Bag Search at the parks

[PixieBelle]

Do they search your bag/backpack at all the parks? Does it take longer to get in when they do that?

If so, what should I not take in my backpack so it wont take so long to get searched?

 

[wbk]

Leave sharp instruments like scissors and knives in your room. Oterhwise, take what you need to be comfortable at the parks. So what if they search your back pack? It doesn't take that long and you won't miss anything.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Doesn't really take all that long. Just have your bag open. Couple of seconds and your done

 

[jdads2]

We were there in late October. They probably have become much more efficient at checking bags since then. That is not to say that they were slow, they weren't. For our family of 5, kids 10, 7, and 4 it ussually took less than 1 minute for our bags to be searched, never longer than 2...that would be 5 fanny packs. The security folks that do the searching are especially friendly to boot.

 

[PixieBelle]

I just didnt want to carry alot of useless items. I didnt wanna hold the whole line up with my mess!

 

[WDWfanatic288]

just there....takes NO time at all!


just have your bag open...you'll be done in about 30 seconds.

 

[jmminarik]

Howdy,

We visited Busch Gardens, Seaworld, MK and Epcot in our last trip. All had similar arrangements whereby they looked into your back, poked around with a stick if they actually touched anything, and requested you to move things if they didn't.

One troubling thing for me was when we park hopped from MK to Epcot. We carried our souvenier bag with us, in which was a boxed picture frame. No request to open the box or verify we didn't have anything 'illegal' in the box. The box was more than big enough to carry almost any pistol or incendiary device.

Makes me wonder what security I did miss, or if the bag-check security is mainly for show to placate a nervous traveling public.

Hope this helps,
Joe

 

[smjj]

Now this is my opinion so be gentle with me:
I do not feel it is necessary to be search at the parks. To me we are turning into a nation of paranoid people who see a boogie man behind every tree. The one place I go to excape the rat race is WDW. I do believe in security and understand checks at airports and the like but I think some places go overboard and to an excess at time. I mean using the excuse " these are tough times and you never can tell" can justify just about anything security folks want to do and how do you argue with that. I refuse to let the bad guys win and I want to go ahead and live my life as before!! This is just my humble opinion so be careful with the flaming I have seen others get on these boards for voicing theirs..smjj

 

[jdads2]

smjj, I see your point. The security check at the parks, from what I have seen in person, is there just to put most people at ease, to help them feel safe. Are these checks helpful to ward off some pycho who wants to bring firearms or other weapons into the parks? No way. Unless they put in metal detectors and start patting people down and that would be just a start, WDW is really no safer now than prior to Sept 11. But, who wants that? Can you imagine getting to the happiest place on earth and being patted down to enter?

In my best, and still very bad, 'Mickey voice': "Hi boys and girls!!! Assume the position!"

Even if they were to increase security at the gates what about the rest of the park and resorts and transportation?

I'm taking the "Happy" out of the "Happiest Place On Earth". I wonder if I can spend some quality family vacation time at Attica?

 

[PixieBelle]

smjj, no one is gonna flame you , certainly not me, cause I do agree with you to an extent. I hate the think the way we live is changing, especially at WDW. Such a shame.

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

I was hopin to "sneak" a small colapsable cooler in with a pop, fruit, etc for a cheeper meal. I know you aren't really supposed to take your food in with you. Was there any trouble with this idea, or was it just a terrorist search?

 

[jenpooh]

We were there in October, and again right after Christmas and as far as I can tell, the bag "search" is essentially just for show, to make people feel more secure. I went in with both a fanny pack and a backpack and other than unzipping it, was never asked once to move anything, or show what was on the bottom.

While I understand, or at least think I do, WHY Disney is doing these security checks, I think their time and manpower would be better spent doing crowd control in the parks. Just my humble opinion...

 

[RHarnish]

We were just at WDW over the New Year Holiday, and didn't experience a long delay with the bag check. They have a number of tables set out so that you can open things easily, have your bag checked out and move thru to another table to get organized again. Watch the lines tho...most people went directly to the right side, and the lines at the tables to the left were much shorter. We were able to take in drinks and snacks with no problem. They gave a quick look under my daughter's stroller, but we didn't have to take anything out.

 

[poohraedopey]

After the airport searches I think the parks search will be a breeze LOL! I can see a point to it though I do feel slightly violated in searches.....

Guess that magic will start once we step passed the checkpoint!

 

[MichaelH]

If you need a backpack go ahead and take it in with you. Just have it open and ready to be searched when you get in the line to get in the park. I would suggest limiting the number of backpacks. If you can get by with just one then just take one. Fanny packs are not a problem they just take a quick glance in those.

When we where there in October, people would just be in line with several backpacks and bags. Then when they would get to the front they would have to open all there bags. This made the lines to get in quite long.