Bag Check 3/28 am at Hollywood Studios.

[opus1guy]

So...is there an "Express Lane" of some sort where you can bypass the longer lines if you have no bag/purse/fannypack etc? Just me with a standard wallet and cell phone. Thanks.

 

[UncleMike101]

So...is there an "Express Lane" of some sort where you can bypass the longer lines if you have no bag/purse/fannypack etc? Just me with a standard wallet and cell phone. Thanks.

There is a "No bag" line at each park.
You may have to go through the metal detector but that's painless.

 

[pens4821]

From my last two trips to Disney, I would do everything I could to avoid bag check. I'm glad I talked the others to go in without a bag. Those lines were ridiculous both times (and this was January and February away from big crowds). I know sometimes it's a must, but try your hardest to fit everything you'll need in your pockets.

 

[wisblue]

We'll be seeing what happens at DHS today.

The last couple of years, our approach to mornings at DHS has been to try to arrive around 8:15 for a 9 AM opening because they usually let people through the gates around 8:45 if not a little earlier. Depending on where we are staying, we get to the bus stop 30-40 minutes before we want to arrive at the park to account for waiting for a bus.

Maybe today we will leave a little earlier to deal with bag check. We haven't run into anything unusual at MK or DAK the last 2 days, but it does seem like the bag checkers are taking more time to go through bags, especially the large bags and backpacks with lots of pockets and zippers.

I like to go bag free if I can, and if I take a bag it is just a small fanny pack that never takes more than 15 seconds for clearance. But, my daughters will not go without a bag, so I'll be waiting in the bag check line or waiting for them to get through regardless.

 

[rgf207]

The bag check, IMHO, has always been Disney's effort to give us a false sense of security at the parks. This past February the bag checks were insane. They were opening every compartment, on every bag and in most instances emptying bags to get to the bottom. It was quite frustrating. Not to mention that I was "randomly" selected every time I went into the park (only there for 1 day. entered 3 times). I guess a 30 something dad with a 3 year old in tow is suspicious.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

Honestly, it sucks to have to deal with so many bag checks, but I can't really blame Disney for tightening security. It is a scary world we live in.

 

[loves to dive]

We enjoyed getting randomly selected, we always went in the no bag line. My son is ex-Navy so he has the whole military haircut and walk and posture, I'm an almost 60 year old little woman. He got picked more than me, I only got picked twice, both times he wasn't with me. One of the times at IG in Epcot, they picked me, I happily put my cell phone in the little bowl and walked through. No beep so both security people and me stood there and did a happy dance together. No reason to get upset, just go with it. I've had them ask me to empty my pockets when going through the no bag line. I was wearing a pair of boy's cargo pants and had my rainjacket in one pocket and my cell phone in the other. They were kind of bulging out and drooping so the guard asked me empty them, which I happily did then he sort of patted them. I've been travelling overseas since the 70s and some of the smaller middle eastern airports didn't have anything except someone to pat you down and twist body parts if you were a woman so it's no big deal for me. It would be nice if they had some sort of pre-screen process so that they made sure the people carrying the huge bags actually had them off and open before they actually got to the table. Nothing more frustrating then you having yours all open and spread out but the person in front of you hasn't even taken their backpack off their backs yet.

 

[lugnut33]

I got a Junior Security sticker from Epcot for my willingness to go through the metal detector. I tried to use my new found authority to cut in line for attractions to no avail.

 

[Love Tink]

Not to mention that I was "randomly" selected every time I went into the park (only there for 1 day. entered 3 times). I guess a 30 something dad with a 3 year old in tow is suspicious.

Or, you know, it was random, not "random."

 

[rgf207]

Or, you know, it was random, not "random."

Well here's how the last "random" one went down

Myself and my 3 year old son leaving the MK at 7:30pm. I walked out of the exit and then remembered that I can't completely exit the MK if I want to get on the Express Monorail. Unfortunately I was 6 steps past the bag check when I realized this. I turned around and the security guard would not let us go without getting my bag checked. Fine, so I did that and then I was "randomly" selected for the metal detector. I HAD JUST EXITED THE PARK. Random, my behind! As I said, 30-something white male with 3 year old in tow. I must look suspicious

 

[lugnut33]

Or, you know, it was random, not "random."

maybe you fit a profile?
Let's not forget that bad people come in all shapes, sized, and colors.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You can thank the recent repeating terrorist attacks!

