 By: Gavin Haubelt Web Site: www.MickeyNews.com |
| I had a first hand experience with the new security gates at Disneyland Resort in California last week, and in my opinion, they are a blessing not a hindrance. I really don’t understand why some people think it is a huge new security step in response to terrorism; I really don’t see it that way at all. If anything, it is a drop in security not an increase. The old way, you had to pass thought a checkpoint each time you entered either park, now you pass though one and are free to roam between the parks without further checks.
For people like me, with young children and strollers, this has been a blessing. It has always been a complaint of mine that our bags and stroller had to be checked each time we park hopped. Now, only having to have our bag and stroller checked once per visit is a huge time saver.
 This was right before park opening on Tuesday the 16th of February. They have 3 check points on each side of the main atrium area of the resort, one set on the Harbor Boulevard side and one set on the Downtown Disney side. The lines were rather long at the check points in the morning hours but they tend to thin out substantially by late morning. I was surprised at the length of the lines at the turnstiles to get into the park though. One would think that they would be short now that the bottleneck of having your bags searched was moved away from them. They seemed to be just as long, and just as slow moving as they were in February, before they moved the security check point. I was a little nervous one afternoon when we were leaving the park to go change at the hotel when I noticed a group of 3 young men just walk right though the exit of the security check point, right in front of a security guard who didn’t stop them. They were not Cast Members, you could tell by the way they looked, and in my opinion should have been stopped and checked. I haven’t talked to any Security Cast Members yet to find out the exact procedures on checking people at the check point, but seeing those young men walk right in didn’t make me feel any more secure than before they moved the gate. I see the new location for the security check point to be a great time saver but I certainly do not feel any more secure than I did before. Not that I felt the park was unsafe and not secure before, I feel the Cast Members are doing everything they can to insure the safety and security of their guests. I am looking forward to seeing the structure they are going to build for the gates in the coming months and in short, I am very pleased that they have been moved. Good job Disney! |
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