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Disney World (Orlando, FL) Informative - Security and Medical facilities at DisneyWorld - Security and medical
ORLANDO, FLORIDA -- This is more a suggestion for Disney than it is for visitors, but I'll state it anyway in case Disney actually cares enough to read about it.
We took the Backstage Tour of Disney, a well organized informative tour. Worth the money. To do so we often had to go "backstage" through doors on the visitor side to the back lot. We just simply followed our guide who, although she had a badge, was never challenged. There was essentially no security on these doors. Later, when my wife and I were walking around the visitor side, it was obvious we could have just slipped into the back without anyone questioning us. (If fact we had Backstage Tour button on which would have made it easy).
Disney goes through great pains at the entrance to search your bags and scan your fingerprint, but this is a real big security hole, being allowed to go to the back, or people from the back to come to the front. A delivery guy could be a terrorist and come in with a bomb strapped around his belly. I questioned this to our tour guide and was told it "had" to be this way in case of emergency, eg fire, bomb threat, etc. This makes sense, but what they should have is electronic doors, and only a swipe card will open them. Doing so ensures Disney employees are opening the doors, and each one is being recorded on a computer somewhere. In case of emergency, cut the power and the doors will automatically open.
On point #2, regarding medical facilities, I was disappointed/appalled that there was virtually none. In the 95 deg/95 % humidity heat in Florida (September) my wife got heat stroke and there was no one around to help us. We asked a park employee for help and were told the medical facility was at the main gate (we were in Toon Town). Not ONCE did I see a medical person walking around the park. I saw no emergency phones and obviously the park employees know nothing about emergency procedures. I was able to steal some ice from a soda display to cool my wife down enough that she could walk under her steam. We left the park about 4 hours earlier than expected and could not re-enter due to our ticket type. At our local exhibition in the city where I live, there are numerous first aid attendants walking the park in pairs, ready to attend to anyone needing assistance.
I even saw a portable stretcher attached to a motorized scooter, if it were necessary. The guy sitting in it had a radio so that he could be anywhere he was required. Disney did not have this and I'm shocked that they don't. Our park also had city police patrolling regularly.
All emergency personnel at our exhibition and fair were available: police, fire, first aid.
We took the Backstage Tour of Disney, a well organized informative tour. Worth the money. To do so we often had to go "backstage" through doors on the visitor side to the back lot. We just simply followed our guide who, although she had a badge, was never challenged. There was essentially no security on these doors. Later, when my wife and I were walking around the visitor side, it was obvious we could have just slipped into the back without anyone questioning us. (If fact we had Backstage Tour button on which would have made it easy).
Disney goes through great pains at the entrance to search your bags and scan your fingerprint, but this is a real big security hole, being allowed to go to the back, or people from the back to come to the front. A delivery guy could be a terrorist and come in with a bomb strapped around his belly. I questioned this to our tour guide and was told it "had" to be this way in case of emergency, eg fire, bomb threat, etc. This makes sense, but what they should have is electronic doors, and only a swipe card will open them. Doing so ensures Disney employees are opening the doors, and each one is being recorded on a computer somewhere. In case of emergency, cut the power and the doors will automatically open.
On point #2, regarding medical facilities, I was disappointed/appalled that there was virtually none. In the 95 deg/95 % humidity heat in Florida (September) my wife got heat stroke and there was no one around to help us. We asked a park employee for help and were told the medical facility was at the main gate (we were in Toon Town). Not ONCE did I see a medical person walking around the park. I saw no emergency phones and obviously the park employees know nothing about emergency procedures. I was able to steal some ice from a soda display to cool my wife down enough that she could walk under her steam. We left the park about 4 hours earlier than expected and could not re-enter due to our ticket type. At our local exhibition in the city where I live, there are numerous first aid attendants walking the park in pairs, ready to attend to anyone needing assistance.
I even saw a portable stretcher attached to a motorized scooter, if it were necessary. The guy sitting in it had a radio so that he could be anywhere he was required. Disney did not have this and I'm shocked that they don't. Our park also had city police patrolling regularly.
All emergency personnel at our exhibition and fair were available: police, fire, first aid.
Comments:
Posted by shawnp80 on 2007-10-26:
Im sure your wife might have been a little overcome by the heat, but quit exaggerating. She didnt have a heat stroke.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-10-26:
It's a theme park, a for profit business and not a city government. They usually rely on the local city services for fire and emergency problems.
By the way, it's our schools you need to worry about, not a theme park. go to Glen Beck on line.
By the way, it's our schools you need to worry about, not a theme park. go to Glen Beck on line.
Posted by Slimjim on 2007-10-26:
This might surprise you JK but Walt Disney World is some kind of independent entity. I'm not sure how they handle fire and medical, but I know they have their own police force. They are in Lake Buena Vista FL., and the ONLY thing in Lake Buena Vista (population around 15) is Disney property. They somehow control the whole municipality.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-10-26:
slim, yea but not police force...it's a security detail and is subject to the local laws and government. That being said, they probably pull enough weight and bring enough tax money to do what they want, how they want.
Posted by fazie on 2007-10-27:
gee thanks for now giving that info to possible TERRORIST!
Posted by yoke on 2007-10-27:
You can buy water at almost any place that sells food at Disney.
Posted by dianec on 2007-10-27:
If you tell any employee at Disney that someone in your party is having a medical problem, they will call and get someone to you pronto. I think having someone walking around in a sea of people, wouldn't really be that effective anyway. They are pretty efficient at Disneyland/world from what I've experienced when it comes to helping people in need. I have to agree with the others--never go anywhere in the heat without plenty of water--and replenish as necessary. Hope your future travels are better.
Posted by superbowl on 2007-10-27:
Don't know about Disney World but Disneyland has put in miles of fiber optic cable to run their new secuity camera systems. It's no secret, they published the news localy. Just about every square inch of the place is being watched now. If someone is in an area they do not belong it will be seen at once by security. Slim is right the only thing the Disneyland security force does not have are guns. They are a police agency within the city limits of Anaheim.
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