buying park tickets on Ebay

[Jenny]

when did WDW start using the finger scanner? my SIL is convinced that we can buy our tix on ebay & not have a problem if the tix were purchased before they started using the scanner. i'm trying to talk her out of it. please advise.

 

[striker3636]

As much as I like to save money, I would not want to take any chances on something going wrong (the ethics part of this aside, against Disney regulations). I can't afford to pay for my tickets twice if Disney had an issue with honouring them. I would rather deal with a reputable, authorized ticket dealer and spend a little more than risk ruining a vacation, or wasting a lot of money. Sure you can leave feedback on ebay, but what does that do for you while you are standing at the gate? To me, its an additional risk to buy from a stranger. I'm sure you will hear from people who have done this, etc etc. IMHO it's not worth it.

 

[HarryLeg]

Tickets I've seen on Ebay weren't any cheaper than through honest ticket brokers and in many cases the Ebay tickets are higher.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Go ahead and let her buy hers that way, if she is willing to chance it. It may work. It may be a MAJOR headache. Not worth what little may be saved, IMHO.

 

[SueM in MN]

1) Tickets are not transferable, so buying an already used ticket is a risk. If something doesn't work correctly, you are out everything and Disney is under no obligation to help since you are not playing by the rules.
2) A totally used up ticket looks exactly the same as a brand new, unused one. The only way to find out the difference is to go to the parks and try to use it. (If you search the boards, you'll find threads from people who were trying to figure out how many days/how many pluses on their tickets that they had used themselves on a previous trip).

 

[seashoreCM]

Bad idea to buy Disney tickets via eBay.

The only good way to deal with tickets from strangers is to receive them as a gift and then give a tip or otherwise reciprocate later.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Jenny]

i knew i'd get these responses based on my years on the DIS board but i just wanted to get affirmation as i convince my SIL to get them the right way.

p.s. she's in charge of getting our tix b/c she owes us $....maybe i'll ask for the $ & buy me own.

 

[Muffy]

It's very risky. Don't do it. Go to www.mousesavers.com and you will find a fair price.

 

[raven69david]

I would NEVER buy used tickets. That being said, I purchased mine through Ebay from a seller who sells theme park tickets in Kissimmee. He has a regular place of business and also uses Ebay to sell tickets. All of the feedback has been positive with a few thousand people leaving positive feedback. The tickets are not used, but rather they are like convention tickets or promo tickets of that type. They look like regular Disney tickets in every aspect. You DO NOT have to stay at a hotel or anything like that to validate the tickets. They are ready to go and can be used as soon as you visit the park.

I know this practice is frowned upon, however i got a 2 day park hopper with Disney Quest for $129.00. The same ticket and features is $199.00 on WDW website. As long as it's my money i figure i'll take that chance knowing the amount of research that went into checking everything out before committing to the purchase. If you feel better about paying a little more for peace of mind then i say go for it. I will most likely do that in the future too, but this time i'm testing the waters to see how it goes. If everything turns out ok I may try it again. Who knows.

As soon as i get back i'll report my findings.

 

[AJKMOM]

A few months ago, a DIS'er reported being behind a man in the ticket line who had 4 invalid tickets. He overheard the man say they were bought on ebay. The family then had to get out of line and go get more tickets, the kids were embarrassed, and they had to pay full price. IMHO, it wouldn't be worth taking a chance of getting ripped off. That would be my luck. I did just get passes thru Ticketmania, and saved $100.