BWV security concerns

[HorizonsFan]

I went downstairs last night about 12 to smoke (in a designated area! ) and when I came back up, I noticed that not only was the security door on the canal side of the resort not locked, the locking mechanism had acutally been removed from the door. There is no way for this door to be locked. That means that anyone can enter the building at any time completely unnoticed.
I called the front desk and they said they would inform maintainance, but didn't really seem that concerned.
I think it's important because the BW area is open to the public and the Swan/Dolphin have no security at all at the entrance to their resorts.
Am I overreacting, or should I push this? If I do push the issue, who should I speak to? We all pay yearly dues to maintain the resort, and I don't think DVD is living up to their end of the bargain. Am I wrong?

 

[CarolA]

Yes you are overreacting.

You can call and report, but "anyone can enter" right thorugh the front door! Disney does nothing to restrict access so you aren't dramatically endangered by this!

There is NO security now. I can walk in there anytime and go anywhere!!!! LOL!

 

[HorizonsFan]

While I realize that I might be overreacting, I still have some concerns.
If the doors in question are not designed to be locked during the night, why are there signs that say they're locked between 8 PM and 8 AM? Why do they have key card scanners?
If there's not going to be any security, why make the pretense? If DVD says these are locked security doors, isn't that just setting up a lawsuit if someone is robbed or assaulted?

 

[CarolA]

Next time you walk in the front door see if anyone pays ANY attention to you. Often late at night there isn't even anyone STANDING at the front desk.

The locked doors are to give you a "sense" of security. Not to provide REAL secuirty. There's nothing to stop "tailgating" for example so when you open the door I just "slide" right on in.

No, if you read the fine print in the Florida hotel law Disney is not liable at all if you are assulted or robbed.

 

[CarolMN]

FWIW, I think there is a big difference between coming in and out through the lobby (and passing by the valets, bell services and front desk personnel) than coming in and out through a side door. If I were inclined to criminal activity, I'd much rather enter totally unobserved.

I agree with Dave - too bad the Front Desk personnel didn't seem more concerned. Maybe they knew that there are security cameras monitoring all of the entrances, locked or not. (Don't know if they do, or not. Just speculating).

 

[HorizonsFan]

As I think about it more, it occurs to me that even if this is not a real security issue, it is an issue of maintenance. Why is this door broken? Shouldn't our dues cover maintaining things like this (and the large chunk of missing siding that I can see from my balcony?)
BTW, where would I find the Florida hotel law? I'd like to read the fine print for myself and find out if it even applies to timeshare property. I'm not renting a room, I own a portion of the building. Granted it's a tiny portion, but we do pay property taxes and DVD has an contractual obligation to maintain the building.

 

[javamom]

I assumed that there are security cameras in all of the hallways? Yes/No?

 

[MAO]

It used to be locked (6-7 years ago? maybe.) I'd go out through that door and I know once it wouldn't accept my card to let me back in. I was quite unhappy. Frankly, I feel more comfortable without the locking mechanism on the door than having one on the door that might not work (either because of poor maintenance or deliberate sabotage.) At least, without a lock, I know I can get into the building quickly.

Yes, "criminals" can also get in more easily. But if I'm out late at night and start feeling uncomfortable with having someone behind me, I'd rather be able to get inside the building quickly and have the potential for me to pound on doors as I go past looking for help than to feel like I have to run around the side of the building to another door.

If, as you say, the locking mechanism has been removed, then the door is not broken. If you think that the doors should have locks on them then I would encourage you to let DVC management know that's what you want.

I guess it's a matter of how you look at it. I'd rather know that a door is unlocked than think it's locked and be unable to open it in an emergency (because it's broken.) Perhaps the presence of the scanner is an attempt to deter criminals, sort of like the fake signs you can get for your house. It's also possible, though I've no idea how probable, that Disney has other security measures in place that are not as noticeable as the locks on doors. (Kind of like the guy here in town that was upset he never saw any cops waiting to catch speeders, even after being told that they were there in unmarked cars -- perhaps Disny has hidden cameras or other means of keeping track of traffic at those doors. Perhaps not.)

 

[HorizonsFan]

If, as you say, the locking mechanism has been removed, then the door is not broken.

I think that depends on who removed the mechanism. I would consider a door that bears a sign that says it's locked between the hours of 8 PM and 8 AM and has no locking mechanism, broken.
I was curious as to how this post would be received. It appears that folks are much more concerned about where people smoke and how many people are staying in a room than they are about a secure building.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

 

[DeeCee735]

How can the building be secure when you can enter through any door at any time without having to check in? How can any building anywhere with this policy be secure? Safety is an illusion, even with safety measures in place......JMHO.....

I do agree that it's a maintenance issue though, any broken lock - or door or window, etc, should be fixed.

