Security has become a way of life, but a lot of times it is so different from hotel, to parks to airports. What do you need to know and what do you leave home or in your hotel room as you head out
Airports
The FAA changes their rules often as they improve the ways they can make our flights safer. I have found the best way to keep up on it all is to download the TSA app to my phone or visiting the TSA website. Did you know you can report the wait time at the security checkpoint in the app? This helps if you need to know on your way there or even to help fellow travelers. I am flying in 5 days, so I am checking to make sure I can get everything I want to take in my carry on, but I also need to check how big my carry on can be. This app is great at helping you know before you go!
Also consider Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check if you travel often. It is a great way to skip security lines at airports and US Ports of Entry.
Disney World in Florida
Since 9/11, Disney has instituted bag checks. Sometimes you would go through the check with security barely looking in your bags, but on the last few trips we have noticed they take it much more seriously. Each visit we were required to take almost everything out of the bag. After this you might also get randomly picked to go through a metal detector. Luckily your bag has been already checked so you just hand that to the officer and empty your pockets of metal and go through.
Don’t have a bag? You still can be checked. At EPCOT they funnel guests with no bags through a metal detector. At other parks they randomly select people as well, but I suspect it is going to become standard process for everyone to go through.
Strollers? If you have nothing below it, try going through the no bag line. They usually are very generous about not making you stand in the bag check line. Strollers with baby bags, sorry, you must have those bags checked.
Another practice that has started is moving the lines back away from the Magic Kingdom entrance. If you arrive by car or taxi, then you will go through security before you get to ticketing, the monorail or ferry. If you are coming from the hotels (Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort or The Grand Floridian) you will go through security before boarding the monorail. The walking path from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom is along the path before you get close.
At Disneyland in California, we had the same experiences when we entered the park directly from the hotel. Every bag will be checked and you might have to go through a metal detector.
Universal Studios in Orlando
Universal’s security at first intimidated me when we visited recently, but it really turned out to be easy and painless! After you park and before you get to City Walk, there is an open area that has a lot of metal detectors. You place your bags on the belt, empty your pockets and walk through the metal detectors. Your bags are screened like you are at the airport without having to remove everything. I did forget my watch on my wrist and it set the metal detector off, but even that was easy as the security officer ran the wand around me and told me it was my watch. Overall, I found this process to be quick, easy and painless!
Hotels
Hotels are now doing even more checks on your rooms. If you put out a do not disturbed sign, please note they still may come in to remove trash. This is a new thing and hit or miss with hotels. I stayed somewhere recently on the 14thfloor and they gave me extra points not to have room service, but at a different hotel they took out all the do not disturb signs to require someone to enter your room, which we had on the 7thfloor. Please remember this is for the safety of their guests and you by not allowing items to be stockpiled in a room with no observations.
Every vacation has some form of security. Your Whitney World Travel Advisor can help with all the ins and outs of your next vacation!
