Minor rant....

[javaonline]

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to give things away at Disney World?

On several occasions I got FP's for rides that were unused....so I'd try to give them away. People looked at me as if I was trying to sell them swamp land....

In the early part of the week, I'd even stop by a ride when we were leaving for the day and get fastpasses, and try to give them to people. I'd have to sell the people on the fact that I wasnt trying to scam them....I'm just trying to be nice!

Last day....I had an extra double stroller rental ticket because we wound up not going to any parks on one day...again...I had to convince someone to take the unused ticket from me.

So much for trying to spread around pixie dust. Maybe if I was put in the same situation I'd be skeptical too....anyways I hope they enjoyed the freebies.

 

[KirstenB]

Can you please go back down there in about 4 weeks when we're there? We'll be glad to be the recipients of your kindness!!

Once at Busch Gardens a lady who was part of a big school group came up to us and offered us a free ticket. I was shocked! She said they had bought them in advance, and some of the kids were no-shows. By the time she'd given us the ticket and I recovered from my shock, I turned to try to give her some cash, and she was already gone.

I've given away fast passes too, when the baby is fussing and we have to go back to the room. I know what you mean, I guess we all believe it's too good to be true. Hope you had a great trip!

 

[mmccan]

I know what you mean. On our last trip in June, we had gotton 4 fastpasses for ToT and my husband and middle son decided not to ride and my oldest did not want to ride again (hard to imagine since it is his 2nd favorite ride EE being his first) so we decided to give the 2 unusued fast passes away. Well we saw a young couple standing between ToT and RnRC looking at a map and asked them if they wanted the extra passes. They looked at us like we were crazy and first said we just went on it so I said Ok I will find someone else to give the to. They finally decided to take them but they looked skeptical like they did not know what they were. I was just trying to sprinkle some on their trip!!

 

[MScott1851]

This happens to us, too.

People jump when you approach them. I ended up throwing away several FPs to TestTrack, Soaring, and EE.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

how nice you were!!!! and yes i totally understand what you mean!! people look at you like you hve 6 heads!!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

That is too bad ... it was so nice of you to offer though!

 

[BabyMo]

I have never had this problem at Disney. When we were at Epcot last year, we had 4 FP for Soarin' but we did not know if we would make our Le Cellier dinner, so we gave them away. Later that week, we were in MK going towards Space Mountain- FIL and I were going to get FPs. A woman and her teen son walked up and gave us theirs- they could not use them!!

BUT, over the summer, if you tried on a pair of jeans at American Eagle, you would get free movie tickets. I was at the movies, and I had two extra tickets that I would not be able to use (promotion was expiring soon). I went up to a young couple, and they looked at me like I was CRAZY. Gosh, that'll teach me to be nice!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

Props to you for being so thoughtful!

I was hoping to do some minor pixie dust spreading myself when we go on wednesday! Hopefully i won't get the 'uh, why do you have 6 heads' look too. I KNOW (100% certain) i would get that look here in MN if i tried it, but i thought "hey i'll be in DISNEY WORLD, during the YEAR OF A MILLION DREAMS... and im SURE people would appreciate a little pixie dust"....

Well, i'll still try. the old golden rule: treat people how you would like to be treated. That is exactly what i am going to do.

Regardless, it was very nice of you to try to spread a little pixie dust, and it's a shame people had to be... well... rude when accepting it.

(FYI, if someone offers me a fast pass or anything like that, i'll be VERY thankful... even if it turns out to be a fake or whatever, hey, it's only a few minutes wasted out of my day, and I'm in Disney so it's not the end of the world )

 

[kevw67]

Man...you guys are describing me somewhat. I am very skeptical when someone offers me "discounted" tickets or vouchers. I once had a guy give a Buy one get one voucher for an ARCA race at Pocono raceway. I was going to pay full price for two tix instead of using his voucher! I guess even if it is free people tend to wonder whether or not it is for real. I too gave away FP's to TT last year. We gave them to two kids who where in the same car as us and they were hesitant at first, but grabbed them when thier parents siad sure and they ran to the front of the line! I also give away my Buffalo Bills season tix when I dont use them. (be nice...people would actually pay me for them!). Im not sure people think the giver is crazy, but rather is what they are giving me for real. Anyways....I would much rather give something away then to have them go unused.

 

[barrie]

I haven't had any trouble giving away fastpass tix - I usually try to give them to someone who is about to get their own so they know what it's all about. But this did happen to me on my last trip...

I had my tripod at Epcot because I wanted to get some good night shots. There was a couple taking photos of each other in front of the Minnie and Mickey topiary. I offered to take a picture of them together which they were very happy about. It was dark though and they had a little disposable camera - I knew the pix weren't going to be that great so I offered to take a photo with my camera and email it to them - they were thrilled!

