Who qualifies for the no-bag line at security?

[avalon451]

I'm just enjoying your post and responses, OP. Funny observations. So: are you Pack Mule or Responsible Adult?

 

[dawnball]

I'm just enjoying your post and responses, OP. Funny observations. So: are you Pack Mule or Responsible Adult?

Why yes, yes I am!

I asked my teenager that question. She declined to answer.

Really though, it depends on how awake/aware I am in the morning. I spend most of the summer in cargo shorts. With a 2 year old, I have a routine. Right rear pockets is a microfiber towel. Right front pocket is my cell phone. Left front pocket is keys and wallet. Right cargo pocket is a water cup and a kind bar. Left cargo pocket is a baggie of cereal, a cheese stick and an orange or fruit cup. Left rear pocket is for messes to deal with later. That'll get us through a full-day out of the house and I don't have to fiddle with a bag while I hoist the kid up and down every time his legs get tired or he wants to poke at the ground with a stick. So if I remember to load the albatross with all the kid stuff instead of my pockets, I can pretend to be Responsible Adult!

I'm guessing that by day 3, I'll be leaving the stroller at the hotel, letting the toddler backwash into my water bottle between cups of free ice water and paying $2 for oranges. It's debateable if that's responsible, but it will make bag check easier!

 

[twodogs]

Enjoying this post now that I no longer have a toddler! I will say I heard a security guard arguing with a mom about the stroller. She was taking it through the no-bag line since she had no bags in the stroller. The guard said, “if I have to look in it (ie the stroller basket), it’s a “bag””. Grumbling mom went to the bag check line with her stroller. Planet continued to rotate and all was good! That said, even an empty stroller is often a “bag”.

 

[dawnball]

Planet continued to rotate and all was good! That said, even an empty stroller is often a “bag”.

I figure that I'm doing pretty well with trip planning once I'm down to trying to optimize the security lines.

Ok, the reality is that toddler + grandparents swge is such an overwhelming pile of unknowns that I'm focusing on how to get to coffee and the gates. I've decided to call the day a success if no one gets lost before we make it to Baatu.

 

[figment_jii]

I'll probably suggest that the zipper wallets could be replaced by a ziplock baggie with a credit card, room key, photo ID and $20. That makes it waterproof for the rides! No one needs their costco card, insurance cards, or the business card they've been meaning to do something with. They should leave all that at home, or at least in the hotel.

I disagree about the insurance cards. While no one wants to need medical attention while at DLR, sometimes it does happen. So I would keep those with you as a "just in case" something happens. The ziplock baggie idea would work, but with my luck, the bag will tear along the seam about halfway through the day and then I'll end up dropping everything when I go to pull it out!

 

[twodogs]

I figure that I'm doing pretty well with trip planning once I'm down to trying to optimize the security lines.

Ok, the reality is that toddler + grandparents swge is such an overwhelming pile of unknowns that I'm focusing on how to get to coffee and the gates. I've decided to call the day a success if no one gets lost before we make it to Baatu.

I have loved your posts!! You are going to be miles ahead of everyone in planning, and it sounds like you will have a great trip!

 

[DLgal]

It's pretty simple. If you just have on regular clothes with NO accessories that store things besides a BASIC trifold wallet, no bag line.

Everyone else, bag line.

 

[dawnball]

I have loved your posts!! You are going to be miles ahead of everyone in planning, and it sounds like you will have a great trip!

Thanks!

We'll have a great trip, regardless of pretty much everything. There are no rides anyone will be heartbroken to miss, and we have plenty of time to explore.

Faster through security means more time to watch the toddler peer at the sidewalk in fascination!

 

[2 Pinks]

Just wanted to say I enjoyed your commentary! We will be traveling with 2 teenagers and my MIL in September. Our family motto is Smile! Be Flexible! Participate! and I'm sure if I added a toddler to the mix we would be screaming that through gritted teeth to one another.

 

[Lauren in NC]

I bought some small lanyards to hold tickets, ID, insurance card, etc. I've also been told by security that anything with a zipper is a bag - even some large wallets. Our usual modus operandi is to designate one adult as the sherpa and have him/her wait with all the backpacks/strollers/etc while the other adult just has a lanyard plus cellphone and the kids. Not helpful if one of the kids suddenly decides they're dying of thirst/hunger immediately after getting in the park, but still good for helping them wait in one less line!

 

[stagemomto3]

I disagree about the insurance cards. While no one wants to need medical attention while at DLR, sometimes it does happen. So I would keep those with you as a "just in case" something happens. The ziplock baggie idea would work, but with my luck, the bag will tear along the seam about halfway through the day and then I'll end up dropping everything when I go to pull it out!

A picture of your health insurance card is generally all you need. Hospitals and clinics always call to verify coverage anyway. We've been to the ER several times with our kids, and only a cell phone pic of the card (or no card at all, just the name of the insurance company), and they have been able to figure out our coverage.

 

[DLgal]

Just to add, if anyone DOES have zipper wallets inside a bag, you will be asked 9 times out of 10 to unzip it so they can look inside.

I have a purse with 5 zippered compartments and a zippered wallet. I probably need a new purse...

 

[figment_jii]

A picture of your health insurance card is generally all you need. Hospitals and clinics always call to verify coverage anyway. We've been to the ER several times with our kids, and only a cell phone pic of the card (or no card at all, just the name of the insurance company), and they have been able to figure out our coverage.

I'm old school in that way; I prefer to have the physical card because I've had my phone freeze up at the most inconvenient times. With my luck, that would happen (or it would be out of battery) when I needed the photo of the card. Given that the insurance card is the size of a credit card, but not as thick, I'd rather just carry it and be safe than sorry.

