Last Minute Trip March 16-20....mistake? Scared of Harbor Security!

bayareadisneyland

Mouseketeer
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Hello! We are typically a family that tries to go during the slower season. However, the stars aligned that everyone was free this weekend in March & we had Southwest vouchers we needed to use. So we booked! Also booked a suite at Courtyard Marrriott.

I'm hearing nightmares about the Harbor gates. Should I switch hotels? Usually stay at DL Hotel but don't want to pay that price w/ the pool down. Seems like DL opens at 8am...should we try to get through security at 7:30? Yikes that is early!

Will the crowds be unbearable? Never have tried Spring Break- hoping it won't be too horrible since it seems most schools are out in April?

Thanks for the help guys!
 
I would try to be at security earlier or much later (after opening). 30 minutes before opening probably isn't going to get you through bag check and in line to make it to RD. If you get to bag check much earlier and go through quickly, mobile order at Starbucks DTD and have one person go pick up while the rest of the group waits in line for the turnstiles. Personally, I'd rather be in line for the gates and enjoying breakfast than in line for bag check outside the esplanade.
One other option if you don't need car seats is to use Uber/Lyft to the DTD bag check. The lines there are usually short and move much more quickly. And the DLH bag check is right around the corner from that, giving you another option, so that makes things even easier. The DTD lot has a 15 minute grace period for drop offs/pick ups so the drivers don't have to pay.
This recent thread has good suggestions from people who managed to avoid the long lines: What in the World?!?! Security Lines Down Harbor!!!.
As for crowds, since Easter is so late this year, Spring Break is spread out from early March through the end of April. How do you define "unbearable" crowds? Do your research here and go in prepared. Know what will be on the refurb list for your dates. Brush up on your FP/MP skills. As long as you have a good game plan (and a back up plan), use FP/MP and get to the parks early (use those morning hours to your advantage!), and bring your patience and a positive attitude, you should be fine! If you want any dining package or TS reservations, make them now. F! and WOC will both be running during your dates. Dining packages would make viewing both easier.
 
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A couple days this week they had walkways created with gates on both the left and right. CMs were funneling people in and it made it much more organized. When we went yesterday I was bummed they were gone. We have arrived at varying times the last week and have never waited more than 15 minutes in security. I definitely agree with PP though- the earlier the better.
 
I am so glad I read this thread because our plan was to leave Park Vue Inn at 7:15 and be at the turn stiles by 7:30. I think that we will need to adjust that plan!
 


We are arriving early afternoon on a Saturday March 9th, 2 adults. I am a little freaked about how long the lines might be. I am definitely planning a “no bag” arrival that day. I will downsize just to my phone in my pocket, and hope for the best!
 
Thanks guys! With strollers, kids, etc, I can’t Uber easily. I’ll try to get to security at 7:15 every day! Will that avoid the nightmare? Will they have fixed it for Spring Break? How about returning in the afternoon, ok? Or is it crunched all the time? Going to miss the DL hotel entrance!
 
... How about returning in the afternoon, ok? Or is it crunched all the time? Going to miss the DL hotel entrance!
Ask about the morning time in a new thread here a few days before your trip to see what the current situation is at that time. We won't know how heavy Spring Break is until then. The Harbor entrance usually isn't slammed all the time, even during Christmas Week -- only during peak entry times or when M&F closes and everyone has to detour to TS.
 


We were there over the Presidents Day Weekend which is likely busier than when you are going and yes, security lines were bad but not earlier in the day. If you waltz on up to security at 9:15 on a day when the parks open at 9 you are going to hit a long line - we were there on a day when the lines stretched up along Harbor to across from Tony Roma's - at around 9:30 when park opened at 9 - we had gotten there at 8:20 and walked straight through security with zero line. My son though, who is 15 and lazy, wanted to take longer and waited until 9:30 to come over but he had no bag so he barely waited in line.

That same weekend there were reports that getting into Down Town Disney was a nightmare as well. If you do not want to get there early enough to avoid the lines then don't take a bag. We did that one day when we wanted to sleep in a bit and the lines were very long but without any bags we waited less than 10 minutes.
 
Do strollers count as bags? Also how does the parking garage thing fit into the equation? I have never parked so don’t understand it!
 
Strollers most certainly count as bags, they are likely the most time consuming part of the security lines. We saw a lady with a small purse, the size of a novel be sent out of the no bag line as it was considered bigger than a wallet even. If you park and shuttle you go through security after getting off the bus, they had their own very long lines as well. If you park at Mickey then you go through security there before taking the trams.
 
