Disneyland Rolls Out Metal Detectors, Explosive-Sniffing Dogs In Wake Of Terror Attack
ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — Disneyland is stepping up security measures in the wake of the San Bernardino terrorist attack.
Metal detectors were installed Thursday at the Anaheim theme park, though only some "randomly selected" visitors will be asked to walk through the detectors, according to Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown.
As part of the effort, park guests will continue to walk through bag screening before entering the park, a practice already in place at Disneyland for years.
"Vapor wake" dogs - which are trained to sniff out explosives and other possible threats - will also be used to roam the park, Brown said.
The measures were also being rolled out at Walt Disney World in Orlando. In 2004, Disney World experimented with metal detectors at its entrance but did not make them permanent.
In addition to the new measures, Disneyland has also made a few changes to its park rules: toy guns are now prohibited from the resort, and guests over the age of 14 will no longer be allowed to wear costumes.
"We continually review our comprehensive approach to security and are implementing additional security measures, as appropriate," said Brown.
Universal Studios has also begun testing the use of metal detectors at its parks, and SeaWorld says guests should expect a "thorough bag check" and the use of a wand metal detector.
Dennis Spiegel, president of International Theme Park Services, told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO the move is something that's likely to be followed by businesses in other industries beyond theme parks.
"Banks, schools, churches, hospitals, a lot of businesses are doing this now," said Spiegel. "We're gonna see more of it, and it's gonna become a part of our experience."
