hopper pass-fingerscan or handscan?

[wahoo1]

We will going on our first trip to WDW in less than two weeks. I heard something about scanning fingers/hands upon entry to the parks. Is this correct?

I gues this brings up an ethics question. My famliy's passes have DQ admission because they are convention passes. My BIL and SIL are traveling with us, but they got regular passes thru AAA. On our anniversary, we were going to trade our passes with theirs so they could take our kids to DQ while we go to the CP. If they really do scan fingers/hands this won't work.

Any info./thoughts/suggestions appreciated.
Thanks, Beth

 

[Ducky4Disney]

The finger scans won't apply to you. They only do finger scans for AP's and PAP's. You shouldn't have any problem!

Have a great trip!
D4D

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Edit: Information contained in my original post may have been inaccurate. As a CM, I don't want to spread misinformation, so the text has been removed.

 

[goofyernmost]

I do so wish I could know what the big deal is. Disney received the money for the tickets it really isn't any of their business who uses them. AP's yes..regular hoppers no. The finger scan deal would illiminate gift giving (something that I would suspect is a big money maker for Disney. I personally have used WDW park hopper tickets for gifts many times) and at least 5 times in my life prevented me from going on the trip. My tickets combined with other family member left overs, were the catalist for the trip. Without one the other wouldn't have happened. Greed can sometimes jump up and bite the greedy. Disney already made the money on the ticket and electronics have pretty much stopped the big outside market that once existed.

Don't I remember one time they were talking about or might have even tried photo tickets? Talk about long waits for that one.

 

[Chuck S]

The APs used to be photo based, before they went to mag stripes and finger scans.

I doubt it would prevent gift giving of UNUSED Hoppers, since they would scan on first use...you'd simply have to have a way to indicate who's ticket is was if you went with a group...maybe a permanent marker would work.

It would certainly end the sale of partially used tickets on ebay and from unscrupulous fake ticket agents in the WDW area, which is probably their main objective.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I doubt it would prevent gift giving of UNUSED Hoppers, since they would scan on first use...you'd simply have to have a way to indicate who's ticket is was if you went with a group...maybe a permanent marker would work.

The first finger scan is done the first time the ticket is used at a turnstyle. There is no scan done at the point of sale. So, yes, you'd still be able to give the gift of unused hoppers. As to keeping your tickets straight, a ballpoint pen works pretty well.

 

[goofyernmost]

The first finger scan is done the first time the ticket is used at a turnstyle. There is no scan done at the point of sale. So, yes, you'd still be able to give the gift of unused hoppers. As to keeping your tickets straight, a ballpoint pen works pretty well.

It still creates a nightmare for the "guest" with a large family or one that only gets there every few years. Who's ticket is who's? OK, the pen deal but there are other equally and compeling reasons that a ticket should be used by someone else. How about death or illness of the ticket holder? Throw it away and give Disney the money? Not very fair if you ask me. Also like I stated before the fact that I could use unused portions of a family members ticket is the reason I went when I did sometimes. Without that the wouldn't have sold me food, lodging, gifts, mickey bars and the additional ticket that I purchased to round out the trip.

As I said, greed can backfire! It is unnecessary and foolish. Someone paid for a park admission. It is paid for...Disney has the money (or maybe Eisner) and for Disney to say, out of the entire planet, that PAID ticket is only valid for one individual is almost criminal. It's like saying a gift certificate is invalid after a period of time. Did the money that was used to pay for it become invalid as well? It is nothing more than corporate theft. Once I paid for that ticket it is my property, (i.e. asset) it was sold to me by Disney. They no longer have control of it.

P.T. Barnum is quoted as saying "there's a sucker born every minute". I do not intend to be one of them. When you allow any entity, even Disney, to control your possessions you become the sucker. They can take your money and use it and never have to provide a service for it. That sounds like dishonesty to me. If that happened the magic would be dead for me and I would probably get to see other parts of the planet besides Florida.

 

[safetymom]

I am glad to see that they are going to do this.

Yes gift certificates are invalid after a certain time with some of them.

It will cut down on fraud, you won't be able to buy tickets on EBay or partially used tickets elsewhere. I am sure Disney will do something if the person dies or other circumstances. It's no different than a ticket to a sporting event, concert, if you don't go you lose it.

