If you’ve been to Disney World before, you know that you go through security when you arrive at the parks.
Spaceship Earth in EPCOT
The check usually includes a walk through an advanced scanning device, and then you’re on your merry way. They’re looking out for prohibited items like weapons, pyrotechnics, and even selfie sticks. However, sometimes items that are totally fine to have in the parks will set off the scanners, and then you’ll be subjected to a very thorough bag check! Here are some of the super random items that have caused us problems in the past.
Umbrellas
The first thing on the list is probably the most common! Anytime we’re at the parks for a stormy day, the security Cast Members will be calling out for visitors to remove umbrellas from their bags as they walk through the scanners.
Dark Side Light-up Umbrella
If you hold the umbrella directly in front of you, they’ll likely let you through security no problem. But without fail, umbrellas seem to almost always set off the alarm if they’re stowed in our bags!
Large Phone Chargers
It’s a pretty good idea to bring a portable phone charger with you to Disney World, considering you’ll be using your phone for everything from Genie+ to Mobile Ordering to snapping pictures. All that stuff drains your battery FAST! But if you’ve got a large charger brick, you might need to remove it from your backpack when you go through security.
Heavy Duty Portable Charger by Kapurui
Small portable chargers don’t typically cause too many problems, but the larger battery packs designed to fully charge your phone or charge multiple devices will often get flagged. Just do yourself a favor and take it out of the bag and hold it in front of you, just like the umbrella.
More Than 2 FuelRods
One problem we’ve recently discovered is that there’s a limit to how many FuelRods you can pass through security with. Here at DFB, our reporters love using these chargers because they can be swapped at kiosks around the park (so you always have a fully charged version!). However, if you’re carrying more than two in your bag at a time, you might run into a problem.
Fuel Rod Station in PizzeRizzo
This is probably a niche issue, because it’s pretty wild to own three FuelRods in the first place (we like to live on the wild side!), but just be warned in case you’ve got enough of these for your whole family. Two is fine, three will set off the alarm.
Tins of Mints
Another issue we’ve found recently is with tins of mints! If you have a small metal box filled with mints or other necessities, it might cause you some problems. We bought some Disney100 mints on sale a few weeks ago and kept getting stopped at security after that.
100th Anniversary Mints
So what do we do when we have mints in our bags then? (Say it all together!) We take them out and hold them in front of us when we walk through the scanner. Good job!
Metal Water Bottles
Last but not least, let’s talk about metal water bottles! This one is really a hit or miss, but some metal water bottles will cause problems, depending on their size and what type of metal they’re made out of.
Minnie Water bottle
You’re totally allowed to bring your own water bottle to the parks, though! Don’t forget to pack one so you can stay hydrated all day long.
Darth Vader bottle
So there you go — our advice for making security a little bit easier during your next trip! We’ll keep you in the loop with any more park tips we learn during our visits. Stay tuned to DFB!
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I routinely bring an IFAK with me to WDW, as a volunteer in the Stop the Bleed Campaign. It always gets searched, when I go through security.
The item that always gets me is my magnetic glasses case from Warby Parker. I’ve learned to pull it out and hold it straight out in front of me when going through security.
The travel first aid kits and bandages by Welly that come in the little metal boxes always set it off the alarms as well!
My knee replacement sets off the alarm every time.
Does anybody know if tripods are allowed in the parks? Im going in April with my son’s HS Band. I want to get some good fireworks pictures and video of the band marching ?
I haven’t been in years. The last time I went I used a hiking backpack and they seemed real concerned about the athletic tape and elastic wraps in my first aid supplies.
Metal glasses cases, especially the ones from Warby Parker. I had never been stopped and screened at security before until I started bringing in glasses case. I didn’t know this at the time. It wasn’t until close to the end of one of my trips the security guard was finally nice enough to inform me that it was probably my glasses case. He told me that all I had to do was remove it from my bag and hold it in front of me when passing through security and I should be fine; he wasn’t lying, I never had an issue again.
Hi Jrmat! Per Disney’s website “Tripods or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack or that extend over 6′ (182 cm) are not allowed in theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, or ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.” A small tripod should be fine.
Thanks DFB Gigi.
My daughter’s metal compact! I tell her to just leave it in the car but she always forgets
I got pulled aside several times for my hard plastic eyeglass case, even though it doesn’t have any metal on it. A member of Security recommended switching to a soft fabric case if possible, which I did, and I haven’t been pulled since.
My magnetic Warby Parker eyeglass case! 😬
My hard glasses case got us searched multiple times in January 2024. We eventually figured out to pull it out beforehand.
Don’t forget to remove your Metal Implants, before going through the metal detector!!!