Former cop arrested for trying to bring gun into Magic Kingdom

slithernoggin said:

I don't think that our military and police forces are just theater: I do think that costumed employees at amusement park entrances (and ballpark entrances, and museum entrances and so on) are theater; they're taking resources away from actually monitoring people who might be a threat.

Did I miss the part of the article where it said that Goofy and Donald were doing the security checks?

Well garsh, H'Yuck! Ya shore did!

If only the moose out front could have stopped the Griswalds.

In that case, I request Princess Jasmine to do mine.

And I'll keep Aladdin busy at the other check point while you do that.

Deal.

Tekwardo said:

Have you not been paying any attention to this thread? Ki and CP both screen.

I went to Kings Island last Sunday, August 7. VERY busy day. We arrived around 2 PM. Absolutely no security check or screening to get in. I did notice they have some white fences set up for (what must be) random days when they do some kind of security.

My last trip to Cedar point was on a busy Wednesday in July. Again, no screening or check whatsoever. We entered through the water park entrance. We did go in early June and they did wand us that time. But it seems to be random and sparse. It wasn't nearly as busy that day either.

Kings Dominion has full metal detection security at the gates.

Cedar Fair is just asking for a major disaster at the busy Ohio parks with their lack of security at the main gate, all in the name of cutting costs. Post-911 Kings Island had metal detectors.

As far as being "theater," while the screening can't stop everything, it can stop a lot! Especially to keep guns out of the park by metal detection. Because where there are guns, there are guns that eventually fire by accident.

I will give them credit at Kings Island last weekend, I did notice an armed security guard roaming the midways. Those should be the only guns in the parks!

slithernoggin said:

A stopped clock is right two times a day... and security theater can occasionally work... this guy was, apparently, caught at random.

So you're saying that it worked? Because it looks to me like it worked.

(Disclaimer: I'm merely speculating for the rest of the post.)

When has Disney ever cut corners? They stand to lose so much if something were to happen at any of their parks. I'm willing to bet that if you peel away the layers, Disney's security rivals some of the best in the world. It is likely designed to look harmless so as not to raise concerns from nervous families or scare kids. No one wants to see uniformed soldiers at WDW. I'm also willing to bet that there's a lot more to it than screeners at the gates too. Didn't someone just post about Disney's "shoe tracking" technology?

For all we know, any one of those costumed employees in overalls, spacesuits, safari gear, etc could also be highly trained security people hiding in plain sight, much like Federal Air Marshals sitting right next to you on an airplane.

super7* said:

Because where there are guns, there are guns that eventually fire by accident.

All by themselves!

Tommytheduck said:

Didn't someone just post about Disney's "shoe tracking" technology?

I thought the same thing. However, based on this article I don't think it would be an effective security measure.

Tekwardo said:

.....Even Waldameer has armed security sanding people at the entrance that wasn't there last year.

Hmmm, I have to take a trip to Waldameer then. I do enjoy a light rub with some 80 grit paper.

Hahaha... I wonder if I can get them to come to our deck.

While they did find a gun on an ex-cop, I highly doubt the guy was a threat to anyone. He most likely did not try to carry a gun into the park with the intention of using it. Where security theater will fail is if there is ever any type of organized terror attack planned, at Disney or any other park.

That said, I am very pleased to not have encountered any type of security theater at CP during August. I'm guessing they will probably run it again for Halloweekends.

But...Disney's "security theater" already stopped an organized terror attack...

Stop with the facts! Theater!

I would hardly call a single Nut Job an organized terror attack. Besides, security didn't stop him, he just decided that the nightclub was a more convenient location. By organized terror attacks, I mean something along the line of the Paris attacks.

Because security didn't physically stop him does not mean that security didn't stop him.

Define it any way you want to, the dude didn't shoot up the Magic Kingdom specifically because of the security presence.

He planned it out, cases the place, and went in prepared with weapons. That's organized. And his wife specifically said that Disney's security made him change the location. So factually you're wrong.

So, you believe the so called facts from the news media in this case, but laugh when the news media reports on the horrific experience of walking down a lift hill? It is my understanding that the shooter specifically had an issue with gay people. Shooting up Disney's gate was not nearly as inviting a target as a gay night club is if he wanted to target that demographic. Disney's security would not be much of a match for a weapon like he had if he wanted to enter Disney or just shoot the gate.

Here in Ohio we have concealed carry. People on the city streets carry guns around me all the time. I could not care less if someone with concealed carry takes a gun into the park. But, those are the people security theater would "catch". It is the old story of "guns don't kill, people do". I believe my point is still valid that if a group like ISIS would target Disney or any other park, security theater would be no match.