Security to enter parks - how extensive is it?

[MinMou]

Yes, another first timer question

Is security like most ball parks, where they ask to look in your bags or is it like the airlines, where they make you empty your pockets and fold up your stroller?

Just trying to avoid big surprises on our first day.

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

They just do a bag check. No emptying of pockets or folding of strollers.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Disney in California has a central plaza. Disneyland is north, California Adventures is south, Downtown Disney (drop off point for parking structure shuttle) is east and the ART Shuttle Transport is west. At the ART transport side and Downtown Disney side are about 5 rows of bag search. You just line up, take off back packs and open all bags. Selfie Sticks are not allowed so if you have one , it will be taken from you at the bag search, labelled and you will be given a ticket to collect it when you leave.

You need to go through bag search to get to the ticket kiosks if you are buying a ticket on the day of your visit

You do not need to go through bag search if you are park hopping, you just walk across the plaza.

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

It's a very quick bag check. Unzip your bag and they peek in. That's it.

 

[SMD]

Last week around lunch time Anaheim PD was there. They asked someone to show them what was in his pocket. I was actually happy to see that, but when I went to DTD a few hours later they were gone. Uniformed security was watching the bag checkers, so they may have also been doing some extra checks. I've been asked to show the pocket of my hoodie and I've seen people asked to unzip jackets when it's colder out. (No one was wearing a jacket last week.) Sometimes CM's will just stick their flashlight in, sometimes they will squeeze the outside or ask you to open all pockets. I've also seen them search piles on the bottoms of strollers. It's usually just a bag check, where you have to actually remove your bag and place it on the table if it's a fanny pack or crossbody, but I have occasionally seen more thorough searches.

 

[Bud Ice]

Usually very brief check.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's mainly to slow people down so, supposedly, the real, always-watching, security can have an overview.

But they do find extendable selfie sticks and hold onto those, glass bottles, etc....

 

[MinMou]

Thank you everyone!

 

[Tyggress]

It actually amazes me that they are not more thorough....sometimes they barely glance in my bag...I could easily have a pocket knife in the bottom, or in my pockets and they would just have no idea. It actually worries me in this day and age that they aren't more discerning. I mean, generally it's families looking to have fun and Disney is a very safe park...they have plain clothes security and cameras everywhere, but still...I worry someday something will get by with devastating results.

 

[agamble]

We've had our stroller checked often, though not always. Usually the fuller it is the more likely they are to ask to look in the bottom.

I've heard they're not really looking for weapons, etc. Obviously if they find something they may take it. Supposedly they're looking for glass bottles and the like.

 

[offwithyourhead]

It's no airport security patdown, that's for sure. They'll just peek in your bag. The only time I actually saw someone stopped was when they were trying to bring in alcohol in a water bottle. So if they see or smell anything suspicious that's the only time you'll ever get held up. If you're ready with all your bag/purse's sections open, you'll get through in less than a minute once you approach the CM.

 

[tkitty]

They asked my son in law if he had anything in his pockets, and he said he had his pocket knife- not thinking it was a problem(on his keyring). They walked him out past the ticket booths and I think he ended up throwing it in the trash. Some things you just don't. Think. About.

 

[grnflash]

We got stuck behind a girl with her son one time, they found mace in her bag. Went through her options - discard or return it to her car (at Toy Story) - and she threw a bona fide FIT. Screaming about everything. What if she gets accosted going to her car? What if someone snatches her kid. Disney has to pay her for the mace. And provide a security officer to escort her to her car. She went nuts - and she would NOT move. Not an inch. Leads were quickly there trying to reason with her, get her to move to the side. She just stood there yelling, swearing and trying to pull up Disney's terms on her phone because she was sure her mace wasn't specifically prohibited - and therefore allowed of course. A security person finally came from behind and wedged in ahead of us and essentially pushed her forward by stepping really, really close to her so she would step forward. She was still yelling when we left. It's the only real scene I've ever seen at Disney.

Another time we were behind 2 guys they coat checked - had them open up their jackets. 5 cans of Coors Lt lol. They just laughed cause they were busted and threw the cans away.

 

[az4boys]

My husband always carries a pocket knife with him. It is small and he's had it forever. I have to remind him that he can't take it into the parks. He thinks it is stupid but I'd rather him leave it in the room than throw it away.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Sometimes you can get stopped for something that really doesn't make sense (e.g. tape?). Usually the more experienced CMs know what to look for and are very efficient and quick.

 

[disneyfirsttimer18]

When we were there, we had security barely peek in our bag at times, and we had security throroughly check, even asking if our little first aid kit contained scissors.

 

[tlovesdis]

I was there two weeks ago and I felt security was looking more and taking longer! They made me take my cross body off, and unzip each zipper, then when they looked in my cooler bag, they lifted up the stuff on top to see what was underneath. The lady next to me had a ton of stuff in her stroller and she had to take every thing off the stroller and open it up on the table. The lines were long and it was a slow process. One morning we used the GCH entrance and it was the same thing, they really took a good look at everything.

 

[SeattleSuz]

So, metal water bottles are ok? They can be filled with water, right?

 

[agamble]

So, metal water bottles are ok? They can be filled with water, right?

Yes, you can bring water into the park. They won't even stop you from brining in juice boxes, etc. But NO glass.

 

[SeattleSuz]

Yes, you can bring water into the park. They won't even stop you from brining in juice boxes, etc. But NO glass.

And homemade protein bars are also ok, correct?