I don't know why you have to see a conspiracy about this. It's very simple, if you don't like the policy don't go to WDW. If enough people rebel then I am sure that WDW would relook at the policy.

 

[Chuck S]

Evidently, the tickets should'nt have been purchased in the first place, if it was done with the intention of swapping around the unused days. They are clearly marked non-transferable. Whomever purchased them agreed to that rule, so who is Disney being "greedy" or those that re-use a ticket being "cheap"?

Gosh, and heaven forbid that the rules that were agreed to are actually "enforced" through the use of technology.

 

[goofyernmost]

Evidently, the tickets should'nt have been purchased in the first place, if it was done with the intention of swapping around the unused days. They are clearly marked non-transferable. Whomever purchased them agreed to that rule, so who is Disney being "greedy" or those that re-use a ticket being "cheap"?

Gosh, and heaven forbid that the rules that were agreed to are actually "enforced" through the use of technology.

Gasp!!! When one looks at the prices that Disney charges for everything, using a prepaid ticket is hardly cheap. I have purchased many many Disney tickets and I never once agreed to that rule. I gave them money for a usable commodity, it became my property when I purchased it. If you buy a Chevy do you expect General Motors to tell you what you can and cannot do with the car? Of course not! There really isn't any difference here.

The old, "well if you don't like it, don't go" argument has gotten so lame as to be almost laughable! I am going to assume here that you have had to work hard to earn your money. Then you take that money and go to Disney and buy a ticket with that money. Now since you gave them that money and didn't tell them what they were required to do with it, why would you think it is reasonable for them to tell you what you can do with the item you purchased with that money. Just because a rule exists doesn't mean that it is just or within the boundries of their authority.

They went to electronic ticketing and that pretty much prevented the outside sale of tickets or limited it to the incredibly stupid. If someone is willing to spend money on something that cannot be varified until they actually get there then, I'm not sure stupid even defines it. I have seen people turned away at the gate because their "cheap" third party tickets had no time left on them. Pretty expensive lesson to learn.

Anyway, I'm talking about using tickets within the same family. I'm not talking about reselling them to people you don't even know. I'm talking about the fact that I personally have purchased 10 days of park passes to use in conjunction with about 6 given to me by family members. Let me reiterate, I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER! If I had not been able to do that who would have been the real loser. If you said Disney you are correct! By letting me use 6 days (over about 7 years) that they had already gotten the money on, they sold 10 more days that otherwise would not have occured.

P.S. Nothing was done with the intention of swapping. It just happened that way.

 

[safetymom]

You agreed to the rule when you purchased the ticket. It is not different than when you read all the rules when you purchase an airline ticket.

We were at MGM and Epcot. There are areas blocked off at both parks where they will be installing more turnstiles for the new biometric scans. Should be interesting to see how everyone handles the change.

 

[Chuck S]

Just because a rule exists doesn't mean that it is just or within the boundries of their authority.

It is perfectly within the bounds of their authority, it is private property, admission is not being denied on the basis of race, creed or anything like that, but on the basis of a contract the purchaser of the ticket agreed to by accepting a ticket with that wording printed upon it.

It would be like saying you could purchase an AP then lend it to everyone in your family.

 

[donmil723]

Talk about slowing down the lines at the entrance. It never fails. I always get behind a family with APs and they have to scan their finger more than once. And everyone else waits and waits and waits ... For that reason alone, I've always been thankful its just APs that have the biometric scans.

Also, I usually take care of all of our tickets. It will be a pain to mark them and make sure you hand them out correctly. I can already see how confusing it will be for families and how they'll need to hand around the tickets until they get the one that matches their scan. Sounds time consuming to me. I guarantee I'll be the one in that line!!!

Well, we can only hope this is one testl that won't make the grade.

Donna

 

[chamonix]

Have to say I agree with safetymom and chuck S, etc. here. You did agree to a purchase a non-transferable ticket. You didn't have to like it though, LOL.

I think Disney is more concerned with multiple people using one ticket on the same day IMO. If "anyone" can use it, what's to stop families from using just a couple tickets for all their members? Half the family could enter the park, then send one member out with all the passes to hook up with the other set of family members, who could then walk in with those same Hoppers. Or, half the family could go into the MK, then one member leave carrying all the hoppers out to other friends or family who could then take the Hoppers over to Epcot or MGM and have a fine day there.

I think Disney has a definite interest in making sure tickets are used only by those who purchase them. That doesn't make them greedy, that just makes them a business.

