AP retail discount, asking to show on MDE

[lovethattink]

For a while, on the Here Now, Just Back thread there have been reports of needing to show AP for discount on the app rather than the hard card. Same for DVC.

I was at the GF today and the guests in front of me needed to show proof of DVC on their phone. And at Critter Co-op at MK, they wouldn’t accept our hard card APs and had to pull it up under My Cards and Tickets and show that.

I’ll continue to carry both. But the cm ringing us up, said it’s switching to mostly showing on MDE.

 

[fla4fun]

For a while, on the Here Now, Just Back thread there have been reports of needing to show AP for discount on the app rather than the hard card. Same for DVC.

I was at the GF today and the guests in front of me needed to show proof of DVC on their phone. And at Critter Co-op at MK, they wouldn’t accept our hard card APs and had to pull it up under My Cards and Tickets and show that.

I’ll continue to carry both. But the cm ringing us up, said it’s switching to mostly showing on MDE.

Yeah, I miss just showing the card, but when they quit putting the expiration date on the card there was no way to prove you had a valid AP other than through MDE. I don’t keep my phone out and turned on most of the day in the parks so it’s a pain to do it when making a purchase, but I understand why they are requesting it.

 

[dioxide45]

I wonder how long it'll be till we have to show it for parking?

 

[rdaky]

Yes, that's the rule now and cast members have it posted in their backstage areas reminding them that they are supposed to be checking MDE for proof of both AP and DVC. Some people try to show screen shots, too, and technically they are not supposed to accept those either. And they have the right to ask for your ID because there are lots of people who are trying every trick to get discounts.

Sometimes you'll encounter a CM who doesn't ask for MDE and in my experience knowing lots of merchandise CMs is that the ones who don't ask are either lazy and don't care, they're new, or they've been chewed out one too many times by APs and DVC that day that they are just over it and it's not worth it to get chewed out for the 20th time that day about asking to see MDE. And then those CMs who don't ask for MDE make it harder on the ones who do ask because then someone will throw a fit. My friend had a bottle of water thrown at her because she asked to see MDE from an annual pass holder who claimed that she was the first one all day to ask for it.

Moral of the story is that no, it's not always convenient but just know that that's the rule and the merch cast members didn't make that rule, so everyone be nice to them and don't throw stuff or yell at them.

 

[dioxide45]

My friend had a bottle of water thrown at her because she asked to see MDE from an annual pass holder who claimed that she was the first one all day to ask for it.

Shouldn't that be something that is worthy of removal from the park and potentially a ban of some kind?

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Last week I was being asked to show MDE and my license…not every time but a few.

 

[ellbell]

My last trip in February not a single person accepted my physical card. I was flipping between MDE and Google wallet cause I pay with gift cards exclusively. It wasn't convenient but neither was digging my card and id out of my wallet constantly

 

[Minnie1222]

It's been like this for me at least a year now. They wouldn't accept a screenshot of the digital AP either. It has to be in the MDE.

Does anyone know why they're doing this? Too many people cheated?

 

[Dave006]

Does anyone know why they're doing this? Too many people cheated?

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner. Yes it is to prove you actually have an Active AP and that's why the MDE request to confirm.

Dave

 

[only hope]

What about those without a smartphone? This isn’t me but genuinely curious what they would do. There are people, mostly older folk, who don’t have one.

 

[Minnie1222]

What about those without a smartphone? This isn’t me but genuinely curious what they would do. There are people, mostly older folk, who don’t have one.

I think if they're going to invest in a Disney AP, they might as well get a phone and familiarize themselves with the app.

 

[dioxide45]

What about those without a smartphone? This isn’t me but genuinely curious what they would do. There are people, mostly older folk, who don’t have one.

For years we never had a smartphone. We just got our first last year. We did have an old iPod Touch that we could have used if we needed to.

 

[dioxide45]

I think if they're going to invest in a Disney AP, they might as well get a phone and familiarize themselves with the app.

Why should they have to? A smart phone isn't cheap these days, then you have a at least $50/month for a plan. That makes the AP a lot more expensive for someone who doesn't already have a smartphone. They should be eligible just based on the fact that they have the AP. This is what the AP terms and conditions say about the AP discount;

BENEFITS/DISCOUNTS: A Passholder must present their valid Pass and valid photo identification prior to purchases or offer redemption to receive any applicable benefits, discounts or other offers. Further identification may be required.

I suppose they could indicate that showing proof on the app that you have an active AP could be considered "further identification". Still, if Disney wants to avoid the conflict with people upset about having to use the app and ensure they aren't losing money to people who are sharing their pass, all they need to do is update their POS system to scan APs just like they do at the parking entry gates. Shoot, they could just give their cashiers whatever handheld device they use for parking to verify an AP.

 

[1lilspark]

I wonder how long it'll be till we have to show it for parking?

They normally tap your Magic band and sometimes ask for ID at least in my experience

 

[Minnie1222]

Why should they have to? A smart phone isn't cheap these days, then you have a at least $50/month for a plan. That makes the AP a lot more expensive for someone who doesn't already have a smartphone. They should be eligible just based on the fact that they have the AP. This is what the AP terms and conditions say about the AP discount;

BENEFITS/DISCOUNTS: A Passholder must present their valid Pass and valid photo identification prior to purchases or offer redemption to receive any applicable benefits, discounts or other offers. Further identification may be required.

I agree! No one needs to get a phone or go near the MDE app. Just use whatever tools they're comfortable with.

 

[lovethattink]

What about those without a smartphone? This isn’t me but genuinely curious what they would do. There are people, mostly older folk, who don’t have one.

I don’t know. The cashier seemed more interested in expiration date than anything else. No ID asked for.

 

[rdaky]

Shouldn't that be something that is worthy of removal from the park and potentially a ban of some kind?

It should... but I know more than one person who has had something thrown at them.

This is the info from Disney website under pass holder benefits: Each Guest must present their valid Annual Pass ID in the "Tickets and Passes" section of their My Disney Experience app and government-issued photo ID at time of purchase to receive the discount. Discount may not be combined with any other discount, offer or promotion. Discount is for personal use only and may not be used to purchase merchandise with the intent to resell the merchandise. Discount is subject to change without notice.

Honestly, I wish they would just figure out a way to scan them the way that parking scans them, too. Or that you have to scan to enter the park. Cast members have to scan their ID to get their discounts. Scanning them would cut down on the resellers too who are out of control.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Does anyone know why they're doing this? Too many people cheated?

This is exactly the reason for going digital and asking for some form of proof to confirm the AP, or the DVC membership. With the hard cards, it was easy to just hand them off for others to use. The digital form is tougher to use if the membership isn't actually that person's.

But I agree 100% they need to be more consistent in the enforcement.....

 

[gottalovepluto]

Some took the physical ap, most wanted the app on my trip last week. It wasn’t as annoying as previously because the app was more stable.

It’s possibly less secure against cheating than before. Only one CM who wanted the app compared my ID to the app, all others just said they needed to check the exp date so I could have been using a friends or family members MDE All that took the physical card still checked the ID.

This is STILL the dumbest system. Scan the ticket media to verify, ask for ID to match what name pops up on your screen. It ain’t rocket science Disney. (Funny, when I got my AP magnet they didn’t want the app as scanning MBs or hard ticket APs was working better for them and then they checked IDs against the name they saw.)

Glad you posted OP, reminds me I need to drop Disney a line after my last trip about this.

 

[AttheParks]

In March- we were asked every time to show our pass/ticket in MDE. I am glad they are cutting down on abuse.