Disney's Random Metal Detectors..

[Owl X]

I think some of the Metal Detectors are not even active.
I went through one last year at the Magic Kingdom with Keys in my pocket and it did not go off.

 

[AngiTN]

I think some of the Metal Detectors are not even active.
I went through one last year at the Magic Kingdom with Keys in my pocket and it did not go off.

They are not all set at the same sensitivity that is for sure.

 

[MrGoofy101]

Holy Moly..... Lots Of Replies......

Now Disney's Made it so everyone has to go through the detectors. I Kinda don't like them, But they are for everyone else's safety, and mine.

 

[AngiTN]

Holy Moly..... Lots Of Replies......

Now Disney's Made it so everyone has to go through the detectors. I Kinda don't like them, But they are for everyone else's safety, and mine.

It was still random at HS and AK last week. Only Epcot had enough for everyone to go through. We actually never entered the front gates of MK that trip so not sure what changes they made.

 

[MrGoofy101]

It was still random at HS and AK last week. Only Epcot had enough for everyone to go through. We actually never entered the front gates of MK that trip so not sure what changes they made.

I did a bit of researching, MK, AK and HS are still random rn.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My husband is a 64 year old 6ft with an average build and not a single tattoo and would not even know what a "wife beater" shirt is. His hair is short cut with just a touch of grey and a well trimmed mustache. In our past two trips of 10 days each he was chosen every single time at every park. One day we did three parks in a day and he was chosen every time. I have never been chosen, not once. We laugh about it and even had him carry the back pack instead of me. It didn't make a difference.

Well, now we know what they're profiling! MyDH is the same age, same haircut, same knowledge level of "wife beater" shirts, yet he also always gets "randomly" selected. I guess maybe Disney believes any man who enters WDW parks, unless they have grandchildren with them, must have evil intent!

 

[10MoreMinutes]

I personally don't really care. I was there Jan. 28-31 (one day at each park) and they were making everyone go through them every morning (or at least, they were making everyone go through when I got to the parks around 9 am each day). It only took a couple extra seconds and didn't impact my day at all.

 

[AngiTN]

I personally don't really care. I was there Jan. 28-31 (one day at each park) and they were making everyone go through them every morning (or at least, they were making everyone go through when I got to the parks around 9 am each day). It only took a couple extra seconds and didn't impact my day at all.

This is the bottom line for me. It only takes a few seconds and doesn't impact my day in any way. I do not get the discussion and why they are deemed negative, random or otherwise.

 

[maxiesmom]

My nephew is a 25 year old blonde Dutch/Polish mix with not a single tat and wears tee shirts and shorts. And he went thru the metal detectors almost every time we went in a park. I'm 50, blonde, not a single tattoo and only single ear piercings. I was picked one time to go thru the metal detectors. It is random.

 

[Lothlórien]

Then why did my husband, age 56, short military style hair cut with lots of touches of white, average T shirt, shorts at his waist with the length below his knees, sports socks, and regular sneakers (no holes), get picked five out of seven times in two days? Husband does have a beer belly but not huge and he's only 5'6" tall. I think you might want to reconsider this answer.

Why so defensive? No, I will not reconsider. My eyes are not broken. I am sorry your feelings are. I did not say that is all the pick. I just notice a certain profile that is quite frequent.

For the record, I am none of those things either, but I get picked every single time in WDW. I do notice people around me, what they wear, what they have, etc.

 

[Lothlórien]

My husband is a 64 year old 6ft with an average build and not a single tattoo and would not even know what a "wife beater" shirt is. His hair is short cut with just a touch of grey and a well trimmed mustache. In our past two trips of 10 days each he was chosen every single time at every park. One day we did three parks in a day and he was chosen every time. I have never been chosen, not once. We laugh about it and even had him carry the back pack instead of me. It didn't make a difference.

Yep, I don't have any of those characteristics/features either, but I always seem to get picked as well. I just take notice of the people standing around me who are also picked and many of them fit that description.

 

[MaC410]

My first trip ever to disney world was with my wife for our honeymoon last year. I got picked so many times for the metal detectors we found it funny. The guards there made it fun for us and would talk to us about how we just got married. Some of them even giving us marriage tips. Anyway, I never felt profiled. I'm a 27 year old white guy with no tattoos, dressed in shorts and a polo shirt and carried no bags ever.

 

[J-Dog]

Why so defensive? No, I will not reconsider. My eyes are not broken. I am sorry your feelings are. I did not say that is all the pick. I just notice a certain profile that is quite frequent.

For the record, I am none of those things either, but I get picked every single time in WDW. I do notice people around me, what they wear, what they have, etc.

This is anecdotal evidence at best. Just because you've noticed a certain "trend" a few times, does not make it actual, reliable data that can be used as a generalization.

 

[amberpi]

I always get selected for "random" screenings and I'm a small, white women, who irons her clothes and her travel partners even at WDW. I do have tattoos that are sometimes visible. The TSA agents at my local airport mostly know me and I'm Pre-check, but I also get the "random" screen in almost all other airports, most frequently in a skirt suit, heels and no visible tattoos. I sometimes wonder if they pick me the "look, we screened this incredibly ordinary lady too" factor.

To answer the question, its all security theater. Good and bad to that.

 

[amberpi]

And if my less than 5'0, blonde, tennis playing, school teacher mother is with me, we both are going through security, like extra customs screening, SO HARD.

 

[gingerfeathers]

I went through each time I went to Epcot (twice). At the World Showcase entrance, everyone had to go through. At MK I did not go through, nor did I go through at DHS (though my mother did go through). It's just luck of the draw. Either way, they don't bother me a bit. They don't slow up the entrance process up much (though I always end up behind the person who has no idea how to work the fingerprint scanner), and if it helps with security, then cool.

 

[MrGoofy101]

One thing I did notice... It looked like all the family's had to go through, even if only one person was picked. (Excluding the under 14s)

 

[melanielll]

The earlier in the day you go, the more likely you are to be picked. That's what we noticed on our last trip. Before MK opening hours - every adult got sent through. When it got busier - not so much. My adult daughter set off the metal detector. They wanded her, and the wand went off. They then waved her through. So what exactly did that do?

What I hate about it is that it is an inconvenience that does nothing to actually make the park more secure. To illustrate this - before the park opened all adults went through. Strollers with 50 lb bags of unidentified stuff underneath them - not even attempted to be scanned. The same goes for the bag looking. My tiny crossbody bag - looked into. A reusable plastic popcorn bucket that can't be seen into and has a closed lid and is big enough to hold at least one handgun - not given a glance. You either have to diligently check everything or it's about the same as checking nothing.

Also - some of the worse cast members that I have met have been working at the metal detectors.

 

[MrGoofy101]

The earlier in the day you go, the more likely you are to be picked. That's what we noticed on our last trip. Before MK opening hours - every adult got sent through. When it got busier - not so much. My adult daughter set off the metal detector. They wanded her, and the wand went off. They then waved her through. So what exactly did that do?

Also - some of the worse cast members that I have met have been working at the metal detectors.

Wow.. Just Wow Disney.

 

[disnut8]

One thing I did notice... It looked like all the family's had to go through, even if only one person was picked. (Excluding the under 14s)

Sometimes families get confused and if one person is picked, they all think they have to go through. Or, if a child is picked, a parent will want to go with the child so the entire family will do the whole thing.