Bag Check! Ive had enough of it.

[ccgirl]

Its Monday and I need to vent a little. I would like to first say that that I have no desire to offend anyone or turn this thread into one of those arguing threads. If you believe the bag checks keep you safe at Disney then I respect that. I however find them to be more of a hassle than anything else. I was at Epcot Thursday and the line to get through bag check was crazy. I then competed in the Wine and Dine Marathon this weekend. After running for two hours I just wanted to get into Epcot and relax. Instead I was forced to wait in a long line to go through bag check. Really what could someone who just ran 13.1 miles and is exhausted possibly bring into the parks???

Also what are you looking for? Guns? Not possible since you can bring that on you. A Bomb? Again your wasting your time considering that in the world we live in a bomb can be in your shoes/underwear. Also the security guards (nothing against them bless their hearts. They are usually older Disney employees I love them) however what kind of job are they doing. All they do is glance inside the bag no thorough check is even done. So what is the point of this check? We all know if someone wanted to get something inside they probably could anyways. So yes Disney’s intentions are good but they are doing a mediocre job at it. Its causing more of an inconvenience then the safety preventative is meant to be.

Haven't read all entries. Someone may have already mentioned but they usually have a no bag line that you can go through.

As for what someone who just ran 13.1 miles and is exhausted possibly bring into the parks???

The answer is the same as everyone else.

They have bag checks at concerts, sporting events and just about everyone place I have gone to that has a lot of people. I really don't see the big deal.

 

[ccgirl]

Just wondering, but do other theme parks require bag checks? We have been to Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, and Cedar Point and I don't remember having bag checks at any of them. If other places can operate without them and don't have issues with weapons, booze, and such, why not Disney??

Another quick question, if you use a clear bag will they just look at it or will you still have to open it/take things out? Anybody have experience with using a clear bag at Disney? Thanks!

Just want to say that at Dollywood 2 years ago they did bag checks on us. And, there you can't bring in lunch. At least that's what they told me.

A clear bag will still be searched as you cannot see in the middle of it.

 

[deserrai]

Well, now I'm going to have to look around and see if I see any "real" security guards next time I go. I never really thought about it, but I guess it makes sense. Of course, that will probably make me look suspicious.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

A lanyard will hold your room key, license and CC. Now I don't carry a camera much, just use my phone.

Be careful with lanyards. I was wearing one with my room key and photopass card in it one vacation and thankfully had taken my license and cc out. Went on Big Thunder Mountain and lost the plastic part of the lanyard somewhere between tucking it in my shirt and riding the ride.

Turns out the clip that holds the plastic part failed and it had slid out my shirt and out the car. I asked if they could find it and I was told they walk the track at night but it's very likely everything was gone forever. If it happened to hit the track when a car was coming by it'd be completely crushed. Guess what, it was never found.

So I definitely wouldn't keep anything of importance like license and cc's in a lanyard, just to be on the safe side.

 

[karmutt]

Just wondering, but do other theme parks require bag checks? We have been to Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, and Cedar Point and I don't remember having bag checks at any of them. If other places can operate without them and don't have issues with weapons, booze, and such, why not Disney??

Both Sea World and Universal in Orlando have bag checks. The one at Sea World is similar to what they do at Disney - right in front of the entry turnstiles - but the one at Universal is before you get to City Walk and seems very minimal (I never bring a bag, so I haven't been through it). After you pass through that, you're good to go into the parks. Six Flags Magic Mountain just outside of Los Angeles makes you go through metal detectors (or did when I was there last, about 6 years ago).

 

[Herfnerd]

Sorry that security/safety checks, no matter how minimal, inconvenienced you

 

[niffer5150]

Six Flags Magic Mountain just outside of Los Angeles makes you go through metal detectors (or did when I was there last, about 6 years ago).

they still do. every bag is checked while you go through the metal detector. they will make you open up everything. I had a very small coin purse that fit my ap, cc, some advil, and some cough drops in it. I got taken aside for questioning about the contents of my coin purse more than a few times. my hubby had them dump out his cigs once and inspect them. getting them all back in the pack was miserable.

 

[Axel]

Be careful with lanyards. I was wearing one with my room key and photopass card in it one vacation and thankfully had taken my license and cc out. Went on Big Thunder Mountain and lost the plastic part of the lanyard somewhere between tucking it in my shirt and riding the ride.

Turns out the clip that holds the plastic part failed and it had slid out my shirt and out the car. I asked if they could find it and I was told they walk the track at night but it's very likely everything was gone forever. If it happened to hit the track when a car was coming by it'd be completely crushed. Guess what, it was never found.

So I definitely wouldn't keep anything of importance like license and cc's in a lanyard, just to be on the safe side.

I offer the same cautionary advice. My mom carried everything in her lanyard, CC, ID, park pass, fast passes, you name it. It broke off at MK one night and we spent half an hour re-tracing our steps trying to find it. Thankfully we did, but we did lost half an hour of park time and were particularly stressed out toward the end of the hunt.

Overall, it's an experience we'd rather not repeat.

 

[Jennasis]

1. Don't carry a bag if possible.

2. Wear cargo shorts/pants if possible.

On an average day it is going to be a 5-10 minute add on your day. No big deal. On the busier days you will have to wait longer...FOR EVERYTHING. So again, NBD. It may be theater, or whatever, but it really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme. Expect it. Plan for it.

