Getting through bag security

[AussieCaribou]

Hi everyone,

My DH, DD, and I are heading to WDW over Christmas. I have heard that the crowds are horrible, so we are forewarned. We are looking forward to seeing everything, resorts, parks, downtown Disney...which means lots of going through bag security.

So, as I am not 100% sure how this works, if we have a bag, we have to have it searched, right? Is there a small bag line or do we have to stand in the line with lots of large bags? What if we don't have a bag? Is there a 'no bag line'? And if so, is it okay to carry stuff in your pockets (thinking small camera, glasses case)?

Thanks,
AussieCaribou

 

[Robo]

Hi everyone,

My DH, DD, and I are heading to WDW over Christmas. I have heard that the crowds are horrible, so we are forewarned. We are looking forward to seeing everything, resorts, parks, downtown Disney...which means lots of going through bag security.

So, as I am not 100% sure how this works,


1. if we have a bag, we have to have it searched, right?

2. Is there a small bag line or

3. do we have to stand in the line with lots of large bags?

What if we don't have a bag?

4. Is there a 'no bag line'? And if so,

5. is it okay to carry stuff in your pockets (thinking small camera, glasses case)?

Thanks,
AussieCaribou

1. Right.
2. No.
3. It can be that way.
4. Yes. Just walk past the guard.
5. Yes.

 

[erionm]

Hi everyone,

My DH, DD, and I are heading to WDW over Christmas. I have heard that the crowds are horrible, so we are forewarned. We are looking forward to seeing everything, resorts, parks, downtown Disney...which means lots of going through bag security.

So, as I am not 100% sure how this works, if we have a bag, we have to have it searched, right? Is there a small bag line or do we have to stand in the line with lots of large bags? What if we don't have a bag? Is there a 'no bag line'? And if so, is it okay to carry stuff in your pockets (thinking small camera, glasses case)?

Thanks,
AussieCaribou

If you have any kind of bag (purse, backpack, etc), it must be searched. The lines are the same regardless of the size of the bag.

If everything is in your pockets, you can use the no bag line.

 

[JanaDee]

Hi everyone,

My DH, DD, and I are heading to WDW over Christmas. I have heard that the crowds are horrible, so we are forewarned. We are looking forward to seeing everything, resorts, parks, downtown Disney...which means lots of going through bag security.

So, as I am not 100% sure how this works, if we have a bag, we have to have it searched, right? Is there a small bag line or do we have to stand in the line with lots of large bags? What if we don't have a bag? Is there a 'no bag line'? And if so, is it okay to carry stuff in your pockets (thinking small camera, glasses case)?

Thanks,
AussieCaribou

The only place you go through a bag check is at the parks.

 

[ucfknight]

The only place you go through a bag check is at the parks.

And only at the 4 theme parks, specifically.

They don't even check bags at the water parks, unless they are coolers. Which is kind of silly in some regards. I brought a small 12x12x8 soft sided cooler to Typhoon Lagoon one time with a few bottles of water in it. The person at the gate asked me to open it up to make sure there was no alcohol or glass. That's fine, and I promptly complied with the request. I then started walking past her and said "Stop. I need you to open those pockets". There are 2 tiny pockets on the outside of the cooler which are maybe big enough to fit a candy bar, but certainly not a can of beer or anything else. She said, I need to see in every pocket. Meanwhile, there were people streaming in with giant beach bags big enough to fit 3 cases of beer or a small thermonuclear device and nobody was giving them a second glance.

 

[BrianL]

Bag free is the way to be! I understand it for people with younger children, but sometimes I wonder what people need with all that stuff? If it doesn't fit in a pair of cargo shorts, it doesn't come with me. I breeze through the no bag gate every time.

 

[kathie859]

Bag free is the way to be! I understand it for people with younger children, but sometimes I wonder what people need with all that stuff? If it doesn't fit in a pair of cargo shorts, it doesn't come with me. I breeze through the no bag gate every time.

I'm soooooo with you on this! I sometimes wish I had X-ray vision so I could see what people are carrying in their ginormous back backs for a day at a park

 

[markmcalear]

Bag free is the way to be! I understand it for people with younger children, but sometimes I wonder what people need with all that stuff? If it doesn't fit in a pair of cargo shorts, it doesn't come with me. I breeze through the no bag gate every time.

Agreed, certainly no point in taking a bag to carry a couple of small items.

I carry my camera either in my pocket (cargo shorts) or attached to my belt (in its case of course).

I have a glasses case that actually folds flat. Its a leather look rectangular box that can be folded completely flat. It fits nicely into my pocket alongside my camera!

 

[ghtx]

I'm soooooo with you on this! I sometimes wish I had X-ray vision so I could see what people are carrying in their ginormous back backs for a day at a park

For me it's food, so we don't have to waste money or time at the restaurants in the park. It's worth the slight extra hassle at bag drop (I've never had to wait more than a minute or so at bag drop, except once at DHS RD when I waited about 15 minutes).

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Bag free is the way to be! I understand it for people with younger children, but sometimes I wonder what people need with all that stuff? If it doesn't fit in a pair of cargo shorts, it doesn't come with me. I breeze through the no bag gate every time.

