Excessive Room Checks?

[Lzylitnin]

I don't know if we've been lucky but in the seven plus stays since they've enacted the policy, we've never had more than a visit a day. I understand it can be an annoying, but I've been in the travel industry for over twenty years and am saddened to report that yes, we've come to this. I have several coworkers who are based in Vegas, many are still traumatized and "waiting" for it to happen again. My advice, deadbolt your door the second you enter your room, regardless of where you are staying. If you are showering and your door is opened the deadbolt will save a lot of embarrassment with both parties. Giving you ample time to get presentable. Trust me, most of the "cast members" are as uncomfortable with the room checks as are you. Until this crazy world does a complete turnaround safety for everyone is a top priority. I will happily take a room check as added security for my family. I have not always liked the changes at WDW but this is one I welcome. It's one reason we continue to pay the inflated prices and visit. I like the sense of security I feel when I drive through the "magic" gates. Yes, bad things do happen at Disney but considering the number of rooms rented on a daily basis and the number of people entering the parks they do a pretty good job of keeping it safe.

It's security theater. I'm glad it makes some feel good, but it's just for feels. How many bad guys have they caught?

 

[maxiesmom]

It's security theater. I'm glad it makes some feel good, but it's just for feels. How many bad guys have they caught?

I doubt they would say.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I doubt they would say.

Court testimony is public record. If anyone had been tried and convicted, any evidence relating to what was discovered during a Disney room check would be public knowledge.

 

[Miffy]

Any creep who was actually involved in HT and using a WDW resort room would no doubt know about the room checks and would make sure that there was no evidence in the room and to stay out of the room during the day. For the rest of us, this is just theater.

And . . . besides all that, as someone who's been staying on-site at WDW for 25 years now, you'd think they'd have a different system for repeat guests In my case, WDW even knows where I am the entire time I'm there since I never go off-site and I'm always wearing my MagicBand.

On a similar note, I was at Epcot one day last week and was among the 35+ people I counted in the you-flunked-the-security-check line, something I didn't experience there or at any other park during my week-long stay. When I finally got called by a security guy, I told him if he was going to inspect everything in my backpack, he had to put gloves on. This did not go over well, but a different security person came and did put gloves on. It was really ridiculous. They opened tiny little pouches I have with things like hairbands in them.

 

[PinkPixel]

It's security theater. I'm glad it makes some feel good, but it's just for feels. How many bad guys have they caught

Court testimony is public record. If anyone had been tried and convicted, any evidence relating to what was discovered during a Disney room check would be public knowledge.

Court testimony is public record. If anyone had been tried and convicted, any evidence relating to what was discovered during a Disney room check would be public knowledge.

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/ora...da/RVQE6MI7UVHRFBBVDXYGLOZ6D4/?outputType=amp

 

[traveler9]

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/ora...da/RVQE6MI7UVHRFBBVDXYGLOZ6D4/?outputType=amp

Did you even read the article you linked? That wasn't discovered during a room check, it was discovered when a CM lifted a bag to put it on a luggage cart...

 

[lowlight]

Did you even read the article you linked?

Apparently not. The man wasn’t even arrested, he didn’t break any laws. They stored his weapons and he continued his vacation. The most concerning part of the story is how some bellman thought it was ok to open someone else’s bag because it was heavy.

 

[focusondisney]

The most concerning part of the story is how some bellman thought it was ok to open someone else’s bag because it was heavy.

Yea I’m not thrilled about that. But the most concerning part to me is someone thinking they need to bring a gun with over 100 rounds of ammunition to a WDW hotel. Why would you go somewhere you feel that unsafe. I was just at YC & had a mother & adult daughter fighting overnight in the adjoining room. As in arguing from midnight to 3:30 am, when the daughter started yelling about not touching her. At that point I called security. And yes, the thought that someone in the room might have a gun did cross my mind, the first time I was ever worried about that at WDW.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Any creep who was actually involved in HT and using a WDW resort room would no doubt know about the room checks and would make sure that there was no evidence in the room and to stay out of the room during the day. For the rest of us, this is just theater.

And . . . besides all that, as someone who's been staying on-site at WDW for 25 years now, you'd think they'd have a different system for repeat guests In my case, WDW even knows where I am the entire time I'm there since I never go off-site and I'm always wearing my MagicBand.

