Security Lines in the Parks

[DrummerBoy523]

I understand it quite different getting into the Parks since 2016. Are there still 2 different lines getting into each park? How has the procedure changed? Thank you.

It is 1000% better and easier. We are here now. We have a backpack and have never waited and haven’t been detained. It is very efficient.

 

[tobikaye]

I gave up on even holding out items and just let them direct to check my bag when with my sister. I carry to many medical items to pull out and hold in front of me. I do try to pick a line without a lot of people in front so when directed to be checked, it only takes a couple minutes.

So far, over 2 trips, I have rarely had this check take more than 2 minutes additional time, usually less than that.

 

[SueM in MN]

I gave up on even holding out items and just let them direct to check my bag when with my sister. I carry to many medical items to pull out and hold in front of me. I do try to pick a line without a lot of people in front so when directed to be checked, it only takes a couple minutes.

So far, over 2 trips, I have rarely had this check take more than 2 minutes additional time, usually less than that.

One thing that’s helpful - if the scanner does alert, they usually have some idea of where in your bag the item that caused the alert is

 

[mrs moon]

Having just got back ,we were very dismayed at all the bag check park entrances! Previous trips ,when ALL bags were checked were actually quicker and better! Now it seems if chosen you join a new queue missing your 30 mins of extra magic hours and standing spread legged where your frisked & looking ridiculous and every item taking out of your bag ..its more like a prison search! I found the guards mocking too. Has anyone else felt this?

 

[Minnie1222]

This happened to me three consecutive times in my last trip. I switched to a smaller bag and the searching stopped.

 

[mrs moon]

My Granddaughter was pulled for search , we all stood and waited (losing our extra magic hrs) and when it was her turn for search the guard looked at her and said "Nah your good to go and let her and bag through. Wasted time! .it felt like it was a game to them

 

[raidermatt]

Never felt any mocking. And once you figure out what triggers the detectors you can avoid being pulled aside most of the time, and then it is WAY faster than the old way. You just walk on through.

They are doing their job and overall the new system is much more efficient than the old way where every bag was poked through.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Having just got back ,we were very dismayed at all the bag check park entrances! Previous trips ,when ALL bags were checked were actually quicker and better! Now it seems if chosen you join a new queue missing your 30 mins of extra magic hours and standing spread legged where your frisked & looking ridiculous and every item taking out of your bag ..its more like a prison search! I found the guards mocking too. Has anyone else felt this?

We just returned from 8 days in the parks last week and had hoppers and went through secondary check twice in over 20 times through the scanners. Took max of 5 mins one time and other time it was immediate.

Never took anywhere close to the full 30 mins for secondary check nor were the lines ever close to that long anytime I saw others going through them.

I was not mocked not made to feel bad. Security was doing their job to keep the parks safe. I’ll take this for safety every single time.

We quickly learned to carry our umbrella, eyeglass case with metal hinge and stainless steel water bottle in front of us and were never stopped again.

I’m sorry it took you the entire 30 mins to go through secondary check but I would say your experience is extremely rare.

 

[mrs moon]

No there are numerous complaints saying the same! ..One man in line actually got really heated!..I dont complain easily and love all Disney but for me and loads of others i have spoken to this was a real issue this trip!! It didnt take 30 mins to go through second check, but arriving on time for early hours then queuing to go through, then 2 of us being pulled most days (even though we done the glasses case and phone thing) we missed out on that 30 mins bonus..

 

[DeeBee3]

The new process is faster for us. After learning about the sunglasses/eyeglass cases, I hardly ever get pulled. One time I didn't have my bag all the way on and it was hard for them to tell where the issue was. That's why I got pulled.

We even use a stroller so that does take time but only 2 mins or so.

I did have a wait in HS and it seemed they just didn't have enough people checking. There were also a few people ahead that had a LOT of bags being checked. Not sure how they even carried them all.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I’m sorry it took you the entire 30 mins to go through secondary check but I would say your experience is extremely rare.

Totally agree. We enter the parks/DS perhaps 30+ times each year, and we've never experienced that kind of delay getting in. I would also say that people arriving early shouldn't be surprised that there's a security check, and random/designated extra checks do happen. It's part of the process - a process that's for safety reasons and a process that has improved 100-fold with the metal scanning process. Prior to that change, we DID experience the really long waits.

 

[Aimeedyan]

It is not extremely rare to have a long queue for secondary checks, IMO.

The line at AK on Sunday afternoon (3pm) was 25 people deep with ONE CM doing the checking, and he was unloading every single bag. They set up a queue and it was beyond that. I see it often (we are at a park weekly), but it ebbs and flows with staffing and crowds. We have been caught in a 10-15 minute delay on several occasions.