And OP, I don't understand your statement at all about what things a marathoner would possibly be bringing in with them. That makes no sense at all. They would bring in the same thing any other human might. Plus, how would anyone know they were an exhausted marathon runner? And why is a tired marathon runner unable to also be a possible problem maker?

 

[Glennie5]

My sister hates bag check too. She shoves all of her stuff in my bag and then complains when I have to go through bag check.

 

[staceyeileen]

I have to agree with this post. I would not mind going through security if I felt they were actually doing an effective check and thus actually contributing to everyone's security while in the park. I have no issues with airport security, for example, because I think they perform a very thorough inspection. But going through a lot of bag checks with my large diaper bag nobody has ever done more than a cursory glance inside the bag. Seriously, that bag has about 10 different zippered pockets inside and out, and everything I keep in it has a compartment. There is no WAY they are looking at anything when I hold it open.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I have to agree with this post. I would not mind going through security if I felt they were actually doing an effective check and thus actually contributing to everyone's security while in the park. I have no issues with airport security, for example, because I think they perform a very thorough inspection. But going through a lot of bag checks with my large diaper bag nobody has ever done more than a cursory glance inside the bag. Seriously, that bag has about 10 different zippered pockets inside and out, and everything I keep in it has a compartment. There is no WAY they are looking at anything when I hold it open.

They are doing an effective check. You are only seeing part of what happens.

 

[Mac4life30]

are you saying you are upset you had to wait in a line at a theme park? maybe they should have fast pass for bag check too.

Its just one unnecessary line. Line for Soarin OK line for Canadian Cheese Soup OK line for Monorial OK also....Line to do a lousy job looking in my bag not ok. I understand why is there but again if your going to do a job then do a good job not a half @## job. Again nothing against the security guards they are only doing as they are told.

 

[Mac4life30]

While I don't agree necessarily with bag check, it does serve a few important roles. Imagine the following without bag check:

-Teenagers bringing booze into the park (and in glass bottles none the less, which would be a problem)
-Adults bringing booze into the MK (which I'm sorry after seeing drunk people at Food and Wine this year literally trying to scare the crap out of kids and thinking it was funny, I'm not quite for)
-Weapons. Sure I could put one on my person, but I could put 10 in a bag if I knew it wasn't going to be checked.

It's not a huge deterrent, but it is one on some levels. And it's FAR better than the invasive TSA level alternative.

But where there is a will there is way... You can just as easily sneak alcohol into the park in a water bottle and no one will stop you. Of course you might not be able to bring beer in a water bottle but certainly hard liqour.

 

[Mac4life30]

The bag checks are absolutely needed there or anywhere, while you say it is an inconvenience to have your bag checked imagine the I convince it would be to be hurt by someone who brought something in their bag! Not all acts like that are pre planned some are done based on current anger and not well thought out. If this is not done then you are opening the flood gates for a myriad of issues which would ruin the experience for everyone. And not all of the bag check is checking the bag it's self you also use that time to evaluate the guests demeanor if they appear nervous coming to the back check they are problem up to something. But that is just my .02

but the majority of the time the security guards are not even looking at you. Also and again I have nothing against them but I doubt they have any training in evaluated and "reading" guest.

 

[stindall]

but the majority of the time the security guards are not even looking at you. Also and again I have nothing against them but I doubt they have any training in evaluated and "reading" guest.

Doubt all you want but unless you're a security guard, you don't actually know what they're trained to do.

 

[Mac4life30]

1. Don't carry a bag if possible.

2. Wear cargo shorts/pants if possible.

On an average day it is going to be a 5-10 minute add on your day. No big deal. On the busier days you will have to wait longer...FOR EVERYTHING. So again, NBD. It may be theater, or whatever, but it really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme. Expect it. Plan for it.

And OP, I don't understand your statement at all about what things a marathoner would possibly be bringing in with them. That makes no sense at all. They would bring in the same thing any other human might. Plus, how would anyone know they were an exhausted marathon runner? And why is a tired marathon runner unable to also be a possible problem maker?

I meant to say that I dont think a person who has just paid to run a marathon, has completed the marathon and is now going into the park would be doing so with the intention of harming anyone.

 

[WDSearcher]

Its just one unnecessary line. Line for Soarin OK line for Canadian Cheese Soup OK line for Monorial OK also....Line to do a lousy job looking in my bag not ok. I understand why is there but again if your going to do a job then do a good job not a half @## job. Again nothing against the security guards they are only doing as they are told.

I would agree with you if the security check was ONLY "a lousy job looking in my bag". But it's not.

Hang around the bag check all day and you'll notice a few "tourists" who never really seem to go anywhere. They don't go into the park, they don't leave the park ... and darned if they don't have little earpieces (which are NOT attached to iPods). Look closely enough at the entrances to the parks and you'll see cameras. They're not just there for fun.

You're assuming that the only security going on is the security you see. The security you see is there to help the security you don't see. So that it can see you.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I meant to say that I dont think a person who has just paid to run a marathon, has completed the marathon and is now going into the park would be doing so with the intention of harming anyone.

Yeah, but the security was not just for runners, it was for their guests as well.

 

[wlvsfnz]

When we go I carry a small purse which I just open and go right through security because it isn't big enough to go for them to go through, but because it's a "bag" it has to be checked. The problem is I usually get stuck behind the strollers or backpacks which takes me longer to wait then to be checked through.

Here's an idea, why not have special lines for the smaller bags?