Disneyland Resort visitors encountered the signs above when arriving at the gates this week

It's the unasked question that comes to mind when something like last Tuesday's tragedy hits: "Will the next target be a Disney park?" It's not that unrealistic a question to ask, as Disney parks, and Disneyland in particular are rightfully considered American icons - representing the best - or worst - of the country depending on who you talk to.

During the millennium celebrations an Associated Press story discussed the capture of a terrorist at the Canadian border, who happened to have a list of targets that he wanted to hit on New Year's eve. Besides the expected listings, such as the Los Angeles airport, one of the targets listed was Disneyland. I guess we all know that any place such as a theme park, where large groups of people gather, can be considered something that a terrorist would look seriously at.

Disneyland Resort guards at the Downtown Disney Monorail gate

Usually after events such as Tuesday's, Disney ups security quickly at the parks - as the light crowds on Wednesday discovered. There were only two or three turnstiles open at either Disneyland or California Adventure to control entries (they may have had a few more open earlier), and at each turnstile there was a security guard. There were signs all over warning that everyone's bags would be searched before being allowed entry into the park, and indeed each time visitors transitioned between parks bags were searched.

Security was also tight for the Cast Members. On Wednesday there were checks of ID cards at each point of entry, not just the more usual (and more casual) swiping of ID cards to clock in. Now they were looking at faces and pictures to verify identity.

The Ball Road gate is located behind ToonTown - here in an earlier shot

On Tuesday, the day the parks were closed, security was actually tighter. All points of entry into the park were shut down except for Harbor Gate (The Ball Street Gate, where most of the receiving is done, was shuttered and guarded). At Harbor Gate, you could only gain admission if you were in a company vehicle AND if you had your Disneyland Resort ID with you. Normally they don't bother to check, but in this case, they wouldn't let a vehicle through without verifying faces and pictures.

A guard also walked around each vehicle searching for car bombs. With a gadget that was basically a mirror- on- a- stick, they scanned the undercarriage for bomb evidence. The Millennium scare did make for some training at Disneyland - security was taught about car bombs, what they look like, how to scan for them. Anaheim Police, taking the threat very much to heart that day, was also out in force. Several cruisers were parked at key entry points, ready for any trouble. Once the perceived threat is reduced, the resort and the local authorities pull back to normal operating procedures for the most part.

All of the reactions listed are reassuring - but with the recent reconfiguration of the Disneyland Resort property (with the addition of the California Adventure park, Grand Californian Hotel, Downtown Disney mall and the Mickey & Friends parking superstructure) - could some small changes be made in the way Disney controls access to the properties to make things safer for all visitors?

Here are some ideas that may help to better secure the resort - and that both Disney and the city of Anaheim could implement quite quickly and inexpensively. They are based on long time observations of how the property operates - and incorporate some feedback from outside security people I have been exchanging email with.

I'll focus on two areas of particular need, as my discussions with people had indicated. (You may note that many of the shots illustrating this story are older ones - taken during California Adventure's construction last year. They were chosen since they more clearly illustrate the roadways before all the current landscaping that was put in afterwards.)

Restrict access to Disneyland Drive

One of the things I have been critical of in the past about the design of the new California Adventure park has been its lack of an earthen berm. Little did I also realize besides the simple theming issues, that the berm also can be looked at as a security device. As one kind soul pointed out to me: "Disneyland itself benefits from this feature - as that and the surrounding backstage infrastructure pretty much keep the edges of the park (and all its visitors) away from the roadways."

California Adventure's lack of such a perimeter, and its butting up against both Disneyland Drive and a portion of Katella Ave. exposes the busy Paradise Pier area of the park to anything that could be positioned on the roadways just outside (see above).

A particular area of concern is the Disneyland Drive (formerly West Street) roadway that goes between the back of Paradise Pier and the front of the Paradise Pier Hotel area (above, as seen from the hotel, below as seen from inside the park towards the hotel). Only the McDonalds and Pizza restaurant separate the park from the roadway. The hotel itself is only yards off the roadway also.

The Downtown Disney pedestrian bridge to the Disneyland Hotel is also a possible problem area (below). The movie theaters, some shops, two clubs and the monorail station border it - and it gets quite busy in the evenings.

A solution could be to turn Disneyland Drive into a limited access roadway - with a gate to allow only hotel visitors in at either end, which would add a layer of needed security to this area. Since Disneyland Drive is a public roadway this would entail working with the city of Anaheim to accomplish this - but it would be a worthwhile project.

This still leaves another smaller area of California Adventure open to possible problems - across from the Anaheim Convention Center. Increased police monitoring, plus possibly an observational device (camera or outpost) could assist in keeping a better eye on this area.

By the way, the giant esplanade between the two parks benefits from its pedestrian status - since no problem vehicles can access the front of the parks. But it could also benefit from a very visible camera or observational security outpost which could assist in keeping a better eye on this area and deter potential problems at the same time.

Mickey & Friends parking structure

Although the massive Mickey & Friends parking structure (below) tends to be sparsely populated during the day, it can get busy early and late as most resort visitors come in or exit.

Currently there is no way to monitor traffic going into the toll booth area (below) - a security risk vehicle can enter unimpeded right into the structure and up to the toll gates - literally into the heart of the building.

Also large groups of people at popular boarding times are exposed to upper areas of the structure as seen below. A highly visible security focus in these areas could help deter problems.

The back (west end) of the parking structure also has a residential street abutting it - where security risk vehicles that could be left there also a problem.

There are a few other areas of the resort - such as the corner of Disneyland that abuts the Freeway and Harbor Blvd - that need looking into also. But the areas listed above are bigger problems from what I could gather.

It may be the time to treat the Disneyland Resort in the same way any airport is, as an area always secured - rather than a patrolled property where security is sent out after the fact. The increased measures that have been taken in the last few days should also be made a part of the standard security operating procedure. The minor hassles would be worth the trouble, and now with the high awareness everyone has it is a good time to ease this in with a more understanding public.

I don't think any place on this earth is 100% safe if someone is bound and determined to wreak terrible havoc. If a plane is hijacked and then steered into something - as with the World Trade Center and Pentagon incidents - there would be little if anything the people at risk there could have done in advance to avoid it.

But I do think you can make it more difficult for other problems to take place at popular destinations like the Disneyland Resort. An even more watchful eye, and the taking into serious account that this is a world famous tourist destination that also could attract unwanted attention - would go a long way to making a more secure environment for visitors and employees.

The terrible events on Tuesday have changed our world forever. It's now the time for the Walt Disney Company to address that change in how the newly expanded resort should be secured to deal with any potential problems.

Al Lutz is the editor of MousePlanet,
and can be e-mailed at al@mouseplanet.com