New Security Procedures

[planningjollyholiday]

I’ve never been asked to open my bottle and I sure as heck won’t let them do it. Don’t need their dirty hands where my mouth will be. Why would they need to look in there any way? I bring all kinds of beverages in all the time it’s within policy to allow us to…

I would think they are checking for alcohol

 

[LKing]

I’ve been asked before once or twice to open my reusable aluminum bottle or what’s in it. They are just checking for concealed alcohol.

On that note, I wonder if they are cracking down because of grad nights. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, we heard an announcement on the tram clarifying that there was no smoking or vaping in either park, in the promenade between parks or in DTD.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I would think they are checking for alcohol

Baffling that anyone would try to smuggle in alcohol when you can get a Karl Strauss Hazy IPA at the Blue Bayou for the bargain price of $14.25.

 

[Czardas]

Was he an employee? Could the bag have been sealed, like maybe zip tied or something?

Normally, someone with luggage would need to exit out of the front of the hotel. The list of prohibited items includes the following, so maybe there was an approved reason to bring it into DTD.

• Suitcases, backpacks or similar bags with wheels
• Suitcases, backpacks or similar bags larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (61 cm x 38 cm x 46 cm)

We often eat at Hearthstone Lounge and bring leftovers home. Security always asks us to open our take out containers.

No definitely not an employee. The owner of the suitcase stated to security that he’d just purchased it inside GCH and it had a plastic shopping bag tied to the handle. Nothing else like cable ties etc. The security guard didn’t even lift the bag to check weight etc, just waved them through.

 

[Wesley815]

I would think they are checking for alcohol

Water bottles are so big now any number of things or weapons could easily fit inside.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Once again just get scanners like everyone else

No idea why in 2024 anyone needs to go through people things...you let them scan and if there is an issue you ask if you can touch people items

 

[Bruno33]

No definitely not an employee. The owner of the suitcase stated to security that he’d just purchased it inside GCH and it had a plastic shopping bag tied to the handle. Nothing else like cable ties etc. The security guard didn’t even lift the bag to check weight etc, just waved them through.

We had a friend buy a suitcase at the DLH and a CM informed security they’d be coming in with it. Could be that.

 

[bookgirl]

I went through security twice today. Once at dtd, which was the old style without the plexi glass but the guard was slowly going through each pocket of each persons bags. The 2nd time was at the structure with the new plexiglass. They now check your bag at the plexi glass which is next to the metal detector and same thing it was super slow going through each pocket.

I wish that the security guard union would get off of what ever high horse they continue to sit on with the WDW style screeners. Almost every other venue around town with security uses that type of system now.

Security is the one thing that really drives me nuts at Disney. I think WDW does it better, especially now that they have the newer machines, but it seems like even with less guests DLR has always taken so much longer.

Although I stayed at the Swan on my last trip to WDW and if you went to Disney Springs from there you got the super slow go through every pocket inspection but if I went next door to the Yacht Club and took their bus to DS, there was no bag check at all (there was a super cute security dog that sniffed around though). Like what was up with that?

I'm not sure if the blame is on Disney as a company or the Security's Union but overall it's the inconsistency, both with what level of security you'll meet and with the fact that the same gate can have wildly different speeds depending on the day/time/alignment of the planets, that annoys me and that seems to be across all of the parks and resorts.

 

[ClaraOswald]

How have the lines been when heading to the parks via the Grand Californian? We'll be there in a few weeks. Hoping it isn't too awful.

I wish everyone would just unzip their bags ahead of time to speed the process up a bit. That's what we do.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

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[CoachBeard]

Just got thru security it took about 8 min at 1:15ish

 

[soniam]

I had a real jerky guy at DLR once. He insisted that I remove every single item out of my purse and put it on the table. Then he started drilling me over the contents, like a blister pac of gas-x. Asking what it was for and why I had gas I told him flat out it was the food in the park. Then he started asking about my ball point pen and sanitary napkins. In the process of him dumping my purse contents on the table, my wedding ring got left behind. The guy didn’t give me time to ensure that I had all of my stuff and yelled at me to get out of the way. My husband went back for the ring, and the guy claimed he didn’t have it when he had clearly just moved while my husband was asking him. It’s a unique ring and my husband could identify everything about it, including the inscription. He refused to give it to him, but my husband took it and said fine call the police. Made the morning really miserable at first. I don’t know why they can’t be civil. I hadn’t even said a word to him before he started getting really rude.

 

[OlliePop27]

Just got thru security it took about 8 min at 1:15ish

Thanks so much for reporting this with pics and from Harbor! I haven't done Harbor security since 2021 and things were a lot different then right after reopening.

 

[DizMe]

I had a real jerky guy at DLR once. He insisted that I remove every single item out of my purse and put it on the table. Then he started drilling me over the contents, like a blister pac of gas-x. Asking what it was for and why I had gas I told him flat out it was the food in the park. Then he started asking about my ball point pen and sanitary napkins. In the process of him dumping my purse contents on the table, my wedding ring got left behind. The guy didn’t give me time to ensure that I had all of my stuff and yelled at me to get out of the way. My husband went back for the ring, and the guy claimed he didn’t have it when he had clearly just moved while my husband was asking him. It’s a unique ring and my husband could identify everything about it, including the inscription. He refused to give it to him, but my husband took it and said fine call the police. Made the morning really miserable at first. I don’t know why they can’t be civil. I hadn’t even said a word to him before he started getting really rude.

OMG!! I hope you reported him and he was fired on the spot! What a HORRID experience... did Disney ever contact you about the incident?

 

[longboard55]

Its crazy, WDW you just walk through, at DLR I get stopped most times for a belt buckle, its just a normal belt. I had a plastic buckle for a while but it broke

 

[CoachBeard]

Thanks so much for reporting this with pics and from Harbor! I haven't done Harbor security since 2021 and things were a lot different then right after reopening.

No prob! I hadn’t been through that one in a long time as well.

I should note that last night I went from the GCH into DCA and I think the detectors are more sensitive there. It picked up my belt buckle when the other didn’t and the wand actually picked up some individual wrapped wipes I had in my pocket. I guess they were foil or something. I had my bag in a locker at that point but it actually took about the same amount of time as the Harbor check point due to my “complications”.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

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[CoachBeard]

I’ve noticed when we go the metal detectors at the GCH into DCA and PP gate into DCA always get my belt buckle and the others don’t. They’ve also picked up my room key when I’ve left it in a pocket. Must be a bit more sensitive. I’m not taking off my belt though, no one wants to see my pants at my ankles.

They always make me show it to them and flip it over for some reason but that’s easy enough and still better than TSA.

 

[OlliePop27]

This is not my picture but saw this online from this morning on Harbor side. Definitely packed, but Harbor can get backed up like this in the morning post rope drop like 8:30-10:00. Curious how much is caused by the new procedures vs. holiday weekend.

 

[Kittyblue]

My recent experiences walking from Harbor-

Friday to make rope drop was about 10-15 minutes
Friday around 5 pm was about 20 minutes
Saturday at opening was about 30-40 minutes. A lot of the problem was many of the middle line of people not breaking off to the other checkpoints. When we passed the dog checkpoint we left the ""line" and went to far side security line.
Saturday around 10 am was no wait.

They are more thorough than in the past about checking every single zipper pocket. I always have every zipper open for them before I get to the table. I think another thing that holds up the line is people not getting their bags ready to be checked.

Once we got through security the line to get into the parks was very quick, almost no wait at all.