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Today Disneyland Resort rolled out their first major update to their security screening procedures since the bag check tents were first added in 2001. Additional security has been added around the resort that will change the way you start your day at the parks. Read on to see everything you need to know about Disneyland’s new security procedures.

Mickey & Friends Parking Structure

The biggest change is that guests will be screened by security after they have parked their car at Mickey & Friends. Previously, guests would park their cars, hop on one of the Disney trams, ride to Downtown Disney, and then go through a security checkpoint before entering the esplanade between Disneyland and DCA.

After taking an escalator out of Mickey & Friends, guests are funneled to one of 10 tents where their bags are inspected. All guests then must walk through a metal detector.

After going through the security process you must then wait for a tram at one of the two loading stations. After this you are done with security. There’s no need to wait in line to be inspected before entering the parks, monorail, or Downtown Disney. If you leave the secure area to visit one of the three Disney hotels, or anything on Harbor blvd, you will have to go through security again.

Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian Hotel

Now that Downtown Disney is a secure area, checkpoints have been set up for hotel guests. For Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel, guests may enter a checkpoint located near Earl of Sandwich and ESPN Zone on the far west side of Downtown Disney.

Like the security location at Mickey & Friends, after guests go through this checkpoint they will not be required to go through additional security before entering the parks or the monorail.

A couple of security checkpoints have added for guests staying at the Grand Californian. One is located between World of Disney and Starbucks, the other (which we were asked not to take a picture of) is located at the walkway between Sephora and Anna & Elsa’s Boutique. Keep in mind these are security checkpoints for entering DCA from the Grand Californian. If you are entering Grand Californian from DCA you will not be required to go through security. The security checkpoint at the Grand Californian entrance to DCA remains and is unchanged.

Walking from Mickey & Friends to Disneyland/DCA

If you opt to walk from Mickey & Friends instead of waiting to ride the trams you should know that the route has completely changed. Let’s fire up MS Paint and Google Maps:

Instead of walking down Disneyland Drive and then along side the tram route, you’ll now walk through the Downtown Disney parking lots, and then through Downtown Disney itself. As you can see the walk is slightly longer, but it’s still not too bad. I clocked it at 15 minutes at a slow pace. Anyone walking from Mickey & Friends will have to go through the security checkpoint located between ESPN Zone and Rainforest Cafe.

Those are the changes to Disneyland Resort security. The checkpoint on the east side of the esplanade (for guests entering from Harbor blvd) remains unchanged. What do you think of the new security procedures? Do you have any questions? Leave them in the comments below.