Mouse Expedition is the best!

[boscoj]

At the parks now but just had to write about the excellent service we received from Brian and his girlfriend. Hired him for this past Saturday to reserve a viewing spot for both the fireworks and Fantasmic and it couldn't have been easier. Imagine having the best views available for both shows and only having to arrive about a half hour before each.......simply awesome!

I highly recommend his service!

 

[KalamityJane]

Sweet! Thanks for the review, I am looking into them for our trip (hopefully it is not too late!).

 

[SnowWhite09]

I haven't heard of this service. Can you please explain? TIA!

 

[KalamityJane]

http://www.mouseexpedition.net/

Brian does Disneyland touring/FP running and/or night time show placeholding for a VERY reasonable fee.

 

[disneydreamer74]

Wow, I had never heard of this! The night time place holding would be worth every penny!

 

[PatMcDuck]

Something about this makes me uncomfortable. It seems unfair for DL AP holders to get paid to hold places for other guests at the nighttime shows. The tour guide thing does not bother me too much, it is the place holder thing, and to a lesser degree, the FP acquiring that seems shady somehow.

How do they hold a spot for say a group of 4-6? Those really prime spots get pretty tight.

 

[Mary09]

I would imagine they put a blanket down to hold a spot, like the other people do that hold a spot for their family.

It says it's $50 for a spot-holder from 7-10pm. Not bad.

 

[KalamityJane]

Much better to pay 50 than 170 (fantasmic seating for us), kwim?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

What concerns me about this is whether or not they have permission from Disney to do this. If they don't, then their service shouldn't be promoted.

 

[mydisneymoney]

I am all for it. If he wants to sit on a blanket for 3 hours and hold a spot for me, that is great. What a boring thing to do. It really isn't any different then a mother sitting there saving a spot for her family. It is free enterprise. Times are tough right now and if he wants to make some extra money by holding a spot for people or running across the park to get fastpasses for me, let him do it. Now, with that said, I am not sure I would pay to have someone save a place for me but to each their own. I am not one of those people who go hours ahead of time to wait for the show.

 

[coopersmom]

Something about this makes me uncomfortable. It seems unfair for DL AP holders to get paid to hold places for other guests at the nighttime shows. The tour guide thing does not bother me too much, it is the place holder thing, and to a lesser degree, the FP acquiring that seems shady somehow.

How do they hold a spot for say a group of 4-6? Those really prime spots get pretty tight.

What concerns me about this is whether or not they have permission from Disney to do this. If they don't, then their service shouldn't be promoted.

I'm sincerely curious how this would be any different than anyone else doing it? I mean, clearly (and I'm going based totally on what I've seen here, not personal experience, since I'm leaving for my first Disneyland trip tomorrow), Disney allows space-saving. Does it really matter who saves the space, or why? This isn't a discussion of rule-breaking or skirting. As I've seen mentions of multiple tour guide park services (Tour Guide Mike, etc.), for both Disneyland and Disney World, and I'm confident Disney knows they exist (all have public websites, etc.). Since Disney is not exactly lax about going after those it feels are mis-using their property and services (e.g. character murals in a daycare, park ticket sellers), I'm guessing they don't have a problem with them existing ... As long as they don't advertise as being Disney-sponsored or affiliated. (Of course, maybe I'm just misunderstanding and Mary Jo was saying they shouldn't be discussed on this website, which is privately-owned by a company/individual that sells its own travel services, including Disney's own tours, and has every right to limit conversation in any way they elect for any reason, so that's a different kettle of fish.)

Does it really matter if it's your best friend "Kate" saving seats for you and your family because she's your buddy and you maybe buy her sodas and popcorns for her trouble versus this fictional "Kate" doing it for the same amount of people for the same amount of money those sodas and popcorns might have cost?

I know it may "feel" different to some people, but, transactionally and functionally (for every other guest around them), it's the same. Maybe even better, because I'm guessing these tour guides don't usually stick around, so therefore there's more space available to those around them them than their would otherwise be.

I don't really have a strong opinion either way, but to me it feels no more illicit or immoral than having a family Fastpass runner, or paying for better access any other way (dinner package, dessert box, on-site early entry, etc.).

 

[perlster]

I seriously doubt this is sanctioned by Disney. I'll even wager a guess that if someone saw a spot "saved" - more like "rented" - and informed a CM with the proper authority, that spot would be liberated.

Given the policy of this board, this thread is iffy - to say the least.