I have also experienced rude CM's at the security check, and there is one that is notorious at Epcot (many, many, many posts about it in the Disney social media world).

Due to the increase in secondary checks here lately, we have really slimmed down what we bring into the park. I will 100% always be in favor of checks, even if we have to go back to individual bag checks, but wish it was better staffed/better trained/more efficient on some days. I have seen and experienced it done very well so I know they are capable

 

[Disneylover99]

No there are numerous complaints saying the same! ..One man in line actually got really heated!..I dont complain easily and love all Disney but for me and loads of others i have spoken to this was a real issue this trip!! It didnt take 30 mins to go through second check, but arriving on time for early hours then queuing to go through, then 2 of us being pulled most days (even though we done the glasses case and phone thing) we missed out on that 30 mins bonus..

Yep. We got pulled over twice a few weeks back to get our bags checked during early morning entry. We had umbrellas out, glass cases, etc….Sometimes you just get pulled over, which I don’t have a problem with, except man, there was only one person working and lots of people with big bulky strollers ahead of me. I waited 20/25 minutes.

I asked Security standing nearbye if I could go to the next checkpoint a little further up because there was literally no guests there and 2 people working. I was told no.

So, the same thing happened to my husband the next day. He was directed to a huge secondary line. He exited security, saw a much shorter secondary line and went through security there.

Now we only enter nearest the shortest secondary security line.

 

[georgina]

My Granddaughter was pulled for search , we all stood and waited (losing our extra magic hrs) and when it was her turn for search the guard looked at her and said "Nah your good to go and let her and bag through. Wasted time! .it felt like it was a game to them

I always held out my umbrella and phone a few weeks ago. Was still sometimes directed to the bag check. One bag checker said I saw your scan and it was fine, no need to check after I waited in a (thankfully short) line there.

 

[slo]

In June I thanked the security officer while he checked my bag and he told me how grateful he was for me saying that, because so many people are crappy towards them. He then proceeded to tell me that last week he found a gun in someone’s bag.

No one likes to get stopped, but one of the reasons I return to WDW, and pay their prices, is because I feel safe there, and that’s very important to me.

 

[HopperFan]

Having just got back ,we were very dismayed at all the bag check park entrances! Previous trips ,when ALL bags were checked were actually quicker and better! Now it seems if chosen you join a new queue missing your 30 mins of extra magic hours and standing spread legged where your frisked & looking ridiculous and every item taking out of your bag ..its more like a prison search! I found the guards mocking too. Has anyone else felt this?

No there are numerous complaints saying the same! ..One man in line actually got really heated!..I dont complain easily and love all Disney but for me and loads of others i have spoken to this was a real issue this trip!! It didnt take 30 mins to go through second check, but arriving on time for early hours then queuing to go through, then 2 of us being pulled most days (even though we done the glasses case and phone thing) we missed out on that 30 mins bonus..

NOPE.

Three different weeks this year, all parks, multiple parks so multiple checks per day. Had no issues. I think I got pulled a couple times and it was because I forgot to pull out a few key items (glasses case or battery charger). They quickly looked at my bag and sent me on my way.

Most of the people I saw pulled over had strollers packed to the brim or folks with huge packed backpacks. In those cases it's not surprising. Smaller backpacks (like mine) were likely due to leaving objects inside that I should have pulled out.

I like the current security SO MUCH BETTER than the old way. It is faster and more efficient and I feel safer. I have never had anyone be rude or inconsiderate. Although I am sure there will be one off here and there. But there are also plenty of guests rude to them. I've even seen them argue with them about trying to get through the stroller line when security tells them no.

When we were using extra morning hours we made sure to arrive early with plenty of time to clear the bigger morning lines through security and gates.

No one likes to get stopped, but one of the reasons I return to WDW, and pay their prices, is because I feel safe there, and that’s very important to me.

There are lots of places I avoid now but Disney feels about as safe as we can get. I'd rather go to a concert or sporting event where there is screening, bag checks and clear bag rules than go to the mall.

 

[raidermatt]

It is not extremely rare to have a long queue for secondary checks, IMO.

The line at AK on Sunday afternoon (3pm) was 25 people deep with ONE CM doing the checking, and he was unloading every single bag. They set up a queue and it was beyond that. I see it often (we are at a park weekly), but it ebbs and flows with staffing and crowds. We have been caught in a 10-15 minute delay on several occasions.

I have also experienced rude CM's at the security check, and there is one that is notorious at Epcot (many, many, many posts about it in the Disney social media world).

