One of Disney’s primary values is safety, and because of that you will be required to go through a security check when you arrive at the parks. You need to know how to get through security quickly. There are contactless scanners that you will be required to walk through at each of the four Disney Parks and Disney water parks.
Disney cast members are very good at keeping things moving as you wait in line, but of course, there are frequent hiccups and hangups that bring about delays. We have a few tips that will help you get through security as quickly as possible. This is especially important if you are trying to get to the parks early for rope drop!
1. Check The Prohibited Item List
First and foremost, be acquainted with any prohibited items you may be bringing into the park and make sure to leave them at home. Check, and then double check the list.
Here are some of the most common Disney World prohibited items (this list is applicable for all the parks – EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios). We have put some of the most likely offenders in bold:
- Firearms, ammunition, knives and weapons of any kind. (This applies even if you have a conceal and carry permit.)
- Self-defense or restraining devices (e.g., pepper spray, mace)
- Marijuana (including marijuana enriched products) or any illegal substance.
- Objects or toys that appear to be firearms or weapons.
- Fireworks or other similar explosive and/or flammable objects, smoke machines or fog machines.
- Alcoholic beverages, except at the Disney Resort hotels. Wine may be brought in to Disney Springs to be consumed at select table service restaurants only, corkage fees apply.
- Glass containers (excluding small containers such as baby food jars), except in the Disney Resort hotels.
- Horns, whistles, large megaphones or artificial noise makers.
- Recreational devices such as drones, remote-control toys, skateboards, scooters, inline skates or shoes with built-in wheels.
- Strollers that are greater than 31″ (79 cm) in width and 52″ (132 cm) in length. Stroller wagons are also prohibited.
- Wagons are prohibited at any theme park or water park.
- Suitcases, bags, coolers or backpacks, with or without wheels, larger than 24″ long x 15″ wide x 18″ high (61 cm x 38 cm x 46 cm) are not allowed in any theme park or water park. Loose or dry ice is not permitted in these containers. Re-usable ice packs are recommended.
- Folding chairs are not allowed in any theme park, water park, or Disney Springs.
- Selfie sticks, hand-held extension poles for cameras or mobile devices, flags and banners are not allowed in any theme park or water park.
- Tripods or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack or that extend over 6’ (182 cm) are not allowed in theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, or ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
- Balloons are not permitted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Kidani Village and Jambo House)
- Plastic straws are not permitted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, water parks or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Kidani Village and Jambo House)
2. Hold Metal Items In Front Of you
Next, there are some security triggers that can cause a false positive with security and it’s to your advantage to know what they are and what to do about them.
There are 3 normal things that people bring in that can trigger the false positive:
- Umbrellas
- Portable Batteries
- Hard Sided eye glasses case
The best thing to do is take these items out of your bag and hold them with your arm stretched out in front of you as you approach the security line. You may want to walk through with your glasses case open.
What this does is allows the Security officer to see what triggered the alert and will allow you to skip the individual bag check. This is a huge time saver – and also saves on some frustration!
3. Organize Your Stroller
If you have a stroller, you will go through a different security line. This line is created for stroller, wheelchair, and ECV guests. Everything will be hand checked so it is wise not to pack your stroller real tight.
Try to use clear bags for organization so security can see everything quickly. Have your bags open and ready to be checked before you get to the checkpoint.
We also highly recommend preparing your kids for a wait. This can make a big difference in attitudes! Kids will be excited to get into the park, and knowing there will be a line to check security and tickets will help. Bring a snack or a book for very young ones.
4. Be Prepared Before Boarding the Monorail
You will have to be screened before boarding the monorail at a Disney resort – every time!
If you are staying at a monorail hotel (the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian resort) and taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT you will go through a security check prior to getting on the monorail. You will be dropped off past the security checkpoint at your final destination.
5. Keep Walking!
Once you make it to the security checkpoint keep walking unless you are flagged to have your bags hand checked. Don’t stop. Follow the person in front of you and keep going. Stopping holds up everyone behind you!
Getting through a long security line can be a frustrating way to start out your day. Knowing that there will be a long line before you arrive can alleviate some of the frustration that you will be tempted to experience.
Bring extra patience and uses the time while you are waiting to familiarize yourself with a map of the park. You can find this on your Disney app. You can also decide what snacks you want to eat and see where they are located in the park!