West park security checkpoint moving and new ones being added

LongLiveTheKing

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
http://m.ocregister.com/articles/disney-734462-guests-checkpoint.html

Source found from https://www.reddit.com/r/Disneyland/comments/5begw2/disneyland_is_moving_security_checkpoints/ by u/Ghost00

To sum it up:

1. DTD to park entrances plaza security checkpoint is moving to Mickey And Friends Parking Structure. Security is before the tram (obviously).

2. Adding new checkpoint to near ESPN Zone and Rainforest Cafe.

3. Adding new checkpoint to near ESPN Zone and Earl Of Sandwiches.

No east checkpoint changes so Harbor is fine atm. 1. is going to affect APs parking on the west side of the parks the most and 2. and 3. will be for Disneyland and Paradise Pier Hotel guests. Doesn't seem like there's any security for people entering the Grand California through the street entrance if the old DTD checkpoint is moving to M&F so I'm expecting such an obvious hole in now tightened security to be fixed soon.
 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Nice catch @LongLiveTheKing !

I think we all knew this basic concept was coming, but the timing of this is surprisingly fast. I had thought this was a longer term project that they would complete before Star Wars Land opens and once the Eastern Gateway is done. But might as well just rip the band-aid off now.

This will at least make it much easier to leave the parks and visit Downtown Disney for meals!
 

LongLiveTheKing

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Nice catch @LongLiveTheKing !

I think we all knew this basic concept was coming, but the timing of this is surprisingly fast. I had thought this was a longer term project that they would complete before Star Wars Land opens and once the Eastern Gateway is done. But might as well just rip the band-aid off now.

This will at least make it much easier to leave the parks and visit Downtown Disney for meals!
I wasn't actually the one who noticed this. I reposted this source from the Disneyland subreddit and should probably give the person credit in the OP.

It will make hopping to DTD from the parks easier though, yeah, which adds a lot of convenience and gets people into DTD more, hence more purchases for Disney in the same way that one click buy and the WDW Magic Band purchases make people more loose and less considering of their money. The lack of a Grand California checkpoint is still confusing, though, since the point of this is still as a security overhaul. Does Disney really think someone pining to do something horrible to people in the parks wouldn't take the very obvious street though GC route?
 
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NobodyElse

Well-Known Member
Hey, didn't I muse about something like this over in the "Permits" thread? :)
Or, could this be the beginnings of the new expanded security perimeter scheme? This is a less than educated guess, but terms like Egress plans, temporary fences, and canopies bring up visions of the current security situation and make me wonder about the similarities...

You're correct though, there are certainly a few things not mentioned that need to be addressed. What will be the plan for that walkway behind HOB? Do they make that emergency exit only? Do they block it off at Disneyland Drive? And of course, it's going to take a bit of analysis to figure out the GC hotel situation. Maybe more on that later...
 

NobodyElse

Well-Known Member
I can't remember, but is there a public path running between the Lego store and the AMC building (under the monorail beam)? Or is that employee only?
 

Stevek

Well-Known Member
I can't remember, but is there a public path running between the Lego store and the AMC building (under the monorail beam)? Or is that employee only?
There is a path there but I believe there is some type of gate, employees only maybe, right where the bathrooms are under the beam.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
OK, let's look at some of the issues this will cause.

How to deal with DtD employees, do they have to go through some sort of security check?

How about deliveries to the stores and restaurants?

Do you place a new backstage security check in the back lot area north of DtD?

Grand Californian has a lot of rooms on the south side of DtD, what about Emergency egress in case of a fire? We currently have one well known one at the east end of GCH next to Starbucks. Presently many guests use it to leave the Hotel as a shortcut. Then we have the pathway next to Sephora that is the main GCH entrance to DtD.

What to do with the current Picnic Area, which includes lockers that can hold items that don't pass the security check (Coolers, glass bottles, etc.)?

The pathway/emergency egress from Disneyland Drive to the current DtD Tram area for Mickey & Friends has two main DtD entrances, one is next to the Tram area, the other is next to Wetzels Pretzels, marked exit only, but all it is a fence gate about 3 feet high and no lock. Since the restrooms are right there, you see CM's/DtD employees use it, as do guests. Another related issue is the fact that Disneyland Drive only has a sidewalk on the east side of the street, so the city has some say in that pathway, especially the Anaheim Fire Marshall. It is also how guests who don't want to wait for the tram (thinks families with strollers and not wanting to fold them up, or wait in long lines).

