Nice post about bag checks (I hate these)

[subsonic]

Here's a nice post about Bag Checks at the parks over at Future Probe.

http://bit.ly/i4THnQ

[Future Guy]

Thanks for the free publicity!

[subsonic]

Yep, I give credit where I believe credit is due.

[elizabethswann]

Bag checks seem pointless nowadays. Most of the time I don't bring a bag because honestly, all I'd bring in it would be my beanie, my camera, my iPod, a book to read and that's about it.

[subsonic]

Why would you need a book?

I don't like bringing a bag in anyways. But I need to when I have my son.

[Amy]

I would have to agree about the bag check points covered by Future Guy ~ definitely a peace of mind placation instead of a real security check point.
I brought a mesh backpack on this past trip for those "security" checks. One guard was happy with looking through the mesh, the rest of the trip I had to unzip 2 out of the 3 zippers. Only once did they look in my camera bag. Generally they gave it a shake and seemed satisfied. I would be more likely to believe in the security of these checks if there was some sort of continuity for them, but obviously the guards each have their own perception of how the check should be done.

[MoonPet]

That post is really well written and reflects exactly how I feel. Thanks for sharing the post!

[Len90]

I have the same feelings about the bag checks. However, I think it could serve a purpose is monitoring and tracking who is coming into the parks. The bag check, to me, is a joke and I always avoid carrying a bag in unless I am taking in the 30D. That usually only occurs at AK as I have resorted to using the point and shoot for everything else. Keep in mind that Disney has one of the most complete systems of security cameras I know of. There are thousands of cameras in each park and multiple plain clothes security guards and OCSO deputies in the parks at all times. I honestly feel the bag check is purposely meant to just slow people down while entering the park so the eyes above can get a better look at each guest entering the park.

Other than that, a VERY well written post and I enjoyed reading it.

[Wizzard419]

Indeed, the same sentiments (same with airport increases) I had from the moment they were put in place, they simply don't do what they are claiming to do. If you can fit it in your pocket, or under a shirt, or pretty much not in a bag (so guns, knives, small stuff, etc.) then they will never catch it. One surprising thing I've heard at other local parks (haven't gone in ages so I cannot verify this) is that Six Flags and Knott's both utilize metal detectors (walk through or wands) as well as other parks across the US. Disneyland, for some weird reason, seems to not have the same issues that the other places have (Knotts is very close by) such as people getting shot.

On the plus side (at least last time I went to WDW) their lines are non existant as opposed to DLR where the mornings can take a while to get through.

[Amy]

I have the same feelings about the bag checks. However, I think it could serve a purpose is monitoring and tracking who is coming into the parks. The bag check, to me, is a joke and I always avoid carrying a bag in unless I am taking in the 30D. That usually only occurs at AK as I have resorted to using the point and shoot for everything else. Keep in mind that Disney has one of the most complete systems of security cameras I know of. There are thousands of cameras in each park and multiple plain clothes security guards and OCSO deputies in the parks at all times. I honestly feel the bag check is purposely meant to just slow people down while entering the park so the eyes above can get a better look at each guest entering the park.

Other than that, a VERY well written post and I enjoyed reading it.

I agree with you Len. I know that security in the parks is quite good through cameras and plain clothes security guards ~ that makes me tolerate the farce of the bag checks at the entrance. Good point on maybe slowing the flow of people in so they can be monitored as they enter...

[Future Guy]

I have the same feelings about the bag checks. However, I think it could serve a purpose is monitoring and tracking who is coming into the parks. . . . I honestly feel the bag check is purposely meant to just slow people down while entering the park so the eyes above can get a better look at each guest entering the park. .

If that's really one of the reasons they do the bag checks, then their logic is fatally flawed. Why? Because WDW's pre-9/11 security procedures were geared toward the prevention of regular crime-theft, assault, kidnapping, drugs, etc., and they're pretty effective at keeping that stuff at a negligible level. The bag checks were not instituted because WDW's regular security procedures had failed somehow. They were instituted as a direct response to the threat of terrorism. But if you're really serious about preventing a terrorist attack, then creating an artificial bottleneck is one of the last things you want to do because it gives a potential terrorist an opportunity to set off his bomb or release his biological agent. Sure, it may give your security people a chance to do some behavioral profiling, but the airport security procedures in Israel manage to do that without creating unnecessary bottlenecks.

The truth is that if a real Al-Qaeda-trained terrorist really managed to get into the country and make it all the way to WDW, despite all the law-enforcement mechanisms designed to prevent such a thing, then nothing could prevent him from actually carrying out an attack, and a lot of people would be injured or killed. Fortunately, it's estimated that there are only about 500 people in Al-Qaeda, all of whom are in the Middle East or Southern Asia. So the probability of a terrorist attack at WDW is so small that it's not worth losing any sleep over.

[subsonic]

Hear! Hear! Future Guy!

Really, I wish Disney listened to it's customers more. I'll bet they could be removed and nobody would complain.

[Future Guy]

Hear! Hear! Future Guy!

Really, I wish Disney listened to it's customers more. I'll bet they could be removed and nobody would complain.

I'm sure it would attract some media attention, though. And then Disney would be put in the situation of having to talk about their real security procedures in order to assure people that the parks are safe, something I'm sure they'd rather not do. And it's not too hard to imagine a pretend journalist like Jane Velez-Mitchell or the nitwits at Fox & Friends making a big deal out of it and accusing Disney of surrendering to terrorists or some nonsense like that.

[northernmousefan2007]

Is there a published list of things not allowed in the parks? I had a utility knife in my backpack once and nothing was said about it in the bag check.

[Wizzard419]

Hear! Hear! Future Guy!

Really, I wish Disney listened to it's customers more. I'll bet they could be removed and nobody would complain.

I have a feeling it listened to it's customers when they put them in. The masses weren't thinking and were just scared and would take any false sense of security they could find.

As for banned item's I'm guessing guns and razor scooters since there haven't been any open carry people at disneyland and they turned away a family who let their daughter bring her razor scooter with.