DL/DCA Park Hopper Etiquette ?

[C_leen]

Hi! I was just in For my first trip to DL/DCA in tandem with half marathon. I got a discount 3 day PH ticket linked to the event. When I picked up ticket at the RunDisney Expo they made a big deal not to sign it until I got to gate. So I stashed it in wallet and expected to sign it.

Day 1 of use was just DL as I was beat after race. I was so tired I can't remember how many people handled my ticket but I wasn't required to sign it.

Day 2 I went to both parks. I was a little weirded out by entrance as there was someone scanning ticket with a handheld device, then the ticket went thru the machine at the actual turn style and then. They took our picture too at DCA with our medals as fraud prevention? They also wrote our first name on our tickets so I never did sign it. They were nice about it But I was thinking why did you just do all of that at the point my ticket is half used? I was half-way through Day 2.

Day 3 I started in DL. Then we left there about 5 to finish up at DCA. Since DL closed at 8 I did not opt for a handstamp. Coming from FL WDW training, I had a park hopper ticket and was not coming back to DL so why get a handstamp? We walked across the plaza and was accused of fraud by the DCA entry staff. I thought they were kidding at first! I said, "why would we get a stamp for DCA entrance when we have a park hopper? Isn't the hand stamp to get back into DL?" No one at the DL exit told us to get into DCA we'd need a stamp. We had just done it the night before too and no one asked for a handstamp or even corrected us to get one next time. I then had to show pictures from my cell phone to prove I had been in DL that day! I asked them, well where is the picture of me and my medal from yesterday? Can't you look that up as fraud prevention? Can't you see what days this ticket has been used? I was wearing a Coast to Coast medal and we both said we'd never been to DL before and did not understand the change up and the accusatory approach all of a sudden. So I luckily had a picture of both of us with a Marvel character and they let us thru. Then the girl said, "Thanks for being so rude about it." Oh boy! That set my friend off so we marched right over to Guest Relations but we could tell nothing was going to change.

But I am still confused about what were we supposed to do? I felt like we spent $200 on a ticket and If they are really that hung up on fraudulent ticket use, why don't they switch out to a picture ID ticket? Why do I need to prove with my own photos where I was? Why was the hand stamp not needed at all one day and a huge game changer the next? What was going on?

 

[Girimama33]

If you have a ticket of any kind (park hopper or not) you are required to get a handstamp for re-entry. Even with the photo and your name on the ticket, you still need the handstamp as well at this time.

 

[Amilo]

So you are supposed to get your hand stamped when you leave a park if.you are hopping? Is there a different stamp for each park? Do I need to get stamped at both of I'm going back and forth?

 

[SMD]

They are supposed to take your picture with the handheld device at first entry and write your name on it at the turnstile. Most tickets have the names preprinted now, so you'd think a runDisney travel package would do that. Maybe you entered DL very late the first day and they weren't bothering with pictures, but that's when the picture should have been taken. Also, if the scanners are down, they will ask for photo ID. Yes, you do need a handstamp once your ticket has been used for the day. A park hopper ticket needs to be used by the same person at either park, it is not a separate ticket to each park. DLR doesn't use biometrics, they use a handstamp.

 

[SMD]

So you are supposed to get your hand stamped when you leave a park if.you are hopping? Is there a different stamp for each park? Do I need to get stamped at both of I'm going back and forth?

You don't need to get stamped at both, you just need to show that you were in a park. If you think the stamp may have rubbed off, it's easier just to get another one.

Because this question may come next, APs need handstamps when parks may close due to capacity. (And when using a blockout ticket, which aren't sold anymore, so currently moot.) the best thing to do is just ask a CM before exiting if you're not sure if you need a handstamp.

 

[tarheelalum]

Day 3 I started in DL. Then we left there about 5 to finish up at DCA. Since DL closed at 8 I did not opt for a handstamp. Coming from FL WDW training, I had a park hopper ticket and was not coming back to DL so why get a handstamp? We walked across the plaza and was accused of fraud by the DCA entry staff. I thought they were kidding at first! I said, "why would we get a stamp for DCA entrance when we have a park hopper? Isn't the hand stamp to get back into DL?" No one at the DL exit told us to get into DCA we'd need a stamp. We had just done it the night before too and no one asked for a handstamp or even corrected us to get one next time. I then had to show pictures from my cell phone to prove I had been in DL that day! I asked them, well where is the picture of me and my medal from yesterday? Can't you look that up as fraud prevention? Can't you see what days this ticket has been used? I was wearing a Coast to Coast medal and we both said we'd never been to DL before and did not understand the change up and the accusatory approach all of a sudden. So I luckily had a picture of both of us with a Marvel character and they let us thru. Then the girl said, "Thanks for being so rude about it." Oh boy! That set my friend off so we marched right over to Guest Relations but we could tell nothing was going to change.

