I return with good tidings, or at least as good as it gets.
Took a swing through the new queue metal detector system, and it was a pretty easy process. Just... lean into getting a red x that you need to stash something in the zip pouch.
With your red x on-hand (ha, pun), you will put any belongings in the easy-to-use pouch at the bottom of your seat, and be asked by ride staff checking your restraints if you have stored your belongings.
It’s all still super overkill, but doesn’t add much to the ride operation and wait. At least not as much as other system inefficiencies in their load process that still results in total stackage on 3 train operation.
After having gone through the process now, I do wonder if an alternative route would be to put very blunt and simply stated warnings that loose articles cause major harm to by-standers. There are a lot of signs in line for this ride, far more than others; but they are all in a cutesy western theme that makes them very easy to miss and brush off versus more serious statements of danger.