new Magic Kingdom security screening

Hi All,

After some rumours, Disney has announced some new screening and security plans for Magic Kingdom:

Walt Disney World announced today that they will be making their biggest change to security checkpoints and metal detectors located at the Magic Kingdom since they introduced them back in 2015. The park will be relocating security checkpoints and metal detectors from just outside the entrance of Magic Kingdom to the Ticket & Transportation Center area.

A few bag checkpoints and metal detectors will remain at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom for guests arriving via bus or other transportation methods other than the Ticket & Transportation center. This will hopefully allow for smoother flow of traffic once guests arrive at the park, the Magic Kingdom security checkpoints located at the entrance of the park have always been a bottleneck during peak times.

If you’re staying at a hotel located on the monorail route, such as the Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort, or the Contemporary Resort, you will have your bags checked at the hotel before getting to the park.

All of these changes go into effect on April 3, 2017.

It's about time! That bottleneck at the NO entrance was always so annoying. They did something similar at Disneyland and it works really well to spread out the security check so no one area is a choke point.

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I agree - I'm surprised it took this long.

I have to say though, the best theme park screening must have been Universal. Even though everyone comes to a big screening area, it is so large and so quick that there was only a couple of people in the lines, we flew through - even with Mom in her ECV.

Do you suppose these checkpoints at the resorts will be on the monorail platforms?

We stayed at the Poly over Mardi Gras break and the platform was backed up almost into the building on several occasions.

The only thing that concerns be about this change is...what if you are not going to the park? Guests will still be subject to bag check upon all entry onto the monorail? Is that ok?

I know that many times we use the monorail to get to dining reservations and to resort hop. I can't imagine having to go through security every time I want to go visit each resort on the monorail loop. So that would mean if I start at MK and want to do the loop visiting each resort, I'd be going though security 3 times, 4 if I arrive at MK on a bus. That's a little excessive - especially since I'm not even entering MK.

What if I want to go to Ft. Wilderness or wherever, and I bus to the MK to hop on the ferry...even then I will have to go through security to get to the boat launch.

Just some thoughts. I really want it to be a good thing. I definitely am not a fan of the bottleneck in front of the park.

From a security point of view, and the sometimes sad state of the world we live in, I for one appreciate that security is being checked before boarding the monorail and ferries.

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Originally Posted by buzznwoodysmom

Do you suppose these checkpoints at the resorts will be on the monorail platforms?

We stayed at the Poly over Mardi Gras break and the platform was backed up almost into the building on several occasions.

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They will probably set up a checkpoint inside the hotels before going out to the monorail platform.

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Originally Posted by cer

The only thing that concerns be about this change is...what if you are not going to the park? Guests will still be subject to bag check upon all entry onto the monorail? Is that ok?

I know that many times we use the monorail to get to dining reservations and to resort hop. I can't imagine having to go through security every time I want to go visit each resort on the monorail loop. So that would mean if I start at MK and want to do the loop visiting each resort, I'd be going though security 3 times, 4 if I arrive at MK on a bus. That's a little excessive - especially since I'm not even entering MK.

What if I want to go to Ft. Wilderness or wherever, and I bus to the MK to hop on the ferry...even then I will have to go through security to get to the boat launch.

Just some thoughts. I really want it to be a good thing. I definitely am not a fan of the bottleneck in front of the park.

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I wonder the same. DH likes to carry his Gerber every day at home and most times at Disney except into the parks. If we are just resort hopping or doing DS, will they stop him? I know it's not allowed at parks and has been previously told to lock it up.

I had read somewhere that we would also have to do this before getting on any boats at the TCC and resorts. I can't figure out how this will be any better. If we are getting off of a boat won't we still have to go through security to get into Magic Kingdom?

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Originally Posted by Genie1953

I had read somewhere that we would also have to do this before getting on any boats at the TCC and resorts. I can't figure out how this will be any better. If we are getting off of a boat won't we still have to go through security to get into Magic Kingdom?

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No, you won't. Once you go through security to get on whatever mode of transportation to get to the Magic Kingdom, you will already have been screened.

It is my understanding that they are trying to push the hassle of the experience (going through security) away from the gates so that by the time you get to the MK, you will have that magical experience of park entry just as it was before.

I think it's a good change -- similar crowd management to letting folks into MK prior to opening and not cramming them all out front for the opening show (I do miss the show, though).

My one tiny concern is ensuring that security procedures and enforcement remain absolutely homogeneous between the multiple checkpoints. It's easier to maintain quality at a single checkpoint, so there is some additional risk introduced with multiple instances and increased management overhead.

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Originally Posted by cer

It is my understanding that they are trying to push the hassle of the experience (going through security) away from the gates so that by the time you get to the MK, you will have that magical experience of park entry just as it was before.

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Exactly, this is so the "Look mommy the castle!!!" moment is followed by a smoother entry into the park than 5-10 minutes standing in security lines and opening up bags. I like the change, even though it seems like it will be a bigger hassle for Disney going from one big security checkpoint to 5 smaller ones I guess? (transportation center + three monorail resorts + guests arriving by bus at MK)

Someone mentioned resort hopping and yes that will take some extra time, but the vast majority of guests in this area of the world are going to and from the MK so it's simply a matter of improving the experience for the many while inconveniencing the few.