On a similar note, I was at Epcot one day last week and was among the 35+ people I counted in the you-flunked-the-security-check line, something I didn't experience there or at any other park during my week-long stay. When I finally got called by a security guy, I told him if he was going to inspect everything in my backpack, he had to put gloves on. This did not go over well, but a different security person came and did put gloves on. It was really ridiculous. They opened tiny little pouches I have with things like hairbands in them.

Agreed. Disney really needs to better prioritize its limited security resources. When a family who has owned DVC points for 20 years is there for their annual visit, doing any room checks at all is clearly an utterly pointless waste of time. With technology and AI it should be easy for Disney to take a much more intelligent approach.

 

[lowlight]

Agreed. Disney really needs to better prioritize its limited security resources. When a family who has owned DVC points for 20 years is there for their annual visit, doing any room checks at all is clearly an utterly pointless waste of time. With technology and AI it should be easy for Disney to take a much more intelligent approach.

When it’s SOP, maybe it’s more easily defendable in court. Otherwise I can say I was singled out and harassed based on “x y z”.

 

[bdrex28]

Any creep who was actually involved in HT and using a WDW resort room would no doubt know about the room checks and would make sure that there was no evidence in the room and to stay out of the room during the day. For the rest of us, this is just theater.

And . . . besides all that, as someone who's been staying on-site at WDW for 25 years now, you'd think they'd have a different system for repeat guests In my case, WDW even knows where I am the entire time I'm there since I never go off-site and I'm always wearing my MagicBand.

On a similar note, I was at Epcot one day last week and was among the 35+ people I counted in the you-flunked-the-security-check line, something I didn't experience there or at any other park during my week-long stay. When I finally got called by a security guy, I told him if he was going to inspect everything in my backpack, he had to put gloves on. This did not go over well, but a different security person came and did put gloves on. It was really ridiculous. They opened tiny little pouches I have with things like hairbands in them.

Oh man, I'm very torn on the bag checks and such at the entrances to the park.

On the one hand as a former Counter Terrorism Specialist in the Marine Corps, I 100% get it and appreciate it. As someone just going into the parks it's sometimes annoying.

To clarify, it's not the security that I find annoying, but it's the changing dynamics.

For example, I typically have in my backpack the following:

2 battery packs, neck fans for wife/kids, and then like hair bands or hats and water and ponchos, umbrellas. Obviously this is for those times when it's hotter (usually year round).

Now I've learned and had the security guys give me tips on what to take out prior to the line and hold out. So now, I have wife and kids hold out their neck fans and I hold the travel umbrellas and batteries in my hands out in front.

Still about 75% of the time they call me over to the security line to check my bag. By this time the ONLY thing in my bag is water and hair tags.

at some point in time I'll figure out exactly what I need to do. LOL

 

[Miffy]

Oh man, I'm very torn on the bag checks and such at the entrances to the park.

On the one hand as a former Counter Terrorism Specialist in the Marine Corps, I 100% get it and appreciate it. As someone just going into the parks it's sometimes annoying.

To clarify, it's not the security that I find annoying, but it's the changing dynamics.

For example, I typically have in my backpack the following:

2 battery packs, neck fans for wife/kids, and then like hair bands or hats and water and ponchos, umbrellas. Obviously this is for those times when it's hotter (usually year round).

Now I've learned and had the security guys give me tips on what to take out prior to the line and hold out. So now, I have wife and kids hold out their neck fans and I hold the travel umbrellas and batteries in my hands out in front.

Still about 75% of the time they call me over to the security line to check my bag. By this time the ONLY thing in my bag is water and hair tags.

at some point in time I'll figure out exactly what I need to do. LOL

I don't mind the bag checks at the park entrances since they have actually caught people with firearms.

It was just unbelievable to me that after having been to Epcot maybe 3 other times that week, with the exact same things in my backpack, suddenly I was called over and my personal items were inspected, including items that clearly could not contain anything potentially harmful to anyone at all. And also, there were a lot of people in that extra-checking-out line, which is something I rarely see. Usually when they call you over, you see another security person almost immediately. In that instance, I had to wait in a long line for quite a while.

Perhaps there was something wrong with their equipment and/or the person looking at the scans was heck-bent on stopping anyone they possibly could.

And I was holding out my umbrella--often the security line culprit--as I was shown how to do, so it wasn't my umbrella.