But I am still confused about what were we supposed to do? I felt like we spent $200 on a ticket and If they are really that hung up on fraudulent ticket use, why don't they switch out to a picture ID ticket? Why do I need to prove with my own photos where I was? Why was the hand stamp not needed at all one day and a huge game changer the next? What was going on?

About 8 months ago I was behind a family at the DCA entrance that was accused of the same thing. Their story sounded similar to yours. They argued for about 3 minutes with the lady at the gate who had the warmth and personality of a DMV employee. I don't know how it ended as I saw it was going to be a while so I left to find another line.

They should explain to you when you get the pass what they want you to do and how to use it. Paying customers should not be expected to magically know Disneyland ticket or hand stamp procedures.

If I were you I would call DL customer service and politely explain how you did not appreciate being accused of fraud. And if you have twitter, I'd also send them tweet about it. And if you have Facebook, I'd also post on their page about your negative experience. I would not stand for that. Not for one second.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

We were newbies to DL/DCA during our last trip and it was made clear to us to get our hands stamped when leaving one park if we intended to return re-enter or to hop. My guess is that they aren't as good about explaining to everyone

 

[quikah]

Compared to WDW, DL tickets are primitive. I had a bad experience about 2.5 years ago with being accused of renting tickets. Even the manager was rude. (the signature was smudged, well what do you expect to happen after 4 days of it being in my pocket?)

Last month's trip we thankfully didn't have any problems.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you have a ticket of any kind (park hopper or not) you are required to get a handstamp for re-entry. Even with the photo and your name on the ticket, you still need the handstamp as well at this time.

Because this question may come next, APs need handstamps when parks may close due to capacity.

It's happened twice to me. One time over Columbus Day weekend a few years back, so I would be surprised if this last weekend didn't have it required at some point.



OP, we got tickets from GET. Bought at the expo.

First day (30th) went to the park, they took our picture before the turnstile then at the turnstile handed us a pen to sign the tickets right then!

On the 31st, I believe, when I was super-tired, I needed my ID because their scanner things weren't working to bring up pictures.

After that it all went just fine. They scanned it and saw my picture, if we were hopping they looked at the handstamp.

When you're exiting, there's a thing to put your hand on (left hand) to have them stamp it. Now I did know about the handstamps from before (though in the past we have usually had APs and only rarely needed a stamp) but that hand thing made it really easy to get a stamp. We did just in case every day after leaving the first park.

And yes it's for going from one park to the other, not for going back to the same park.

 

[Ryan120420]

I don't understand why they just didn't call one of the CMs with the hand held scanners over to pull up your photo. The whole point of having all those additional CMs at the entrance gates with scanners is to prevent ticket sharing and resell.



This story is just another reason why Disneyland needs to stop being cheap and get with the times and rest of the amusement industry and install the biometric finger scanners.

 

[Pooh2]

Sure glad you posted about your experience OP!
I am preparing for a first trip to DL and have never heard of this before with all the reading I've done!
Where do you get your hand stamped? Is it a long line to get your hand stamped?

 

[DCALove]

I don't understand why they just didn't call one of the CMs with the hand held scanners over to pull up your photo. The whole point of having all those additional CMs at the entrance gates with scanners is to prevent ticket sharing and resell.



This story is just another reason why Disneyland needs to stop being cheap and get with the times and rest of the amusement industry and install the biometric finger scanners.

Seriously, even Universal has Ticket Tag. UNIVERSAL.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Sure glad you posted about your experience OP! I am preparing for a first trip to DL and have never heard of this before with all the reading I've done! Where do you get your hand stamped? Is it a long line to get your hand stamped?

It's real easy, on your way out of the parks there are cast members at the gates stamping hands- you won't miss it so don't worry! There's never really a line it's super quicks and no matter what you do- swim, shower, wash, cook- they'll still be able to see it under the special lights. Rule of thumb for us: unless it's closing always get a hand stamp- park hopping or not!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Know that you can always ask for a lead cast member if you feel a main gate cast member is not being helpful or is being rude. Last year when our Premier APs stopped working at DL, we encountered a few (just a few) questionably helpful main gate CMs and asked for leads. The leads always knew how to solve the problem and get us into the parks, and were always friendly about it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't understand why they just didn't call one of the CMs with the hand held scanners over to pull up your photo. The whole point of having all those additional CMs at the entrance gates with scanners is to prevent ticket sharing and resell.

