I think it has nothing to do with terrorists and they just decided to release all the rules at once.
It is for safety because if an older teen or adult wear a very well made costume the line
gets blurred between guest and CM. In a
well made costume you could walk backstage and no one would question you. Also you could
get little kids to walk all with you with little to no fight because he this is Disney and it is special get to walk a character to and from their spot.
I also imagine with some characters going back to the roaming style ala
Disneyland it is harder to say exactly who is who.
THIS.
I think there was something that came up via Homeland or whatever that made all these parks to quickly put together some security setup. We don't even see stuff delivered to Disney from other companies so adding an independent firm and uniform to the front gates of MK was no doubt due to last minute planning.
As with other big announcements at Disney (GAC to
DAS) they utilize a situation to allow them to bring in to place other rules or enforce the ones they have been ignoring. Been going to Disney World since it opened. There is a huge increase in children wearing Princess gowns to my eyes, and Disney caused that with their product marketing and BBB and M&G. This is good for Disney. But what I've also noticed is more and more teens/adults trying to dress as characters on regular days. Disney has been slack in enforcing the restriction to this activity. Many small children, especially those who don't go often very well could confuse the real and the fake.
And I do believe the backstage issue is a real concern. DD worked there. She had non guests park in CM parking at Epcot and want to get in gate. Obviously they couldn't get in the way it is set up but they were all the way at the CM entry trying to enter. On another occasion she was backstage and an older couple was walking. She stopped them, they were just wandering . She told them it was restricted and escorted them out. Had they been in costume she might not have said anything because it's too big to know everyone.
No teen or adult should be in costume, unless it is a specific costume party, at a place where all employees are in costume, some easy to duplicate. This is not an unreasonable rule or request. But I am hoping they will reconsider for
MNSSHP. I think it would be possible to increase security during those events to prevent anything from being brought in under a costume or a guest from sneaking backstage. We don't wear costumes, just very decorated t-shirts and shorts that I wouldn't wear anywhere else. I would think we still could wear our outfits. If they proceed maybe they just need to have more clear restrictions on what is okay and what is not. Many backstage areas are way too easily accessible.
I'm all for increased security at gates, make everyone go through the detectors and have canine CMs working all gates, every day. If they decide no more liquids can be brought in, I'm okay with that. Sadly this is the world we live in. But as the folks in CA just found out a real threat comes from within. Hoping they are working on this at both ends because with the turnover they have, particularly of part time and CPs, they are more vulnerable.
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