My suggestion to keep the lines moving would be to make the turnstyle computer request fingercans only for first time tickets, and then only ask randomly--so people would know it was very possible that they may have to produce a fingerscan or ID.

Oh, and we use APs. They have our names printed on them. I hold all of them all the time. It is not hard at all to read the names on them and hand them to the corresponding family member while waiting in line for the turnstyle. Also, after awhile I know which character on the card goes to which family member and I don't even have to read the names.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Edit: Information contained in my original post may have been inaccurate. As a CM, I don't want to spread misinformation, so the text has been removed.

 

[chamonix]

I've been told that the system is smart enough to compare the scans for up to 5 tickets that were purchased together

I think this is true. At least, when I went to renew our APs online yesterday, I mistakenly entered the number on my dd's pass (a child pass with her name printed on it) with my name. It accepted that. It actually screwed me up because the stupid website didn't give me any way to go back to change it, and now I have to call to renew and hope it's not all screwy.

(I know it's not a fingerscan, but it *is* evidence that passes purchased together may be linked in the computers)

 

[Chuck S]

I've heard rumors (but no confirmation whatsoever) that WDW Industrial Engineering is LOOKING at re-designing the biometric scanners to make them more user friendly (and thus faster).

That would be nice. Occasionally the CM makes Mom, who is in a wheelchair going through the turnstiles, try to bioscan. The angles of the scanner mounts is horrible for that. If they can make a sort of whole hand scanner bed that can be popped in and out of a turnstile mount, attached to a cable so mobility challenged folks could use it, it would be a lot more pratical.

 

[senecabeach]

Goofyernmost..........

I agree with you totally and am in constant amazement when I hear people say that the Disney Corporation must be right, and, is above reproach when it comes to the almighty $$.
Greed is the name of the corporate world and when the game can be changed to their advantage... it will. I would suggest checking out savedisney.com , Roy's web site.

I agree with the AP..etc finger scan. I dont agree it should be done on all tickets. Fraud..thats up to the police, Scalpers, so what...Disney has its money..maybe not at the newer, higher ticket rate...Ah...here comes greed again.....

Why and who cares, who uses, "paid for" tickets??
BTW...in May I took 9 partly used tickets, not all mine, to customer services @ DTD..and had NO trouble combining them into 2, 7 day PHP's...it did cost me about $100.00 extra...guess that was alright because they ""got the money""!! See...if they get the money...its OK?? Not transferable..HA!

"If you dont like it dont go"?? Hmmm.. very charitable this holiday season.
I see no problem getting or giving and using other family and extended family's unused tickets. There are a few families I know, with children, who cant afford a WDW vacation. How sad I would feel if I could not give them a few free new or partial park passes or some points from my DVC to use.
IMHO...Don't think Walt would have a problem either!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

That would be nice. Occasionally the CM makes Mom, who is in a wheelchair going through the turnstiles, try to bioscan. The angles of the scanner mounts is horrible for that. If they can make a sort of whole hand scanner bed that can be popped in and out of a turnstile mount, attached to a cable so mobility challenged folks could use it, it would be a lot more pratical.

I completely agree. (I'd also like to add that I'm not one of the CMs that asks folks in wheelchairs to do the biometric scan. However, I DO tend to ask for ID, which apparently doesn't get done very often (although it should be done anytime the biometrics are overridden), because I've had more than a few people ask why I'm asking for ID)

 

[Chuck S]

I agree with the AP..etc finger scan. I dont agree it should be done on all tickets. Fraud..thats up to the police, Scalpers, so what...Disney has its money..maybe not at the newer, higher ticket rate...Ah...here comes greed again.....

Interesting, because the same "who cares, it's paid for" argument could also be applied to APs. I mean, I prepaid for unlimited admission to WDW for 366 days, it simply ends on an anniversary date...why couldn't I loan it to whomever I wanted, as long as we didn't get more than 366 days admission out of it?

Why is it OK for a 7 day pass but not an AP in your mind?

Really, there is not a lot of difference. I purchase an AP to be used for up to 366 days by ME as per the use agreement. I purchase a Park Hopper, for 7 days admission by ME as per the use agreement. Same thing. It is not preventing me from purchasing an AP voucher to give as a gift, nor is it preventing me from purchasing a NEW, UNUSED hopper pass to give as a gift.