The first day the OP used it was the day of the Half. (she said "in tandem with half marathon" so I'm assuming she didn't run the 5K or the 10K on the day she first used the ticket) That was the day the picture scanner Apple products were down for me, so it's possible they were down when she entered. And that could easily be why they didn't take a picture.

If the OP is like me after a Half, she also might not have been hearing everything said to her, so there might have been more info imparted but she might not have been aware of that. For instance, after the Half I know there was music at the finish area, I saw many other people, but I missed the free flip flops and I couldn't tell you anything about any booths there might have been there. And I barely remember the parks once we went over there (which was solely because I was STARVING).

It's real easy, on your way out of the parks there are cast members at the gates stamping hands- you won't miss it so don't worry! There's never really a line it's super quicks and no matter what you do- swim, shower, wash, cook- they'll still be able to see it under the special lights. Rule of thumb for us: unless it's closing always get a hand stamp- park hopping or not!

Absolutely.

When you exit you go back through a turnstile (at the gates marked Exit). On the turnstile there's a Mickey hand thing for you to put your left hand on. There are CMs manning those exits and they generally have the stamp in hand. You put your hand there and they will stamp you. There is absolutely no time taken in this process as long as you don't have questions.

I washed my hands with harsh hotel soap 4 times after getting it stamped, and it was still visible hours later.

 

[Ryan120420]

Seriously, even Universal has Ticket Tag. UNIVERSAL.

Yep.

Universal has been using biometrics at their parks in the U.S for close to 15 years. In Japan, they use a facial recognition biometric system for multi-day and Annual Pass holders. Biometrics is nothing new for Universal.


SeaWorld Parks, Six Flags Parks, and a slew of water parks across the country use biometrics as well. Six Flags being the most recent to add the scanners to their parks.




If Six Flags can add them, there is no excuse why Disneyland can't.

 

[grnflash]

Know that you can always ask for a lead cast member if you feel a main gate cast member is not being helpful or is being rude. Last year when our Premier APs stopped working at DL, we encountered a few (just a few) questionably helpful main gate CMs and asked for leads. The leads always knew how to solve the problem and get us into the parks, and were always friendly about it.

This.

We were using a 4 day parkhopper in June before converting it to AP's late on the 4th day. For whatever reason, my ticket scanned as already having all days used when we were entering DL on the 4th day. The turnstile CM checked our entries that showed on her screen, verified that only 3 days were used and let us in. Hopping over to DCA, same thing.

Hopping back to DL though the CM would not let us in. She wasn't exactly rude - definitely firm, would not let us enter regardless of what showed on her screen, said we should not have been admitted previously that day and stuck with sorry, your ticket isn't valid. The part I didn't like was that she didn't offer any recourse - like let me get a lead to sort this out, or please go to a ticket booth so they can resolve this. I didn't get flustered, just asked for a lead to help us and he came right over and fixed the problem.

I think what made the situation more confusing was that at no point during our 4 days were our pictures ever taken, which the last CM made of point about. There were camera CM's at the gates all days taking photos of other guests and I even asked on day 3 - the CM just said they still use the photo procedure but some sometimes skip people. I had to pull out my driver's license for every entry and they would check my name against what I had signed on the back. Odd. They also checked our reentry handstamps every single time.

 

[DCALove]

Yep.

Universal has been using biometrics at their parks in the U.S for close to 15 years. In Japan, they use a facial recognition biometric system for multi-day and Annual Pass holders. Biometrics is nothing new for Universal.

SeaWorld Parks, Six Flags Parks, and a slew of water parks across the country use biometrics as well. Six Flags being the most recent to add the scanners to their parks.

If Six Flags can add them, there is no excuse why Disneyland can't.

WDW has had it since I can remember. Hopefully they'll repurpose the "old" turnstiles from WDW into "new" ones for DL. I can see that happening over the next few years, even though the turnstiles at DL aren't even that old. Yeah, I need to stop hoping for miracles.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

APs need handstamps when parks may close due to capacity.

Good to know, I've gone 21 times since I got my AP in January and haven't gotten a hand stamp once. Since AP's allow hopping I just figured I'd never need one.