AKK

 

[rgf207]

maybe you fit a profile?
Let's not forget that bad people come in all shapes, sized, and colors.

Then it's not random so they should not call it that

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Well here's how the last "random" one went down

Myself and my 3 year old son leaving the MK at 7:30pm. I walked out of the exit and then remembered that I can't completely exit the MK if I want to get on the Express Monorail. Unfortunately I was 6 steps past the bag check when I realized this. I turned around and the security guard would not let us go without getting my bag checked. Fine, so I did that and then I was "randomly" selected for the metal detector. I HAD JUST EXITED THE PARK. Random, my behind! As I said, 30-something white male with 3 year old in tow. I must look suspicious

Very likely you were picked because you did not look suspicious, or a monitor behind the scenes saw your attempt to change your exit plans and they found that suspicious.

AKK

 

[lugnut33]

Then it's not random so they should not call it that

I wonder if Jafar would be randomly selected?

 

[DVC4US]

I understand the reasons for bag checks and random screenings and will gladly go through them - they make me at least feel safer(somewhat). But I do have a few pet peeves.

1. When the bag checks are busy I wish they had a better line system - taped off or roped off. Sometimes the lines can be a cluster.
2. The "randomness" of the checks by the security guards. We were at MK a couple of weeks ago and bag check was pretty busy. I noticed the line next to us was moving way faster and when I got closer to the front I figured out why. The security guy for that line was like - peek in the bag, okay you are good, peek in the bag, okay you are good, and so on; while the security guy in our line was opening every zipper and even pulling things out of bags to get a better look at the bottom.
3. Lastly, I wish they would separate lines for those with small bags and those with backpacks or large bags. The women in our group carry small over the shoulder purses(takes 5 seconds to look in) and sometimes we will carry a sling bag if ponchos are needed and it never fails that we get in a line that has a bunch of backpacks and it takes forever. I know this will never happen but it is one of the things I say every time we are standing in a long bag check line.

"rant over" LOL

 

[Darklord77]

Those long lines you encounter for bag check are there for a reason. That choke point allows Disney Security time to observe guests, and profile them. Someone up to no good is more likely to become nervous, and exhibit telltale signs when they are held up in some kind of security theater such as the bag check area.

I think you are giving the Disney Security workers way too much credit. I'm pretty sure they don't have Secret Service agents working at the bag check trying to detect every little manifestation.

I'll agree with the previous post about chokepoints. They create large crowds that are densely packed. Crowds inside the park would be more spread out and a less attractive target.

These security upgrades are doing two things: Trying to give everyone the sense they are safe and trying to dissuade attackers from even trying in the first place. A determined enemy will find a way if they really want to. No amount of security or precautions can stop every attack.

 

[Disneytam]

The bag check, IMHO, has always been Disney's effort to give us a false sense of security at the parks. This past February the bag checks were insane. They were opening every compartment, on every bag and in most instances emptying bags to get to the bottom. It was quite frustrating. Not to mention that I was "randomly" selected every time I went into the park (only there for 1 day. entered 3 times). I guess a 30 something dad with a 3 year old in tow is suspicious.

On our past trip in Feb. we had to laugh every time we went through because my poor husband was always selected for the random check. One day he was picked three times at two different parks. I was never selected in the ten days we were at Disney. Just a typical white 60 something American male. He tried to laugh about it and not take it personal!

 

[book_junkie]

We went mid-afternoon to HS Saturday and Sunday. No huge lines, so it's really a crowd issue. Then again, Saturday my husband got stopped for security check while holding the umbrella (while I'm holding our raincoats and could be hiding who knows what else underneath them). Sunday I get stopped for random checked and then patted down.

Y'all are now safe from the buttons on both of our cargo shorts.

And they've stopped my husband pretty much every time we've used the bagless entrance- so much that now we're surprised when he's not surprised. 5'6", white, trimmed beard. I keep telling him it's because he just screams geek when people look at him but he says no. He gets it in the airports, too, so we finally just paid for the TSA pre check because it was bothering him so much.

 

[LaurenT]

Arriving at 8:50 the day after Easter - crowd level 10 according to Josh. I would have expected a ridiculously long line.
If you're there for the week, leave your room a half hour earlier, it'll make all the difference in the world!