And that brings us the Mickey & Friends area, in another thread,there is nice marked photo that shows a potential plan, that places the security check between the escalator and an expanded tram loading area. But it is in the middle of the trams. How do you deal with those who don't want to ride the tram, or those who stay at the Condos on Walnut that opt to take the tram? And those sent to park in Pinocchio, which at least some of the lot has to remain, due to the design of the Structure and how they deal with over-sized (height) vehicles, they can only leave the toll booths and go into that lot.

Then we have the actual checkpoints, since Disney stopped offering Valet for DtD, it should be fairly easy to build a security check north of the ESPN Zone entrance, which will allow "secure" guests to eat there.

And then it looks like the plan is to have another checkpoint just west of Earl of Sandwich, which also allows "secure" guests to grab a sandwich. but will have to have the other side of the fence located west of the ESPN Zone patio seating area, to keep the area secure. (I presume they will use the area where the Christmas tree and ice skating rink has been in the past. This also will be the main entrance for the Hotels and the main parking for DtD (Simba Lot),

And you do have the issue of the emergency egress on the east side of the AMC Theaters, which is used a lot by DtD employees to enter the park. (Friends dropping them off at the GCH self parking lot). But it is also designed for guests in case of emergency.

Now, if you have ever noticed, the south side of Whitewater Snacks has a large double gate system designed for emergency egress between DCA and the Hotel, mainly designed for the Hotel guests to use in case of a fire or other emergency. But it does get triggered "by accident" more often than security wants. It is a very tall set of gates. So that might work in some cases.

But then, let's say they install it on the walkway on the north side of DtD that goes to Disneyland Drive. That solves one problem, but then what do you do with the guests that are currently sent that way to avoid the tram? Will the city allow Disney to not provide access to the park from there? Disney could work on a better sidewalk from Pinocchio to the ESPN Zone, which now is a confusing walk.

I think one major issue is the "Secret exit" from the GCH next to Starbucks (east end, next to World of Disney). How do you stop guests fro trying to use it. You have to keep the door ready to open in case of fire. So you can add a security alarm, but what does that do? At the airport, when one of those is triggered, they clear out the entire terminal, and re-screen everyone. This is not practical at the Disneyland Resort.

I truly hope they have addressed all these issues, and then what to do when they start work on the new 4th Hotel that is going to go next to the ESPN Zone?

A big can of worms, and what do the DtD tenants think of it, will the better access for park guests offset the potential loss in locals and those who just want to shop at DtD?

Should be interesting to see this happen in less than two months...... (Amazingly quick time frame).
 

Mystic

Well-Known Member
So as a guest who is staying at Paradise Pier but will be entering DTD through Grand Californian, where will we be going through security? Especially since the GC entrance into DL is between where the current security check point is and where the proposed checkpoint is going to be down by Earl of Sandwich and the vast majority of guest from Paradise Pier enter the parks through this route, they do NOT go around by way of DLH.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
So as a guest who is staying at Paradise Pier but will be entering DTD through Grand Californian, where will we be going through security? Especially since the GC entrance into DL is between where the current security check point is and where the proposed checkpoint is going to be down by Earl of Sandwich and the vast majority of guest from Paradise Pier enter the parks through this route, they do NOT go around by way of DLH.


Who knows, there MIGHT be an entrance next to Sephora, but like the special DCA entrance, the hall would limit the area to about 2 entrance checks and one return (exit) lane. And Disney could decide to make that entrance only for GCH guests, and force the PPH guests to the Earl of Sandwich check point.
 
D

Deleted member 107043

So as a guest who is staying at Paradise Pier but will be entering DTD through Grand Californian, where will we be going through security?

Not saying this is the plan, but one way to address this would be to have a checkpoint at the hotel entrance to the park. To reduce congestion they could make access to that entrance exclusive to GCH guests only, which in my opinion is how it should be considering how much they are charging to stay there.
 

