Email from UT regarding MDE ticket issues.

[Son of Gadsden]

I've been arguing with Disney about my tickets for a couple months now. I bought 8 day hoppers through Undercover Tourist. This is the first time I've purchased tickets from a third party. When they arrived in the mail, I linked the first, and the second would not be recognized.

I have called Disney CMs three times. However, I've noticed that whenever you mention UT, CMs suddenly lose all interest in helping you and their tone changes to "Not my problem".

The first CM basically told me that's what I get for buying from another vender and I need to talk to UT. Disregarded the fact that all I wanted to know was if the tickets are registering as valid, or are they just not linking. But, at that point, they were a broken record of "not my problem."

The second CM was very helpful. She tried a multitude of things to solve the problem. None worked. She apologized and said it is Disney's fault. She confirmed that the tickets are valid, and told me to go to guest services when I arrive to have my ticket exchanged for another, where my FP+s will also be copied from my other ticket to the one that would not link. I told her that I was previously told to contact UT, that it may be their issue. She told me that is incorrect, and that UT is an authorized retailer and it is not likely their mistake, that I could call them if I felt I needed to, but she didn't feel it was necessary.

So, I called a third CM yesterday. I'm getting the pre-trip jitters, and I just don't like the idea of driving 10 hours to Disney missing an 8 day hopper that I already paid for, not knowing if it works or not. In the words of Barbossa, "that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with not but a name and your word it's the one I need." So I call to get some reassurance that I'm not going to have any issues, and because I keep getting different results every time I call, I'm also hoping I might actually get the issue resolved over the phone. Instead, I get another CM that says this is UT's problem and he can't help me. I assured him it's not UT's problem...and we went back and forth for a while before I finally gave up.

I emailed UT (after hours, I'll add), and received this email less than an hour later:

Hello, xxxx.

Disney is having some technical difficulties with the My Disney Experience programing and are diligently working to get them resolved, however, that has not happened completely. We do apologize for the inconvenience but it is still in the testing stage. The linking is one of the biggest problems that the program has.

It is our understanding that if some of the tickets link and you have picked fast passes, as well as other areas of interest, that when you arrive on site, Guest Services will be able to link the problem ticket and install the same features that you have lined up on the working ticket.

Because this is a Disney problem, we are at a loss for solutions to help with these type of problems. We do apologize again for the fact that you are experiencing these difficulties, but hope that you will be patient with Disney while they are working to correct the issues that they are faced with. But, if you wish to speak with us regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us at any time.

xxxx
Customer Service

My Reply: Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. My main concern is just making sure the ticket is going to work when I get there. I'm not so concerned with MDE.

I then got this message back first thing this morning:

Good Morning xxxx,

Please do not be concerned. Your tickets will work. They are printed for us from Disney and are exactly the same as you would buy if you stood in line for them. I do understand your concern but rest assured we will take care of you if you were to run into any kind of problem.
We could send you a new ticket, but this has proven to have the exact same issue that you are facing with the one you have, so we are suggesting that you link when you get to the park. This is the instructions that we have received from Disney.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need us for any reason.

xxxx

I just figured this post may be helpful to some folks with the same issues I'm having. I see a lot of UT threads popping up, some resolved, some not.

Before I sent the emails, I swore to my wife that this is the first and last time I buy tickets from UT. After reading this, though, I changed my mind. They are much more helpful than Disney. It never ceases to amaze me the huge gap between some Disney CMs and their helpfulness. Some seem like they would take a bullet to make sure your vacation is the best it can be, others seem as if they would just as soon put a bullet in you to keep you to get rid of your problems. Regardless, looks like I'll be standing on that beach with nothing but a ticket and UT and Disney's word that it's the right one. But, at least UT is saying they'll fix the issue is for some reason there are complications when we arrive.

 

[bamba81]

hi!
I know your feeling, i kind of had the same feeling that you as i also bought my tickets in UT (however i always buy them there and have never had an issue) they also reassured me that they will work when i get there and I just need to go to guest services to trade them for an RFID ticket (they send me paper tickets still).

So i call Disney and asked if this was accurately and they said the same
I am planning on going to Downtown disney and do it there the day we arrive so we dont waste time when we get to the parks

cheers!

 

[Sammie]

I've been arguing with Disney about my tickets for a couple months now. I bought 8 day hoppers through Undercover Tourist. This is the first time I've purchased tickets from a third party. When they arrived in the mail, I linked the first, and the second would not be recognized.

I have called Disney CMs three times. However, I've noticed that whenever you mention UT, CMs suddenly lose all interest in helping you and their tone changes to "Not my problem".

