When they arrive for work, Disneyland Resort cast members may soon be having their bags and purses checked by an X-ray machine and walking through a metal detector just like at an airport.
The possibility was discussed at a recent employee forum held by Security Division management with the hourly workers. If the system is successful with cast members, it will be replicated for guests visiting the Resort (who now undergo a hand search of bags and purses before walking through metal detectors).
This past week, sitting outside the Disneyland Security office was a large wood crate marked “AUTOCLEAR,” a company that manufactures metal detectors and X-ray screening technology.
“I wouldn’t have a problem going through them,” one employee remarked. “I just hope they have enough in use during peak cast member arrival times. Hopefully they would not expect us to wait in line, on our own time. It’s bad enough we have to wait for the K-LOT (Katella Employee Parking Lot) shuttles on our own time.”
For now, everything is on hold until the Team Disney Anaheim (TDA) executives give their approval. If okayed, screening at cast member entry points such as TDA and Harbor Point could start as early as next year.
Hopefully, we won’t be forced to remove our shoes and carry in our liquids in small plastic bags.
Tim-berrrr!
Back in 2001, an aging, massive oak tree collapsed in Frontierland, injuring more than 20 people and flattening a popcorn cart. In response, Disney landscapers began going through the park removing older trees that could conceivably give way. Scrapped or relocated were numerous trees that dated back to the construction of Disneyland in 1954/1955, or from its preceding orange grove days. Not long after, more trees were removed from the Plaza area to improve viewing of fireworks and projections on the castle.
Now workmen are back at it, pulling out more plant life—but this time not for safety reasons. It’s primarily to eliminate planters and widen paths to accommodate the growing crowds, particularly in anticipation of the crush of visitors expected for the opening next summer of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
There are currently green plastic screens blocking the planter between the entrance of Adventureland and Frontierland. Supposedly, the bridges for both land entrances will be widened (but the entrances will stay the same).
Expect to see more shady areas with benches also to disappear. The path on the west side of Sleeping Beauty Castle (from Fantasyland to the Princess Fantasy Faire) on the moat side has been covered by a green screen. I suspect those big old trees will be ripped out, and the path widened. On the east side, just past Snow White’s Wishing Well, an old big tree was cut down and replaced with newer, smaller trees.
World of Color: Villainous
As followers of my Twitter feed know by now (@davekoenig), in the early morning hours of Thursday August 30, Disneyland Resort executives gathered around the Paradise Pier lagoon to preview snippets of a planned Halloween version of World of Color.
The rehearsal included music and water effects, although it was far from a finished performance and utilized just a portion of the show’s equipment. Because the resort’s Halloween promotions were just about a week from beginning, hopes were that World of Color might return this fall, despite earlier reports that—due to a mishap months ago—the water show would be down until at least the end of the year. It now looks like the Villains won’t take over World of Color until Halloween Time 2019.
Disneyana Oct. 7
The Disneyana Fan Club is moving its twice-annual show from its longtime home in Garden Grove to Anaheim, at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton near the Anaheim Convention Center. It’s Sunday Oct. 7, and I’ll be there signing books all day, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Schedule permitting, I’ll be joined from 11 AM to 1 PM by longtime Opening Day cast member Bob Penfield, signing his book The Last Original Disneylander. Please come say hi!