My knife was confiscated at the "Happiest Place On Earth"

sodak said:
That's exactly the way I feel also. I went there years ago with my kids (they hated it, one and done), the security guards tried to take our fingerprints, and I refused. Had I known they were going to do that, I would not have gone. I found out that if you hold up the line long enough by refusing, they eventually capitulate. :D
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to why they wanted y'all's finger prints. I know that I would also refuse to randomly provide my fingerprints as a requirement for entering ANYWHERE.
 
My girlfriend and I have a very simple method for dealing with metal detectors and knives, we take the batteries out of a small aluminum flashlight, put a small folder inside the flashlight, stuff a tissue inside to prevent rattling, and she carries the flashlight in her purse. The flashlight will set off a metal detector, but who's gonna confiscate a little flashlight?

Naturally we don't use this method when entering a place where it is illegal to carry a knife, because that would be illegal. But we have no problem violating a "company policy" when we believe that policy is stupid, and when we are giving that company a pile of money.

And as far as the question "Why would you need a knife at Disneyland?", both my girlfriend and I believe in always having a knife with us whenever it's LEGAL to do so, whether we actually think we will need it or not.
 
mqqn said:
Good information. I would prefer they allow you to leave or check it in with security and pick it back up on exit; that is how the Stratosphere in Vegas does it - they keep the knife for you until you return. (Of course order a steak and you get a 4.5" fixed blade delivered to you at your table.... ha )

I had just gotten my new ZTO600 - a big honkin' knife, and I was going to a major golf tournament to which I had been several times prior with no issues.

The venue is of course a golf course, and the parking and walk to the main gate is significant.

This particular time was the first time they decided to use wand-type metal detectors. Go figure.

Thinking quickly, I grabbed a tournament program, and rolled it up with my ZT inside, then held it up above my head as the person at the gate "wanded" me - which she started at my head and went to my knees - missing the knife altogether.

I put the knife back in my pocket and proceeded to have a pleasant day with no problems.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...
Well played! 😉
 
Your situation reminds me of a post I made in a "You Know You're A Knife Nut When...." thread a few months ago.

Also, I had a similar thing happen to me in Canada back in the '80's....

A group of security people followed my wife and I around an amusement park in Montreal for a while before converging on us and asking what I was carrying on my belt. It was a Victorinox Champion in leather holder. Same one I traveled everywhere with.

We were escorted to the security office and I had to hand over the knife. I got a proper receipt and, upon my return to the U.S., sent a claim to the address they had given me and got the knife back in the mail.

I still envisage my wife and I discussing it at the time: "Thank God we live in a country where this b.s. doesn't happen. Never in America...."
 
Last edited:
I have carried many times into the Mouse House. I have only had a problem once, when the entrance guard noticed my pocket-clip. They kindly informed me I could either take it back to my car or pay to rent a locker that was right around the corner on the outside of the gates. I chose to rent the locker and was escorted by the guard who watched me place the knife into the locker. I then promptly went into the park with a concealed firearm that was never noticed. Go figure.

I also had a guard at Sea World tell me that they would have to take my knife and hold onto it until I was done at the park. I wasn't about to hand over a relatively expensive Benchmade so I told them no, and explained to them that I would take it back to my car. They did not initially give me that option, but they didn't argue with me either. Once at my car I decided the best course of action would be to leave the concealed firearm that went unnoticed there as well (although they didn't check me any further upon return to the gate).

As an LEO I feel obligated to try and carry as much as possible, but at this point it is becoming a tremendous hassle. Its just an unfortunate part of living in the world we live in today.
 
EChoil said:
I had a similar thing happen to me in Canada back in the '80's....


I still envisage my wife and I discussing it at the time: "Thank God we live in a country where this b.s. doesn't happen. Never in America...."
Click to expand...

yep. never thought it would or could happen here. amazing how things have changed in such a short time. i went to grade school everyday in the late 70's and 80's and on up to graduation.....with a pocket knife everyday and the male teachers carried one as well. i even attended u of f with a pocket knife everyday. they weren't weapons then and no one was scared. we actually used them to do knife tasks. none one looked over and thought anything. i work in the mechanical trade and at the shop if i pull out a folder that is bigger.....to do a standard knife task, i get a few surprised and even a few scared looks. this still surprises me in this industry. it goes to show social programming works and works well.

i no longer go to disney. wife worked there for years in the parks as a young woman and in the legal department...... and still loves the place. the wife and kid are mad at me, but i refuse to disarm. they have their right it's their property and i respect that, but i won't spend my money or time there...course the wife and kid spend my money, so i guess disney wins in the end...:)
 
jbmonkey said:
yep. never thought it would or could happen here. amazing how things have changed in such a short time. i went to grade school everyday in the late 70's and 80's and on up to graduation.....with a pocket knife everyday and the male teachers carried one as well. .....i no longer go to disney. wife worked there for years in the parks as a young woman and in the legal department...... and still loves the place. the wife and kid are mad at me, but i refuse to disarm. they have their right it's their property and i respect that, but i won't spend my money or time there...course the wife and kid spend my money, so i guess disney wins in the end...:)
Click to expand...

Yeah, same here. Had pocket knives in school, even guns in the car sometimes if I was going hunting that weekend. Never gave it a thought. Men carried pocket knives.

The Disney thing is too bad. Another "weapon free zone." You'd almost think it would make places like that a target. :cool:
 
retzius said:
"Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have installed metal detectors at park entrances, added extra police patrols, discontinued the sale of toy guns and banned people 14 years and older from wearing costumes or masks due to security concerns.

