Here Now. New Security Measures Upon Theme Park Arrival?

[1153rsmith]

Since you go through metal detectors, are pocket knives not allowed anymore?

I always carry one, and have never considered it a weapon anymore than I would a writing pen or a belt buckle.

 

[mzsarah10]

Curious as to how they handle children. I will be traveling with my 5 year old and a stroller alone.

 

[Sarahleigh]

in September, everyone entering Epcot through the International Gateway had to go through the metal detectors after bag check. That space is already crowded (especially when there are 2 bad check tables open (so 4 lines), and only one of the tap-style "pods" open), and this just added to -the bottleneck. Even so, I think the longest it took was maybe 7-8 minutes (but I get very claustrophobic in crowds, so it seemed a lot longer)

We experienced this also. I got slightly flustered here because I was also trying to push a stroller through the bottleneck and trying to come from the bag check line furthest from the metal detector, everybody coming out of the closer bag checks were cutting in front of me and I was stuck. It was frustrating.. I hope they have found a way to remedy this and maybe space out the metal detectors and the bag check area a little bit for more room.

Otherwise, all our park arrivals were random selection except for one morning at Animal Kingdom when everyone had to go through.

 

[wsssup]

Our daughter is 7 and has gone through a few detectors and set it off but they dont worry.

I set it off with my belt everytime a quick wand scan and all is good.

Epcot has the most thorough check i feel while Magic Kingdom never seems to have the scanners going the 10 times we have been there.

Seriously the bag checks and security is quick and painless. We have been here a month and gone through detectors everytime with no complaints. They do a bloody good job for the amount of people coming to the parks.

 

[Ds4angels]

Since you go through metal detectors, are pocket knives not allowed anymore?

I always carry one, and have never considered it a weapon anymore than I would a writing pen or a belt buckle.

No pocket knives allowed. My Dh forgot to take it out of his pocket and he had to walk it back to the truck. (he carries it everyday, so he forgot to leave it behind)

 

[manning]

I'm currently at WDW. I was at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom yesterday. Both places had the "random" screening still. When my Dad and I arrived at EPCOT this morning, all of the metal detectors were by each bag check and at the no bag line. Everyone had to go through the metal detector. This caused for extremely long bag check lines. It took my Dad 20 minutes at 8 a.m. (I had no bag and it was very quick for me). I was at WDW in September and there was no park security that had metal detectors at each bag check. I'm personally ok with this. It would make me feel safer inside the park. I'm just wondering if all of the theme parks made the same change overnight? Does anyone know if this is permanent?

Hope they have it set up so I can get a pat down. I have a defibrillator. Advised by the doctor and manufacturer to NOT TO GO THRU ONE. It will set it off! I had it go off once (multiple times on the way to the hospital. Talk about getting kicked in the chest by a horse... again again and again.

 

[Accident]

Hope they have it set up so I can get a pat down. I have a defibrillator. Advised by the doctor and manufacturer to NOT TO GO THRU ONE. It will set it off! I had it go off once (multiple times on the way to the hospital. Talk about getting kicked in the chest by a horse... again again and again.

They have a few methods and your not going to be the first with one to go through security. Just let them know if your asked to be scanned (a security cm will walk you over to where you scan) and they will take it from there (I don' tknow the exact procedure in this case as I don't have one but there's a few methods to check you).

 

[Princess Minnie321]

Curious as to how they handle children. I will be traveling with my 5 year old and a stroller alone.

When we went in November, my kids sat in the stroller during the bag check and then they also checked the stroller. They looked in the basket and in between the stroller visors. We never had to go through the metal detector.

 

[BudgieMama]

Because of the layout of the parks and Disney Village at DLP (we visited for the first time last week), every bag goes through an x-ray machine and every person goes through a metal detector. They're very quick and efficient with it, never waited more than a couple of minutes (over New Year weekend). Because of the layout, you clear security to get into Disney Village, and then there's no need to do bag check at the parks (which is good because you can walk between the two parks). Would love to see them bring the machines to WDW as it feels like a much more secure system.

