Question regarding security screenings in NYC tourist attractions.

[Tink#64]

OK, once again I'm calling on all you experienced with NYC. This may seem like a silly question, but with the most common tourist attractions, ie: Empire State building, WTC Memorial, museums, etc., will we have to pass through security scanners with metal detectors similar to airports? The reason I ask, I have a Disney waist money belt and it has a metal Mickey & a metal part to the zipper. It's going to clearly defeat the purpose if we're going to have to remove it! If this is going to present a problem, I'll simply look for one with no metal. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I HATE having to put my wallet with our cash & credit cards in those trays & be seperated for even a minute. Travelling with kids, I'm preoccupied with them alot of the time! When travelling, if we know this is going to be the case, we usually try to forgo alot of extra metal, belts, etc, just more to deal with if we don't have to! Especially for a full day of touring & possible encountering this time & again!

[NJGIRL]

Hey Shari.....Again I have never done the NY spots you are going to but they probably work just like any other of the tourist spots. In DC when you walk into a federal building everything goes into a basket reguardless if it has metal or not.

[SBETigg]

It has been so long since I've visited some tourist sites in NYC that I don't remember the procedure. But there is a security check and I do think it's going to involve removing bags and putting them through the scanner. Also, buy your tickets in advance online. You save lots of time that way. The line to buy tickets will add another 1-2 hours on to your wait time at attractions like Empire State Building. If you already have tickets, you bypass a large part of the line.

Also, try to keep realistic expectations about how long some of the NYC tourist sites will take. You won't be in and out and on to the next thing. Most of these things will take you hours and you can only fit in so many attractions per day.

[Tink#64]

Thanks Rita & Sherri! I'm thinking now that we'll just limit what we carry in cash & maybe put more on the cc & leave the money in the bank to pay on the card bill when it comes! I'm so used to WDW, and what's not paid for upfront, we carry cash, I've got our budget to a T there & paying in cash really keeps us atuned to what we're spending! I lock what we don't need for the day in the safe! This trip, we've got so many destinations, and I hesitate to use a debit card in many places! So, I'll just plan accordingly!

And Sherri, I'm sure you're exacty right! I've had to really fine tune our agenda, after alot of thought on just how many attractions we were trying to squeeze in! Some places tho, are going to be just more of an outside photo op. And I am definitely buying advance tix online for the E.S. Bldg, the S of L, ordering the free tix for the WTC Memorial & possibly M of the M at Niagara Falls. I have read what a time saver that is! I'm sure it's going to be a little bit of an overwhelming experience! And I'm fine if we don't get to do everything, I'm trying to schedule our must do's earlier in the day, so if we run out of time, we won't miss out on those major attractions!

Thank you for taking your time to share your knowledge & experience! Very much appreciated!