Security at the parks - bags, strollers and metal detectors

[rotlex]

So we just returned from a fantastic 14 day vacation at WDW. Great trip, no issues, had a great time as always!

I guess this is more a question to see what others have observed, but it really made me begin to question the validity of the bag check and metal detector usage at the parks.

We always have at least one bag so always go through the security bag check. In most cases, I also seem to get picked to go through the metal detectors no matter where I am so I'm pretty used to it, lol. The thing that concerned me this past trip was something my wife mentioned, and I began to look for. On more than one occasion, I saw strollers going through the bag check areas without being checked, and never once saw one being made to go through a metal detector. I get that part might be difficult as most strollers are made of metal, but it began to concern me when I started thinking about just how easy it would be to conceal any time of weapon or device in a stroller. At one stop, Epcot, the security guard made note of the cuteness of the sleeping baby in the stroller and never even looked underneath.

With all that said, I'm not really the paranoid type, and think most of the security checking is just security theater anyway. However, it really got me thinking about the issue, and how even if the bottom of a stroller is checked, what about the space directly below or behind a sleeping child?

Has anyone else seen or thought about this in regards to security? Just thought it might be an interesting point of discussion.

 

[stewart715]

I think the security is pretty good. Maybe during times of high volume they are a little more lax, but I think security is still effective. Even if someone's odds were 50/50 getting something through, it would not be worth the risk. There's also way more security than you can see. They are always watching.

 

[DisLiss]

I think most security is security theater so I don't even give it much thought beyond trying to find ways to make getting through it quicker or easier. My stand has been the same about all security everywhere for decades now...if someone wants to cause trouble in a crowded place, all they have to do is cause the trouble while waiting in the midst of the crowd waiting to get through security.

 

[rwdavis2]

I am sure they have security there you don’t notice that is observing everything. But if someone is determined to do harm then they really can’t stop it. Those huge lines at the turnstiles are easy targets and outside of security.

 

[KenHutch]

I think the metal detectors are more for show than anything else meant to stop people from getting stupid ideas. I say this because I have never set them off and I have a crapload of metal inside me. When I walk into the federal courthouse or FBI I set the things off like fireworks. At Disney nothing.

 

[neverenoughtime]

From my experience with a stroller at Disney world I have always had to empty the bottom bag area of the stroller and they always do a quick check underneath. But like you said, i have never had to roll the stroller through a metal detector.

 

[DaveL]

I think the best thing I ever saw was last summer sitting on a boat at MK waiting to leave for Mickey's BBQ another boat came in and the passengers got off. There were two security lines on the dock one on each side but only one side was manned. That side had a line of 4~5 people waiting, so a man went over to the other side without any CMs and took his phone out and set it down as well as keys or something else and pushed it passed the metal detector and proceeded through. Afterwards he took his items and left. Others noticed that side was 'moving faster' so two other people proceeded to that line and put their bags on the side counter pushed them past the detector and walked though, grabbed their stuff and left... At this point I could not contain myself LOL so hard, I look up and the captain is right next to me and I say "Is that REALLY happening?!" and he replied "Yep, they are self screening themselves." After about 15~20 people did this one of the security people noticed their line was empty and the other side had a line moving quick and shut it down.

I noticed with a stroller if I was pushing it about 90% of the time I would be just flagged right on by without having to go through the metal detector, just had the to the bag check. Now if DW was pushing it she'd get stopped and have to put it on the side and go through the metal detector. Never could figure that out, we actually tested it several times over 12 days it was really weird.

Then there is this, always funny...

 

[rotlex]

I am sure they have security there you don’t notice that is observing everything. But if someone is determined to do harm then they really can’t stop it. Those huge lines at the turnstiles are easy targets and outside of security.

I've wondered about this too. If someone really wanted to perform a horrendous act, there are far more people in the congested areas pre-security than actually inside the parks in one location. I really do try not to think about this stuff when on a family vacation, but again, once I started watching the stroller interaction, it just started making me think about it a bit more.

 

[Searc]

I am sure they have security there you don’t notice that is observing everything. But if someone is determined to do harm then they really can’t stop it. Those huge lines at the turnstiles are easy targets and outside of security.

All the tapstiles are passed security.

 

[YawningDodo]

I am sure they have security there you don’t notice that is observing everything. But if someone is determined to do harm then they really can’t stop it. Those huge lines at the turnstiles are easy targets and outside of security.

This is why I really like that they dispersed security at MK, and hope they can figure out ways to do the same at more parks. You still get clumps of people waiting at the various security checks to get on the monorail or ferries, but it's nowhere near as big of an unscreened crowd as you used to see at the gates to the park. But there will always be open areas where people end up gathering in crowds outside of security, yes.

Mixed feelings about it in general. I think by and large it's meant to be a.) a general deterrent and b.) reassurance to regular guests. Disconcerting to hear that they aren't taking stroller checks seriously, but I will say that years ago they did catch my brother when he tried to take a knife into one of the parks. It was actually a multitool, but it included a large knife blade. He ended up having to talk to Guest Services--not sure if they held it there or if he had to rent a locker outside the park.

 

[Searc]

Strollers don't go through the detectors because the majority of the time they have a kid sitting in them. Kids don't go through the detectors.

 

[rotlex]

Strollers don't go through the detectors because the majority of the time they have a kid sitting in them. Kids don't go through the detectors.

I think that's what really prompted me to think about it though. In today's world, if we are really worried about security, shouldn't everyone and everything be checked? I mean there are people in this world that use children as a means to get a lot of nefarious things done. Overlooking them during these types of checks is a fairly risky thing to do, at least in my opinion. Your checking certain adults as though they had a criminal record and just letting the kids and strollers pass right by.

Again, no paranoid, as I think the whole thing is ridiculous in general.

 

[Disneylover99]

It really depends on the person doing the security check.

Sometimes you’ll get somebody who checks absolutely everything and pulls things out, including strollers. Other times security will give your bag a quick feel and send you on your way. Most security checkers are somewhere in between this, in my experience.

 

[china mom]

Strollers don't go through the detectors because the majority of the time they have a kid sitting in them. Kids don't go through the detectors.

No, strollers don't go through metal detectors because they are made of metal. There would be no point.

 

[Searc]

No, strollers don't go through metal detectors because they are made of metal. There would be no point.

According to recent reports, they are no longer having you empty your pockets when going through, so what's the point of even having them.

 

[MomOTwins]

Strollers don't go through the detectors because the majority of the time they have a kid sitting in them. Kids don't go through the detectors.

They sometimes make you pick the kid up out of the stroller and carry them through the detector (assuming kid is too little to walk).