What do I propose? I propose that the entire Disney Bubble be sealed up. You get searched once when you enter the bubble, that's it. If you leave the bubble, you get searched again. Otherwise you are cleared. The last I heard, people in the monorail resorts have to be searched twice to get into Epcot. Ugh.
I really don't see how cars and bus-loads of people being stopped at the entrances to property and undergoing searches there would be any
less annoying. Having gone through security checkpoints (to enter a military base) where my car had to be searched, I can tell you that it takes for-ev-er.
Not entirely sure about going from monorail resorts to Epcot, but I think they may have addressed that issue because when I went from Epcot to MK by monorail I did not have to go through security between the parks - having gone through security for Epcot, apparently the monorail stations were included in the security bubble between the two parks. Got to the TTC, got on the ferry, walked straight up to MK, no security stops.
Personally I think the only thing that they are securing is that entrance. Someone who really wants inside will just find another way. And on the other hand I feel like creating this bottle neck is only creating an additional soft target with a bunch of people all focused on getting where they want to go and crammed into a concentrated space. I mean why bother even trying to get inside when Disney has conveniently bunched all of these guests together for you?
I feel like the bag checks really only serve to enforce rules for guests. Glass bottles, selfie sticks, pocket knives, things guest forgot they had or didn’t know they couldn’t bring in. And even then not very well. One day they will barely squish my backpack and peek on top, the next the guy wants me to open everything, even a see through bag of diapers and my small leather Dooney and Burke credit card wallet- that is barely big enough to fit credit cards. Because what on earth could I be holding in there, and does that seriously fit any profile for someone who wants to do harm?
That's why Disney has been de-centralizing the security checkpoints, particularly around the Magic Kingdom. By putting checkpoints at the entrances of the transportation to the parks (monorail, boats, etc.) they avoid having a large, pre-security crowd in front of the park. Same thing at
Disneyland; you go through security when you leave the parking garage, before getting on the tram. The setup for some of the other WDW parks makes it difficult to spread security out like that, but the bottleneck
is something that's been addressed by changes in security procedures over the last few years.
Its mostly for piece of mind. People feel better that they exist. Yes, there is a small degree of deterrent but I doubt to a meaningful amount. Its weird to me how somehow people view Disney as some sort of target for The Boogeymen Du Jour, yet I cant think of any sort of planned violence that has occurred at any theme park anywhere in the world, which invariably have different levels of security.
With the increased security at Disney, its almost certain that prior to them people from all over the world brought prohibited items, even guns and knives, onto the property, enjoyed their day and left without incident. I dont say this as an argument against security checks, but we should at least acknowledge them for what they are, more comfort than reality.
And before the shooting in Aurora, I couldn't think of any planned violence that happened in a movie theater. This is the reality in which we live, and in the absence of society-wide changes to address it, companies like Disney are going to do what they can do to mitigate the risk themselves because they don't want to be the site of the next mass shooting.