Was this Odd or Not?

[Otter49]

Opinions or personal knowledge sought, curious what people think.

I'll try to be as brief as I can, but I want to explain this clearly. Ultimately, it was no big deal, but I was left puzzled by this situation.

Wife and I were walking over to catch CP at Epcot last night. Between the Duffy meet and greet and Mexico, we noticed a very large tote bag resting against the lagoon side rail with no one near it. When I say a big bag, it was at least two feet tall - about the size of two average backpacks stacked together, and it was stuffed to overflowing with belongings with what looked like a sweater or small blanket on top.

Crowds were very light so it was easy to look around and try to see if someone was watching it or otherwise paying it any attention. Clearly nobody was. We got a little closer and saw that it had actually been attached to the railing with some kind of cord or cable, the kind you might use as a bicycle lock.

We did the logical thing and notified the nearest CM (working a nearby ice cream cart). We pointed the bag out to her and suggested she might want to notify security. She agreed that she should let them know but said she'd go over and get it before she called. I gently suggested she might not want to disturb it but she thought it best to retrieve it. Once she tugged on the cable and couldn't move the bag, she left it where it was.

While she was fiddling with it twenty yards from her cart, I could have emptied her cash drawer, but that's another subject.

We were in no hurry to be anywhere, so we decided to see how this went down. We bought a couple of ice cream bars and settled in. I thought it would be cool to see the bomb sniffing dogs do their thing.

The CM made her call and a few minutes later a management type (F&B) showed up. He looked at it, didn't touch it, stood and guarded it. Uniformed security CM showed up, looked at it, didn't touch it.

Over the course of 20 minutes, about six different CMs showed up to examine it, so clearly it had their attention. Finally a manager arrived who I'm almost sure was security. She spent a few minutes looking all around it with her flashlight, briefly lifted the top item for a look underneath. Then she got it unhooked from the rail, the uniformed CM picked it up and off they went.

I realize that WDW deals with dozens of lost bags daily, but it seemed to us that if there was a situation calling for the bomb sniffers that this was it. It wasn't just the size of the bag but the fact someone had made an effort of some sort to prevent it from being moved.

I'm merely curious, are the bomb dogs that I've read about real, or just a Disney myth? Is there a procedure in place for these situations or is there a procedure that's strictly optional?

If this had happened in an airport, train station, or government building there would have been evacuations. I'm sure not advocating that for last night, but Disney has to be as big a potential target as anywhere, and I'd think these days you err on the side of caution.

 

[humboldthny]

I can't speak to that particular situation as I've never observed something similar, but I can say that the bomb sniffing dogs are not a myth - we saw a couple of them out in the middle of the crowds (with their 'Security' vests on) during the 40th Anniversary events a couple of months ago.

Also during our first Keys to the Kingdom Tour our guide was also serving as the concierge for Cinderella's Castle room during the Year of a Million Dreams. She explained to us the whole sequence of events once someone was chosen to stay in the castle....part of that was once your bags were brought to the park they were thoroughly gone over by the bomb sniffing dogs before being placed in the Cinderella Suite.

 

[Thumper Fan]

I can't remember where I saw this happening. It was either Disneyland Paris or Walt Disney World. Having worked at both, I have to say my mind is a bit blurry. I worked at Disneyland Paris in 2005, and Walt Disney World in 2006. I do remember though one team a couple heavily guarded guys checking out a black backpack, with a German shepherd sniffing it out. Whether it was DLP or WDW, I can't remember tbh. Sorry.

 

[Sweettears]

Opinions or personal knowledge sought, curious what people think.

I'll try to be as brief as I can, but I want to explain this clearly. Ultimately, it was no big deal, but I was left puzzled by this situation.

Wife and I were walking over to catch CP at Epcot last night. Between the Duffy meet and greet and Mexico, we noticed a very large tote bag resting against the lagoon side rail with no one near it. When I say a big bag, it was at least two feet tall - about the size of two average backpacks stacked together, and it was stuffed to overflowing with belongings with what looked like a sweater or small blanket on top.

Crowds were very light so it was easy to look around and try to see if someone was watching it or otherwise paying it any attention. Clearly nobody was. We got a little closer and saw that it had actually been attached to the railing with some kind of cord or cable, the kind you might use as a bicycle lock.

We did the logical thing and notified the nearest CM (working a nearby ice cream cart). We pointed the bag out to her and suggested she might want to notify security. She agreed that she should let them know but said she'd go over and get it before she called. I gently suggested she might not want to disturb it but she thought it best to retrieve it. Once she tugged on the cable and couldn't move the bag, she left it where it was.

