As I talked about on Tuesday, it is often necessary to go through bag check at the Disney parks. This is especially necessary if you have young ones for whom you must keep supplies, as well as on the days when you are taking your lunch, planning to ride wet rides thus negating the need for ponchos and dry socks, or when you plan to have your camera with you, just to name a few instances. If you are touring on a day when it is just inevitable, here are some helpful hints to save you some time and trouble.
Tip #1: Don’t fight it!
If you are carrying any bag, whether a small camera case or a backpack, you must go through bag check. Knowing this in advance will save you from having your magic ruined before entering the park.
Tip #2: Get ready!
It will be faster if you will go ahead and open your bag before getting to the security officer.
You can help yourself, the security officer and everyone else waiting in line by prepping the bag completely. They must check every pocket of the bag, so go ahead and unzip, unvelcro and unbutton every pocket for ease of checking it. The security officers have to check every pocket in the bag so it is helpful to go ahead and open all of them ahead of time.
Tip #3: Use both sides!
There are several lines at each entrance. Each line has a table with a security officer at the end. The lines form on both sides of the table and the officer checks bags in an alternating fashion on both sides. If you see that there are people only on one side, go to the empty side.
Tip #4. Be nice!
Be nice to the security officer. Most of them are very nice; rather like Disney greeters with an extra purpose. If someone happens to be having a bad day, just smile and say thank you. It just might turn their frown upside down.
Tip #5: Keep moving!
Please keep the line moving by going to the repacking table (just past the bag check) to repack any items that were moved or removed during the bag check. This will keep others from having to wait longer in line while you reorganize your things.
It is a little bit of a hassle having to go through bag check but that is our life nowadays so we might as well make the best of it. I like to feel safe at the parks and I am happy to know that your family will be safe as well. Even when we go to a ball game we have to do the same thing and Disney is SO much better than a ball game…wouldn’t you agree? Being prepared will, hopefully, help to start your day of magic off right! Happy touring! 🙂
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Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.
I read an article a couple of years ago that an older woman went through the bag check and got removed & banned from Disney property. She had 2 pairs of scissors and a knife in her backpack! Huh, what on earth.
Oh my gosh, what was she thinking?
P.S. Sure love your hat, Gaylin. My other “Princess with a Plan,” Susan, has one very similar. She proudly wears it and I wear my Mickey Santa hat when we visit during Thanksgiving.
Thanks Brenda, I love that hat as well. Got it in Disneyland in 2006 and then they stopped making it.
I wear in Christmas time in Vancouver & people either look at me funny or smile & say Hi.
with regard to #1. I have a small camera carrying case (to just fit a DMC-ZS3) that straps to my belt and I have never gone through bag check. About 50% of the time they ask me to take the camera out and show the inside when i go through the no-bag entrance. I have never been asked to go through bag check for it. Maybe it is because it is physically attached to me.