Visitors will be randomly selected to go through portable metal detectors after having their bags searched at park entrances."
Click to expand...

picard1.jpg
 
jstrange said:
I have carried many times into the Mouse House...

As an LEO I feel obligated to try and carry as much as possible, but at this point it is becoming a tremendous hassle. Its just an unfortunate part of living in the world we live in today.
Click to expand...

I feel you man. I am not sure what it is going to take for these sheep to realize a "no guns" or "no knives" sign isn't going to protect them from bad people. Even my local McDonalds has a no guns allowed sign. In comparison, at the last place I lived, the McDonalds gave free or cheaper food to cops. So guess which business almost always had cops there and was likely to NEVER get robbed.

I'm just going to stay out of places like that. If they don't want good guys with guns hanging around then they can see how they fare when the bad guys with guns come. Whenever possible, I will avoid supporting any place with this type of no weapons policy.

western-mickey.jpg

Mickey doesn't look very safe anyway.
 
I won't go back to Disney but not because they won't let you in with your knife. I went in October and everything seemed a bit dated, not to mention they have more vendors and stores than attractions these days. Far different from when I went as a kid way back in the 80's. The only thing I enjoyed this time was Epcot. Everything else was an overly commercialized shag fest and it was just too crowded to really enjoy. And for the grand finale, some kid crapped his pants on the long monorail ride back to the hotel and it was pretty ripe. Probably ate the stuff they pass off as food at the Mexican pavilion.
 
Pretty sure Universal Studios doesn't care if you bring knives. If I remember they actually sold this cheap lil souvenir pocket knives.
 
jstrange said:
I have carried many times into the Mouse House. I have only had a problem once, when the entrance guard noticed my pocket-clip. They kindly informed me I could either take it back to my car or pay to rent a locker that was right around the corner on the outside of the gates. I chose to rent the locker and was escorted by the guard who watched me place the knife into the locker. I then promptly went into the park with a concealed firearm that was never noticed. Go figure.

I also had a guard at Sea World tell me that they would have to take my knife and hold onto it until I was done at the park. I wasn't about to hand over a relatively expensive Benchmade so I told them no, and explained to them that I would take it back to my car. They did not initially give me that option, but they didn't argue with me either. Once at my car I decided the best course of action would be to leave the concealed firearm that went unnoticed there as well (although they didn't check me any further upon return to the gate).

As an LEO I feel obligated to try and carry as much as possible, but at this point it is becoming a tremendous hassle. Its just an unfortunate part of living in the world we live in today.
Click to expand...

Doesn't being an LEO allow you to carry your gun just about anywhere, especially in Disneyland and knife, for that matter??
 
I refuse to go anywhere that doesn't honor my rights to have
my knife and firearm. If they don't respect my rights then
they must not want my money.
 
Keep in mind that you also pay $108 a day for the pleasure of standing in lines and dealing with all this, not to count the food at all (such as things like $50 pizzas, seriously)...if one must go to Disney world/land, be sure to find/hire a handicapped person to go with you (don't ask)...
 
zzyzzogeton said:
I'm curious as to why they wanted y'all's finger prints. I know that I would also refuse to randomly provide my fingerprints as a requirement for entering ANYWHERE.
Click to expand...
They gave me a BS answer that they didn't want anyone using our passes except us. I refused long enough to finally get them to accept a driver's license as ID. Unbelievable. I don't give anyone my fingerprints, fluid samples, etc.....
 
Thanks for the heads up, OP. I usually take a Benchmade 707 when we go to Disneyland. I'll leave the folder in the car next time; would be a bummer to lose an hour in the morning to stash it in the car.
 
killgar said:
My girlfriend and I have a very simple method for dealing with metal detectors and knives, we take the batteries out of a small aluminum flashlight, put a small folder inside the flashlight, stuff a tissue inside to prevent rattling, and she carries the flashlight in her purse. The flashlight will set off a metal detector, but who's gonna confiscate a little flashlight?

Naturally we don't use this method when entering a place where it is illegal to carry a knife, because that would be illegal. But we have no problem violating a "company policy" when we believe that policy is stupid, and when we are giving that company a pile of money.

And as far as the question "Why would you need a knife at Disneyland?", both my girlfriend and I believe in always having a knife with us whenever it's LEGAL to do so, whether we actually think we will need it or not.
Click to expand...
Haha, that's great, kudos to you for doing that. :thumbup:

Leftytwogunz said:
I feel you man. I am not sure what it is going to take for these sheep to realize a "no guns" or "no knives" sign isn't going to protect them from bad people. Even my local McDonalds has a no guns allowed sign. In comparison, at the last place I lived, the McDonalds gave free or cheaper food to cops. So guess which business almost always had cops there and was likely to NEVER get robbed.

I'm just going to stay out of places like that. If they don't want good guys with guns hanging around then they can see how they fare when the bad guys with guns come. Whenever possible, I will avoid supporting any place with this type of no weapons policy.
Click to expand...

This brings up an interesting thought. People seem to assume that private security is enough to keep them safe. The fact of the matter is that this is simply not true! I don't know about Disneyland, but in most places private security is not allowed to carry weapons. The bottom line is that this means they're completely helpless should someone with destructive intentions arrive on site with a weapon. There's nothing they can do but report it to management and the police, and reporting it is all well and good...but let's be real, 95% of the time the police are little more than a glorified cleanup crew when it comes to violence, just because it happens so quickly. A situation is created by fear...a situation in which there is nothing substantial anyone can do to prevent the violence.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top