While she was fiddling with it twenty yards from her cart, I could have emptied her cash drawer, but that's another subject.

We were in no hurry to be anywhere, so we decided to see how this went down. We bought a couple of ice cream bars and settled in. I thought it would be cool to see the bomb sniffing dogs do their thing.

The CM made her call and a few minutes later a management type (F&B) showed up. He looked at it, didn't touch it, stood and guarded it. Uniformed security CM showed up, looked at it, didn't touch it.

Over the course of 20 minutes, about six different CMs showed up to examine it, so clearly it had their attention. Finally a manager arrived who I'm almost sure was security. She spent a few minutes looking all around it with her flashlight, briefly lifted the top item for a look underneath. Then she got it unhooked from the rail, the uniformed CM picked it up and off they went.

I realize that WDW deals with dozens of lost bags daily, but it seemed to us that if there was a situation calling for the bomb sniffers that this was it. It wasn't just the size of the bag but the fact someone had made an effort of some sort to prevent it from being moved.

I'm merely curious, are the bomb dogs that I've read about real, or just a Disney myth? Is there a procedure in place for these situations or is there a procedure that's strictly optional?

If this had happened in an airport, train station, or government building there would have been evacuations. I'm sure not advocating that for last night, but Disney has to be as big a potential target as anywhere, and I'd think these days you err on the side of caution.

I've not witnessed it myself but I recall seeing some pictures on another thread of bomb sniffing dogs in action. I believe it was somewhere in DHS.

 

[TaraPA]

Interesting! I would have parked it & sat around watching myself out of curiousity - to see what dumb bunny dragged their carry-ons to the park & locked them to a railing so they didn't have to pay for a locker!

I saw uniformed security & german shepherds in Epcot on my trip last month, not sure if it was routine or there was an incident. I'm sure all the CMs you watched approach the bag have some sort of protocol to follow, and none felt that there was any threat with the bag at that time.

 

[nkereina]

I agree that maybe bomb sniffing dogs could have been brought out as a precaution. It sounds to me like someone didn't want to carry their belongings around, and they didn't want to pay for a locker. So they locked it to a railing hoping no one would bother it. Since one CM touched it, they could probably open it to find personal belongings inside and didn't think it warranted much of a panic. Just my guess.

 

[GSUJillybean]

They probably didn't call out the dogs because of the bicycle lock. If someone had a sinister reason for leaving the bag there, they probably would have tried to be a little less conspicuous.

On the other hand, I'm dying laughing thinking about how, somewhere, on some message board, there's a tip about how, if you don't want to pay for a locker, just bring a bicycle lock! It's free, and doubles as an Illuminations veiwing spot holder!

 

[Otter49]

What was doubly stupid about the whole thing is that this wasn't a closed and locked case - it was an open top tote. If a bad guy had come along, the owner of the bag could have returned to find their empty bag cabled to the fence.

And as far as security checking the belongings before removing it, they didn't. They lifted the top item only and looked under it. And this thing was bulging with belongings from top to bottom.

Whatever....it's done and nobody got blown up.

 

[melmlantz]

On the other hand, I'm dying laughing thinking about how, somewhere, on some message board, there's a tip about how, if you don't want to pay for a locker, just bring a bicycle lock! It's free, and doubles as an Illuminations veiwing spot holder!

Score! I'm almost finished packing tonight - I just need to run out for a bicycle lock!

 

[WDSearcher]

Opinions or personal knowledge sought, curious what people think.

I'll try to be as brief as I can, but I want to explain this clearly. Ultimately, it was no big deal, but I was left puzzled by this situation.

Wife and I were walking over to catch CP at Epcot last night. Between the Duffy meet and greet and Mexico, we noticed a very large tote bag resting against the lagoon side rail with no one near it. When I say a big bag, it was at least two feet tall - about the size of two average backpacks stacked together, and it was stuffed to overflowing with belongings with what looked like a sweater or small blanket on top.

Crowds were very light so it was easy to look around and try to see if someone was watching it or otherwise paying it any attention. Clearly nobody was. We got a little closer and saw that it had actually been attached to the railing with some kind of cord or cable, the kind you might use as a bicycle lock.

We did the logical thing and notified the nearest CM (working a nearby ice cream cart). We pointed the bag out to her and suggested she might want to notify security. She agreed that she should let them know but said she'd go over and get it before she called. I gently suggested she might not want to disturb it but she thought it best to retrieve it. Once she tugged on the cable and couldn't move the bag, she left it where it was.

While she was fiddling with it twenty yards from her cart, I could have emptied her cash drawer, but that's another subject.

