BAD BOYS BAD BOYS!! Undercover Security

[jenjersnap]

I lost my middle DS right outside Mexico in Epcot when he was 3. It was pitch black. We had gone to the restroom, came down the stair holding hands, I let go of him to, literally, grab the stroller and he was gone. I called his name - frantically, I am sure - and 3 "tourists" - 2 men and a middle-aged lady - materialized in front of me within 10 seconds. They asked his age, name and shirt color and scattered in different directions while a sweet young lady working at the CS there, gave me a drink and sat with me.

The lady found him and returned carrying him, but the other two made it back to me with the good news before she did. I still have no idea what he was doing but he'd made it all the way across the main bridge into FW. I had taught him, if lost, he should look for a white cast member name tag or a mom - someone else with young kids. Since she had neither, he was quite stubborn and wouldn't come with her at first, LOL, until she called him by name and said his mommy was worried about him.

She handed him over, gave me a hug and the three of them melted away again into the crowd. Amazing. I will always be so grateful for their quick action. Definitely, they have the lost child scenario down to a science!

 

[Ladybugsy]

This is such a great thread. I hope we have lots more stories. My dh came home tonight and I told him about Disney Security. He is all ready to move...lol.

Dreams do come true!!! Well, in about 5 years it will...lol.

 

[mickey family]

Not 100 percent, but I think her son was bitten 3 times on the finger by a water moccasin when he bent down to retrieve a toy from some landscaping. His feet never left the sidewalk. 12 vials of antivenin and 134,000.00 later, he's doing well...still has all fingers.

Correct me if I'm wrong I just read the thread the other night.

You are correct. It was a horrific experience, but I wouldn't let it deter me from going back, just more careful next time.

 

[bmalonef45]

I saw some outside the park in the lines FOR security. They're dressed just like a tourist. The only reason I noticed them was because they had a flesh colored coiled wire coming out of the back of their shirt, up their neck into their ear. Then I saw him talk to the non undercover security people lol.

We've seen this too. The time we watched they were in line outside the MK and someone else was communicating with them to point out guest. They pulled aside someone this particular morning and took them through a more vigorous bag check. Not sure what tipped them off and I'm not sure if there was anything found but they got to that person really quick.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

In April of '06 my DD14 and I were at Pop... her very first trip to the world and to this day, 5 trips later, her most memorable because of this:

We were on our way out to the Pop bus stops when I realized the battery in my camera would not last through the rest of the day so I asked my DD to get the backup from out room. This is the only time in the week and half we were seperated, and I thank goodness we were!

I sat myself on one of the benches while I waited for my DD to return. I got looking around and suddenly thought to myself, where is everyone? This is Disney, there should be people everywhere but there was only myself, a couple on a bench near the DTD stop and a single guy about 2 benches to my left. No movement in the parking lot or anything. I looked around again and saw a very large man walking in our direction, coming from the main building..... next thing I know, he has a gun drawn on the single man on the bench about 2 away from me and is ordering him on the ground!!!!!! My immediate thought was I'm going to die, well, at least I'm at Disney World. I began to reach for my wallet figuring this was a good old fashioned robbery.

All of the sudden there are "tourists" everywhere with police badges hanging out of the golf shirts (and some carrying Disney bags, you can see it in the photos I posted below). Turns out the bad dude was the guy on the bench and the gun dude was a cop thank god!

Cops and security and guns, oh my! And my DD missed it all, which is good or we would have been on the next plane home and I would be paying for her therapy for a long time!

And like the good little tourist I am, I took photos, on the sly of course. The man in the blue shirt was the scary gun guy. Enjoy!

 

[viking042900]

Great stories. I now know what I'm going to do when I "retire." Protecting Mickey's house would be a sweet job.

 

[Junebugwv]

Many of my 25 trips to WDW have been without my husband for all or part of the trip. I feel very safe at Disney with the kids and that is a major factor when I am choosing a destination.

Last week (5/12) we entered AK around 4 PM for the emh and the bag searches were unusually thorough. The person in front of me had to remove their camera from the case and every pocket of my bag was examined. I also noticed uniformed security with dogs.

 

[dfmalone]

Great stories keep them coming.....Im happy I started this thread

 

[Ladybugsy]

Great stories keep them coming.....Im happy I started this thread

I"M GLAD TOO!!! My dh is excited about retiring now! Of course I'm going to have a tough time deciding whether the leave my hometown that I've lived in my whole life or moving to Orlando.

You only live once. I would like to be a concierge or in guest services in the park...and he could be a Disney cop. It sure would be a fun job

 

[sabrecmc]

I love this thread!