Due to the increase in secondary checks here lately, we have really slimmed down what we bring into the park. I will 100% always be in favor of checks, even if we have to go back to individual bag checks, but wish it was better staffed/better trained/more efficient on some days. I have seen and experienced it done very well so I know they are capable

Social media, lol. Anyone thinking complaints on social media are indicative of reality still has no idea how social media works.

It is rare. We've been through these checks dozens upon dozens of times. Never a rude CM. Sure, different people have different demeanors, but rude? Nope. Anything over 5 minutes is rare, and over 10 minutes is extremely rare.

That's not to say Disney always staffs things at what most guests would consider appropriate levels, but the complaints are highly exaggerated. Most people are not good at judging elapsed time. Of course they will claim they checked their phone for the time so they are sure, but I have even seen this turn out to be a flat out lie.

 

[mrs moon]

Social media, lol. Anyone thinking complaints on social media are indicative of reality still has no idea how social media works.

It is rare. We've been through these checks dozens upon dozens of times. Never a rude CM. Sure, different people have different demeanors, but rude? Nope. Anything over 5 minutes is rare, and over 10 minutes is extremely rare.

That's not to say Disney always staffs things at what most guests would consider appropriate levels, but the complaints are highly exaggerated. Most people are not good at judging elapsed time. Of course they will claim they checked their phone for the time so they are sure, but I have even seen this turn out to be a flat out lie.

Why are Disney security guards so stand offish/rude?
I’m actually a security Officer myself (In a Academic environment) I just got back from a visit to Disney world with family. When we were passing through the entrance gates I just remembered seeing the guards just constantly yell and don’t say a word to guests or anything. If I had the same demeanor, I would get reprimanded for sure at my contract.
I remember setting off the mental detector a couple of times and they would just wand me and say “you can go”
There were a couple that appeared genuinely friendly including a Orange County deputy I saw but the rest just seemed miserable.

Seems its not just me then...

 

[imbelle]

The Universal security system (bags go through airport type scanners) is so much better.

 

[HopperFan]

Why are Disney security guards so stand offish/rude?
I’m actually a security Officer myself (In a Academic environment) I just got back from a visit to Disney world with family. When we were passing through the entrance gates I just remembered seeing the guards just constantly yell and don’t say a word to guests or anything. If I had the same demeanor, I would get reprimanded for sure at my contract.
I remember setting off the mental detector a couple of times and they would just wand me and say “you can go”
There were a couple that appeared genuinely friendly including a Orange County deputy I saw but the rest just seemed miserable.

Seems its not just me then...

Their job is to keep a couple hundred thousand people safe every day. They deal with MANY rude and defiant guests constantly. Guests who get upset their bags are being searched (because there is something in there that has triggered the system). Guests don't listen when told to go to a table or stop or keep moving or one at a time. They have to be stern with those wanting to bring their entire party through the stroller line even when clearly told ONE person and the stroller. It has to get very old hours on hours of dealing with guests who simply don't listen, don't follow directions, don't want to comply. They don't have the security job where they stand around and just watch or wait for a call, they are there to stop anything dangerous from entering that gate ongoing for hours.

When yelling happens it is because the GUESTS are not following directions. Rudeness in situations like this are usually in the eyes of the receiver.

That said everyone is going to have an off day, some of them are not people-persons (that isn't their job) and some of them might have just dealt with that all too common awful guest. Honestly I'd rather them be serious about their job, be thorough if there is a question and less worried about making a guest smile or small talk.

If you arrive at opening there are going to be long lines and if the guest didn't allow for that - that is the guests fault. If you are going to take everything but the kitchen sink you will likely get pulled over. If you are going to bring things that trigger the scanners and not remove from your bag early, be prepared to be pulled over. If you are going to not follow directions or be argumentative you will like feel their sternness.

We understand you had a terrible experience, and it probably isn't just you ... am sure there are a few BUT I do think it is a rare happening if guests follow directions.

The Universal security system (bags go through airport type scanners) is so much better.

I disagree. While it was better before the new Disney system, I much prefer Disney now. Unless I trigger a search I don't have to part with my bag, my purse, my phone etc. at Disney. I carry it through without any touching or fear it will get lifted. At Universal I enter my stuff in buckets right next to others. My stuff is often sitting on the other side prime to get lifted before I can get through the metal detectors. We have to get through the area in a chaos of people, at times parted from my things and worrying about getting to them before they disappear which is all too easy there. Their "security" is paying no attention to anything other than the one looking at the scanner screen, and the ones on the other side telling you to keep moving as you try to get your stuff.