[Park Hopper]

When we arrived at Epcot yesterday (11/7) we found a new security procedure being used for checking bags. The bag-check area has been moved away from the turnstiles to a row of temporary tables, shielded by large umbrellas, that have been set up parallel to the line of ticket windows. The spaces between the windows have been roped off so that guests no longer can walk between the booths to the turnstiles.

A Security CM said the new setup is a test to try to eliminate the bottleneck created by guests getting their bags checked and then piling up at the turnstiles now that the entry process has been slowed because all ticket holders must use the finger-scan machines. Epcot had been the only park where the bag check was right on top of the turnstiles.

The system seemed to be working pretty well yesterday, but it's kind of ironic that the original security tables, installed right in front of the turnstiles not that long ago, are likely to become obsolete.

On a related note, Epcot finally has joined the other parks in having an entrance for guests without bags. MK and AK have allowed guests without bags to skip the security check for quite some time, and Epcot recently added the same convenience.

[DisneyHog6]

I guess they should have thought of this before they built the permenant structures...

[tinkerbell]

I am glad to read that Epcot has changed the security there ..it was difficult and it does make a difference if those without bags have an option. Normally two of us take all the bags through security and DH in his w/c never has any thing with him to check.

[mickaholic4077]

I'm glad that Epcot has a new procedure,but I always have a bag to be checked!!

[Andrea]

Does anything you carry count as a bag? Fanny packs? Or is the search only through bigger items?

[jenbarnwell]

That's good, but I always have bags to be checked too. But good for the people who don't, so they don't have to wait...

[Park Hopper]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Does anything you carry count as a bag? Fanny packs? Or is the search only through bigger items?

Yes, anything you carry counts as a bag, including fanny packs and camera bags.

[tinkerbell]

because DH often charges his w/c in the parks we carry his charger, sometimes they have told him that it did not need to be checked and other times they have, so we started to just carry that through security too because of the inconsistency with different security guards. Actually there is inconsistency with searches.. some will really search good and others will just glance in.

[JEANY031]

thanks for the info.

[MissDisney]

Soudns liek a good idea! Especially at rope drop, it was a little frustrating to get through at EC!