 

[boscoj]

We had a family of 10 and Brian used a throw away tarp to save our spot. Like pp's have said, it simply comes down to who do you want sitting a couple of hours to save your spot....someone in your family or a someone else for a very reasonable price

 

[coopersmom]

I seriously doubt this is sanctioned by Disney. I'll even wager a guess that if someone saw a spot "saved" - more like "rented" - and informed a CM with the proper authority, that spot would be liberated.

What does "sanctioned by Disney" mean? Does Disney endorse or advertise this? No. And I don't believe the service provider claims that they do. Disney also doesn't endorse people buying merchandise to sell on eBay, making gift bags for delivery to hotel rooms or cruise ships, Disney shirts on Etsy. And that's not even talking about all the other businesses-based on, but not owned or operated by, Disney (travel books, websites, travel agencies).

I, for one, am glad people talk about these things on the Dis, because I've found some good Disney-related items/services that way. As long as the service provider isn't breaking any Disney rules, and to my knowledge they are not in this instance, what's the problem?

Disney (apparently) allows, and even encourages (based on what I've read), people to save spots/put down blankets/stake out viewing positions. How would they "liberate" this one spot, without eliminating space-saving altogether? (Which they could, and I might argue, probably should, do.)

Should they ask for DNA tests or proof of relationship to allow reserving space? Should adopted or step-parents bring birth certificates and marriage licenses to prove they are saving space for family members only? Should friends have to show photographic history of a long-standing relationship to be allowed to be the holder or holdee? Ridiculous? Definitely. But so is worrying about one guy (or even 20 guys) offering a FastPass runner or space-saving service.

If it becomes an issue where it impacts guest experience or Disney's bottom line--for example, every Fantasmic viewing spot is being held by rented props for every showing--I guarantee Disney will do something about it.

As I can't imagine this effecting anyone else at all even slightly negatively, I have no idea why anyone would take the time to get even vaguely worked up about it. To each their own. I personally choose to put close to zero energy into worrying/wondering about what anyone else is doing with their time or money ... At Disney or anywhere else.

 

[mydisneymoney]

Why is it any different then AP holders going in EVERY single morning and making the rounds with the CMs and trading pins with them and then going home and selling them on Ebay? I saw that happen several times on our last trip. The CMs know these people by name. There is a good chance that the pin they are trading with the CM is a scrapper. Disney sure isn't stopping them from trading pins.

 

[Mary09]

I bet Disney is ok with it. They let people film their nighttime shows and sell the DVDs on ebay, since they don't sell their own DVDs of the shows.

Plus the more employees this guy has saving seats, the more APs they sell for his employees, the more likely his employees are to bring some friends and spend some money in the parks before their 'shift', the more cars in the lot generating parking revenue, the more happy guests who don't have to sit 3 hours to see F!

 

[perlster]

Righhhhhhhht... Disney has absolutely no problem with someone "renting" its own private property.
How much is the front of the RSR line going for these days?

 

[mydisneymoney]

So I read one of the touring reports that he posted on his site. Basically he used a touring plan and moved his clients around the parks to get as many of the rides in as possible. He would go get fastpasses while they rode a ride instead of them sending one of their own family to get a FP like most of us have to do. He is not enjoying all of the rides, he is actually running between parks and rides to get fastpasses. From reading the order in which they went on rides, it looks like he is using the Touring Plans plans. The only time I see that he saved a place in line was for StarTours and it sounds like they met him right at the entrance of StarTours before the line went into the building. So basically he saved a place in line as it wound its way around outside. Now, I don't agree with saving places in line but I don't have a problem paying someone to be a runner and getting fastpasses for my family while we ride the rides.

 

[coopersmom]

Righhhhhhhht... Disney has absolutely no problem with someone "renting" its own private property.
How much is the front of the RSR line going for these days?

What are you talking about? Disney rents its "own private property" all the time. Special events. Conventions. Corporate parties. Weddings. Etc.

I think what you mean is that you believe that this other person is "renting" Disney's property, but you're incorrect, he's "renting" his time, which is not owned by Disney. He's simply using that time to do something Disney allows: save a spot for Fantasmic or pull FastPasses.

Disney also provide front of the line access to many rides via their own premium VIP tours, and premium show seating, so they are very comfortable with selling that option, too.

 

[perlster]

What are you talking about? Disney rents its "own private property" all the time. Special events. Conventions. Corporate parties. Weddings. Etc.

I think what you mean is that you believe that this other person is "renting" Disney's property, but you're incorrect, he's "renting" his time, which is not owned by Disney. He's simply using that time to do something Disney allows: save a spot for Fantasmic or pull FastPasses.

Disney also provide front of the line access to many rides via their own premium VIP tours, and premium show seating, so they are very comfortable with selling that option, too.

I love how you post rant after rant after claiming not to have a strong opinion


[troll ignored]