Today marks the first day the Magic Kingdom will implement new bag screening and security check locations. The goal is to clear up the congestion directly in front of the park, by extending the security envelope outward.
For guests parking at the TTC parking lot, bag checks and security screenings will now happen before you board the express Monorail or Ferry across the Seven Seas Lagoon. To accomplish this Disney has built new drop off and pick up stations for the parking lot trams.
Having the screening there will mean guests who bring prohibited items will have a shorter journey to return them to their car.
Guests arriving on foot (the Polynesian has a walkway), dropped off via car, or via non-Disney bus or shuttle to the TTC will likely be routed through the new screening area.
Guests who arrive via bus will now go through screenings closer to the bus loop, on the other side of the Monorail beam.
Guests who arrive on foot from the Contemporary Resort will be screened as you exit the walkway before you get to the Magic Kingdom, probably at the same screening tents used by those arriving via bus.
Guests arriving via resort boat, not the ferry, will be screened before exiting the dock area at the Magic Kingdom
The biggest change will be for monorail resort guests who will now face screening before they board the Monorail at their resort. It is going to make resort hopping during the holidays a bit less convenient.
Note that the new security envelope means guests exiting the secure zone will also have to go through staffed check points.
The process will improve for guests boarding the monorail at EPCOT and transferring to the Magic Kingdom. The Monorail Station at EPCOT is inside their secure zone, so guests have already been screened before they get the the TTC and transfer to either Monorail beam.
It will be less convenient for guests going the other way (TTC to EPCOT) via the monorail. They will now have to be screened twice.
It will be interesting to see how this system works when it encounters its first big crowds, likely around Memorial Day Weekend. The good news is they’ll have time to work out most of the bugs by then.
Seeing as how the monorail stations at the resorts can get very congested at busy times, I’m wondering if the extra screening will make things a lot worse there? I can understand the need to screen guests before they arrive at the main entrance to the Magic Kingdom, but there’s just not a lot of room in the Contemporary to set up a bag-check area.
I’m curious about this too, since I’m staying at the CR in 3 days. Perfect timing for experiencing this new system BEFORE they have a chance to fix it.
We often go to a resort for a meal before heading to a park…which means I will need to wait and go through screening TWICE before getting into a park. I assume there was a good reason to do this…but I am not happy right now.
It’s going to take away from the magic if there are screening set-ups all over the place. People just need to bite the bullet and deal with the large screening areas at the entrances to each of the parks. Traveling from point A to point B using Disney transportation can be a lengthy process as it stands now. Making travel more time consuming for those not going to a park will only increase guest frustrations.
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