New Security Measures At The Parks

[BeccaG]

So a few random first impressions/thoughts/questions...

No costumes for adults at the party, including teens over 14 seems, like many of you are saying, a deal breaker. This was half the fun of the party!

Two, other places I have read reports of kids not being allowed to bring their light saber in today (which is quite possible he bought yesterday at the park!!) but as of now, there are still light sabers being sold in the park! Do we think that will go away? No more Jedi Training either??? That seems really shocking. No more bubble guns? Astro Blasters (at Disneyland at least)? (ETA - Well the above article was more thorough than the last one I read and answered the last two questions....)

At the D23 Resort update, one of the Star Wars attractions was billed as a chance for you to fight the First Order. Will this be a weaponless fight? I was imagining a VR type attraction.

I understand the world we live in and why we are headed this direction but I hate that it feels like the bad guys are winning and as others have posted, this feels thrown together....

 

[amylevan]

They're now implementing realistic security measures and I, for one, am thrilled they're doing it. I think adults can sacrifice their costumes to help ensure the safety of others. Trust me, WDW knows they'll lose money on the parties, which should tell you something.

This is the world we live in.

They are not forcing everyone through the metal detectors. Sorry, but IMO, that is doing nothing to increase safety. Toy guns and costumes? How on earth is that helping to ensure the safety of others.

You do realize that someone can get on a monorail, ferry or bus without any security screening and cause a really big problem right?

And I hate the argument that this is the world we live in. There has been terror and evil in this world since the beginning of time.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

They pulled Buzz Lightyears blasters?! The world has gone mad and people will just accept this as "the world we live in". Not me and nor should anyone else. Taking away toy guns and costumes DOES NOT make us safer, geez people educate yourselves and stop falling in line like sheep.

Except for the fact that it helps
law enforcement do their jobs. I mean obviously a Buzz Lightyear blaster is different but the toy guns in Pirates are more realistic looking. Without the toy guns being brought into or purchased in the park, it will help law enforcement spot a real threat. That's not out of line.

 

[SparklePixie]

I don't think it really means they "don't understand their target market," they're making a change for safety's sake. It would be a lot easier for someone to take advantage of wearing elaborate costumes to conceal something sinister. People in street clothes are much easier to check and monitor going into the park and in the park. Some costumes would be fine, others not. So they have to ban them all.

I think they fully understand the target market and are more concerned about safety and avoiding disaster (and PR, of course.)

Disney knows the costume rule will affect party attendance, they're not dumb. They have very likely been advised to do this by law enforcement in every effort to try and keep WDW safe. Law enforcement may prefer adults not be in costume so they can do their jobs better. You don't know.

People say it's all for show, but the last thing WDW wants is an attack or an incident. They're now implementing realistic security measures and I, for one, am thrilled they're doing it. I think adults can sacrifice their costumes to help ensure the safety of others. Trust me, WDW knows they'll lose money on the parties, which should tell you something.

This is the world we live in.

Safety has nothing to do with it.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

They are not forcing everyone through the metal detectors. Sorry, but IMO, that is doing nothing to increase safety. Toy guns and costumes? How on earth is that helping to ensure the safety of others.

You do realize that someone can get on a monorail, ferry or bus without any security screening and cause a really big problem right?

And I hate the argument that this is the world we live in. There has been terror and evil in this world since the beginning of time.

Well, we can agree to disagree then. IMO, these are all recommendations from law enforcement.

1. Costumes: often harder to check than street clothes.

2. Toy guns ban: helps speed up security which is going to be slowed down by extra checks AND helps law enforcement spot the real deal.

You may hate the "This is the world we live in" argument and we can agree to disagree on that.

 

[Jennasis]

I'd love them to ban swords and light sabers. I got poked or hit by too many to count last week.

As for costumes, i assume the ban is due to the ability to hide objects under costumes.

It's all fine AFAIC. No deal breaker here.

 

[Magpie]

Two, other places I have read reports of kids not being allowed to bring their light saber in today (which is quite possible he bought yesterday at the park!!)

Source?

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Safety has nothing to do with it.

Edited because oh never mind, this argument isn't worth it. The pro costume people will say this has nothing to
do with safety and WDW is just being fun suckers, and the people who don't care about costumes (me) will think it's about security and no convincing will help either side change their mind.

 

[BeccaG]

Source?

A poster on Mouse Planet's facebook post regarding the changes.

 

[Magpie]

Seems to me people have been complaining for several years now that the Halloween and Christmas parties are getting too crowded... Personally, I doubt the ban on costumes over 14 will diminish the crowds/number of tickets sold in any way. But, if it does, it seems like that should make some folks happier (and not just the security personnel), and possibly improve the party experience.