I went through the new lines on Tuesday of this week. Came off the Ferry Boat, and it was a lot faster. I like the fact that they are now screening everyone. I did notice thought that they are not really screening strollers so that is the one loophole for gun smuggling right now. Strollers were not checked, I could easily strap a gun underneath a stroller - and bam, I am now in the park with one.

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Originally Posted by Imalismom

I went through the new lines on Tuesday of this week. Came off the Ferry Boat, and it was a lot faster. I like the fact that they are now screening everyone. I did notice thought that they are not really screening strollers so that is the one loophole for gun smuggling right now. Strollers were not checked, I could easily strap a gun underneath a stroller - and bam, I am now in the park with one.

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I have often thought that security was kind of lax when it comes to strollers as well.

So it sounds like guests who park at MK or are returning from EPCOT to go to MK, will have to go through security before boarding a boat or the "express" monorail from TTC directly to MK? Then if everyone on the resort monorail is screened before entering the monorail, there must be a more direct route to the park entrance from the monorail station and boat docks? And then they will set up a security area just past the exit of the MK bus depot to screen guests arriving by bus? Interesting. That should definitely spread out some of the time and effort of screening everyone for the MK. As previously mentioned, the only negative will be an extra wait for guests using the monorail to go from one monorail resort to another.

I wonder if MK is the only park they'll do the screening like this? In my mind, I'm not sure how they might even set it up for other parks.

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Originally Posted by cer

No, you won't. Once you go through security to get on whatever mode of transportation to get to the Magic Kingdom, you will already have been screened.

It is my understanding that they are trying to push the hassle of the experience (going through security) away from the gates so that by the time you get to the MK, you will have that magical experience of park entry just as it was before.

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But won't you be cutting through crowds trying to get from the buses to the monorail? We have done that plenty of times....take the bus to Magic Kingdom and then hop on the monorail to the various resorts for meals. I honestly don't remember where you come off the boats but was thinking that you come off and then walk straight across to the gates to get into Magic kingdom.

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Originally Posted by WDW-Geek

My one tiny concern is ensuring that security procedures and enforcement remain absolutely homogeneous between the multiple checkpoints. It's easier to maintain quality at a single checkpoint, so there is some additional risk introduced with multiple instances and increased management overhead.

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I appreciate the steps to improve the gate experience but I also have this concern. Just a couple thoughts and unanswered questions I have:

1. - For bus riders: are the checks still happening at the front gates OR will it be near the bus stops?
2. - What about someone who walks to MK from contemporary? Where do they get checked? Or will that no longer be an option?
3. - How will all this be monitored to ensure nobody is slipping through the cracks?

I don't expect all of you to have the answers it just opens up questions in my mind.

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Originally Posted by j2k

I appreciate the steps to improve the gate experience but I also have this concern. Just a couple thoughts and unanswered questions I have:

1. - For bus riders: are the checks still happening at the front gates OR will it be near the bus stops?
2. - What about someone who walks to MK from contemporary? Where do they get checked? Or will that no longer be an option?
3. - How will all this be monitored to ensure nobody is slipping through the cracks?

I don't expect all of you to have the answers it just opens up questions in my mind.

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For numbers 1 and 2 new temporary security structures have been built on the waterside of the monorail track. People from the buses and walking will have to go through there and have no choice. Still temporary in case changes are needed.

As for 3, the walkways are constructed with barriers so you can't avoid security and basically with cameras and security CMs you are being observed from the time you entere WDW property.

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Originally Posted by Genie1953

But won't you be cutting through crowds trying to get from the buses to the monorail? We have done that plenty of times....take the bus to Magic Kingdom and then hop on the monorail to the various resorts for meals. I honestly don't remember where you come off the boats but was thinking that you come off and then walk straight across to the gates to get into Magic kingdom.

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The idea is that everyone will be screened at the monorail resorts before they enter whatever mode of transportation. Not sure about the boats coming from those resorts, they have only mentioned the monorail security screening.

The guests that arrive via bus will be screened closer to where they are dropped off, and like another poster said, the guests walking from the Contemporary will be screened right at the end of the walkway before stepping on the the MK area.

So you mentioned going from the bus to hop a monorail. In that case, you will exit your bus, go through security and walk to the monorail to go on to the resort. You are not going to MK, but will still be required to go through security.

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Originally Posted by Imalismom

I went through the new lines on Tuesday of this week. Came off the Ferry Boat, and it was a lot faster. I like the fact that they are now screening everyone. I did notice thought that they are not really screening strollers so that is the one loophole for gun smuggling right now. Strollers were not checked, I could easily strap a gun underneath a stroller - and bam, I am now in the park with one.

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For a while they were pretty lax about it. But on my last trip (just a few weeks ago) I noticed that they were making people with strollers go through the bag check lines, and they definitely were checking strollers - looking in the baskets underneath and little compartments by the handlebars. Granted, if you really wanted to bring something evil into the parks, you could stick it under the baby. But they were definitely checking out strollers every day I went to the parks.