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By far, one of the most frustrating things on earth is paying an exorbitant amount of money to enjoy an experience, arriving to enjoy said experience, and then being faced with obstacles, roadblocks (literal and figurative), and other time-consuming snags that delay that enjoyment as thoughts about the money you’ve spent and the time you’re missing race through your mind.
Credit: Becky Burkett
It’s so frustrating! And a trip to the parks at Disney World is a prime example of big bucks spent, limited time available (think Disney’s Park Pass Reservation System and a limit on days that can be reserved), and obstacles threatening that precious time.
And we’re hit with it when we first hit the parks–even before we ever scan in at the gates, thanks to rigorous security checks that serve as a prerequisite to admission.
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Don’t get us wrong; we’re grateful that Disney World takes such care in ensuring the safety and well-being of each Guest that visits. But the lines to go through security and have our bags checked are reminiscent of a traffic jam at 8:00 a.m. on a Monday morning on Interstate 4, especially during peak seasons at the parks.
Credit: OrlandoVacation.com
Oh, how we wish they were something we could do to spend less time at security so we can get into the parks more quickly! Well, there might just be a few things that can be done/have been done to lessen the amount of time we spend just trying to get into the parks.
First, it’s so important that Guests pay attention to what’s going on during security checks. If you’re in line, keep facing forward so that when the person ahead of you moves up, so will you. It’s a tiny thing each of us can do to help keep the lines moving.
Second, if you haven’t been back to the parks since they opened following an almost 4-month closure last year, know that Disney has implemented new technology in an effort to increase the efficiency of security checks and decrease the amount of time Guests spend in line waiting to pass through those checks. New contactless scanners at the parks’ gates keep the lines of Guests heading into the parks moving while lessening the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. (The flu isn’t gone, people!) Remember how much time it took for Cast Members to get you vetted for entrance if, for some reason, your fingerprint and your MagicBand were not on speaking terms? Yeah, those days are gone. Thank goodness.
Back in the day when our fingerprints had to match. Credit: Becky Burkett
Disney has also reimagined bag check. Now, instead of giving Johnny Security Guard free rein to rummage through your purse, Guests can simply walk through a scanner with their bags in tow. If that’s all there was to it, surely entry would speed up by 300%. But alas, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. However, in this case, what we’re saying is true, but with a catch.
Certain items in your bags may still trigger the security alarms. Even though the new technology allows Guests to walk through the scanner with their purses, backpacks, and diaper bags still strapped to their bodies, in an effort to maximize safety, the systems are very sensitive to certain items, so if you have these items (or items like these) in your pockets, purse or bags, remove them before going through the scanner:
- cameras
- chargers
- glasses cases, unless they have plastic hinges
- umbrellas, unless they have plastic arms, a plastic stem, and plastic tips
- laptops and laptop accessories
- other items with metal parts
Hey, full disclosure at the gate can significantly lessen your time in the line because after all, if the scanner alarm sounds, congratulations; you just won an all-expenses-paid trip back through the scanner until the alarm no longer sounds. And that may very well be the most frustrating thing of all!
Old-school bag check at Disney World
Credit: Insider
What’s the most frustrating thing to you about having to go through security? Do Disney’s new implementations help with lines, or do you feel like the lines are just as long as they’ve always been?
