Just read this on the site Disney Brit podcast Families were evacuated from Disneyland Paris today, amid fears that a shooter on the loose in the theme park.
Initial reports of a gunman in the theme park this morning conflicted with separate accounts that police were investigating a bomb threat.
At around 1pm, it became clear that this was a false alarm along with several other reports of activity in Paris.
At one point today the parks were evacuated with armed guards standing by the parks gates
We must state that at no point was there anything found in the Disneyland Paris Resort. The resort has very stringent safety procedures for such events and guests shouldn't feel at all worried or unsafe when visiting the resort.
This is very scary,
Security at DLP has always been pretty solid, I wouldn't worry too much.
Primarily this is the media blowing things out of proportion for ratings, as seems to be standard these days.
staying calm and enjoying your stay should be your main priorities. :)
From the twitter accounts Ive seen (including the rarely used DLP English account) there was an incident at Sequoia Lodge where someone shouted they were with the Paris terrorists and were going to 'blow the hotel up'.
Sequoia Lodge was evacuated for safety purpose. There were images of guests in the foil warming blankets around the hotel grounds.
The person was identified and arrested and 'said it was a joke'.
DLP were very quick to confirm no parks were evacuated.
I have never felt unsafe at Disney and will happily continue to visit (next one booked for 18th march) But, I have some issues with park security.
There is only one main security entrance for both parks with two x ray machines, on a busy day and this is patently not enough to keep guest flow moving so the check is perfunctory to say the least. I have observed people with children having their bags checked whilst there is no check on their buggies/prams at all! I can appreciate that to check everyone in the same manner as airport security operates would cause major hold up's, but that is the only way to be as near to 100% as possible. It may be time for DLRP to have a review, what do you think?
Quote from: captain rocket on January 11, 2015, 10:23:17 AM
I have never felt unsafe at Disney and will happily continue to visit (next one booked for 18th march) But, I have some issues with park security.
There is only one main security entrance for both parks with two x ray machines, on a busy day and this is patently not enough to keep guest flow moving so the check is perfunctory to say the least. I have observed people with children having their bags checked whilst there is no check on their buggies/prams at all! I can appreciate that to check everyone in the same manner as airport security operates would cause major hold up's, but that is the only way to be as near to 100% as possible. It may be time for DLRP to have a review, what do you think?
I agree with you about the security checks. I have seen people going through and not getting bags checked when its busy. I think all bags should go through an x ray machine. Disney should invest in a row of x ray machines and then organise the queues so that they flows a lot quicker. People should be told to get their bags ready before they enter the queues. Yes it would take longer to get into the parks but at least it is safer than a person just asking you to open up your bag and looking in it with a torch .
I too think all rows should get x-ray machines. Barely looking at your bag with a torch is pretty useless... You still could get a knife in in your coat with the x-ray machines, but at least it's better, and queues aren't any slower.
Still, I spent almost all days of the attacks at DLP and I felt much safer than in Paris. Then again, I've always felt Paris is very violent and unsafe, so...
X-Rays would be ideal, to be honest.
Do they even have a Xray at the entrances from the Hotels?
There was an X ray machine for bags to get from the hotels to the Village when we visited in June. I agree that if you're going to scan any bags, you should scan ALL of them. I'm not worried about terrorists at Disney - there are easier, more likely targets surely? Push chair thieves seem the biggest issue to me
I too agree that DLP should invest in more X Ray machines at each of the entrances. I've never felt unsafe in the parks personally but I would feel a lot better if there was more security. Me and my friend both commented on it in September, particularly when going into the parks in the morning. My worry is that people, including myself, get stuck in the Disney bubble for those few days and then think that nothing could go possibly wrong and so don't question the security already there. It can be A LOT safer by far. There are lunatics in this world and people need to be wary of that, including the DLP resort managers. I sound very morbid right now haha but I would like to see some changes made in the near future, so that myself, my future children and husband and every other family that visits can sleep soundly at night during our stays.
Other than that, what the hell is wrong with that person who was the cause for the evacuation of the SL?! Joking about such stuff is bad enough but so soon and so close after the Paris terrorist attacks?! Idiot!
I agree with all comments regarding extra x-ray machines I was there some years ago when there was a protest outside the main parc and even that concerned me. These hundreds of people were shouting and small children looked terrified. I do remember on more than one occasion armed men patrolling near the village?
But havnt seen them for a while now. Not sure why they did that on those occasions.
Pushchairs and wheelchairs aren't checked enough I always remove all bags ect of my sons wheelchair but I see many just stroll through and they don't get stopped. I know as a parent to get all bags of and through then load buggy up again takes time. But surely if this was standard practice parents would automatically do this on each time passing the bag check point? After all a few extra seconds to ensure safety is worth it in my book!
Just remembered about 4 years ago I took my son on the Magic carpet ride (he was in buggy then) and left the change bag on top when I came of there were staff and sniffer dogs smelling the bag! I was saying that's mine what's going on they kept everyone back and said it was security to check as the bag had been found in middle of the floor. Lol... Was so embarrassing! It must of fell or something so they were quick to act on a "mysterious" kids change bag there was no que and I was on and off within minutes. So it goes to show staff are quite visulant :)
My brother and I were in DLP last Thursday, the day after the first attacks in Paris. My bag got scanned in the X Ray machine, but that was it. There was no check on either of us, as my brother said he could have easily been hiding a number of weapons on himself, and no one would have known.
Regarding the pushchairs, it's true that checks seem pretty random. I have been sometimes ask to take some bags from under the pushchair to be scanned, other times they didn't even see them.
How are the checks done at the US parks? It must be hard to find the right balance. It is a family destination, I'm not sure I would like to have airport-like checks and having to take my belt and watch off every time.... Imagine the queues!!!
Quote from: never2old on January 13, 2015, 10:14:56 AM
How are the checks done at the US parks?
Their basically checking your bag, ie you put your bag(s) on a table and they check the content with the help of a small stick. Don't remember how it was with wheelchairs, prams etc though.
Quote from: norhel on January 13, 2015, 04:40:47 PM
Quote from: never2old on January 13, 2015, 10:14:56 AM
How are the checks done at the US parks?
Their basically checking your bag, ie you put your bag(s) on a table and they check the content with the help of a small stick. Don't remember how it was with wheelchairs, prams etc though.
I just got back from California in December, I noticed that staff were going through bags and other things stored underneath or on prams. However to me it just seemed like a quick glance over, it's not taken as seriously as in Paris IMO.
on each of the three visits I've done to DLP I've had a pushchair with me and the checks have always been very tborough . I've had to show any bags on the pushchair and they've also checked the basket x