A few Walt Disney World hotels are getting rid of the traditional "Do Not Disturb" cards, replacing them with "Room Occupied" signs. Why? Because now Disney cast members will be required to enter your room to check on it and you once a day, whether you want Mousekeeping services or not. "Room Occupied" just lets the cast members know that you are in the room, so that they can be sensitive to your privacy... and their security.
The change has gone into effect at the three "monorail resorts": the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Contemporary. It is expected to spread to Disney's other hotels at some point.
Blame what happened in Las Vegas earlier this year. Disney — like many hoteliers in popular, high-profile tourist destinations — wants to ensure that it is not harboring anyone collecting an arsenal in his room. Or someone engaged in human trafficking, running a drug den, or spending the weekend at Bernie's, if you will. Part of maintaining hotel security these days lies in protecting visitors from other guests, as well as from outside threats.
But does that make your feel safer? It's one thing to have that sense of security that your hotel is checking on what other guests are doing in their rooms. You might feel something else, however, when the hotel is checking on you in your room.
Everyone wants their hotel to keep the pizza flyer scammers off property. (Read up on the Orlando hotel pizza delivery scam if you're not already familiar with it.) But most guests would be upset if they couldn't get an actual pizza delivered to their room if they wanted one. No one wants pickpockets and peddlers wandering through the lobby, but many Disney visitors also want to be able to walk through hotels where they aren't registered, perhaps to check it out for a potential future visit or just to take a break from visiting the parks.
The challenge for hotels is to balance the security that guests demand with the convenience, access and, yes, privacy that guests also want at the same time.
The fact is that the overwhelming majority of visitors to hotels in Disney's class never experience any type of security problem and complete their stay in perfect safety. But incidents where something does go wrong make people forget all about the many, many times when nothing did. That's why hotels must remain ever vigilant on safety and make changes when they see an opportunity to improve it.
So here is the question for you, the guest, that hotels are always considering: What can hotels do to help you feel safer?
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The daily room search is a knee jerk reaction without any impact on those who think through their plans.
Disney’s safety measures is lackluster. The issue is they appear to be not quick. Rules enforced haphazardly. Crowds control issues are still not resolved. Overcrowding is dangerous. They let people bring anything inside the park.
anton, is also correct, is saying the bigger danger (especially at disneyland anaheim,), is a stampeding death incident, due to over-crowding.Perhaps, combined by a fake terrorist cry from a few people, in a densely packed crowed.
Aided, by the paranoia, helped along by the disney "theatre" security measures, like this.
Well. they might see the occasional topless woman, from brazil. Since, it common to not cover up, in that part of the world.
It might allow disney to eject or get a 500 dollar fine from a few people smoking marijuana or reg stuff, in a non smoking room. . But, not much else.
No added safety,just a regular inconveinence, for everyone.
I agree with previous posters that this is just an over-reaction on Disney's part that will do nothing to prevent a criminal act and will just go a long way towards raising EVERYONE's paranoia level. The truth is, you can put in all the security measures you want, but you can't stop crazy. If someone is hell-bent on doing something insane and violent, they'll find a way. But you can't live your life in fear of something bad happening. Disney should just make sure that its regular security is present and well-trained, but not go overboard with a policy that will just make everyone feel like they're being watched.
You can't take away people's guns. Solution: Ban bullets.
Also, if somebody is doing something terrible, what is going to stop them from just putting up the sign?
Checking every room every day seems a little much. Perhaps Disney can spin it a different way. I know they already pitched this to DVC as more housekeeping services (which is great), but I had an inkling that there was something else up!
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Also never underestimate the effectiveness of UC officers.
Entering all the rooms is a reactionary approach and will only leave guests feeling like they have no privacy and unsafe. Not to mention predictable which is the least effective form of security. One has to merely do a dry run before the actual attack. Circumvent the security by maybe leaving his guns in the car until the time of attack and then he's clear to go. Unpredictability and randomness by a well trained security is the best bet. Bad idea.