Mystic

Well-Known Member
Right now all guests staying at a Disney owned hotel can enter DCA through Grand Californian but you must be a Disney hotel guest and show your Disney hotel ID.
 

yookeroo

Well-Known Member
Right now all guests staying at a Disney owned hotel can enter DCA through Grand Californian but you must be a Disney hotel guest and show your Disney hotel ID.

Do they still enforce this? I know they did when Cartland first opened, but I think I've gone through there lately without being checked.

When they were checking, I think a receipt from one of the restaurants/bars/shops would get you through too.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
OK, let's look at a couple of things...

Currently the special DCA entrance from GCH can get backed up to the lobby in the mornings and has the same size hallway issues as the DtD entrance for GCH.

Now, if they add the same basic set-up next to Sephora, you could have two lines backed up to the lobby.

So Disney does need to address this, and one possibility is to switch the current benefit to just GCH guests only. As they say, everything at Disney is always subject to change.

As with much of this thread, we are talking "What if"...

But I can see Disney forcing the PPH guests north to the ESPN Zone area and using its security check. If you look at what "Disney" recommends to its guests, that is the route they currently say to use.
 
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The security gates could actually make DtD more popular with locals as the only shopping/eating area with a movie theater that is "sanitized" of guns. This will especially be the case if there are more mass shootings in the US. There seems to have been a lull recently, but in a land awash in guns and grievances, it's unfortunately only a matter of time until the next wave hits (though I hope I'm wrong).
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
I hope this never happens, but the long security check lines is a tempting target to "terrorists/idiots".

So you don't need to clear security to cause havoc. Plus there are things you can get through security other than guns can just as easily kill as a gun.

I don't see the "secure area" as a selling point.

Heck, look what happened in Turkey a few months ago, the terrorists just attacked the security check at the Istanbul Airport. (And I have been there, and know how it is set up, basically the security check is at the entrance doors before the main area of ticket booths, check in and restaurants and shops.) .
 
The point of a security gate is to sanitize the space after the gate, not before or at the gate. Why? Because 99% of your day will be at the point beyond the gate. The security gate is only 5-15 minutes of your day that you are "vulnerable." This is why stadiums, major tourist attractions and government buildings have security gates. After the gate, I can enjoy the day without having to think about crazies with guns (and nothing kills as effortlessly and efficiently, and is as trivially accessible as guns). Secure spaces for the public to gather will become major marketing points in the US in the near future. Disney is just ahead of the curve on this one.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
But look at things like School/College shooting, it is these "gun free" areas that get attacked, since you are pretty much advertising that the "good guys" have no protection, and the bad guys don't care about the rules.

I have never have done anything bad, but I know how to get many things past security at Sporting events, Theme parks, etc. Some are told to me by security, some I have learned from others.

But then I remember once getting busted at Six Flags Magic Mountain for having a Sharpee in my camera bag. (Carried for autographs, not graffiti). So I lost my pen....

Crazy people and terrorists can strike anywhere at any time, IMHO, the "secure" area is not a selling point. I don't complain about going through them, but they are a pain in the butt, and if I can avoid them, well, I will see you at The Outlets at Orange at VANS Skate Park ;)
 
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Schools and colleges don't have security gates with armed guards and metal detectors. That's why guns get into their meaninglessly named "gun-free zone." So far the security gates at DLR have been a minimal inconvenience (a queue of a few minutes) when I've been there. Will the gates be 100% effective? Of course not, but if you look at the crazies and terrorists who have been perpetrators, they are not the most sophisticated and socially connected bunch to find loopholes that you have been able to find. They're pretty dim-witted (thankfully) in their modus operandi. Eventually most shopping malls (and other private spaces for public use) will have security gates (like other countries) as the technology becomes better and cheaper. It will be pervasive. Disney is just the harbinger.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Well, LA Unified and other schools do have armed guards and metal detectors, as do many others

http://education.seattlepi.com/pros-cons-metal-detectors-schools-2420.html

IMHO, it is more a barrier than a positive.

Anyways, enough about that, the multiple deterrents are currently keeping locals away, and might be the reason why Disney is opting for the expanded zone, to allow visitors (aka park guests) easier access to the area to boost sales.
 

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