I saw some outside the park in the lines FOR security. They're dressed just like a tourist. The only reason I noticed them was because they had a flesh colored coiled wire coming out of the back of their shirt, up their neck into their ear. Then I saw him talk to the non undercover security people lol.

This is what I've seen. Once, when leaving EPCOT early one afternoon, some uniformed security were speaking to a guy dressed in shorts and a touristy-looking shirt and baseball cap. When I got closer, I noticed the wire in the "tourist's" ear and was able to hear them talking about some guy that "took off for the parking lot". Since then, I've noticed a couple of other "tourists" with similar earpieces, sometimes one guy alone, and sometimes a man and woman together. Interesting. Glad to know the Mouse is looking out for us!

 

[mrsbert]

My DH is going on 22 yrs. as a police officer. He wants to retire and work for Disney as well, but not in security. He wants to clean off tables. He's a people person and he feels this would give him ample time to chat with tourists.

On another note, we look for the "tourist security" when we're there. We can't help it. We've had security ask my DH to lift his shirt at the bag check once b/c they thought they saw something bulky on his side. It was just his cellphone and holder.

 

[RabFlmom]

I love this thread!



This is what I've seen. Once, when leaving EPCOT early one afternoon, some uniformed security were speaking to a guy dressed in shorts and a touristy-looking shirt and baseball cap. When I got closer, I noticed the wire in the "tourist's" ear and was able to hear them talking about some guy that "took off for the parking lot". Since then, I've noticed a couple of other "tourists" with similar earpieces, sometimes one guy alone, and sometimes a man and woman together. Interesting. Glad to know the Mouse is looking out for us!

Not everyone with an ear piece is Disney Security, but they can call them faster if they are on radio. My son wears a wire when working at Disney and is a first responder to trouble in his park. He is not security. His job is actually helping the CMs have a good day and to try to settle the problem with guests without calling in security or a deputy which is stationed in the park. Usually security hangs out in the background to get evidence before coming in. I can't tell you how many times I have heard stories about him being threatened by punks or drunks in the park and having to have them escorted out of the parks or arrested on the spot. And the stupid thing is that usually it is a simple safety rule the guest thinks they do not have to follow, like height of their child or something that starts the confrontation with a CM.

 

[bearlyanne]

Is there a Disney jail? or do they just look them up in POTC until the OPD come

 

[RabFlmom]

Is there a Disney jail? or do they just look them up in POTC until the OPD come

There is a security office in each park, but the time it takes to have a deputy on spot is so quick no need for a jail. Each park has deputies assigned to them so they are already there. Usually just telling a guest that they can be escorted out in hand cuffs by a deputy calms people down. Especially when they see the deputy walking up within seconds.

 

[Ilivetogo]

I'm happy about all the security. Nice to know!
.

 

[DVC-Don]

Is there a Disney jail? or do they just look them up in POTC until the OPD come

There is a Orange County Sheriff station near/or at the fire station over by DownTown Disney. Not sure if there is a lockup there. There are deputies permanently assigned to WDW. WDW reimburses the county for the cost.

 

[IslandAdventure4]

I searched back to get my experience from my Trip Report back in 2008 when I went with some other DISers. Too lazy to retype the story.

This was at the Starring Rolls Cafe in MGM when we stopped to get some breakfast on our way to Toy Story. Leaving out the introductory details that won't make sense unless you read the report.




I was out first and got to try to find us a table. It was COLD—in fact I heard on the news that Florida had a record cold that night. This is what happens to me, I go to Florida and they have a record cold spell. So I was looking for a table in the sun so we could have a bit of warmth. I found one but there was a backpack on one of the chairs. I asked the large group at the table next to me if it belonged to them. They said no, and it had been there a while with no one there. So I sat. Disney rules, you leave your stuff there for too long and no one is sitting then the table is up for grabs! A woman that looked like a supervisor/manager type (she wasn't wearing a funny costume!) walked by and I pointed out the chair with the backpack and told her it was there when we sat down and had lost it's owner. I was concerned that it would be stolen. Naturally I assumed that she would pick it up and take it in the back to be sent off to lost and found. I was dead wrong!

She took the entire chair and scooted it off about 30 yards away. Then she stood there in a guarding position and got on her walkie talkie. Security began showing up.

First one.

Then another.

And another.

Then 2 carrying ropes.

And we a few more around the perimeter of the area.

The ones with ropes roped off an area around the chair.

