Security breach at MK? You be the judge...

[brich]

On Sunday, Oct 23, we were in the MK for MNSSHP. We went to Mickey’s Philharmagic at about 9:10pm. It wasn’t a full theater, but fairly busy and they asked everyone to move 2/3rds of the way down each row, so we did. There were probably about 10 seats empty to the right of my wife to the end of the aisle. Everybody was sitting and waiting for the show to begin when we noticed a man walking down our row, forcing people to lift there legs so that he could make his way down to the end. As he reached the empty seat next to my wife, he placed a Walt Disney World shopping bag under the empty seat and then took off running out of the theater. My heart dropped. My immediate reaction was to jump up, grab the package and remove it from the theater.

As I headed toward the exit with the bag, I encountered a CM, at which point I explained that a man left the bag, with a plain white box inside, under the vacant seat and ran out of the theater. The CM took the package and placed it in a wooden cabinet still inside the theater. I then explained to him that due to the way the man ran from the theater after placing the package under a seat, I felt this was a security issue and that the package should not be just placed in a cabinet “in” the theater. He then removed the bag and proceeded to remove the box and start to open it. I almost fell over. I quickly moved away fearing the box could have contained something bad (make your own conclusions). Just as he started to open the box, the man who left appeared out of nowhere to reclaim his package. The CM, no questions asked, handed the bag to this guy, having no idea who the guy was or if this bag really belonged to him. With bag in hand, the man proceeded down a few rows and took a seat next to a woman.

After the show, which I did not watch for a minute as I was took engrossed in the man with the bag, my wife convinced me that maybe I should report this incident to Security as neither one of us felt it was handled seriously enough by the CM.

Outside the theater I asked a CM working at a gift cart if she could direct me to Security. She asked what the problem was. I explained and she had a horrified look on her face and asked us to stay right there while she called Security on the phone. In a matter of minutes, a gentleman arrived whom she explain was her “manager”. Not exactly Security but… So I explained my story yet again and as I finished, the “manager” smiled and went on to tell me that these things can happen and here are some of the reason’s why someone would drop a package under a theater seat and flee the theater. I stopped him at “…he could have been chasing a child…” At that point I was just in shock. I interrupted him and simply said, “I reported the incident. I don’t believe the CM handled the situation safely or correctly. You do what you wish with the information we have given you. We did our part. I just hope you don’t suffer tragedy in your theater after an incident like this has been reported to you…” I finally got a Thank You and that was that.

I was not looking for anything here aside from a Thank You and the acknowledgement that they would investigate the response of the CM in this situation. I have to tell you, I never felt so insecure in the Magic Kingdom in my entire life from that point on. And it didn’t help that the response of a “manager” was excuses.


The whole situation happened so fast. I just asked that before you respond, put your self in my shoes. It was a really scary thing. And I have no idea, looking back, why I did not remove my family from the theater immediately.

Any opinions as to whether this was handled correctly? And if you think, how could someone get a dangerous package into the MK, I say get from under your rock… Is it worth writing a letter to Disney Security or should I just move on. I have to reiterate, my sense of security in WDW was shattered by this…

 

[wannabeBelle]

On Sunday, Oct 23, we were in the MK for MNSSHP. We went to Mickey’s Philharmagic at about 9:10pm. It wasn’t a full theater, but fairly busy and they asked everyone to move 2/3rds of the way down each row, so we did. There were probably about 10 seats empty to the right of my wife to the end of the aisle. Everybody was sitting and waiting for the show to begin when we noticed a man walking down our row, forcing people to lift there legs so that he could make his way down to the end. As he reached the empty seat next to my wife, he placed a Walt Disney World shopping bag under the empty seat and then took off running out of the theater. My heart dropped. My immediate reaction was to jump up, grab the package and remove it from the theater.

As I headed toward the exit with the bag, I encountered a CM, at which point I explained that a man left the bag, with a plain white box inside, under the vacant seat and ran out of the theater. The CM took the package and placed it in a wooden cabinet still inside the theater. I then explained to him that due to the way the man ran from the theater after placing the package under a seat, I felt this was a security issue and that the package should not be just placed in a cabinet “in” the theater. He then removed the bag and proceeded to remove the box and start to open it. I almost fell over. I quickly moved away fearing the box could have contained something bad (make your own conclusions). Just as he started to open the box, the man who left appeared out of nowhere to reclaim his package. The CM, no questions asked, handed the bag to this guy, having no idea who the guy was or if this bag really belonged to him. With bag in hand, the man proceeded down a few rows and took a seat next to a woman.