 

[goofy4tink]

I suppose that if one of those alternative doors has a broken lock, and therefore can't be locked at night, there is nothing to prevent someone from entering and then get up to no good, with an exit that they can use without being noticed.
But, that being said, that could happen during the day as well....in fact there is more of a chance of no good type behaviour happening during the day, when guests are not in their rooms. I suppose someone could get in, break into a room, take anything they wanted and then exit via those stairway doors.
It could happen, but I don't have too much concern about it. If I saw a door with a broken lock then I would report it. But, it would be because I saw it as a maintainence issue.

 

[crisi]

How can the building be secure when you can enter through any door at any time without having to check in? How can any building anywhere with this policy be secure? Safety is an illusion, even with safety measures in place......JMHO.....

I do agree that it's a maintenance issue though, any broken lock - or door or window, etc, should be fixed.

Or the sign should be removed.

We went to Vegas a month or so ago, and tried to take a shortcut through the MGM Grand - and ended up walking the hotel hallways. I've walked the hallways of the Beachclub without staying there under similar circumstances - I was at a back door, it started raining, I darted inside and ended up wandering around looking for the Marketplace to grab a snack while I waited for the rain to pass (there are some long mazes at the BC!). And I've certainly walked that first floor BWV hallway many times as a guest - even staying on a higher floor - the long hallways at BWV are long - but they are air conditioned - and walking back from the Studios getting into the air seems like a good idea - bet I'm not the only one, and I bet some of the people using the air conditioning for that part of their walk aren't staying at the BW.

I think if your expectation is the only people walking down the hallway are guests or staff of the hotel, you are going to be disappointed.

(Which brings up the whole "lock your doors, use your door latch when in your room, don't bring valuables on vacation with you" - WDW is a relatively safe and relatively crime free place, but that doesn't mean it really is Fantasyland.)

 

[jamstew]

I would consider a door that bears a sign that says it's locked between the hours of 8 PM and 8 AM and has no locking mechanism, broken.

I agree, especially if all the other doors that say they're locked between the hours of 8PM and 8AM actually are locked. I know that in the DSA that I used at BWV last month (in a small courtyard facing the clown pool), the door was locked after 8PM. Whether or not these locked entrances offer any security, I don't know, but probably not. You'd think that someone attempting to enter a building for nefarious purposes would prefer a to enter via a remote entrance rather than using the lobby, but it's possible they'd do the latter since people expect them to do the former.

 

[BCV23]

HorizonsFan if you are still there, I would call maintenance not the front desk. The front desk button gets you to a call center somewhere these days.

I agree it should be fixed. A side door is not the same as a lobby entrance.

 

[wdw1972]

Wow - I can't imagine being upset/worried because the door wasn't locked, and I seriously doubt there are any security cameras in the hallways! I keep the door to my room locked, and that's the only "security" I need to feel perfectly safe at BW or any other Disney resort.

Anybody can walk through the lobby late at night and find no cast members visible or watching them, so that's no more "safe" than coming up the side stairwell. I was actually in a hotel Friday night where just prior to my arrival a guest was shot in an attempted robbery (but supposedly the criminal knew the victim, so it might not have been an innocent victim.....it seems most people who get shot were involved with some questionable people) and we didn't freak out and go somewhere else. Could something like that happen at the BW or other Disney resort?? Sure - but it's not likely, and certainly not something I'll waste my time worrying about.

 

[HorizonsFan]

Wow - I can't imagine being upset/worried because the door wasn't locked

Wow - I'm not worried or upset. I'm a little concerned and asked for opinions.
That's all.
I will say that I think this is a more valid concern than having five people in a one bedroom and those threads get almost violent.
To each his own...

we didn't freak out and go somewhere else

We neither freaked out nor went somewhere else. This is my home resort and I have some issues with security and maintenance. What part of my post made you think we freaked out and left?
You want to see people freak out? Tell them you smoked on your balcony...

 

[MrsNick]

Wow - I'm not worried or upset. I'm a little concerned and asked for opinions.
That's all.
I will say that I think this is a more valid concern than having five people in a one bedroom and those threads get almost violent.
To each his own...

We neither freaked out nor went somewhere else. This is my home resort and I have some issues with security and maintenance. What part of my post made you think we freaked out and left?
You want to see people freak out? Tell them you smoked on your balcony...

Agree with you on this one. People on the boards place security in our DVC homes after other issues which for me As owners, I think we should expect that big items like this are taken care of expediently. In my mind, security is a much bigger deal than the changes to the booking policy, room occupancy issues, or speculation about the tall building next to the toaster.

 

[HorizonsFan]

Thanks.
... and before sombody else calls me naive for thinking a locked door will stop every nefarious evil-doer, don't. I realize that if somebody wants to get in and do something bad, they will. I'd just like to make it a little more difficult for them.