As I was setting up my tripod this other couple came over and the guy asked how much I charge for my photos. I kind of laughed and said "nothing, do you want one?" I explained that I was just having fun with my new camera and would send it to him for free. He looked at me like I was the sleaziest used car salesman he ever ran across. He must have asked me 5 different times - he would wander a few feet back and watch me then approach again and ask again. His grip on his date got tighter and tighter. He was like a little puppy approaching a kitten for the first time. He finally walked away saying something to his SO about it being a scam of some sort. I was amused but also felt bad for him that he walks through life with such mistrust of people.

Besides, I really don't think I'm all that threatening looking! I'm a plump, gray-haired, 46 year old woman at Disney World - OOOH, watch out!

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

I've had the same things happen to me before. You just have to shrug and say, "okay, have a great day".

Some people are just naturally suspicious, and can't get over the fact that WDW is not South Central LA, LOL.

I remember trying to give away a set of FP to ToT. It was about ten minutes past the time on the tickets, but as most DISers know you will usually get in, especially only ten minutes. This family seemed to think I was trying to "trick" them, and that they'd go to Mickey jail or get kicked out of the park or something. I just shrugged, and said, "OK, have a nice day."

No need to "sell" them on it, either they are receptive to the magic, or not.

NED

 

[aztecgoods]

It also probably depends on where they're from, Peeps from NYC are probably real used to avoiding strangers in public, for the NYC street etiquette is to basically look straight ahead and ignore peeps. You get a lot of street peeps walking up to you and begging. I've had some real psychotic peeps walk up to me in NYC that looked very dangerous. Also some of them may not speak English. There are a ton of peeps there from other countrys.

 

[KimWDW]

Yeah, last year I couldn't give away FP's to RnRC. I tried three couples and finally gave up and tossed them. I think they didn't understand what FP's were. This year if I have any to give away, I'll stand near the FP machines and give them to people there because they know what FP's are. I was trying to give them to people getting into the regular line and they just didn't understand.

 

[southernbohemian]

It is hard not to be skeptical when random kindness comes your way - there always seems to be some catch.

My parents are the kind of people who refuse to let other people take pictures with their camera because they are afraid that person will run off with their camera. So we never had pictures of the whole family together on vacation.

My at-home pixie dust is giving out coupons. I get lots of coupons from Babies R Us for things that we already have (strollers, etc.) or don't use (like formula). I bring the whole book with me when I go and then scan the check out line for people buying things that I have a coupon for. A lot of people don't get the coupons because they are there buying things for a shower, not their own kids. It's like handing out free money! And the lines are usually so slow-moving (a prep for WDW I guess) that it doesn't take me any extra time.

 

[ppiew]

I have done the FP giveaway for years now and yes, you certainly do get strange looks! However, I have found that giving them to college age kids is accepted better. They are appreciative and dumbfounded that someone actually does something nice for THEM and not just toddlers! I continue to do this, because the recipients are really thrilled!
It is sad when the world has to look kindness in the mouth and trust no one, so I will continue in my small way to do these things and hopefully some will rub off and they will get a more generous spirit too.

 

[fAnnF]

I try to give away fastpasses to couples, I don't know why, probally because I'm one so I only have 2, and I used to try to hand them to the girl and she'd be very confused and skeptical, so I started giving them to the guy saying this valid now or when it is. On my last trip it was for Buzz and he took them with an odd look and then was so happy, he took off running, dragging his gf along.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Besides, I really don't think I'm all that threatening looking! I'm a plump, gray-haired, 46 year old woman at Disney World - OOOH, watch out!

Yeah, you sound a lot like me - except I apparently look so 'safe' that a mom who'd been waiting for the HP stall after me but encountered a twit - trusted me to watch her son! Ditto for 'the camera thing' - I offer all the time. Somehow, people don't think I can get too far with their camera on an ECV... or else they just have a disposable camera

This year if I have any to give away, I'll stand near the FP machines and give them to people there because they know what FP's are

I even had a little trouble with that, ONLY because I'd have only one FastPass to give away - but a few minutes' patience always found a taker

 

[barrie]

My parents are the kind of people who refuse to let other people take pictures with their camera because they are afraid that person will run off with their camera.

I just feel like whatever energy you put out in the world comes back to you. One time we gave our video camera to someone to take video of us coming around a corner in Morocco - it didn't occur to us until later that it would have been so easy for them to disappear with the camera while we were out of site.

 

[catherines_mama]

Oh my gosh! I know!! We did this in December a lot. Since we had such a big party we'd have spare FPs a lot. People would look at us like 'huh'. I really think its just a lack of peoples knowledge. I think there are a lot of people out there who don't even know what FPs are.
Crazy... I know!

 

[btuftee]

Last trip, while at Downtown Disney, my sister tried to give away a coupon for Planet Hollywood for a buy-one-get-one-free dinner, while we were outside the entrance to Planet Hollywood! The young-ish couple that took the coupon seemed less than impressed at it. We remarked that we should reserve our generosity for older people next time, they might have appreciated it!