We were in no hurry to be anywhere, so we decided to see how this went down. We bought a couple of ice cream bars and settled in. I thought it would be cool to see the bomb sniffing dogs do their thing.

The CM made her call and a few minutes later a management type (F&B) showed up. He looked at it, didn't touch it, stood and guarded it. Uniformed security CM showed up, looked at it, didn't touch it.

Over the course of 20 minutes, about six different CMs showed up to examine it, so clearly it had their attention. Finally a manager arrived who I'm almost sure was security. She spent a few minutes looking all around it with her flashlight, briefly lifted the top item for a look underneath. Then she got it unhooked from the rail, the uniformed CM picked it up and off they went.

I realize that WDW deals with dozens of lost bags daily, but it seemed to us that if there was a situation calling for the bomb sniffers that this was it. It wasn't just the size of the bag but the fact someone had made an effort of some sort to prevent it from being moved.

I'm merely curious, are the bomb dogs that I've read about real, or just a Disney myth? Is there a procedure in place for these situations or is there a procedure that's strictly optional?

If this had happened in an airport, train station, or government building there would have been evacuations. I'm sure not advocating that for last night, but Disney has to be as big a potential target as anywhere, and I'd think these days you err on the side of caution.

Remember that Disney has security you see and Disney has security you don't see. The bomb-sniffing dogs are very real -- they even swing through the off-site offices from time to time -- but they also cause a huge distraction, sometimes panic, and a lot more attention than a situation often warrants.

The thing to remember is that while WDW is a "soft target", it is NOT an airport, train station or government building. The levels of expectation / alert are different at a theme park, for better or worse. My guess is that -- while all those different people were walking in and out and checking the bag -- there were a number of threat assessments going on backstage by people who understand what is and isn't a threat at Disney. I'm sure they had the dogs give it a check once they got it backstage.

And yes ... it could have been something with a motion sensor on it that was designed to explode when moved, thereby warranting the dogs prior to moving ... but really. Isn't that just a little more "television situational drama" than it is real life?

I imagine Disney sees quite a lot of belongings locked to railings, tables, fences and other areas. Look at the number of people who advocate bringing stroller locks. Technically, I suppose, a stroller that is locked to a rail could also be seen as a threat -- I mean, why is it LOCKED when so many other strollers aren't? You've probably seen lots of locked strollers, or read about people locking them. And that's probably never given you a second thought from the standpoint of what a locked stroller could contain and whether or not it was a threat.

As for the "I could have emptied her cash drawer" -- yes, you could have. But for some reason, that doesn't seem to be a problem. A theft from a shop or vendor at WDW during park hours is a true rarity. It hardly ever happens. But then, again ... there's Disney security you see, and there's Disney security you don't see.

 

[dragonfly08]

I'm merely curious, are the bomb dogs that I've read about real, or just a Disney myth? Is there a procedure in place for these situations or is there a procedure that's strictly optional?

I can't answer the second question about procedures, but as to the first...another vote that the dogs do exist. We saw them outside Starring Rolls back in April, checking a backpack that had been left nearby. My girls were fascinated!

 

[castleri]

Leaving EPCOT Dec 6th my DGD and I were taking the boat to DHS when they wouldn't let anyone on the boat. Along came the security guy with the dog and they did a sweep of the boat. The security person had a bag in his hand as he got off the boat and said "okay, you can go now". I guess someone got off and left their purchases behind and someone else called security. That is the second time I have seen security and the dogs in action. The other was at DHS a few years ago at the bakery seating area. Someone had gone off and left their backback under one of the tables. That one invloved more people looking at it and then the dog. My son left his backpack at the table in Columbia Harbor House and one of the people cleaning the table just took it in the back to be sent to lost and found. We realized it before we got outside and a CM went in the back and brought it out so not every bag that is left is subject to the dog sniffing it.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

The dogs are not myth. We have gotten to see them several times. Thanksgiving weekend security was all over the place. Black Friday we were walking thru FL in front of Dumbo. I looked up and stopped dead in my tracks pointed to the sky and said to DH what is out of place, Above the Soaring dumbos was a plane right over property. DH said uh oh this is restricted air space and as if magic a security CM walked over and said cool isn't it. It's military they are doing some fly overs lately and then he recommended a you tube video of military fly overs over the Castle. We chatted a few minutes and I asked if it was b/c of the holiday and he just winked and said officially it's just routine. We noticed fly overs several other times night and day, one at AK during the day DH was able to identify as a military vessel.