After the show, which I did not watch for a minute as I was took engrossed in the man with the bag, my wife convinced me that maybe I should report this incident to Security as neither one of us felt it was handled seriously enough by the CM.

Outside the theater I asked a CM working at a gift cart if she could direct me to Security. She asked what the problem was. I explained and she had a horrified look on her face and asked us to stay right there while she called Security on the phone. In a matter of minutes, a gentleman arrived whom she explain was her “manager”. Not exactly Security but… So I explained my story yet again and as I finished, the “manager” smiled and went on to tell me that these things can happen and here are some of the reason’s why someone would drop a package under a theater seat and flee the theater. I stopped him at “…he could have been chasing a child…” At that point I was just in shock. I interrupted him and simply said, “I reported the incident. I don’t believe the CM handled the situation safely or correctly. You do what you wish with the information we have given you. We did our part. I just hope you don’t suffer tragedy in your theater after an incident like this has been reported to you…” I finally got a Thank You and that was that.

I was not looking for anything here aside from a Thank You and the acknowledgement that they would investigate the response of the CM in this situation. I have to tell you, I never felt so insecure in the Magic Kingdom in my entire life from that point on. And it didn’t help that the response of a “manager” was excuses.


The whole situation happened so fast. I just asked that before you respond, put your self in my shoes. It was a really scary thing. And I have no idea, looking back, why I did not remove my family from the theater immediately.

Any opinions as to whether this was handled correctly? And if you think, how could someone get a dangerous package into the MK, I say get from under your rock… Is it worth writing a letter to Disney Security or should I just move on. I have to reiterate, my sense of security in WDW was shattered by this…

I would write the letter if for nothing else to put my mind at ease. Also CC Al Weiss. His office is known for being good about responses. I think you had it right on. better to be too cautious and laugh about it later than not cautious enough and possibly have a tragedy!!!! Your New York friend, Belle

 

[Thrawn]

Well, it was a shopping bag. If it was something "bad" it would have been checked at the gates when it went through bag check.

You did the right thing though. I wouldn't bother taking it any further.

Also, the manager's reponse was really the only one he could give you. He can't say "you're right, it might have been a bomb". That might instill fear not to mention open Disney up to lawsuits ("The manager told me that a guest had a bomb!!!" etc).

 

[mkt]

People do stupid things at Disney.

It was probably entirely innocent, but you saw something that probably wasn't there.

 

[Chux]

Well, it was a shopping bag. If it was something "bad" it would have been checked at the gates when it went through bag check.

You did the right thing though. I wouldn't bother taking it any further.

Also, the manager's reponse was really the only one he could give you. He can't say "you're right, it might have been a bomb". That might instill fear not to mention open Disney up to lawsuits ("The manager told me that a guest had a bomb!!!" etc).

Yeah, that sounds about right.. that's about as far up the ladder that I'd want to go.

 

[PhotoDave219]

..... I'd say try and relax.... Its not worth getting upset over.

IMO, the cast memeber took the approppriate balance between guest saftey and courtsey to all involved. There was no need to call out the bomb squad. There was probably a reasonable explanation for what happened.

When i was a CM, i would find unattended bags all the time. The first one i was a little apprehensive about, after that it was a "I better take this to guest relations" .....

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

People do stupid things at Disney.

It was probably entirely innocent, but you saw something that probably wasn't there.

You acted correctly in todays climate - but I don't think it needs to be taken further.

 

[DisneyMissy]

It sure would of scared me and I think they should of done more. To just ignore it like that is insane.

 

[col]

i wouldnt of picked the bag up -you put yourself in danger.
disney security- when you enter the park maybe they looked in the parcel who knows?

if i put myself in your shoes i would of left the theatre with my family complained to the cast member and if nothing was done i would of asked them to get security not the manager and talk to them about it and ask what is there policy on this matter. i mean as much as i love disney they wouldnt want you not returning to any of there parks and spending your money would they?

the cast member you told sounded outside of the theatre more interested in the matter.

no matter where i am i am always curious and aware so WELL DONE for saying something even if they didnt take you seriously.:wave:

im glad you made this situation aware to me.

 

[Mecha Figment]

he probably just had to take a major crap... we've all had that happen i'm sure.

:lol:

 

[Timmay]

First, there is no guarantee an explosive device has to be brought in through the front gate. The easiest, and most logical access is to have it brought in a “back” way.

Second, I myself would not have touched the bag. If the person who left it was suspicious enough, I would have grabbed my family and headed for the exit, getting them out fast. I would have contacted the first CM I saw, as you did, and explain the situation in full…in a pretty forceful manner I might add.