 

[Bunless]

Because of the layout of the parks and Disney Village at DLP (we visited for the first time last week), every bag goes through an x-ray machine and every person goes through a metal detector. They're very quick and efficient with it, never waited more than a couple of minutes (over New Year weekend). Because of the layout, you clear security to get into Disney Village, and then there's no need to do bag check at the parks (which is good because you can walk between the two parks). Would love to see them bring the machines to WDW as it feels like a much more secure system.

We were at DLP in the Spring. Even the hotels had screening to enter. I wonder if they will end up implementing that at WDW.

 

[Meriweather]

Here now.....Epcot, everyone through. All the rest random

 

[joelkfla]

Since you go through metal detectors, are pocket knives not allowed anymore?

I always carry one, and have never considered it a weapon anymore than I would a writing pen or a belt buckle.

I don't know whether this has changed, but in the past Disney policy has been that a Swiss Army type knife with a blade under a certain length was allowed. Not sure of the max length, but I believe it was either 3" or 2.5".

 

[dreiwhit]

Because of the layout of the parks and Disney Village at DLP (we visited for the first time last week), every bag goes through an x-ray machine and every person goes through a metal detector. They're very quick and efficient with it, never waited more than a couple of minutes (over New Year weekend). Because of the layout, you clear security to get into Disney Village, and then there's no need to do bag check at the parks (which is good because you can walk between the two parks). Would love to see them bring the machines to WDW as it feels like a much more secure system.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is the model that Disney eventually goes to. But, they would have to make a significant investment in metal detectors and x-ray machines.

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

How does this work for people on scooters? My mil has been falling and will be on one when we go in September, would like to keep her in it as much as possible to reduce the risk of needing a team of people to pick her up.

If she can't walk on her own, they will wand her and search the scooter.

 

[MoonFaerie]

How does it work with a brace? If I don't want to be touched, should I take it off to go through security? I'll definitely be wearing a heavy duty knee brace and possibly a wrist braces, depending on how I'm feeling.

 

[No.1000]

We were there over the weekend. Everyone went through both times we were at MK and Epcot. It was randomn at HS and AK. Interestingly, my 15 year old son was quite uncomfortable with the random screening. He thought everyone should go through every time.

 

[Pooh2]

Where do you put your bag while you are walking through the metal detector?

 

[scrapquitler]

We experienced this also. I got slightly flustered here because I was also trying to push a stroller through the bottleneck and trying to come from the bag check line furthest from the metal detector, everybody coming out of the closer bag checks were cutting in front of me and I was stuck. It was frustrating.. I hope they have found a way to remedy this and maybe space out the metal detectors and the bag check area a little bit for more room.

Otherwise, all our park arrivals were random selection except for one morning at Animal Kingdom when everyone had to go through.

The other day at EPCOT, they had the metal detectors set up in between the bag check tables. So it was table-metal detector-table-metal detector-table-metal detector-table. You put your bag on the table and walked thru the metal detector at the same time. I thought it was a great set up because it was all one process and saved the extra bottleneck after the bag check table waiting to go thru the detector.

The people who didn't have bags just went to the metal detectors in the no bag line.

 

[scrapquitler]

Where do you put your bag while you are walking through the metal detector?

They had a table right next to it. You put your bag down on the end of the table, walked thru the metal detector and the security guard pushed your bag to the other end of the table for you. They also had round bins for you to put things in from your pockets such as your phone, keys, etc. and they pushed those along the tables as well.

 

[DOOM1001]

A couple weeks ago when I was at dhs, everybody had to go through the detectors.

It does take extra time at bag check.

I like Universal's process for screening everyone. They have it down pat. It moves quickly like an airport.

At Universal the security guards don't go through your bags,all of your things are placed on a table and go through a scanner to get checked,and then you walk through the metal detector,not only much faster but there's like 15-20 lanes to go through and you're only checked going into Citywalk.With the amount of people entering Disney parks they need to go to a similar system and it should be in place at Disney Springs as well.