The Dreaded Bag Check Lines

[pokee99]

I get that checking bags before entry needs to be done, but I find it really inconvenient to go shopping or for dining at Downtown Disney or the resort hotels and have to wait in those lines just to walk from good neighbor hotels to those destinations.

Perfect example: a couple of days ago, we had an early breakfast at the PPH (Mickey's Surf's Up) and they hadn't opened the security/bag check lines yet. I had to ask nicely (more like, beg nicely) to be let through so we could make our reservation on time. They let me and my family go through, but they seemed to be really doing me a 'favor' and the rest of the people in line sure looked pissed off (like we skipped the lines).

This makes me wonder if they should have a bypass lane to let people not going into the parks walk through. Or is there a walkway I am not aware of?

 

[KBelle5]

Safety is really important at the DLR, so how could they be sure that the people in the "not going into the parks line" weren't carrying a bomb or something that could be a threat and were pretending to not go? Unless you wanted a separate check point for that?

I totally understand your frustration, though, especially when you get a particularly slow checker or there are 5 strollers in front of you. The last time I was there, the lady practically strip searched me. It only took about 30 seconds longer than usual, but I had to pull stuff out, open up little containers in my bag, etc. It was a general annoyance. That's the price we have to pay for going anywhere around Disneyland. I'd rather be inconvenienced for a minute or two than seriously injured or killed by some crazy person who wasn't searched at all.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

I get that checking bags before entry needs to be done, but I find it really inconvenient to go shopping or for dining at Downtown Disney or the resort hotels and have to wait in those lines just to walk from good neighbor hotels to those destinations.

Perfect example: a couple of days ago, we had an early breakfast at the PPH (Mickey's Surf's Up) and they hadn't opened the security/bag check lines yet. I had to ask nicely (more like, beg nicely) to be let through so we could make our reservation on time. They let me and my family go through, but they seemed to be really doing me a 'favor' and the rest of the people in line sure looked pissed off (like we skipped the lines).

This makes me wonder if they should have a bypass lane to let people not going into the parks walk through. Or is there a walkway I am not aware of?

'

You certainly could have gotten to the PPH without going through DTD. We went to our Surf's up breakfast before entering through security. Instead of waiting in a line though you might have had to walk a bit more depending on your hotel location.

 

[darph nader]

Do you drive from Canada,or fly?
Sadly some 'yahoos' decided this about 10yrs ago.

 

[miss.potatohead]

I can see why it is neccessary, but what's to stop people walking through with an explosive strapped to themself (okay extreme, but still possible) or have a weapon or firearm in their pocket. We often wore a few layers and even had a bag under one of our jackets one day and it wasn't noticed! I know you don't want to have to think about those sort of dangers at the happiest place on Earth but it still comes into my mind.

Sometimes the security were more rigourous than other times, it was fairly hit and miss. A few times my dad was asked to open EVERY pocket of his bags (even the small one we kept our passports in) and other times they only looked in the main one. Though we did buy a lunchbox at DTD and they asked us to open that. I think it must depend on the time of the day and the crowd levels.

 

[HydroGuy]

I can see why it is neccessary, but what's to stop people walking through with an explosive strapped to themself (okay extreme, but still possible) or have a weapon or firearm in their pocket. We often wore a few layers and even had a bag under one of our jackets one day and it wasn't noticed! I know you don't want to have to think about those sort of dangers at the happiest place on Earth but it still comes into my mind.

Sometimes the security were more rigourous than other times, it was fairly hit and miss. A few times my dad was asked to open EVERY pocket of his bags (even the small one we kept our passports in) and other times they only looked in the main one. Though we did buy a lunchbox at DTD and they asked us to open that. I think it must depend on the time of the day and the crowd levels.

Disney bag check security checks are obviously not designed to stop even what you suggested here. They have other security measures for dealing with that.

I have a family member in SoCal law enforcement and he always brings his firearm with him into DLR.

 

[jacs1234]

I had a souvenier glass from a restaurant outside of Disney, after dinner, we got dropped of by our taxi near the good neighbour hotels, we wanted to go straight into the park but had to surrender my glass They said they would have escorted us to our hotel so we could have kept it, but we decided to give it up and go straight to the park as to not miss the fireworks.

 

[Huff]

The current bag checks are NOT going to stop anyone from bringing knives, guns, bombs are whatever they want into the parks. Anyone can carry most anything they want without detection from the quick glances of security inspectors. I feel this bag check thing was only to pacify guests that they are doing something after 9/11 and not to actually make the parks more secure.

Magic Moutain went a step further but it wasn't because of 9/11 issues. They had trouble with gangs causing serious problems. They installed metal detectors although not sure if they still have them. I remember Universal passing mirrors under vehicles as they entered the lot as well as looking inside as you drove by. They stopped doing both.

 

[pokee99]

The current bag checks are NOT going to stop anyone from bringing knives, guns, bombs are whatever they want into the parks. Anyone can carry most anything they want without detection from the quick glances of security inspectors. I feel this bag check thing was only to pacify guests that they are doing something after 9/11 and not to actually make the parks more secure.

Magic Moutain went a step further but it wasn't because of 9/11 issues. They had trouble with gangs causing serious problems. They installed metal detectors although not sure if they still have them. I remember Universal passing mirrors under vehicles as they entered the lot as well as looking inside as you drove by. They stopped doing both.