 

[focusondisney]

Perhaps there was something wrong with their equipment and/or the person looking at the scans was heck-bent on stopping anyone they possibly could.

I’m sure that was really annoying. I tend to think they might have increased the sensitivity on the machines for some reason. Maybe random or maybe there was some security threat we don’t know about.

We were at WDW early this month. On our first day at MK, I was holding my umbrella in front of me & had my crossbody purse on. I was sent for extra screening too. I was actually surprised they had a machine scanner they passed my items thru while they had me go thru another walk thru machine. They were done with my items by the time I walked thru. I didn’t see this set up at any other park, but it was great, really quick & no one pawing thru my items.

 

[bdrex28]

I don't mind the bag checks at the park entrances since they have actually caught people with firearms.

It was just unbelievable to me that after having been to Epcot maybe 3 other times that week, with the exact same things in my backpack, suddenly I was called over and my personal items were inspected, including items that clearly could not contain anything potentially harmful to anyone at all. And also, there were a lot of people in that extra-checking-out line, which is something I rarely see. Usually when they call you over, you see another security person almost immediately. In that instance, I had to wait in a long line for quite a while.

Perhaps there was something wrong with their equipment and/or the person looking at the scans was heck-bent on stopping anyone they possibly could.

And I was holding out my umbrella--often the security line culprit--as I was shown how to do, so it wasn't my umbrella.

That's kind of my point, there seems to be no rhyme or reason. And yes, sometimes the extra-check line is massively long.

Again, I get it for the security. I just want to be sure what I need to do in order to prevent it.

 

[Miffy]

That's kind of my point, there seems to be no rhyme or reason. And yes, sometimes the extra-check line is massively long.

Again, I get it for the security. I just want to be sure what I need to do in order to prevent it.

^^^^Absolutely this.^^^^^^ Just tell me what to do to prevent it and I'll do that.

 

[kiford]

Agreed. Disney really needs to better prioritize its limited security resources. When a family who has owned DVC points for 20 years is there for their annual visit, doing any room checks at all is clearly an utterly pointless waste of time. With technology and AI it should be easy for Disney to take a much more intelligent approach.

How do you decide what is "safe" and what isn't? Has that DVC owner rented their points at the usual time to someone else, have they added a family member or friend who hasn't always been there, has someone in the party developed issues that makes them unsteady, has someone developed a medical issue that might lead to an emergency in the room, etc. Just because a DVC owner has been there for 20 years at the same time doesn't mean that visit 21 is the same as the previous 20. So what are the criteria to determine how close visit 21 is to visits 1-20 such that there shouldn't be a concern?

I also can't imagine that adding infrastructure, developing the programming, running the analytics, coordinating which rooms do/don't get checked, and verifying that the rooms to be checked have been checked could be less expensive than having someone doing routine room checks, along with less likelihood that someone claims discrimination, profiling, etc. So regardless of why they're doing this or what we all think they're looking for, trying to triage which rooms to investigate based on some predetermined set of data - which you have a complete set of on hand - and some algorithm seems legally perilous, financially more expensive and logistically more complicated than going to every room.

To clarify, it's not the security that I find annoying, but it's the changing dynamics.

I would think that might be part of the security process - if you keep changing things up, it's harder to figure out how to get past it if you are doing something you're not supposed to. I am not saying it's not annoying (it is - DH gets pulled aside 70% of the time, even when he avoids bringing the thing they told him last time set it off, and sometimes it doesn't get set off when he does have it), but it's just a few minutes out of the day. I don't know if it makes things safer - they're not going to say, and maybe the deterrence factor is enough to make a difference - but on the off-chance that it does, I'm fine with that.

 

[SteveH]

If they have time to inspect my room they have time to make my bed, refresh the towels and empty the garbage.

 

[traveler9]

If they have time to inspect my room they have time to make my bed, refresh the towels and empty the garage.

I didn’t know Disney resort rooms came with garages.

JK - I know you meant garbage!

 

[SteveH]

@traveler9 well they can empty the garage while are emptying the garbage! Love to plan Siri or something but that 100% on me and I own it

 

[PinkPixel]

Did you even read the article you linked? That wasn't discovered during a room check, it was discovered when a CM lifted a bag to put it on a luggage cart...

lol yes I read it