How often do they check hand stamps on re-entry to Epcot?

[trstno1]

Grandparents will be watching our 2 y.o. twins while my wife and I take our older daughter to Epcot. To pay them back, I'd like to arrange a nice evening for them, like dinner and Illuminations that night at Epcot.

I know this is mildly dishonest, but could they use our passes to get into Epcot that evening? After all, we'd still be enriching Michael Eisner's coffers with the dinner bill. How closely do they check the hand stamps?

 

[Mickey]

We hopped from Park to Park during the day, and they never checked our stamp. We went to three parks in one day, AK, then MGM, then EPCOT. Not once were our stamps checked. Also, when you have your hand stamp it last for many days before it fades. I was told that Sun Tan Lotion would take it off. So I think your chances are really good. But if they are going to the parks any time during your stay, just have them get there hands stamped then. Ya, it is mildly dishonest, but I am sure people have done worst. Good Luck.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by trstno1
.......I know this is mildly dishonest....

You, and the grandparents, would all probably feel better not being knowingly dishonest.

 

[LibertyBelle]

I agree that it is dishonest, but I am not going to go there, since you already know that... Just keep in mind that if they "DO" in fact ask to see the hand stamp and they do not have one, they can deny them access into the park. Also, the other poster stated something about hand stamps lasting a long time and if they had their hand stamped from the day before no one would know the difference... the turnstiles at each park use a different hand stamp for every day... they have a board in the breakroom that tells them what hand stamp is being used for each park for that day so your "Dumbo" stamp from yesterdays visit to MK will not work when you are entering a park the next day and the stamp for that day is "Alice" just FYI... each park has different stamps and they rotate through them everyday...

Basically what I am saying is if you take the chance that they won't check, keep in mind that if they do, your parents may be quite embarrassed and not granted access into the park...How about a nice dinner for 2 at the California Grill during "Wishes" at MK...no dishonesty there.

 

[justhat]

I have never had my handstamp checked, and now that I have an AP I don't get them anymore. But before we had APs, my mother would tell them she didn't want a handstamp because she has cancer and she didn't want any ink on her hands where they put her chemo IVs. Again, no one ever checked for her handstamp anyway. I also declined handstamps when offered on our past trip since I was pregnant and I didn't want unnecessary dyes on my skin. Like I said, we had APs so it didn't matter anyway, but no one ever asked.

 

[jaysue]

Eat dinner outside of the parks and stay honest - there is already too much dishonesty and corruption in the world

We have had handstamps checked sometimes and sometimes not

There are nice restaurants at the Beach Club/Yacht Club or Boardwalk or Swan and Dolphin

The restaurants in Epcot are good but not good enough to use up a day's admission just for dinner as the grandparents would have to do to be honest

thanks
jaysue

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

They do check handstamps. They will know what park you have been in that day, and you had better have the handstamp from that park, and no, they do not wash off.
Play the game honestly.

 

[SueM in MN]

We have had our hands checked for handstamps - even with APs. One time when I didn't have a handstamp, I was asked to show my driver's license to prove I was the owner of the AP.
Apparently, from what some CMs have posted when this subject came up in the past, they also have some un-obtrusive ways to look for hand stamps, so just because you don't see them checking doesn't always mean they are not.

They may not (emphasis on may) always check, but why take the chance? Give the grandparents a nice meal at one of the places around the Boardwalk or another resort.

 

[FonFon]

This last trip, we didn't have our handstamp checked, but we had the tickets that make you do the fingerprints when you put them in the machine, so that may have something to do with it.

I have to agree that if they DIDN'T let them in without a handstamp, it could be very embarrassing for them...

As a side note, DH and I did so much park hopping in December, that we had the CMs stamping all the way up our arms, (on the fourth day, we told the CM working the exit gate that our hands were loaded and just looked like glow in the dark blobs, so could he stamp closer to our wrists...he stamped three times all the way up my arm - HA!) and by the time we got to our fifth day, and looked down at our arms in Peter Pan, we were glowing. (LOL, buncha weirdos we are.)

 

[kda]

I believe my husband had his hand checked once in November. (I have AP so don't bother getting a stamp)

 

[trstno1]

Thanks for all of your replies. I hadn't really expected so much input, or that so many would feel so strongly about this topic.

To tell you the truth, I had forgotten about all the non-park entertainment options to choose from. I think they might really enjoy eating at the California Grill, or maybe even seeing La Nouba. I think it would be a whole lot easier to look into those options.

Thanks again!

 

[skiwee1]

I used a 7 day park hopper for 4 days hopping from park to park and never even got my hand stamped for them to look at. I still wouldn't take a chance because they could take your tickets away for pulling a fast one. As far as the other poster talking about APs. AP holders are not required to get their hands stamped. I've spoken with numerous CMs about it. They have the biometric scan and never ask to look at your stamp because you are not supposed to have one.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by skiwee1
As far as the other poster talking about APs. AP holders are not required to get their hands stamped. I've spoken with numerous CMs about it. They have the biometric scan and never ask to look at your stamp because you are not supposed to have one.

We've had APs for at least 10 years and have heard CMs say both "People with APs don't need stamps because of the biometrics" and "Everyone returning to the park needs a stamp, even people with APs." Since the "Yes, you do" and the "No, you don't" have been pretty evenly divided for us, we just get the stamps. It's a lot less trouble.

 

[tjmw2727]

Even if you don't notice it the CM's are checking hand stamps, some more randomly than others. Often times they are looking and you wouldn't even notice it. They also change the handstamp every day and each park has a different set of stamps. So if you are at Epcot in the am and your parents returned to Epcot at night with your pass, having a hand stamp from MK the prior day would not work. The pass has the information that it was used to enter Epcot that day so the CM is alerted to what type of hand stamp to look for.

We saw a family of 5 denied entry at Ecpot one evening. All the PH's were used earlier that day at another park and no one had hand stamps. Unfortuntately, they were directly in front of us and we overheard way to much. They were sent to Guest Relations and we were finallly allowed to enter the turnstyles. I don't know if they were eventually allowed in.

Perhaps a night at hoop de doo. Maybe dinner and an evening at the boardwalk, jellyrolls sounds like fun! Todd English just opened an new restaurant at the Dolphin called Blue Zoo - haven't tried it but here in Boston all his places are beyond great. If they stay at the Boardwalk area they can still catch some of Illuminations.

If you really want to treat them perhaps Circ De Sola (sp?)

TJ

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I suggest that it is not slightly dishonest, it is dishonest period.
I wouldn't try to embarass the folks with being turned away. Why not try the outside the park possibilities that others have mentioned? The grandparents would appreciate it more.