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Security at Theme Parks and Other Public Places

I haven't yet sent this email (waiting for the weekend when I'm at THORPE again), but with Varney's recent bragging about merlin accessibility I brought it up in a reply to him (not that it's actually him behind said account...) and THORPE replied asking for my contact information.



(ironically I believe it's the same person who basically brushed me off in my last DM about it).

They're dealing with it so awfully, I hope you get a better response soon!
 
I haven't yet sent this email (waiting for the weekend when I'm at THORPE again), but with Varney's recent bragging about merlin accessibility I brought it up in a reply to him (not that it's actually him behind said account...) and THORPE replied asking for my contact information.



(ironically I believe it's the same person who basically brushed me off in my last DM about it).
Update: I had an email less then 24 hours after replying to a DM and now I'm going to be having a chat with a manager this weekend.

They offered to follow up RE the incident with my aac device by phone in their email but did later on in it say we could meet in person so that's been arranged
 
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Update: I had an email less then 24 hours after replying to a DM and now I'm going to be having a chat with a manager this weekend.

They offered to follow up RE the incident with my aac device by phone in their email but did later on in it say we could meet in person so that's been arranged
Update: I had a chat with a guest experience manager yesterday and she's spoken with the head of security who's briefed security about my device, ironically they tried it again yesterday but I simply refused to place it in the tray.

I had no issues with bag check today, they even protectively said "no need to worry about your iPad" (it's a galaxy tab a 10.1 2016...) and they confirmed by nodding when I said "so you got the memo"

Today the manager catches up with me when I was popping to reception to tell her it went ok, and then says she wanted to introduce me to the head of security.
so I had a chat with the guest experience manager, two members of security and the head of security, the head said I shouldn't have any issues and should just be able to walk through the arch with my device but might need to hold it in various positions so they can confirm what is alarming (lights on the side say where there alarming object is).

All in all I'm now fairly confident I won't have this issue again, at least not until FRIGHT NIGHTS and even then I can probably request a manager to pop down to bag search.
 
Update: I had a chat with a guest experience manager yesterday and she's spoken with the head of security who's briefed security about my device, ironically they tried it again yesterday but I simply refused to place it in the tray.

I had no issues with bag check today, they even protectively said "no need to worry about your iPad" (it's a galaxy tab a 10.1 2016...) and they confirmed by nodding when I said "so you got the memo"

Today the manager catches up with me when I was popping to reception to tell her it went ok, and then says she wanted to introduce me to the head of security.
so I had a chat with the guest experience manager, two members of security and the head of security, the head said I shouldn't have any issues and should just be able to walk through the arch with my device but might need to hold it in various positions so they can confirm what is alarming (lights on the side say where there alarming object is).

All in all I'm now fairly confident I won't have this issue again, at least not until FRIGHT NIGHTS and even then I can probably request a manager to pop down to bag search.
Sounds like a great response even though it took a while. I'm glad it got sorted for you and it seems like hopefully you won't have the same problem again in the future :)
 
Spooked Chessington security out yesterday by having a bag full of cables and electronics (it's tricky keeping AAC powered for 12+ hours!).

And they handled it perfectly! Remained polite throughout and explained that they just had to grab a duty manager to check as they were unsure.

They grabbed the manager and explained their concerns and even mentioned Im not deaf and use a tablet to speak, said manager OKd me entering.



This, this is how security should treat guests when they are unsure about something, remain polite, explain the situation and grab a manager to verify.
 
When I went to BPB on Saturday I had to argue with bag check for them to let me keep my Alan keys, luckily I kept that as I needed to tighten something up on my chair.
 
Which is all very quaint ... but imagine if something went down.

99% of theme park security checks are theatre, especially at Disney where they make you think they are looking for terrorists but it’s alcohol and other small items that will be stopped. Most of the actual trouble makers are being looked for on CCTV as they pass through.
Maybe at Thorpe Park where there is some history of knife issues they are actually hoping the metal detectors will find something. But I don’t think the checks really make any park significantly safer, they just make people think it is safer.
 
99% of theme park security checks are theatre, especially at Disney where they make you think they are looking for terrorists but it’s alcohol and other small items that will be stopped. Most of the actual trouble makers are being looked for on CCTV as they pass through.
Maybe at Thorpe Park where there is some history of knife issues they are actually hoping the metal detectors will find something. But I don’t think the checks really make any park significantly safer, they just make people think it is safer.
I agree its theatre, but would suggest that the theatre does make people think twice about what they would or would not take into a theme park, particularly in countries where weapons are prevalent.

If something occurred that could have been detected by a bag search, something more effective (or appearing to be more effective) would be installed in the UK, I am not sure if the Germans would do the same.
 
Last year I stayed at Europa-Park for a few days and entered the park through the hotel entrance. Every day they were doing bag checks. Perhaps it's something they randomly do.
 
It varies a lot between parks in Europe - I've never seen any security screening on entering any of the Dutch parks but most of the big German parks have it to some degree, even if it's just given lip service. Today at Phantasialand they were checking everyone's vaccine status/negative tests but not looking at bags at all, though they did have metal detectors going unused.

Back at EP, last year El Andaluz guests were able to bypass the bag check at the hotel entrance, those coming from the other side got a quick search but not what you'd call comprehensive.

Another security experience from this trip - Asterix had a sealed box of confiscated items, including knives and other weapons, on display at their security screening. Not sure why they were so proud of it TBH.
 
When I went to BPB on Saturday I had to argue with bag check for them to let me keep my Alan keys, luckily I kept that as I needed to tighten something up on my chair.

That is terrible. We carry tools for Jess' wheelchair. I would write a letter of complaint, you have mobility equipment and you need tools to keep your mobility equipment in working order
 
When I went to BPB on Saturday I had to argue with bag check for them to let me keep my Alan keys, luckily I kept that as I needed to tighten something up on my chair.

That is terrible. We carry tools for Jess' wheelchair. I would write a letter of complaint, you have mobility equipment and you need tools to keep your mobility equipment in working order

I think the person thought it was a Swiss Army knife.Once I unfolded it they say yes that’s fine.
That is quite a development between the two posts ...
 
Normally when I’m questioned I say they are for my chair 99% of the time that’ll sort it but she was about to take them off me.
 
Naughty people use Allen keys to remove safety signs from rollercoaster seats.
Allegedly.
So security generally don't like them, or screwdrivers.
 
It's not illegal to carry a pocket knife providing the cutting blade is less than 3"

Here are my set of keys that I carry around

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This has never been spotted so far among my keys

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