The Line for Bag check

[themillersdaughter]

everytime i walk through bag check at wdw or dl that little scene from burn notice runs through my head:

Sam Axe: Is your stuff handy, because it's time for an emergency trip to Disney World.
Madeline Westen: Disney World? Why in God's name would I want to go to Disney World?
Sam Axe: Because it's a magical kingdom with lots of witnesses and great security.

 

[bluezy]

If people would prepare before they hit the table, it would help. Take your bag off of your body. Open all of the pockets up. If you have a stroller pull all of the bags out from the bottom. So may times I get in line and the person in front of me has to start digging in the bottom of their stuffed to the gills stroller for bags. I get not knowing the very first time you hit a park, but after that, it is not rocket science, people.

Yes, this!!! I don't know why they don't have a few sandwich-board signs that read "Please have all bags open and ready for inspection prior to getting to the back-check table." set up 20-30 feet before the tables. And there are usually some CM's milling about the area at park opening so why can't they just keep announcing it?

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I wish women cargo shorts had big pockets like mens do. Then I could go back to not carrying a bag most of the time.

At least the line moved fast for the OP!

 

[scjo68]

Here's 8:20View attachment 118928
And 8:35
View attachment 118930

Ok, we must be on the same schedule because we were at DHS for rope drop today and I think I even see my husband in your picture. Bag check went much faster this Morning than at AK yesterday.

We have gone in August for several years and this year seems to be the most crowds I've seen. Friday at MK was crazy busy. Hall of Presidents was full. But we got everything done that we wanted to between rope drop and fast pass.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Maybe AK takes longer because they have to look more thoroughly for the extra things that aren't allowed in AK (like plastic straws) due to them possibly harming the animals?

Not everyone can get their bags ready prior to reaching the table/security person for a variety of reasons. If you have that ability, great, but otherwise, don't worry about the extra few seconds it takes you both before and after the check (and the security person will tell you that, too). And some of us do pack only what we actually do need to use in the parks.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Maybe AK takes longer because they have to look more thoroughly for the extra things that aren't allowed in AK (like plastic straws) due to them possibly harming the animals?

This is exactly why it takes longer at AK.

Bag searches are a means to check for the obvious but moreso they are a means to make you "feel" safe. Its the same thing with TSA. Its main purpose is for appearance. With all the attacks on schools and theaters, its only a matter of time before someone targets Disney. Terrorists like congregated areas. Think of the damage that could be done if a terrorist flew a plane down into the middle of Disney World. I would be an astronomical amount of tragedy. And think of what a gunmen could do before you ever got to the bag search? Just look at the photos posted in this thread. Hundreds of people, lined up, helpless to defend themselves against something like that. Its not a pleasant thought and its easy to block it out of our minds.

The best thing you can do is be aware of your surroundings. Don't be tunnel visioned on where your tickets are or trying to calm a tired child or how hot it is. Someone in your party needs to be the people watcher and alert others of any suspicious behavior.

 

[Tash87]

This is exactly why it takes longer at AK.

Bag searches are a means to check for the obvious but moreso they are a means to make you "feel" safe. Its the same thing with TSA. Its main purpose is for appearance. With all the attacks on schools and theaters, its only a matter of time before someone targets Disney. Terrorists like congregated areas. Think of the damage that could be done if a terrorist flew a plane down into the middle of Disney World. I would be an astronomical amount of tragedy. And think of what a gunmen could do before you ever got to the bag search? Just look at the photos posted in this thread. Hundreds of people, lined up, helpless to defend themselves against something like that. Its not a pleasant thought and its easy to block it out of our minds.

The best thing you can do is be aware of your surroundings. Don't be tunnel visioned on where your tickets are or trying to calm a tired child or how hot it is. Someone in your party needs to be the people watcher and alert others of any suspicious behavior.

Obviously this is a truly dreadful thought, but so true!

 

[Sybernova]

This is exactly why it takes longer at AK.

Bag searches are a means to check for the obvious but moreso they are a means to make you "feel" safe. Its the same thing with TSA. Its main purpose is for appearance. With all the attacks on schools and theaters, its only a matter of time before someone targets Disney. Terrorists like congregated areas. Think of the damage that could be done if a terrorist flew a plane down into the middle of Disney World. I would be an astronomical amount of tragedy. And think of what a gunmen could do before you ever got to the bag search? Just look at the photos posted in this thread. Hundreds of people, lined up, helpless to defend themselves against something like that. Its not a pleasant thought and its easy to block it out of our minds.

The best thing you can do is be aware of your surroundings. Don't be tunnel visioned on where your tickets are or trying to calm a tired child or how hot it is. Someone in your party needs to be the people watcher and alert others of any suspicious behavior.

Couldn't this be said for anywhere? Keeping an eye out for suspicious things shouldn't mean one person isn't allowed to have fun. It's also very hard to have an eagle eye on every person in a thousand person area. I think you mean it more as "mind your surroundings," which people should do anyway.

 

[dixiegirl]

Yep - I'm in the rope drop group - avoid this nonsense.

 

[savvy?71]

Bag check has never been a big deal for us until we went to DL this summer. What a different experience from WDW! Maybe it was just our day, or our particular checker, or it being DL's 60th anniversary, or perhaps the cosmos was out of whack, but our checks took so long that everyone in back of us eventually moved to the other 2 lines and were at turnstiles before us (and we were the 2nd family there at 630am). I always expect my camera bag to take a little longer (several lens pockets, kid stuff, lots of zippers) so I always have that ready. In WDW (yearly trips), the checkers don't even look at the smaller pockets, just the main (maybe they recognize me ha!). But I had Thorough Miss Thoroughton. She checked every nook and cranny, had me remove every item, she used a small flashlight to peer in closer, and oh my goodness how slow. Like we were there exclusively to check the durability of and discuss contents of my bag over coffee and gossip. She did the same to my husband and even confiscated his small roll of neon pink duct tape (we used it for emergency securing of my daughter's splint wrap--broken finger). It was the size of those decorative tape rolls not even the large ones. I am surprised she didn't have my 10 yr old remove her splint and test her pinky finger, actually....