In the meantime a CM that was cleaning in the area came over to watch and to talk with us. He was also not in a funny costume and he told us he was a Trainer and was just helping out for a bit. He stayed with us chatting and watching what was going on. Also the large group at the table next to us took off. They were also interested in the action but said they had to move on. After they left a man came over and plopped himself at their now empty table. He seemed to be talking to himself but I figured he was on a bluetooth talking to his family telling them he got a table. He was also watching the security action. He leaned over to us and said “ Hey, did that thing start over here or where it is now?”. I figured he was just curious like we all were so of course I started telling him the story. He started talking into his coat again, but this time I heard “10-4” and “affirmative” and decided that he wasn't talking to his family!

We were all still talking and the Training CM said that they were going to bring out the dog. DOG??? We were really floored! I had even considered opening the backpack when we sat down to see if there was any ID in it. And here they were calling in a dog! Phors' son is with K9 in the military and had just lost his dog so this was certainly very interesting news to us. Phors said something about getting pictures of the dog to show her son. This is when the strange tourist next to us looked over and quietly said “We would prefer you didn't mam” We all looked at him and the CM said “OH! I didn't ever recognize you sitting there!” And he proceeded to introduce us to the Head of Studios Security ::cop: (undercover )! He was extremely nice but said that they try to bring the dog out, have him do his job and get him back without drawing a crowd. If people start taking photos then it draws a crowd and they may have to confiscate cameras and review the pics and get witness statements. We completely understood and had a nice chat while waiting for the dog. There was no way were leaving our seats until this was over!

When he got word on the radio the dog was on it's way out he walked by and told us that we could get pics but just stay in our seats and be discreet. We were able to get several good pictures. Because the Head of Security works undercover I have removed him from these pics to protect his identity.

Of course the dog came out, sniffed the bag, laid down and looked up as if to say “You woke me up for that???”

Quicker than it had happened, the dog and his handler disappeared backstage, the ropes were rolled up and one of the security guys picked up the bag and opened it and they all walked off. We never did find out if there was even anything in it!

We did learn that Disney has several full time K9 units and they do this for any abandoned bag. I would have thought that would have meant many times a day, it would seem that people would be constantly leaving things. But in reality security said it really doesn't happen all that often.

So the excitement was over. We had promised a good run it with security and it doesn't get much better than this! About 10 Security officers, the HEAD of security and a K9 Unit! As we walked off a few things did cross our minds:

Phors was thinking maybe that was just one of their Streetmosphere shows and wondered if we were supposed to applaud at the end!

And I was thinking that if they REALLY thought it could have been a bomb, shouldn't they have moved it a little further away, okay A LOT further away from us???

And when I told DH about it later he said he was so glad to see that we were smart enough to move ourselves out of danger when a bomb was suspected.


Tiramasu: $4.00
Fruit Tart: $4.00
Eclair: $4.00
Coffee: $3.00
Meeting the Head of Security and the K9 and NOT being arrested. . . Priceless!

Very Cool Story. One of the best I have read on here

 

[ValinWV]

A few years ago I was watching my youngest two DD's playing in the Toon Town Park. Well I lost track of the youngest she was about 18mos a the time. I got the 3yo and had my son watch her as I started my panic. I started looking for her and a nice CM had already found her. She noticed this little one with no parents around. Lucky for me she was nearby. At that time she wasn't talking and couldn't even tell her name. I don't know if security was notified, but the CM believed she was mine especially when she grabbed me and said mama. The CM told me they are trained to look for kids that seemed to have lost their parents. I am so glad they do.

 

[AirGoofy]

Great thread. My dentist told me this story; however, I don't see it or him on the Disboards, so I will tell him I shared the story. He, his wife, and his 4 children were in MK when youngest child started throwing a tantrum. He picked the child up, told DW and other 3 to go to the next ride, and when the youngest calmed, they would catch up. The child started yelling "Mommy" as she was walking away. He said he was quickly surrounded (abduction in process) and had to explain he was trying to give a time out to his misbehaving child and all that attention she was receiving was not helping. He was annoyed at the time, but laughs about it now and was thankful for the security.

 

[Pats Dragon]

We were the first ones at AK one Christmas and my 20 something son was dressed in a black jacket, black trousers and leather shoes.???(just him) He had a huge backpack with a package of English poppers the only thing inside. My new sil is from Australia and I wanted him to be surprised with a tradition from his home. When they checked the bags they even checked my sons water bottle. They asked him about the poppers and he said he didn't know what they were but they would go pop. He got in line and before you could turn around we were surrounded by cms who whisked us to a room and questioned us thoroughly about where we were from and how long sil had been in america. They then made us "the family of the day" along with a family in turbans and long dresses with scarfs. We got a fast pass for all the rides. We still tease my son about that but are grateful that there is security.