Disney Club/Annual Pass discount glitch

[genealle]

Just back from the Disney Store and wanted to pass along info about a glitch in the purchase of AP's at the Disney Store, using the Disney Club discount. The price went from $1,179 down to $1134, a savings of $45, or $15 per pass.

Plopped down a check for $1134 to buy three AP's at the local D store, and after waiting for verification, a message came back saying something about the DC card being invalid, even though we were current.

The manager called up someone at Corp, and then explained to us that there was an ongoing problem with members from the "old Magic Kingdom Club" who were merged into the Disney Club program when it started. Most DC discounts happen without a problem, but apparently due to the high cost of the AP's, the Store POS system needs an OK from some other hunk of silicon, and that's where the problem arises. They didn't merge the "old MKC" numbers into the DC list that they use to verify membership, and thus you don't get the discount, since the system thinks you are invalid.

The manager couldn't "force it" from the store, and said to call the DC 800 number, and they could correct the problem within 24 hours. We came home and just ordered the AP's over the phone from the DC. They were able to fix things on the spot, and we got another $11 for using our Disney CC.

So if you plan to buy at the D Store and get the DC discount, call the DC a day or so prior to your arrival.

C Ya,
Gene

 

[nicknamy1996]

Hopefully $22 from the Disney Visa. I think they might be running a double reward program right now.

 

[yesdisneyfool]

Checked with Local DS on Saturday and they still had the Disney Club Annual Passes at the Discounted price of $377.01 per adult. I'll need to get ours in a few weeks 3 x $377.01 = $1131.03 on Disney Visa will get me $11 in Disney Rewards.

 

[micks]

From what I've seen and been told, you get double Disney Visa points for purchases at the Disney Store that are over $100 from Sept. 1st until October 11th (?). I bought our AP's there about 10 days ago and called to check and I DID get my doube points (22). I don't think you get double points for just buying park tickets anywhere else.

 

[EpcotBill]

I'm an old MKC member, I bought AP's at the Disney Store with a DC discount twice without any problem. The last time was in August. The Credit Card was running the double reward dollars at that time too.

 

[yesdisneyfool]

Originally posted by micks
From what I've seen and been told, you get double Disney Visa points for purchases at the Disney Store that are over $100 from Sept. 1st until October 11th (?). I bought our AP's there about 10 days ago and called to check and I DID get my doube points (22). I don't think you get double points for just buying park tickets anywhere else.

Called BankOne to activate my card and asked about the double rewards and was told that it is only in certain areas, but I should check my next statement for promos in my area.

 

[beattyfamily]

The exact same thing happened to me a couple of months ago but the CM had some other excuse and told me it was all DC fault and that i needed to call them. Meanwhile I used my Debit card and she said she voided it but she didn't. There was a $1018 charge on my debit card when I got home. Meanwhile I went outside the Disney store and called DC. She was very sorry but didn't see any problems on her end. She told me to go back in and have the CM call her. I did. The CM would NOT call DC. She said it's against policy

So I wouldn't have to make another trip to the store, I used my CC and bought them....still thinking my debit card was never charged...

I got home. I was so angry when I saw the debit charge!

I went back to the store and the same CM made a phone call and came back and said I just have to wait for the credit. So meawhile I called my bank and they put in a dispute and returned the $1018 while they investigated...that's a lot of money to be without! Thank goodness my bank did that.

Well, because I called and put in a dispute, they shut off the part of my debit card that can do CC transaction but I didn't know this for almost a month! I most was using it as a ATM card where I plugged in my PIN. Finally after being embarrassed at a couple of places I called my Bank and they told me. The only way I could get it working again was to GET A NEW ONE! So one month later I was still out the $1018 from the Disney Store (although my bank temporarily gave it back to me) and I had to cancel my card and get a new one!

At exactly a month, Disney Store finally credited my debit card! Then I had to call the bank again for them to take that $1018 as the bank had already given it to me a month ago.

But I had the exact same issue "after waiting for verification, a message came back saying something about the DC card being invalid, even though we were current." That is exactly what happened to me BUT my debit card was charged already.

So be very careful buying APs with your debit card and DC discount!

I was not too pleased with my Disney Store for a long time after this!

 

[Donna]

The DC passes are already discounted. It sounds to me like you had a CM who tried to put another discount on top of that, without realizing. All they had to do is scan the pass once they see your DC card.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Donna, I wish you were right, but in this case, the guests posting here are indeed correct, an all accounts.

I have had this DC situation occur 3 times in the last 2 months. The last time was 2 days ago, with a guest trying to buy premium APs. I am trying to remember if all 3 times it was on APs, and I am not sure. In our store, we WILL call DC if the guests card says good until 12/03 and we get that message. (Keep in mind, we have guests who will sometimes say they renewed, but never got their new card, etc. Sometimes that is indeed true, so we can help them as well). DC says it is not updated in the WDW system, that everything is fine on their end......... it is fine on the Disneystore end, too. (We know that because these cards will go thru for discounts on Disneystore product). We have no way to contact WDW right now as far as I know, from the stores.

The only thing we have been able to do, is use another guests card for the passes. (We ONLY have done this when we verified by phone that the guest has a valid DC card). As for the credit card charge, there is a correct way to make sure your card is not charged, and speaking as a cast member, I am so sorry that you had this problem (only managers can do the void now, the register locks up, so that should help prevent this from occurring).

I am going to print out this thread, and hand it to my district manager tomorrow........ Here in NJ we are heading into heavy pass buying season (NJ week in early November is fast approaching). Hopefully they can find someone to flip a swich and fix this mess.

 

[Donna]

So this HAS changed since i left TDS. Thanks for letting me know. I hope they can figure it all out before your PASS season begins, lol!

 

[PatMcDuck]

Yes, now when we scan the DC pass sku, we are prompted to swipe the DC card (for verification). We used to just scan the DC sku, and we would "verify" the card ourselves.......... now it actually dials into a database to verify (and activate the passes) AFTER the credit card is charged...........

 

[dcfromva]

Originally posted by PatMcDuck
Yes, now when we scan the DC pass sku, we are prompted to swipe the DC card (for verification). We used to just scan the DC sku, and we would "verify" the card ourselves.......... now it actually dials into a database to verify (and activate the passes) AFTER the credit card is charged...........

PatMcDuck,
...Uh.... Could you explain the "activate the passes" part? (I thought they are only vouchers when they are purchased at the store and a person activates them when they get to WDW...)
-DC

 

[KathiWithAnI]

All Pat meant was that it "activates" regular multi-day passes ( which never expire) and that it "activates" the Annual passes as a pass number that has been paid for-- she did not mean it "starts the clock ticking" on your annual pass.
But if we didn't "activate" the AP number in some way, you would get down to WDW and when you tried to trade in your "voucher" for an AP it would look like you never padi for it!!

Hope that helps
Kathi

 

[dcfromva]

KathiWithAnI,
Thanks for the explanation... (I was a little bit worried there for a minute ).

-DC

 

[KathiWithAnI]

No problem-- I figured that was the part you were concerned about
Sometimes we forget that the words we use ( as CM's) may mean something totally different to guests!
Hope you have a great trip!
Kathi

 

[LadyRose]

Went in to our DS this past Thursday to purchase two annual passes. Had no problem using the discount on my card and my Mother paid for them with her Disney Visa. The CM did apply my DC discount at the end also, because I was preordering Nemo, took $64 off, she gave me my total and I told her that wasn't right....(had to be honest). I bet the computer wouldn't have let it go through, although it did have the total ready to take payment. Wouldn't that have been nice!!!