Gate check

[frogfuzz]

As of July , Are they still doing the (ridiculous) bag search at the entrance?

 

[Shells9]

Sure are, at every park, with no signs of it letting up.

 

[SkylarKD]

Just wondering why you think its ridiculous...

 

[DVC-Don]

Heck, the parks near home here do the bag check AND a metal detector.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Yup they are still doing the bag check. I for one am more than happy to take a few extra moments to have my bag checked like everyone else-it's a matter of keeping us all safe in the happiest place on earth. If something ever happened where someone was able to bring something dangerous into the park everyone would be saying "how come they don't check bags?" right?
I am glad they are taking the extra precautions.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

I don't mind the bag check, however I do not think it would stop anyone from bringing things in. Infact, the days I take the girls they wave me on after I try to open the bag... they also take a peak and then say "ok" it's not like the airport or cruise terminal where bags are x-rayed, maybe they need to be... I think the check is fine and all, but I just don't see what it is stopping.

 

[kilee]

I think the bag checks are a permanent fixture. There were rumors awhile back that Disney may be doing a trial run w/ metal detectors in the near future though.

 

[Luv2Roam]

They barely look, and sometimes don't. And anyone can carry anything on their person undected.
So how is the current bag search suppose to make people feel more secure?

 

[CarolinaBlue]

When we were there a few weeks ago, they barely glanced into my bag at MK, but the same security guard made my 10 year old and 13 year old take everything out of their waist pouches. Go figure!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I often see guests with strollers walk right through the No Bag check area. (and not stopped)
Much worse than a bag, I think.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I too think the bag checks are ridiculous. It's very sporadic whether or not you'll actually be searched.

Having said that though, I've heard that the security in the parks is incredible. Cameras and plain-clothes security officers all over the place. I heard it on the rumors and news board, and supposedly their information came from a WDW security employee. I don't know if it's true, but for some reason I believe it.

Didn't I also hear that the bag check stations have been converted from those pop-up tents into permanent buildings?

 

[The Sweetness]

They really should be more committed to their security precautions

 

[webmomom]

Yes the are now permanent. almost all of the the station we have went through since the inspections have taken place they have had people take things out of bags. I seem to get in a line that the guard really does his job, and I am happy about it. In one of the lines one day we saw a guest agrue with a guard he did not want to empty his bag. I never saw so many guards at one time. They came out of everywhere. He did not want to do this, because he had beer in his bag and wanted to take it in.

 

[WDSearcher]

Just as an FYI ... the bag checks are less about the bags than they are about giving Security time to look at everyone coming in. There are multiple cameras trained on the entrance and turnstile area of each park -- that's been discussed before. Think about it ... there are hundreds of people entering per minute. What's the best way to slow them down and let the folks watching the security monitors get a look at them? Funnel them through a bag check.

Disney could have metal detectors and wand every guest and have security that equals the airlines. But if someone wants to bring something in, they'll find a way. However, someone who truly means to do harm may think twice about it if they know they have to stand in a bag check line and perhaps be searched or perhaps not. Not to mention having to suffer the scrutiny of all the other guests, many of whom are much more aware these days of exactly who they're standing next to in large crowds.

I'm sure that the fact that there have been no "incidents" at WDW over the past few years, regardless of what level of security warnings have been levied, isn't really due to the bag checks. But, then again, you never know.

 

[momxx5]

I am all for the bags checked and I wouldn't mind the metal detectors either.

Very interesting point about the cameras viewing the people and the bag check used to slow up the people to make this possible.

Last summer in Epcot a plain clothes lady was walking around talking into a water bottle - she was an undercover security. She had an ear piece and was giving instructions to someone. It caught our eye because we had stopped right in front of her. To everyone else walking by it was just another tourist sipping water.

 

[Mom2R&D]

I don't mind the bag checks and have to say that I've had very cursory checks and very thorough checks. We were at WDW the second week of June and were park hopping on our last day in the parks. We had packages from MK (pictures frames in boxes) that we were carrying into the park to stow in a locker and the security guard at Epcot made us open them (they were taped shut and encased in styrofoam ) before we could go through. Mind you, I didn't mind doing this and understand 100% why they do this but...

I'm not so sure the 1,957 people in line behind me felt the same way...

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I noticed that once too,I figured it was only a fellow tourist having a snack

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by SkylarKD
Just wondering why you think its ridiculous...

Well I think it's ridiculous because it won't keep out anything that might harm anyone. It is there purely for looks as if they are really doing something to keep the guest safe. I go to WDW quite a bit and they barely look in the bags ever. I just wish they would either install a metal detector and give up the useless bag check.

 

[cooldisneymom]

Originally posted by skiwee1
Well I think it's ridiculous because it won't keep out anything that might harm anyone. It is there purely for looks as if they are really doing something to keep the guest safe. I go to WDW quite a bit and they barely look in the bags ever. I just wish they would either install a metal detector and give up the useless bag check.

Unfortunatley, with the terrorist threats of todays world, metal detectors can't detect chemical weapons, etc. Nothing is 100%, but anything is better than nothing!

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by cooldisneymom
Unfortunatley, with the terrorist threats of todays world, metal detectors can't detect chemical weapons, etc. Nothing is 100%, but anything is better than nothing!

You are right about the metal detectors not finding chemicals. I forgot about that. I still think the whole thing is a waste of time and wish they would stop it. It is silly and for them to think it actually does something for our safety. It doesn't make me feel any safer then when they didn't do it. Just a big show is all it is.