Now, it wasn't the end of the world, and I'm not one to bemoan a lack of pixie dust and demand a lifetime supply of Matterhorn Macaroons for this outrage (omg so good). But it was definitely annoying. It was our 1st trip to DL, our 1st morning (made sure we were up and ready for Radiator Springs Racers!), so we were just extra amped up & it sort of gave us a "What the??" vibe to start day. It only 'cost' us being the initial folks at turnstile (which we would have been!) which at DL means they scan you early so you can go right in as park opens (the entry process is SO LONG at DL--this early scan definitely makes a difference) but we were still early on ride. It was just bizarre.

( I didn't use my camera bag the rest of trip and opted to just wear my cam!)

(by the way, DL was a FANTASTIC change from WDW! Loved it!)

 

[disneysteve]

confiscated his small roll of neon pink duct tape

You're not allowed to bring tape into the park? Why?

 

[savvy?71]

You're not allowed to bring tape into the park? Why?

My husband was told "You can't have electrical or duct tape in the park, sir." Maybe some past hooligan messed with a ride mechanism? I remember an episode of Malcolm in the Middle when one of the boys used duct tape over a lock that kept it from locking in place. Maybe we could have made The Matterhorn smoother with that duct tape!

 

[Goddesstree]

I believe WDW does not allow weapons of any kind on property - even if you have a permit to carry. Wasn't there a big hulabaloo about it once?

To th PP who asked about camera bags - yes, they are checked. You may want to try going through the no bag line, and the guard there may just ask you to open it. I saw that happen a few times this week.

We did AK twice this week at rope drop, security at bag check was efficient. They nabbed a few selfie sticks, and that's a pain to be next in line to. They have to get another security guy over to walk the doofus to some holding area for the sticks.

 

[DisneyFive]

Holy poop that's a lot of people. Note to self, RD is my friend...

Dan

 

[scrapquitler]

Years ago, after 9/11, we went to the county library one winter night. They had started doing bag checks. My wife was fine with having her back checked but was annoyed because I was wearing a big, bulky, down jacket with multiple pockets and I strolled right through. It would have been a lot easier for me to sneak something in than for her to in her little purse.

Yep. Just evidence that the bag check is all just a show, designed to make people fee better, but not providing any real security. Same as the Regal Theaters bag check. Because you know, a criminal with a gun would never think to stick it in his pocket, his sock or his waistband. But honest people feel better when they see the show.

 

[wuzzy6]

I believe WDW does not allow weapons of any kind on property - even if you have a permit to carry.

You're correct.

It is not illegal to carry a concealed weapon on Disney property, provided you have a CC license that is valid and recognized in the state of Florida.

However, since WDW has a rule (rule, not a law) prohibiting any weapons, if you were found to have a weapon, you would very likely be asked to leave the property. They could not arrest you or press charges against you for legally bringing a weapon on to their property, but they can certainly ask that you leave for breaking their rules... and they could potentially prevent you from ever returning in the future. If you refused to leave, then they certainly could arrest you/press charges against you, and rightfully so.

I am 100% confident that people legally carry weapons into the parks on a daily basis. I am also 100% confident that people illegally carry weapons into the parks on a daily basis. I'm not at all worried about the ones carrying legally.

It is my opinion that the bag check serves a purpose, but it is absolutely not going to keep all weapons from being brought into the parks.

YMMV.

 

[quandrea]

I have had much shorter lines at ak take way longer than ten minutes. Last time we were there bag check was about twenty or so. Short line, chatty security guard. It was maddening. Still that picture scares me. Especially at ak.

 

[Goddesstree]

You're correct.

It is not illegal to carry a concealed weapon on Disney property, provided you have a CC license that is valid and recognized in the state of Florida.

However, since WDW has a rule (rule, not a law) prohibiting any weapons, if you were found to have a weapon, you would very likely be asked to leave the property. They could not arrest you or press charges against you for legally bringing a weapon on to their property, but they can certainly ask that you leave for breaking their rules... and they could potentially prevent you from ever returning in the future. If you refused to leave, then they certainly could arrest you/press charges against you, and rightfully so.

I am 100% confident that people legally carry weapons into the parks on a daily basis. I am also 100% confident that people illegally carry weapons into the parks on a daily basis. I'm not at all worried about the ones carrying legally.

It is my opinion that the bag check serves a purpose, but it is absolutely not going to keep all weapons from being brought into the parks.

YMMV.

Thanks for the explanation. I worry about anyone who feels they need to carry a weapon into a theme park that has security in place.

 

[wuzzy6]

Thanks for the explanation. I worry about anyone who feels they need to carry a weapon into a theme park that has security in place.

You're most welcome - happy to help. "Security" is just as subjective as "safety," and that I why I practice good situational awareness - even at WDW.

 

[disneysteve]

I'm not at all worried about the ones carrying legally.

I would strongly disagree with you on that point. Just because someone is carrying a gun legally doesn't mean nothing can go wrong.

I am not a gun person and simply don't understand why anyone feels the need to bring a weapon to an amusement park.

I wonder how long it will be before we see metal detectors at Disney parks. They already have them at other amusement parks around the country.