 

[Arendelle Ice Queen]

I'd say your list is pretty spot on.

 

[dawnball]

I disagree about the insurance cards. While no one wants to need medical attention while at DLR, sometimes it does happen. So I would keep those with you as a "just in case" something happens.

Everyone has a different comfort level. If it's a big enough emergency that I can't go back to my room to get my insurance card - they'll treat me anyway. If it's more minor, I can wait the 30 minutes it would take someone to go back to the hotel, retrieve the card and catch an Uber to meet new at urgent Care.

In this case, I'm traveling with enough adults/quasi-adults that I'm good with that situation. If it was just me and the toddler, if be more likely to want to have the physical card with me.

 

[dawnball]

Just to add, if anyone DOES have zipper wallets inside a bag, you will be asked 9 times out of 10 to unzip it so they can look inside.

I have a purse with 5 zippered compartments and a zippered wallet. I probably need a new purse...

We naturally gravitate towards park bags with fewer compartments, fortunately. I only accept bags that are pre-unzipped, though I'll zip them post-security as a courtesy.

 

[Malcon10t]

I disagree about the insurance cards. While no one wants to need medical attention while at DLR, sometimes it does happen. So I would keep those with you as a "just in case" something happens. The ziplock baggie idea would work, but with my luck, the bag will tear along the seam about halfway through the day and then I'll end up dropping everything when I go to pull it out!

I too just have the health insurance card as an app on my phone. Makes it that much easier.

And remember, closed eye glass cases need to be opened.... While my daughter is unzipping everything, she also opens her glass case...

 

[cmwade77]

Stroller-pusher - stroller has a basket, but it would be empty. So would the stroller, by my guess. (Bag-line)

Grandpa - carries a credit-card sized zipper wallet and a cell phone in his pockets. Probably carrying a bottle of water. (no bags!)

Grandma - has a zipper case for her cell phone. It fits fully in her pocket, but is probably 3"x5". (I think that counts as a bag, and they're going to be cranky at the metal detector).

Teenager #1 - cell phone and wallet (credit card sized) in her pockets, plus some non-feromagenetic misc that she's hoping not to have to empty out of her cargo pockets in front of a crowd. (No bags!)

Teenager #2 - will drop her bag with the bags-line people, carry her cell phone and head phones in her hand/on her head. (No bags!)

Responsible adult - snap-closed neck pouch (credit card sized) that isn't ferromagnetic, and cell phone. Has a knee brace, which is bulky but not magnetic (No bags!)

Pack Mule - carries toddler in a soft-sided kid carrier that has no pockets. Cargo pockets with misc kid-snacks. Nothing that would set off the metal detectors except a cell phone and the kid poking the frame as you go through. The toddler is probably clinging to a stuffed animal (or has shoved it in beside himself) and is alternately gesticulating with a water cup and turning it upside down to see how much water comes out. (I'm guessing no bags, but toddler on your back is probably the hardest to hand off.)

Here are the answers:

• Stroller-pusher - Stroller Line when in use, not no bag line. When no Stroller Line is in use, they may or may not be allowed to use the no bag line, up to security at that time.
• Grandpa - No Bag line
• Grandma - No Bag Line (My wife had a "camera case" that she uses as a wallet that is about 3" x 5" and she goes through the no bag line just fine as long as it is in her pocket when approaching security, sometimes they open it, sometimes they don't, but they have never told her she can't use the no bag line unless she already had removed it from her pocket before approaching security.)
• Teenager #1 - No Bag line
• Teenager #2 - No Bag line
• Responsible Adult - 50/50 chance they will be sent to the bag line as the pouch is around their neck, the exception is if the pouch is completely clear. Knee brace has nothing to do with it one way or the other
• Pack Mule - If they have a stroller and there is a stroller line, they will need to go through the stroller line, other wise they will have to avoid the no bag line, but overall, I would avoid the pack mule, it slows down the line for everyone, as every single zipper on every bag, every wallet, every jacket, every everything has to be unzipped/unsnapped. Also, the toddler will have to be removed from the kid carrier and go through on their own or in a stroller, two people can't go through the metal detectors at the same time and they will make you take the kid carrier off to be inspected to ensure there are indeed no pockets. And you have about a 60% chance of them asking that all pockets be turned inside out on those cargo pants.

It should also be noted that it doesn't matter if anything is magnetic or metallic or not, that doesn't affect if you can use the no bag line or not.

The bottom line is if in doubt, just follow instructions from security and then if someone questions it, say they told me to.

 

[goofygal531]

I was asked to place my small zippered wallet in the bin when I went thru the metal detector in the “no bags line” at DHS on opening day for SE:GE. They never asked me to open it.

I arrived holding an insulated water bottle, battery charger and my cell phone in my hands (which all went into the bin). I had a lipstick in one pocket and a folded up reusable bag sticking out of my back pocket - which I didn’t have to remove.

Our next trip is over Christmas break and my son is insisting I go bagless. Epcot’s security lines have been horrendous this summer I can only imagine how bad they will be during the busiest week.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I was asked to place my small zippered wallet in the bin when I went thru the metal detector in the “no bags line” at DHS on opening day for SE:GE. They never asked me to open it.

I arrived holding an insulated water bottle, battery charger and my cell phone in my hands (which all went into the bin). I had a lipstick in one pocket and a folded up reusable bag sticking out of my back pocket - which I didn’t have to remove.

Our next trip is over Christmas break and my son is insisting I go bagless. Epcot’s security lines have been horrendous this summer I can only imagine how bad they will be during the busiest week.

This is the DLR board, but it is always a good idea to be "as bagless as possible" when going through a no bag line at a Disney park.