 

[kamik86]

No costumes I agree seems like a really dumb rule... because honestly anything you can hide in a costume could also be hidden under sufficiently bulky clothing... like a baggy puffy jacket. I have definitely seen people in full winter parkas during the halloween festivities and definitely in January...

I'll be adding this to my list of reasons why I want to continue putting of disney in favor of other vacations for the next several years.

 

[Magpie]

A poster on Mouse Planet's facebook post regarding the changes.

I'll wait to hear more, before taking that as truth, then. It seems highly unlikely to me that they'd prevent kids from bringing in light sabers, or participating in the Jedi Training.

 

[carlyle688]

Every day hundreds, if not thousands of off duty Law Enforcement ignore the no guns signs and carry into the parks anyway. By installing metal detectors, you are preventing hundreds to thousands of trained men and women from being able to effectively deal with an active murderer when one slips into the parks. If you don't think the terrorists don't under stand that, you haven't been paying attention, they only attack soft targets and now having a 100% guarantee that none of the good guys can defend themselves, WDW just became a much more tempting target for terrorists.

Exactly.

 

[Travis B]

....because police officers always appropriately and judiciously use deadly force. Oh, wait. God I can't wait for this thread to get locked. Guns have no place in WDW, regardless of who carries them. Hell, why don't they just hand out a gun to each guest upon entrance. Then we'll all be extra, super duper safe.

 

[Jennasis]

Absolutely no need for vacationing folks carrying guns to get involved in any security situation at the park. There are plenty of uniformed and undercover security personnel at any given moment all over the resort. The LAST thing we need are more bullets flying around from extra people trying to "help".

 

[BeccaG]

I'll wait to hear more, before taking that as truth, then. It seems highly unlikely to me that they'd prevent kids from bringing in light sabers, or participating in the Jedi Training.

It may not be policy, it may be mis-application of policy, but a kid was stopped, that's what he saw. And perhaps I was confusing but there have not been reports of no Jedi training, my point is you cant ban light sabers and then hand them out. Well, I guess you can but that seems silly....

 

[famy27]

No costumes I agree seems like a really dumb rule... because honestly anything you can hide in a costume could also be hidden under sufficiently bulky clothing... like a baggy puffy jacket. I have definitely seen people in full winter parkas during the halloween festivities and definitely in January...

I'll be adding this to my list of reasons why I want to continue putting of disney in favor of other vacations for the next several years.

I was just coming here to post this same sentiment. My winter coat (which I've worn at WDW in January) is bulkier than any costume I've see at the parks. Especially since it's often 80-90 degrees out for MNSSHP. Most people want a costume that isn't too heavy or bulky just to keep them cooler.

 

[siskaren]

1. Every day hundreds, if not thousands of off duty Law Enforcement ignore the no guns signs and carry into the parks anyway.

2. By installing metal detectors, you are preventing hundreds to thousands of trained men and women from being able to effectively deal with an active murderer when one slips into the parks.

1. And you know this how?

2. Just what I always wanted at a theme park - shoot out at the OK Corral.

And if the metal detectors are keeping out the good guys with guns, then how are they not keeping out the bad guys with guns?

 

[Magpie]

It may not be policy, it may be mis-application of policy, but a kid was stopped, that's what he saw. And perhaps I was confusing but there have not been reports of no Jedi training, my point is you cant ban light sabers and then hand them out

See, I don't know that a kid WAS stopped. People can write anything, and tell any kind of story they like. Sometimes they're genuinely mistaken in what they thought they saw, sometimes they're just trying to stir up a bit of excitement.

If I start hearing multiple stories of kids being told not to enter with their light sabers, from multiple sources... then I'll start to believe it. At which point, I'll be expecting some sort of official statement from Disney, since turning people away for carrying products they sell IN their parks would require some explanation.

One comment on a Facebook post? Not so much. (And if it was a single, weird, misapplication of policy by an overly enthusiastic cast member, then I would expect the FB poster to continue with how they complained to guest services and were compensated with free FPs and given assurances the rogue cast member would be retrained.)

 

[palmtreegirl]

Except for the fact that it helps
law enforcement do their jobs. I mean obviously a Buzz Lightyear blaster is different but the toy guns in Pirates are more realistic looking. Without the toy guns being brought into or purchased in the park, it will help law enforcement spot a real threat. That's not out of line.

Wow, you don't give law enforcement enough credit. They can tell difference between a Pirates gun and a real one.