The first CM basically told me that's what I get for buying from another vender and I need to talk to UT. Disregarded the fact that all I wanted to know was if the tickets are registering as valid, or are they just not linking. But, at that point, they were a broken record of "not my problem."

The second CM was very helpful. She tried a multitude of things to solve the problem. None worked. She apologized and said it is Disney's fault. She confirmed that the tickets are valid, and told me to go to guest services when I arrive to have my ticket exchanged for another, where my FP+s will also be copied from my other ticket to the one that would not link. I told her that I was previously told to contact UT, that it may be their issue. She told me that is incorrect, and that UT is an authorized retailer and it is not likely their mistake, that I could call them if I felt I needed to, but she didn't feel it was necessary.

So, I called a third CM yesterday. I'm getting the pre-trip jitters, and I just don't like the idea of driving 10 hours to Disney missing an 8 day hopper that I already paid for, not knowing if it works or not. In the words of Barbossa, "that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with not but a name and your word it's the one I need." So I call to get some reassurance that I'm not going to have any issues, and because I keep getting different results every time I call, I'm also hoping I might actually get the issue resolved over the phone. Instead, I get another CM that says this is UT's problem and he can't help me. I assured him it's not UT's problem...and we went back and forth for a while before I finally gave up.

I emailed UT (after hours, I'll add), and received this email less than an hour later:

Hello, xxxx.

Disney is having some technical difficulties with the My Disney Experience programing and are diligently working to get them resolved, however, that has not happened completely. We do apologize for the inconvenience but it is still in the testing stage. The linking is one of the biggest problems that the program has.

It is our understanding that if some of the tickets link and you have picked fast passes, as well as other areas of interest, that when you arrive on site, Guest Services will be able to link the problem ticket and install the same features that you have lined up on the working ticket.

Because this is a Disney problem, we are at a loss for solutions to help with these type of problems. We do apologize again for the fact that you are experiencing these difficulties, but hope that you will be patient with Disney while they are working to correct the issues that they are faced with. But, if you wish to speak with us regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us at any time.

xxxx
Customer Service

My Reply: Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. My main concern is just making sure the ticket is going to work when I get there. I'm not so concerned with MDE.

I then got this message back first thing this morning:

Good Morning xxxx,

Please do not be concerned. Your tickets will work. They are printed for us from Disney and are exactly the same as you would buy if you stood in line for them. I do understand your concern but rest assured we will take care of you if you were to run into any kind of problem.
We could send you a new ticket, but this has proven to have the exact same issue that you are facing with the one you have, so we are suggesting that you link when you get to the park. This is the instructions that we have received from Disney.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need us for any reason.

xxxx

I just figured this post may be helpful to some folks with the same issues I'm having. I see a lot of UT threads popping up, some resolved, some not.

Before I sent the emails, I swore to my wife that this is the first and last time I buy tickets from UT. After reading this, though, I changed my mind. They are much more helpful than Disney. It never ceases to amaze me the huge gap between some Disney CMs and their helpfulness. Some seem like they would take a bullet to make sure your vacation is the best it can be, others seem as if they would just as soon put a bullet in you to keep you to get rid of your problems. Regardless, looks like I'll be standing on that beach with nothing but a ticket and UT and Disney's word that it's the right one. But, at least UT is saying they'll fix the issue is for some reason there are complications when we arrive.

Disney has over 65,000 employees some are going to be outstanding, most will be in the middle and a few will be rotten apples. It happens everywhere, Disney is not immune to human nature.

 

[Planogirl]

UT is a super company which is why I'm about to buy tickets from them. We won't be linking them to anything so I'm not concerned but it is ridiculous that anyone has to worry about this.

 

[chartle]

Based on posts on these boards there are a number of people are having issues linking tickets, even if Disney sold them to them.

I think the issue is some CM's think UT is some fly by night I drive ticket reseller and you are basically getting what you paid for so therefore can't help you.

 

[PSUGuy]

Look, Disney tickets are all created equal, UT is not printing out a generic version of the Disney Brand Name Pass. They all have a long serial number, with letters, and if you punch them in correctly on MDE and they don't 'take' it's a MDE IT issue. Be careful with a zero and and an 'O', I made that mistake once.

Bill From PA, a satisfied UT user who successfully linked last month .

 

[RnbwSktles]

I received paper tickets from UT and they linked with no problem. It makes me think I've done something wrong

 

[SoarinSC]

So in so many words, if UT is accurate, ANY Disney ticket has the potential to go south...yeesh. Whose doing the programming for this, Obamacare-programmers?