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We were there over the Presidents Day Weekend which is likely busier than when you are going and yes, security lines were bad but not earlier in the day. If you waltz on up to security at 9:15 on a day when the parks open at 9 you are going to hit a long line - we were there on a day when the lines stretched up along Harbor to across from Tony Roma's - at around 9:30 when park opened at 9 - we had gotten there at 8:20 and walked straight through security with zero line. My son though, who is 15 and lazy, wanted to take longer and waited until 9:30 to come over but he had no bag so he barely waited in line.

That same weekend there were reports that getting into Down Town Disney was a nightmare as well. If you do not want to get there early enough to avoid the lines then don't take a bag. We did that one day when we wanted to sleep in a bit and the lines were very long but without any bags we waited less than 10 minutes.
We were there over the Presidents Day Weekend which is likely busier than when you are going and yes, security lines were bad but not earlier in the day. If you waltz on up to security at 9:15 on a day when the parks open at 9 you are going to hit a long line - we were there on a day when the lines stretched up along Harbor to across from Tony Roma's - at around 9:30 when park opened at 9 - we had gotten there at 8:20 and walked straight through security with zero line. My son though, who is 15 and lazy, wanted to take longer and waited until 9:30 to come over but he had no bag so he barely waited in line.

That same weekend there were reports that getting into Down Town Disney was a nightmare as well. If you do not want to get there early enough to avoid the lines then don't take a bag. We did that one day when we wanted to sleep in a bit and the lines were very long but without any bags we waited less than 10 minutes.

Are there separate lines at security if you don't have a bag? I've always seemed to get stuck behind 10 people with full strollers, nappy bags and backpacks! I haven't been for 2 years though.
 
Are there separate lines at security if you don't have a bag? I've always seemed to get stuck behind 10 people with full strollers, nappy bags and backpacks! I haven't been for 2 years though.

Yes, currently the no bag line is straight up the middle when entering from Harbor - we used it a few times and my son used it almost every time as all he brings is wallet and phone.

I wish there was a stroller line as that would save a lot of time too.
 
Do strollers count as bags? Also how does the parking garage thing fit into the equation? I have never parked so don’t understand it!
If you have a stroller you can't go through the no bag line. They will check the basket and pockets of the stroller.

If ayou arrive before park opening the lines aren't horrible, stretching all the way back to Harbor, but they can still be 15 min long though. Agree the earlier the better for arrival.

You will definitely have some Spring Break crowds as I know some districts in CA are on break that week. Typically they say the worst 2 weeks are the week before and after Easter. With Easter being late April the crowds will spread from mid March to late April. So they may be better than a normal Spring Break, but the parks are always busy now.
 
If you have a stroller you can't go through the no bag line. They will check the basket and pockets of the stroller.

If ayou arrive before park opening the lines aren't horrible, stretching all the way back to Harbor, but they can still be 15 min long though. Agree the earlier the better for arrival.

You will definitely have some Spring Break crowds as I know some districts in CA are on break that week. Typically they say the worst 2 weeks are the week before and after Easter. With Easter being late April the crowds will spread from mid March to late April. So they may be better than a normal Spring Break, but the parks are always busy now.
Just curious, I wonder if umbrella strollers can go through no bag as they have no pouches or compartments. No kids in strollers so not related to me, just curiois
 
Ok, so here’s my question- how do you avoid taking a bag? What do you put your phone and wallet in? I almost feel stupid asking this question, but I’m genuinely curious as to how to do this.:rolleyes2
 
Ok, so here’s my question- how do you avoid taking a bag? What do you put your phone and wallet in? I almost feel stupid asking this question, but I’m genuinely curious as to how to do this.:rolleyes2

I had a light rain jacket with me and my phone was in it, as it has a zippered pocket. I also just brought a very small wallet - with just what I needed, park pass, credit card, some cash. We always take mid day breaks so we only did this for morning and then when we returned in the evening we brought a bag if we wanted as the lines were nothing at that time of day.
 
Ok, so here’s my question- how do you avoid taking a bag? What do you put your phone and wallet in? I almost feel stupid asking this question, but I’m genuinely curious as to how to do this.:rolleyes2

My daughter and I both wear jackets with our phones/charger and a small wallet zipped up in the pockets. Less is best for us.:-)
 
Just curious, I wonder if umbrella strollers can go through no bag as they have no pouches or compartments. No kids in strollers so not related to me, just curiois

No strollers or wheelchairs at all. Security clearly tells everyone '"no wheels" in that line.
 
That's funny about the no-bag line. We were coming over one time just to grab something out of one of the CA shops on our departure day, so just brought a wallet. The guy directing traffic into security lanes with the microphone saw me headed for the no-bag line and called me out and said that my wallet counted as a bag. We had never used the no-bag line before, but thought it was crazy a wallet counted as a bag. Glad to hear they aren't doing that anymore!

Not exact, but same size:

Minnie_Mouse_Bow_IV_1024x.jpg
 

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