Security Bag Checks - what a waste

Post by **subsonic** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:01 pm

Does anybody know a mailing address so I can mail Disney a complaint about the security bag check?

This is the biggest joke and I can't stand this. I do not understand the point of it. It provides a false sense of security. They don't check the person, if I really wanted to cause harm to people or the park I could carry destructive devices under my clothes.

It should be removed. The check slows down lines, 80% of the guards don't do through checks, and I figure it would alarm people causing them to think, "Is there a potential problem today in where Disney thinks something bad is going to happen?"

I hate it.

SysFail · Post by **SysFail** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:10 pm

While I don't completely disagree with you, there has to be SOMEthing done at the gates to try and keep very obvious things out of the park such as alcohol, fireworks, and anything big enough to be a bomb etc..

Yeah you could carry in something small on your person (gun etc), but without ANY kind of a bag check etc, you could get something REALLY big and destructive inside the park.

Besides, most people want that false sense of security...I don't mind them looking through my stuff..i just stand and chat with the security ppl as they are always quite nice.

cliff_77 · Post by **cliff_77** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:12 pm

I think the funniest part about it is the inconsistency of it all. When we were there last time, about 90% of the time they would let my wife in with just a quick glance at her purse. But that last 10% of the time they would do the purse equivalent of a body cavity search, asking her to unzip every last pocket. It just didn't make sense. I don't find the process hugely annoying, since it usually only takes a minute or two, but I do agree that it probably doesn't do much good except to make people feel more secure.

Post by **subsonic** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:17 pm

Also, this method wasn't in for decades without signifigant problem.

I became terribly annoyed when I first arrived at WDW. I remember the entrance to Magic Kingdom being so open and inviting. Now the view is obscured by these stupid booths. And on busy days it can take a long time to get through.

SysFail · Post by **SysFail** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:23 pm

I remember going through airports with virtually no security...and relatives meeting me right where I got off the plane at etc etc etc...

It's a new world.

Post by **rdeacon** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 12:31 pm

I would agree that they aren't 100% effective. But its as effective as any screening process, and generally meant as a deterant.

I don't mind waiting, just the sad state of the world we live in.

Here is a complete and I mean complete run down of the saftey and security at Disney.

Disney Safety and Security

Sub: here is the contact info so you can vent.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Strategic Communications
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, California 91521
(818) 560-7062

Disneyland Resort
Public Affairs
P.O. Box 3232
Anaheim, California 92803
(714) 781-4614

Walt Disney World Resort
Public Affairs
P.O. Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-1000
(407) 828-4018

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Jan Mon 22, 2007 3:15 pm

I'm with sub on this one. My brother can walk in with a bundle in his cargo pocket, while my mom's bag gets checked. How silly.

Has anyone seen the cast members remove something from someone's bag? It seems that they are getting very lax, maybe they'll start phasing the system out soon.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 8:28 am

I agree that if you really wanted to do some harm then the security checks are pathetically easy to get around, but they do offer a little piece of mind as they show that Disney is at least thinking about security.
There isn't really anything that they can do to prevent a determined person.

As for seeing anything being removed... my brother had something taken off hm in Dl Paris. We had been on a camping trip and stoped off at the park for 2 days on the way home. He has a mini pair of folding scissors on his keyring which he had forgotten to remove. He left them with the security guard and picked them up on the way out. The next day they were left in the hotel room where they belonged!

Goofyman · Post by **Goofyman** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 9:53 am

we should applaud Disney for trying to look out for our safety. It is a inconcvenience but one that is well worth it.

Post by **acp** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 10:08 am

Warning: This may be a rant. You have been warned.

To be honest, although if implemented properly it's generally a good idea, I had my doubs about the effectiveness of it whilst I was there. Both for the main park entrances *and* the cast entrances.

Most times, the guard would just glance into my bag and wave me through, once in the whole two months I was there (bearing in mind I went into a park at least twice a day) the guard actually asked me to open my glasses case and remove my Pal Mickey so he could see into the bag better.

Quite a few times, I took a t-shirt with me to work and changed into it before heading straight to a park from work. I'd then proceed to stuff my costume into my (quite small!) bag and head to the park. Not once was I asked to take the clothes out of the bag so they could see what was underneath them.

Interestingly, backstage isn't much better. Most days on entering MGM through the cast entrance, the chap didn't even bother to look inside my bag (I always held it open as I went through as he occasionally glanced into it), and they often completely ignored the huge sack of costumes I was carrying in the other hand to take back to costuming. Epcot's backstage security is slightly better. If you're carrying a bag from one of teh shops, they always did tend to check the reciepts and contents of that.. With backpacks, they didn't seem as bothered, though. The Magic Kingdom backstage people had a quick glance into the bag, but nothing too thourough, though. Never went backstage at DAK, so can't comment on that. Interestingly, some of the backstage security people didn't seem too bothered about looking at your ID card at times...

End of rant.

Post by **subsonic** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 11:46 am

Well, I am going to take the time to mail them. Most likely to get a generic response. Though, I worry that if I mention that one could easially bring something in they might put a flag on my name. Think that might happen?

Post by **spaulo** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 12:38 pm

subsonic wrote:Well, I am going to take the time to mail them. Most likely to get a generic response. Though, I worry that if I mention that one could easially bring something in they might put a flag on my name. Think that might happen?

It might. If you're concerned but still want to send them your thoughts, don't put a return address on the envelope... won't get a response, of course.

Post by **rdeacon** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 2:38 pm

spaulo wrote:
subsonic wrote:Well, I am going to take the time to mail them. Most likely to get a generic response. Though, I worry that if I mention that one could easially bring something in they might put a flag on my name. Think that might happen?
It might. If you're concerned but still want to send them your thoughts, don't put a return address on the envelope... won't get a response, of course.

Or they think you are a terrorist and will arrest you on the spot next trip!

Rich

jbvenn · Post by **jbvenn** » Jan Thu 25, 2007 12:04 am

subsonic wrote:Also, this method wasn't in for decades without signifigant problem.

I became terribly annoyed when I first arrived at WDW. I remember the entrance to Magic Kingdom being so open and inviting. Now the view is obscured by these stupid booths. And on busy days it can take a long time to get through.

I'm with Sub on this. The whole bag checks thing does nothing to improve security (except for giving some people a false sense of it) and totally destroys the happy feeling you should be experiencing at the entrance. Here you are, entering "the happiest place on earth," only to get stopped by some grumpy person in a uniform who treats you like a common criminal. Zippity-do-dah!

As others have said, anyone who really wanted to do some damage could easily get around the security checks. All it does is inconvenience the innocent.

Post by **spaulo** » Jan Thu 25, 2007 11:38 am

Goofyman wrote:we should applaud Disney for trying to look out for our safety. It is a inconcvenience but one that is well worth it.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but this attitude really bothers me. How do we know it is "well worth it?" Is there any evidence that a Disney bag check has ever stopped anything bad from happening?

And please remember, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence...