Security Checks

[csace7]

Hello,
I was looking at reviews for the Walt Disney World Resorts on Trip Advisor and a lot of the one star reviews of the value resorts mention a mandatory security check? It says that resort employees can enter your room whenever. I am ok with this but do they do that for all the resorts or just the value ones? Part of my party is going to stay at one resort and another party is going to stay at another. So if both parties want to meet up in my room and have dinner together, are they going to say anything?

 

[nw6675]

This came after the industry changes resulting from the Vegas Mandalay Bay massacre. They aren't looking for extra people.

 

[Dug720]

This came after the industry changes resulting from the Vegas Mandalay Bay massacre. They aren't looking for extra people.

They do look for signs of human trafficking as well, but people hanging out and meeting up for meals shouldn't be a problem.

My personal guess after that woman was caught yesterday trying to smuggle her handgun into MK is these may step up a bit more. (And/or bag check going into parks will come back into play.)

 

[csace7]

This came after the industry changes resulting from the Vegas Mandalay Bay massacre. They aren't looking for extra people.

Wow ok. Because I have stayed in Vegas plenty of times since then and they have never came into the room like that.

 

[nw6675]

Wow ok. Because I have stayed in Vegas plenty of times since then and they have never came into the room like that.

Same, but they can and some do.

 

[nw6675]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/las-vegas-shooting-hotels-revise-room-security-measures/

References WDW changes, too. They were some of the first to change.

 

[Best Aunt]

OP, they do this at all Disney hotels, not just the value hotels.

 

[Dug720]

Wow ok. Because I have stayed in Vegas plenty of times since then and they have never came into the room like that.

Unless you're in the room 24/7 you don't have a way to know that they have not been in.

Generally - in pre-COVID times - if you kept housekeeping, their daily time in your room would generally suffice as the security check.

 

[csace7]

Unless you're in the room 24/7 you don't have a way to know that they have not been in.

Generally - in pre-COVID times - if you kept housekeeping, their daily time in your room would generally suffice as the security check.

According to the reviews on trip advisor, they can come in the middle of the night, in the early morning, while you are in the bathroom...

 

[Dug720]

According to the reviews on trip advisor, they can come in the middle of the night, in the early morning, while you are in the bathroom...

I have never heard the middle of the night, but honestly how do you expect them to know when you're in the bathroom?? If you're in the room, put the extra latch on. But yes, the hotel company owns the hotel and can take whatever steps needed to ensure security. ANY hotel can do it - and most do. Disney is just more transparent that it is happening.

But my point remains, unless you were in the room 24/7 they could have come at a time you were not there and you would never know. It's not like the airlines where they put a special tag on/in the bag when it is checked.

 

[Polydweller]

According to the reviews on trip advisor, they can come in the middle of the night, in the early morning, while you are in the bathroom...

Hotelier here. Hotels everywhere have been doing room checks and it’s primarily due to human trafficking. They will not forewarn because that’s just the warning needed for someone to avoid the purpose of the security check. If there is reason to suspect then yes it could be anytime but otherwise there has been training on what to look for and possibly inspect with minimal impact, and no I won’t reveal those. But don’t get paranoid about this, as others say for the most part you may not see the effects at all.

 

[Sarahslay]

I have been many times in all level of Disney resort since this began and have never had an issue. If you're napping or what not they will come back, but it's usually in the afternoon. If you don't decline housekeeping then you don't get an additional person coming in, just the person cleaning and they do the check then, but if you decline then someone will come and check during the day when most folks are out of their rooms at the parks (which you can currently decline at any resort on property due to covid, but could previously only do it at the lower level resorts and not deluxe). I've never had an issue, only on my last trip in August could I tell anyone had been in, they kept leaving a bathroom light on and would empty my trash but nothing else was ever out of place and I never saw anyone since they came while I was gone.

 

[csace7]

I have never heard the middle of the night, but honestly how do you expect them to know when you're in the bathroom?? If you're in the room, put the extra latch on. But yes, the hotel company owns the hotel and can take whatever steps needed to ensure security. ANY hotel can do it - and most do. Disney is just more transparent that it is happening.

But my point remains, unless you were in the room 24/7 they could have come at a time you were not there and you would never know. It's not like the airlines where they put a special tag on/in the bag when it is checked.

Oh yeah, but these reviews say at the values, someone was in their room having breakfast and the cast member unlocked the door and came in, introduced themselves, opened the closed bathroom door, and then walked out.

 

[AnnaS]

When I am in the room, I always put the two extra locks. I have forgotten though and sometimes I don't have them on if my DH runs downstairs to get something.
They always knock first.

They come to all the resorts. If you come in and your garbage is empty, you know they came in already. I usually condense it all in one bag/pail and have it ready for them in one place but the kitchenette.

