.

 

[flynnibus]

A knife IS a weapon though. Even a 3 inch one is a weapon, and a deadly one at that. This being a family friendly board, I won't go into the hows and whys it's a weapon, but it is. A pen is not a weapon, it's a pen. Yes, someone can turn it into a weapon, but it's difficult and ineffective for the most part. A pocket knife is a weapon, I am not sure why this is some controversial stance.

Because if you are upset that it's a 'weapon' that a single person can use at close contact range, to harm one person at a time... your definition of 'weapon' and what upsets you in the park is going to start including far more than you possibly can exclude from the parks. Where do you stop? Why pick on this 'dangerous object' more than another? Has there been a rash of potential violence from customers carrying their knife?

If anything the last 20 years should be teaching people that if you take away X... someone with intent will find a new Y. You can't keep playing cat and mouse and thinking taking someone away will somehow solve the person wanting to do harm.

No person is going to enter the theme parks intent on hurting people... then steal some innocent guy's pocket knife and then go on a murder rampage.

if that guy exists, and you banned knives effectively, he will simply find another tool you haven't banned or smuggle something in.

Joe from Iowa carrying his pocket knife the same as he does every day of his life isn't causing a risk to anyone but himself. He's far more likely to cut his own hand by accident than any hypothetical risk of someone finding a lost knife and hurting others.

There is a balance between something being useful and that same thing making guest uncomfortable and feeling in danger

Thank you.. you've acknowledge what I've been saying all along the real issue is. People are uncomfortable about the knives... its not because they are a risk, it's that people are scared of them. And honestly that fear is based in ignorance... generally from lack of immersion.

 

[BigTxEars]

You say that but I don't know anyone beyond my FIL that carries one.

Most guys I know do. Some in pocket carry and some on the belt. We live in a fairly rural area so maybe that's it?

 

[flynnibus]

That is not what I said.

On the contrary, its the thought of one being picked up by someone who knows exactly how to use it.

So again.. you think someone finding a knife is what is going to put them over the edge and make them into a criminal willing to harm other people?

Or you think there are criminal roaming the park daily... waiting for the opportunity to find a knife so they can strike?

Come on.. this is ridiculous.

 

[wm49rs]

Also, lets NOT bring up firearms in this thread any more please! We have a mod on this form that is apparently vary sensitive to that subject and has closed a few threads when it comes up so lets keep that topic out of here please.

And which one of the moderators would that be?

 

[PhotoDave219]

So again.. you think someone finding a knife is what is going to put them over the edge and make them into a criminal willing to harm other people?

Or you think there are criminal roaming the park daily... waiting for the opportunity to find a knife so they can strike?

Come on.. this is ridiculous.

Actually, I most disturbed by somebody who feels that they need to bring a weapon to a theme park. It's not the actual weapon, it's the person who has that mentality that they need one.

 

[marni1971]

So again.. you think someone finding a knife is what is going to put them over the edge and make them into a criminal willing to harm other people?

Or you think there are criminal roaming the park daily... waiting for the opportunity to find a knife so they can strike?

Come on.. this is ridiculous.

Ridiculous is the thought or a need to carry a knife into a theme park.

I'll step out of this one now.

 

[FettFan]

I can end this thread with one sentence:

Regardless on where you stand on defining knives being "tools" or "weapons", small folding pocketknives (less than 4" of blade) being carried by the average guest are not a real security issue at Walt Disney World.

 

[GeneralZod]

Most guys I know do. Some in pocket carry and some on the belt. We live in a fairly rural area so maybe that's it?

Agreed. I think plotting the opinions of this thread on a map would be extremely telling.