We met a nice sheriff w/ his dog out front of MK that monday near the boat docs. I pointed him out to DH and he smiled and said hi how are you. I said that must be a cool job pointing at the dog. He smiled and said this is the best beat we have and I love protecting WDW visitors.

In our times at WDW we have seen the bag thing go down too. While eating one day in MK outside of Hall of Presidents we saw a situation similar to yours. And no dogs were called in. It's amazing how quick thier security works, they just pop out of nowhere, and the precautions they take behind the scenes to keep us save are extensive, most of which we will never know.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Suspicious bags aren't that weird. In fact, the only thing weird about this is that I would assume they would have brought out the dogs.

 

[disney david]

The dogs are not myth. We have gotten to see them several times. Thanksgiving weekend security was all over the place. Black Friday we were walking thru FL in front of Dumbo. I looked up and stopped dead in my tracks pointed to the sky and said to DH what is out of place, Above the Soaring dumbos was a plane right over property. DH said uh oh this is restricted air space and as if magic a security CM walked over and said cool isn't it. It's military they are doing some fly overs lately and then he recommended a you tube video of military fly overs over the Castle. We chatted a few minutes and I asked if it was b/c of the holiday and he just winked and said officially it's just routine. We noticed fly overs several other times night and day, one at AK during the day DH was able to identify as a military vessel.

We met a nice sheriff w/ his dog out front of MK that monday near the boat docs. I pointed him out to DH and he smiled and said hi how are you. I said that must be a cool job pointing at the dog. He smiled and said this is the best beat we have and I love protecting WDW visitors.

In our times at WDW we have seen the bag thing go down too. While eating one day in MK outside of Hall of Presidents we saw a situation similar to yours. And no dogs were called in. It's amazing how quick thier security works, they just pop out of nowhere, and the precautions they take behind the scenes to keep us save are extensive, most of which we will never know.

we got to talk to a disney security k-9 officer at the ig at epcot he was standing by the bag check. He was called to search someone suit case because it was a pin event going on so it was easier for the dog to search it. the only problem if the dog found a pin he liked he would of had to trade his vest for it lol. so we talked and asked if he could take the dog home because the police can and he said no they are disney property and they treat them like the buses they can't leave disney property so they have to stay in a cage in epcot. I also think epcot where all their dogs stay because we took a tour and saw the officers taking their dogs out back stage and playing with them and giving them their morning walk.

 

[Hanover]

This is a picture from just outside Animal Kingdom's turnstiles on 12/2. It's a bit blurry since I was trying to hurry and take a picture of it in action. The dog was sniffing around a bench when I first noticed it and then it was sniffing around at different items outside the turnstiles.

 

[dimndgal1]

Given the prevalence of video monitoring at Disney, I wouldn't surprised if security watched the tapes and saw who/how the bag was left in determining threat level.

I worked as a civilian for the Navy and went through security training for abandoned bags... no where NEAR what the actual people who handle it do, but a basic awareness. One thing I learned is that there are tons of factors that go in to determining the threat level of an abandoned bag and that most agencies REALLY hate to bring in the dogs -- distraction, additional manpower, pulling resources from other areas.

I would imagine that Disney gets tons of abandoned bags a year and has the whole process down to a science.

On a side note, security at Disney is just amazing to watch. We were at DL at the entrance plaza between two parks and saw a vERY drunk couple arguing as they moved from DL to CA. DH and I watched as first one security guard appeared.... then suddenly there were 4... then, as the couple entered the park, two officers and one gentleman in a suit escorted them away. It was all a matter of 3 minutes but the poetry in how they moved was mesmerizing. The couple never noticed (we did because we debated contacting someone) and they did it in a way that didn't cause a scene but took care of the situation.

 

[dogbert03]

I think that Disney probably runs their security staff through numerous security scenarios. There was probably a lot of evaluation and consideration about whether it was necessary to bring in the bomb sniffing dogs at that point. While they are definitely concerned about safety, they probably want to avoid causing a panic too often (as I imagine there are a lot of instances where a bag gets left sitting around).

 

[Praise2Him]

While she was fiddling with it twenty yards from her cart, I could have emptied her cash drawer, but that's another subject.

Did she leave the drawer open? Because if she closed it (which I imagine she did since it's pretty much automatic to do so), it could only be opened by entering a password known only to the CM for just that reason.

 

[Feralpeg]

The bomb dogs are very real. I watched them in action about a year ago. A backpack was left unattended near Raglan Road. Security set up an area around the bag with tape to prevent anyone getting near. The dogs came in and did there thing. Eventually, Security took the backpack away. I'm assuming it turned out to be just a backpack someone forgot, but they didn't take any chances.