 

[_19disnA]

There are other older threads on this topic, the OP might review. We stayed at the Contemporary last year and no one ever came to our room while we were there. Housekeeping came in daily to make up the room while we were at a park. If security checked our room while we were gone, we have no idea. Experienced travelers ALWAYS latch the door from the inside so no one can simply walk into your room unannounced. That is a wise thing to do even if they weren't doing security checks. Everyone has their own opinion about exactly what they are looking for, but part of 'security' is you don't broadcast what your are looking for or your techniques for obvious reasons.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have been many times in all level of Disney resort since this began and have never had an issue. If you're napping or what not they will come back, but it's usually in the afternoon. If you don't decline housekeeping then you don't get an additional person coming in, just the person cleaning and they do the check then, but if you decline then someone will come and check during the day when most folks are out of their rooms at the parks (which you can currently decline at any resort on property due to covid, but could previously only do it at the lower level resorts and not deluxe). I've never had an issue, only on my last trip in August could I tell anyone had been in, they kept leaving a bathroom light on and would empty my trash but nothing else was ever out of place and I never saw anyone since they came while I was gone.

Pre Covid we have experienced security checks at POFQ, YC and OKW and in my experience they will not always leave & return if you are napping! My dd wasn't feeling well so she was sleeping in one morning and I was doing some work drinking coffee at the table when housekeeping knocked. We had just checked in the night before so no housekeeping yet. She was not leaving without doing her check so I just told my dd to cover up and let her check around. This was mid morning so if it had been a normal day we would have been up and out and not even noticed.

We had similar but not as awkward checks at the other resorts as we were all up and dressed anytime they checked and never at night or super early morning.

Most times it's a non event but I would always advise to use the security locks anytime your in your room - you just never know.

 

[StageTek]

Hello,
I was looking at reviews for the Walt Disney World Resorts on Trip Advisor and a lot of the one star reviews of the value resorts mention a mandatory security check? It says that resort employees can enter your room whenever. I am ok with this but do they do that for all the resorts or just the value ones? Part of my party is going to stay at one resort and another party is going to stay at another. So if both parties want to meet up in my room and have dinner together, are they going to say anything?

No, they are not going to say anything. People are allowed to meet up in the rooms.

Oh yeah, but these reviews say at the values, someone was in their room having breakfast and the cast member unlocked the door and came in, introduced themselves, opened the closed bathroom door, and then walked out.

Keep in mind that people do exaggerate when writing reviews. You say, "these reviews say..." - do you mean several of the reviews mention this; CM unlocking the door, coming in, opening the bathroom door and walking out? Or did one review mention that happening? Did they have the latch on? Did the CM just walk in using the key without announcing themselves? Did this happen to several people leaving reviews?

I've stayed at Disney resorts five times (values two of those times) since they started this policy; never once did a CM use the key and open the door. They always knock and announce themselves. Always. Most of the time they check the room during the day when we are in the parks.

They are not looking for people having dinner together in their room. If you are in the room and A CM knocks you can ask them to return later. As others had said, you can use the latch. If they just unlock the door and try to walk in unannounced that will stop them.

 

[Sarahslay]

Pre Covid we have experienced security checks at POFQ, YC and OKW and in my experience they will not always leave & return if you are napping! My dd wasn't feeling well so she was sleeping in one morning and I was doing some work drinking coffee at the table when housekeeping knocked. We had just checked in the night before so no housekeeping yet. She was not leaving without doing her check so I just told my dd to cover up and let her check around. This was mid morning so if it had been a normal day we would have been up and out and not even noticed.

We had similar but not as awkward checks at the other resorts as we were all up and dressed anytime they checked and never at night or super early morning.

Most times it's a non event but I would always advise to use the security locks anytime your in your room - you just never know.

I've had them done at Movies, GF (3x), WL, Pop (3x), BWI, AKL (2x), and YC (2x); they have never been pushy or anything with me and always accomodating. Of course if I'm in my room I throw that upper lock on (a lot of solo trips or trips alone with my kids, better safe than sorry), and I am usually away at the parks when they do it. If I happen to come back midday for the pool or a nap it's always been fine, so maybe there are just a few checkers who take it waaaaaay too seriously and are far less accomodating. It's one of those "your miles may vary" situations.

 

[Best Aunt]

I also read about more issues early on, when the policy first started. It didn't seem like every cast member was following the same rules.

 

[ctl]

They do look for signs of human trafficking as well, but people hanging out and meeting up for meals shouldn't be a problem.

My personal guess after that woman was caught yesterday trying to smuggle her handgun into MK is these may step up a bit more. (And/or bag check going into parks will come back into play.)

I don't mind unless they fail to wear gloves or a mask and touch stuff in the room. I wouldn't want to catch COVID because an employee was sloppy and failed to follow sanitation COVID safety protocols. Unfortunately I wouldn't know when or if they did enter the room. So I guess I would have to disinfect every surface every time I came back to the room.