Btw, I'm really sorry you're having all these hassles...hope you can get it worked out beforehand! I've bought from UT in the past with no issues, so it definitely seems like a Disney issue.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Yeah, I've tried every possible combination of O's and 0's. My tickets are the green plastic cards, not paper.

 

[chartle]

I received paper tickets from UT and they linked with no problem. It makes me think I've done something wrong

I thought UT was sending out RFID tickets now, not "paper".

 

[Miffy]

I thought UT was sending out RFID tickets now, not "paper".

I just got my tix from them last week and they were paper. They did link to my MBs, but I had to try Os and 0s galore to get it to work.

Best of luck to the OP!

 

[RnbwSktles]

I thought UT was sending out RFID tickets now, not "paper".

I bought mine in Feb so that was probably before they switched over

 

[that's nice]

We've bought tickets from UT a few times and I was able to link my DDs 10 day n/e ticket that had 4 days left on it for our October trip. Disney are the ones having the problem with the linking. I was able to link my AP without a problem but my DWs AP took many tries and calls.

UT is a great company and they are very helpful. One time I was sitting on the plane when I realized I left our UT tickets home. I called them once I arrived in Florida and they issued me me new tickets by faxing guest relations while I was standing there. Took about 5 minutes. My wife still brings that up once in a while but at least we can joke about it…

 

[bumbershoot]

But, at least UT is saying they'll fix the issue is for some reason there are complications when we arrive.

And they will.


The problem with phone CMs is that they are just call center employees who probably aren't in Florida and might not have ever been to WDW. They simply don't know. Having worked in the call center for a different company, I know that some CS reps care and some don't. Some make stuff up and some don't. Some take things further up the chain and others just go on to the next call. I always got into trouble with my "metrics" because I would rather fully research and fully resolve an issue, make it a "one and done" contact, while others would rather throw half-researched, hope-it-will-resolve-itself answers and let others (me!) take care of the followup email. EmailS. Calls. etc.


Some have had problems with APs linking right. Those are only sold by WDW. It's obviously it's an IT issue, not a bad-ticket issue.

 

[Aunt Michelle]

And they will. The problem with phone CMs is that they are just call center employees who probably aren't in Florida and might not have ever been to WDW. They simply don't know. Having worked in the call center for a different company, I know that some CS reps care and some don't. Some make stuff up and some don't. Some take things further up the chain and others just go on to the next call. I always got into trouble with my "metrics" because I would rather fully research and fully resolve an issue, make it a "one and done" contact, while others would rather throw half-researched, hope-it-will-resolve-itself answers and let others (me!) take care of the followup email. EmailS. Calls. etc. Some have had problems with APs linking right. Those are only sold by WDW. It's obviously it's an IT issue, not a bad-ticket issue.

I don't know about the Disney Call Centers, but we have many Call Centers on activity based compensation (ABC) which has at times backfired on us. I think you are right about there being metrics governing the behavior/responses of some representatives (not that I'm condoning or apologizing) but sometimes, however well intentioned, we (employers) reward the wrong behavior in employees when we try for a "one size fits all" solution.

My newly acquired UT ticket linked on the first try.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I was able to successfully link mine in September for our December trip. I did have to call IT a few times (6 hours total on the phone that I will not get back), but I do have to say - everybody I have spoken to has been top-notch and very very helpful.

 

[Sue M]

Love UT. Now I have APs the last few years. If in the future I don't plan on 2 trips a year, I wouldn't hesitate to use UT again.
Sadly, this NexGen Disney is trying to implement has been a nightmare for all. Worst thing to ever happen to wdw, and can only hope they don't bring this system to other Disney parks.

 

[WDW_Diane]

Based on posts on these boards there are a number of people are having issues linking tickets, even if Disney sold them to them. I think the issue is some CM's think UT is some fly by night I drive ticket reseller and you are basically getting what you paid for so therefore can't help you.

I am currently working with Disney trying to get a UT 10 day non expiring park hopper to load. Three of the days have been used but their system thinks it is a one day ticket and has been used.
Disney has been nice about it and are still working on it, hopefully resolved by the time we arrive on the sixth. They said taking the the ticket to check in may be what it takes.

 

[mistysue]

I would trust UT, they seem to have down not only responding to customers, but are more reliable about knowing what they are talking about.
I have a CS issue one evening on my last trip needing immediate help. UT responded early the next morning with actual help and compassion. Disney got back to me a few weeks later, after I was home, when somebody who didn't understand the issue or know the correct answer thanked me "for my feedback and opportunity to look into this."