As to the action of the CM’s…it all depends upon their training in such matters, as well as policy. I am unsure as to the policy for suspicious packages or objects at DW, so it doesn’t make sense for me to wonder if they did what they were supposed to or not.

Now, if this had happened in, say, Tel Aviv, I think you might have seen a much different response. We just don’t think like that over here, and I hope we never have to.

 

[Mecha Figment]

working in a park enviroment in the past. i would have never attempted to open the box and hand it over to the police.

one time (while at stone mountain park) one of my fellow employees had a guest say that a trashcan was making a strange wirring and ticking sound. he went and listend and he called the park police emideatly. they quarenteend the area imediatly.

turned out to be a disposable camera that got stuck on rewind and somebody threw it away.

 

[brich]

Let me get a few responses in before this thread goes off...

My reaction was to take that bag out of the theater. Heaven forbid it was an explosive, better to go off outside. I didn't feel the time to get the family out. The quickest response was get the bag out.

I know Disney has Security at the Gate. But so didn't the Gates at Logan International Airport on Sept 11. You can't be that nieve to think the only way to get something into the park is via the front door.

As for the Manager's response, I was only looking for an acknowledgement. I didn't want explanations nor did I need to here the word "bomb". His manner in which he responded was defensive. That in itself is as bad as saying words such as "bomb" or we "screwed up".

I'm relaxed. Still bothers me about the laxidasical response. And it appears that it was innocent. Even so, I was amazed by the casual response. I wasn't expecting an evacuation but I also wasn't expecting the package to remain in the theater. Oh well. Thanks all for the responses so far.

 

[Timmay]

My reaction was to take that bag out of the theater. Heaven forbid it was an explosive, better to go off outside. I didn't feel the time to get the family out. The quickest response was get the bag out.

I understand, but...sad to say, sometimes when something bad is tampered with, big boom.

And I will say it didn't have to be an explosive to be something "bad" either. There is lots of nasty stuff people can leave sitting around.

 

[brich]

Second, I myself would not have touched the bag. If the person who left it was suspicious enough, I would have grabbed my family and headed for the exit, getting them out fast. I would have contacted the first CM I saw, as you did, and explain the situation in full…in a pretty forceful manner I might add.

It's hard to say how you'll respond in a situation until your in the situation. Again, my reaction was to grab the bag and get it out of the theater. When something like this happens, you don't have time to sit there and rationalize. You react. You see something happen that doesn't seem right and you react. Then again, It wasn't about just saving my family but saving Philharmagic. ! :lol: Now if this happened in Stitch...:lookaroun

 

[brich]

I understand, but...sad to say, sometimes when something bad is tampered with, big boom.

I carried it the same way it was carried in. And this is why I stepped back when the CM started to open the package, as if stepping back would have helped me...:hammer:

 

[Burgstressera]

Wow, brich, that is really scary.

I have no idea what I would have done if that had happened to me - I probably would have freaked out and run after the guy, maybe tackled him and then beat him with my shoe.

Seriously though it was a really scary situation and I'm actually shocked that the Disney Cast Members did not take it more seriously.

And why is it that when the guy came back in to the theater the cast member didn't question him? He could have said something as simple as is everything ok sir? Just to see the man's reaction.

I don't trust that nothing can get past the front gates. Bombs can be in shoes as we all know or in cell phones or cameras. I mean there is a million ways for people to bring bad things into the parks and if someone really wanted to do it let's face it they'd find a way.

I don't trust people now a days and I don't blame you one bit for reacting the way you did. I wish that the cast members has taken the matter more seriously.

I think you should write a letter about your experience. WDW upper management should be aware of how this situation was handled. And even if your letter goes no where and makes no difference in how WDW handles situations similar to this in the future at least you will have done your part.

 

[Jen Jen]

What?!?!

I think you are absolutely right to be horrified. In today's world, knowing everything we know, the cast member and manager responded completely inappropriately. What possible better target could there be to instill terror into the hearts of Americans than Disney World? I would definitely follow up with a letter, and CC Al Weiss as was mentioned earlier. And thank you for being so observant...it's people like you who help make airplanes and subways more secure for everyone! :xmas:

 

[Jen Jen]

Hmmm

Come to think of it, I think maybe you should also CC the Orlando Sentinel with that letter. This is the kind of thing that public scrutiny and concern may make Disney more eager to deal with. :xmas:

 

[cj2me]

Being from the New york area and witnessing 9/11 first-hand, I don't think you over-reacted. It is a sick world we live in now. You never know if it was a "trial" run to see what they can get away with. Hindsight is a terrible thing to have after a tragedy. Take James Woods for example, he saw the terrorists on a "Trial Run" flight before 9/11 happened and now he can only say if only...