Agreed. In fact, the bag checks aren't designed to really prevent anything being brought into the park. There are no x-ray machines or metal detectors. If any 'bombs' were brought into the park, that would be easy to strap underneath a sweater/baggy t-shirt. As another poster put it, it is designed to pacify guests. In the 20-30 times I've passed through this week, my pockets were never checked (and I have big pockets in my jacket) and I was only asked to open my jacket once, and that was just because I left my backpack at the hotel.

It's really just another bottleneck in the world of Disneyland lines...

 

[blackjackdelta]

Disney bag check security checks are obviously not designed to stop even what you suggested here. They have other security measures for dealing with that.

I have a family member in SoCal law enforcement and he always brings his firearm with him into DLR.

He may not be the only one.

Jack

 

[perlster]

getting way OT .... Can someone help the original poster by detailing the shortest walking route from Harbor Blvd hotels to the Paradise Pier Hotel?

 

[pokee99]

Do you drive from Canada,or fly?
Sadly some 'yahoos' decided this about 10yrs ago.

We flew - no car. Walking everywhere...always it seems through those marvelous bag checks...

 

[pokee99]

Safety is really important at the DLR, so how could they be sure that the people in the "not going into the parks line" weren't carrying a bomb or something that could be a threat and were pretending to not go? Unless you wanted a separate check point for that?

I certainly would not expect them to go on the honor system - what I think would work better is to re-design bag check area to have security for both specific parks, and then a 'through' lane for those walking to/from downtown Disney to/from S. Harbor Blvd.

Despite being rather useless (and more for show) - if the powers that be deem it necessary, there's ways to make that area more efficient for everyone.

 

[HydroGuy]

I certainly would not expect them to go on the honor system - what I think would work better is to re-design bag check area to have security for both specific parks, and then a 'through' lane for those walking to/from downtown Disney to/from S. Harbor Blvd.

Despite being rather useless (and more for show) - if the powers that be deem it necessary, there's ways to make that area more efficient for everyone.

They tried that originally and the current system works much better for most people as 99.9% of the guests who go thru security are headed into the parks. It is the 0.1% like you who merely want to cross into or out of DTD. They could create a special lane for such folks but I am not sure if the tradeoff is worth it. For example, it would need to go across the whole Esplanade. How would park guests get through it? The only way would be a bridge (which would be unsightly) or a tunnel (which could work but also provide its own security risk I suppose).

 

[sonnyjane]

getting way OT .... Can someone help the original poster by detailing the shortest walking route from Harbor Blvd hotels to the Paradise Pier Hotel?

Well, the shortest walking route from most of the hotels on Harbor to Paradise Pier is through the esplanade, the same route that the OP took. Unfortunately to use that "shortcut", yes, you will have to go through security. A person could walk all the way down Harbor to Katella, then take Katella to Disneyland Dr. and walk up to Paradise Pier or DTD, but to be honest, the time that you'd add by taking that route would be far longer than the time spent waiting in security.

 

[jetskigrl]

They tried that originally and the current system works much better for most people as 99.9% of the guests who go thru security are headed into the parks. It is the 0.1% like you who merely want to cross into or out of DTD. They could create a special lane for such folks but I am not sure if the tradeoff is worth it. For example, it would need to go across the whole Esplanade. How would park guests get through it? The only way would be a bridge (which would be unsightly) or a tunnel (which could work but also provide its own security risk I suppose).

I do believe the new(relatively speaking) bag check system is better than it was before. They used to do the bag check in front of each park. What a pain it was when you were park hopping between DL and DCA. I think back then you couldn't even take the rented strollers out, so you had to turn one in at DL and then use your receipt to get another one at DCA.

I much prefer the bag check as it is now. Yeah, it is a slight delay when you just want to walk through to DTD. But I agree that the percentage of people doing that is much smaller than the people that are park hoping and don't want to have to do the bag check every time they go from one park to the other.

 

[Mama Who]

They tried that originally and the current system works much better for most people as 99.9% of the guests who go thru security are headed into the parks. It is the 0.1% like you who merely want to cross into or out of DTD. They could create a special lane for such folks but I am not sure if the tradeoff is worth it. For example, it would need to go across the whole Esplanade. How would park guests get through it? The only way would be a bridge (which would be unsightly) or a tunnel (which could work but also provide its own security risk I suppose).

I spent a fair amount of time imagining just such a bridge and while I do think it could be made attractive, it would produce a host of other problems. Just imagine the amount of staffing needed to keep people from blocking it during the fireworks! It isn't practical, unfortunately.

 

[miss.potatohead]

Thanks for clearing up the bag check thing HydroGuy - it was the only reason I actually would have thought it being in place. At theme parks over here (Australia, which have nothing on DL), checks are usually random and only if you have a large backpack and even then they don't search properly, just a pat around to makesure there isn't anthing that may be dangerous or illict being brought in.

We took the long way down Katella then up West/Disneyland Drive one day (via Paradise Pier Hotel) when we were heading to DTD for a look around and it was quicker than walking through DTD from the main park entry but then again we were staying closer to the Katella end of Harbor. We didn't even go through check to get to DTD because along the way a CM let us through a side gate along one of the paths...

 

[lapdwife]

Disney bag check security checks are obviously not designed to stop even what you suggested here. They have other security measures for dealing with that.

I have a family member in SoCal law enforcement and he always brings his firearm with him into DLR.

Ummmm, DL does have a secured area where firearms can be locked up during your visit into the park, as do all the hotels....

As far as the lines, if people would get prepared while in line, opening backpacks zippers, sunglass cases, the lines would go much easier.

 

[lffam]

Never really found this a problem.