I carry a bag for vanity purposes! I would rather carry a string bag then wear cargo shorts Actually, I often wear skirts or sundresses (no pockets), so I toss sunscreen, a poncho, and my h2o bottle. Plus a sandwich bag that has bandaids and hair clips. If I had pockets, I could use them. But I hate how I look!

OP: In December, I only bring bandaids, hair clips (one of my DDs is sure to lose one), and an H2O bottle. You could def do that with pockets. We have caribeaners(sp?) to clip the H2O bottle to a belt loop or the stroller.

 

[SoonerSean]

The bag checks are really pretty quick even when there's a line(s). Most times they just glance in the bag though every once in a while you get the more thorough individual who will open every pocket and root around in it. At DL this past week we never had anyone do more than open the top and look inside before telling us to have a great day.

I often take a simple draw string back - fold it up and put it in my pocket. And then use it inside for souvenirs or things. Breeze right through that way.

 

[Kellykins1218]

For me it's food, so we don't have to waste money or time at the restaurants in the park. It's worth the slight extra hassle at bag drop (I've never had to wait more than a minute or so at bag drop, except once at DHS RD when I waited about 15 minutes).

Same here. Even on 9 & 10 days I've never waited more than 5 minutes at bag check. They know what they're doing & get you through really fast.

 

[nerderella]

I've found that the only time I've ever waited any amount of time is when people just aggregate in clumps, not realizing that they can use both sides of the table.

 

[ParrotBill]

How to get through back check quickly:

1. don't overpack bags. they need to see in and around and under stuff.
2. Unzip/open ALL compartments before you advance to the guard
3. Don't forget to include your camera case, and any small similar bags. Same for closed phone cases and glasses cases. Yes, they make you open those sometimes.. not always..
4. Don't get in line behind an overloaded stroller. Ugh!

If you go bagless... but your cargo shorts are overstuffed... they may turn you around to go through the check lines. Same for anything on your belt. They are inconsistent about small items like phone cases and camera cases. I thrown my phone in its case into my pocket, and take my camera in a pocket without its bag or carry it in my hand. I carry an empty large ziplock bag in case of rain.

 

[Belle0101]

I'm soooooo with you on this! I sometimes wish I had X-ray vision so I could see what people are carrying in their ginormous back backs for a day at a park

My friend shared with me once what they carry into the parks. They have 4 children, each with their own backpack, and each carries -
*an autograph book
*a pen for autographs
*vinylmations to trade
*pin lanyard with pins for trading
*pins they don't want to trade
*spending money
*shorts / long pants and a jacket (They almost always go in late November so they start the day in long pants and wearing jackets but later change into shorts and put the pants and jackets in the backpacks.)

The two oldest also each carry their own cell phone.



The mom carries -
*sunscreen
*sunglasses
*antibacterial gel
*money, credit cards, debit cards, gift cards
*comb, brush
*cell phone

The dad carries -
*DSLR camera & equipment
*cell phone

Personally, we're a no bag family, if it doesn't fit in a pocket it stays in the room.

 

[WDWFan06]

I love my Spibelt and walking through the no bag line.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Bag free is the way to be! I understand it for people with younger children, but sometimes I wonder what people need with all that stuff? If it doesn't fit in a pair of cargo shorts, it doesn't come with me. I breeze through the no bag gate every time.

Agreed, I got a small Vera Bradley coin purse that can hold my ID and AP Card plus a few coins that fits in my pocket. I carry my camera in my hand and I'm through the no bag line. Saying that, they aren't all that bad even at busy times, it's the people who go to the parks loaded up for any eventuality including the arrival of the Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse who hold the lines up, so avoid any lines with families with big strollers and a multi pocketed backpack each.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

We go bag less to avoid the lines. We have water bottle lanyards, the camera around my neck and everything else in our pockets. I have a fold up nylon bag that will fit in my pocket if I think we will need it. We almost always go back to our room during our park hopping so we don't have to load up on anything.

 

[niffer5150]

I'm soooooo with you on this! I sometimes wish I had X-ray vision so I could see what people are carrying in their ginormous back backs for a day at a park

we carry one small canvas bag. inside is 1 camelbak bottle, a baggie of quarters and pennies, 3 granola bars, sunglasses or glasses if i'm wearing contacts, mints, an extra hair tie or two, small altoids tin of various meds, 9 extra phone batteries, small hand gel, and maybe 3 disposable ponchos or maybe 2 packable jackets if weather requires.

 

[Ckmommy72]

We go bag less to avoid the lines. We have water bottle lanyards, the camera around my neck and everything else in our pockets. I have a fold up nylon bag that will fit in my pocket if I think we will need it. We almost always go back to our room during our park hopping so we don't have to load up on anything.

I almost always stick a folded up string backpack in DH's cargo pocket along with camera and sunscreen. Phone, money/cards, lip blam, etc go in my pocket, then go through the no bag entrance. Then, if needed, we pull the backpack out and put the stuff in it. We never carry more than would fit in that little bag. We wouldn't even bother except DH doesn't like having his pockets loaded down.