DLP security

[slapwhitey]

Just a quick note from my experience at DLP. Kevin had briefly mentioned that security at DLP seemed not as efficient as the US parks. I would have probably agreed with that from our experience on most days but when we were just there in September there was at least one time where the entrances were littered with military (assault rifles, etc.). Now, I don't know if they was as a result of some intelligence or something that happens from time to time but it was a very weird situation to be at a Disney Park with full on military presence. The other days there wasn't a sniff of military security. I just wanted to give my experience as well. I think it may fall under "you can't see what is all going on behind the scenes". That being said, not sure if the military presence made me feel more secure or somewhat on edge.

 

[WebmasterJohn]

What struck us the most about DLP security was that those of us who were staying at the Disneyland Hotel (which is in essence the front gate of the park) could enter the park without going through any kind of security check.

I believe this is the case for guests coming from the other DLP hotels as well if you walk through Downtown Disney.

There is a security checkpoint for those folks coming off the train (and from parking I assume) and that one is pretty extensive from what we saw (i.e. some bags go through metal detectors).

I didn't notice any in-park security guards at all.

I agree Chris, it's probably a case of "behind the scenes" stuff and/or just being caught up in the bubble that I didn't notice it.

I will say I never felt unsafe.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I was in DLP at Christmas 2013, staying at Sequoia Lodge. Going into Disney Village from the hotels side, we had to put bags through scanners.

 

[mikelan6]

I stayed at the Newport Bay Club Hotel and also remember having to go through security.

 

[BadPinkTink]

honestly having been to both DLP and Disneyland California, I would say the security is BETTER at DLP. The bag checks at Disneyland California, are just that, bag checks, ie CM;s just doing a visual check. At least at DLP they have bag scanners.

Also seeing reports from people actually in DLP right now, and there is a big presence of armed police in Disney Village

 

[DisneyKevin]

We just stayed at the Disneyland Hotel.

We used the hotel entrance to the park and just walked in without any security.

We walked from the hotel to Hollywood Studios with no security.

I never once was scanned (to my knowledge) or had a bag checked.

 

[slapwhitey]

What struck us the most about DLP security was that those of us who were staying at the Disneyland Hotel (which is in essence the front gate of the park) could enter the park without going through any kind of security check.

I believe this is the case for guests coming from the other DLP hotels as well if you walk through Downtown Disney.

There is a security checkpoint for those folks coming off the train (and from parking I assume) and that one is pretty extensive from what we saw (i.e. some bags go through metal detectors).

I didn't notice any in-park security guards at all.

I agree Chris, it's probably a case of "behind the scenes" stuff and/or just being caught up in the bubble that I didn't notice it.

I will say I never felt unsafe.

I would agree, never felt unsafe at all. I also didn't notice any in park security....I would like to think they were there and I just didn't notice. Coming from Sequoia we had a small bag check but that was about it. We did try one day to cut through the area in front of the train station as it was raining and they would absolutely not let us do that. Didn't want to push it too far though or they might call back the military. You are right though. Disneyland Hotel is essentially within the park so there was no security from that point.

Like I said. If we hadn't seen the armed military I would have thought the security was pretty lax as well.

 

[slapwhitey]

We just stayed at the Disneyland Hotel.

We used the hotel entrance to the park and just walked in without any security.

We walked from the hotel to Hollywood Studios with no security.

I never once was scanned (to my knowledge) or had a bag checked.

I think Hollywood Studios is just happy to have people in it. They don't want to deter anyone with a security checkpoint.

 

[Jon84]

The security point is set back far enough to cover other parks across the plaza type area.

No need for separate back checks at all.

I agree with others the bag scanners are effective, but they are only used at peaks times to relieve queues to the manual bag check.

 

[DisneyKevin]

The security point is set back far enough to cover other parks across the plaza type area.

No need for separate back checks at all.

Unless you enter the parks through the Disneyland Hotel.

There is no security at all.

 

[Jon84]

Of course. But you've already cleared security to get to the hotel right?

 

[DisneyKevin]

No. We had friends that visited while we were there and they parked in the hotel lot.

They entered through the same gate we did and there is no security at all.

12 of us arrived via bus from our Viking cruise. We had no security check whatsoever.

We were allowed to enter the hotel and check in and then enter the parks.

In the three nights I was there, I never once passed through a security check.

 

[ScottishDisMam]

Must be a Disneyland Hotel issue that would need addressing. I've stayed at DLP multiple times and always had security between hotel and parks. I'm here just now and obviously everything is very security conscious. What does surprise me though is two things I never thought I would ever say. Firstly the DLP cast members are more enthusiastic than the WDW ones of late, and also the bathrooms here are cleaner than WDW (unless they have improved since my last visit)

 

[OKW Lover]

Of course. But you've already cleared security to get to the hotel right?

No, we arrived by vehicle at the DL Hotel. There was no security to clear. Our bags were brought in by bell services. I kept my carryon with the camera equipment with me. After getting checked in (but not in our room) we headed into DLP. Just walk out the back door of the DL Hotel and about 50 yards to the turnstiles. No bag check at all.

 

[DisneyKingpin]

Regardless of how security at DLP was in the past (or even 2 weeks ago), you can bet your Disney annual pass it will be a lot tighter from this point forward. So I see this all as a moot point. Like how everything changed overnight after 911. In fact, I'm sure the shutdown of DLP for a few days this week was, in some ways, partially a response to allow the company and the nation of France some time to reasses security measures.

 

[Princess Jes]

Something I find intriguing after an event like this, people are scared to visit the place most recently attacked, they worry about security there... They've never hit twice in the same area in the USA or Europe have they?
They didn't hit NYC again, Boston, Bali, London... all once off attacks (if my memory serves me correctly) so in my eyes, the safest place to be is near where the last attack was. They'll (ISIS/ISIL or whoever this extremists are) move on to a new target.

 

[aspen37]

Like others have said they do use scanners.
I was staying at Sequoia Lodge last December and the scanners were running all the days I was there. I used the ones by the NY hotel and DTD.

 

[JimmyV]

Something I find intriguing after an event like this, people are scared to visit the place most recently attacked, they worry about security there... They've never hit twice in the same area in the USA or Europe have they?
They didn't hit NYC again...

Not true. 9/11 was the second of two attacks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_World_Trade_Center_bombing

 

[Lyricallie]

I was actually there on Friday and Saturday (it was my birthday) we were just planning on going to the park on the Saturday but went shopping on the Friday. Definitely the security was higher on the Saturday after the attacks, we were getting body scans whereas before it was just bag checks. There was army and gun everywhere. It was quite scary, the next day.

 

[Princess Jes]

Not true. 9/11 was the second of two attacks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_World_Trade_Center_bombing

I'll rephrase: they don't hit the same place twice within a month or two or even a decade so it seems.