New Fastpass Scam

[Sammy]

Oooooh this frosts my cupcakes too! We waiting in line FOREVER for Soarin' this past February. Talk about a line queue that invites problems because of it's width! Anyway.....about 1/2 way through the line, this group of about 5 or 6 people are weaving their way through the crowd trying to get up to the front of the line. When people confronted them, all they could say is "we have fastpasses". Everyone was telling them this was not the fastpass line and they had to go back. They just kept smirking to each other, shrugged at everyone, and suddenly couldn't speak English. One large man standing near us, really "got into it" with one of the girls trying to get by. She started yelling at him (in English, I might add), that it was none of his business and who the he_ _ did he think he was? It was quite a scene. Welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth

 

[nevertez]

Maybe if they charged for FP's then that would resolve the problem??

Then there are times when it is legit. Example I had problems with my niece's card in the Space Mountain FP and nothing was printed out it was a rainy damp day and went to another machine and it said I already had a FP issued and it was the 1st ride after lunch. either the machine was out of paper or the paper was too wet to print. CM just wrote +1 on my ticket and told us it was ok.

I think DVC members should get an extra FP or the wait time should be reduced.

 

[WorkForVacation]

They are pretty strict on Soarin'. Last year, on my last day of my trip, Soarin' was already sold out of Fast Passes and had a 2 hour wait. I was talking to a CM and they told me they wouldn't let President of the United States on that ride without a Fastpass or standing in line with everyone else. This last trip, my baby was sleeping in her stroller, so my dh stayed outside with her (no strollers allowed in the building.) I went in with my ds5 and asked for a parent swap ticket. The CM wouldn't give me one because the baby wasn't with me. I had to explain we didn't want to wake her up and my husband was outside with her. She reluctantly gave me one. It is the only time I have been told that they had to see the baby in order to get the parent switch ticket.

As far as people cutting in line. I hate that and usually it is people who pretend not to speak English, but not always. Once we were in line and my mother-in-law told a family they could go ahead of us, but didn't tell me that she did that. I was fed up with all of the cutting in line and was rude to them and told them they needed to get back behind us. Not that 1 family getting ahead would have really made a difference - I was just sick of it (also a little hormonal & bloated- they caught me on a bad day!). Then I felt bad. If that was you - SORRY 'BOUT THAT!

 

[dvc-NE]

There's also the people who pretend not to understand English, while cutting.

That's funny. But it reminds me of something my son hates the most: People using wheelchairs that don't need them. I can recall going to a show of Beauty and the Beast at the theater next to Tower of Terror. The family we saw "shared" the wheelchair. Where did they get to sit? Up front, of course! After the show, someone else rode in the chair.

 

[nevertez]

My favorite scam is going into the Hoop-dee-doo revue with zip-lock bags....

 

[fishermouse]

I don't know what the answer is--I don't think we can expect the CMs to lose the Disney magic and their cool. What I do know is that I can still picture that family in my mind--which is saying something since my mind is like a sieve these days!! Maybe we all have to hold tight to the rails and block anyone who comes our way . Yeah, that would be fun...

Unfortunatly the answer is to "grin and bear it" then explain to your children why that behavoir is wrong. Not what many of us would like to do, but do you really want to stand in WDW arguing with some ignorant mooron while your children watch. There is satisfaction in knowing these people have to live with the results of thier poor parenting, this kids are destined to be in trouble and mom and dad will surely find someone to blame it on. Sorry, you hit a nerve!!

 

[LSchrow]

Unfortunatly the answer is to "grin and bear it" then explain to your children why that behavoir is wrong. Not what many of us would like to do, but do you really want to stand in WDW arguing with some ignorant mooron while your children watch. There is satisfaction in knowing these people have to live with the results of thier poor parenting, this kids are destined to be in trouble and mom and dad will surely find someone to blame it on. Sorry, you hit a nerve!!

 

[all4disney98]

The second was at Dumbo. There were two women at the beginning of the line. They yelled across the queue to a couple in their forties that "no one cares, just cut through the line." How ridiculous that the line was filled with toddlers waiting "patiently" and a group of adults couldn't even follow the rules. I'm sure that ride on Dumbo was the highlight of their trip.

How frustrating as typically the line for Dumbo is filled mostly with children and it is such a slow moving line. UUUGGGHHH. Depending on my mood and how hard it had been to entertain my children in the line for the past 30 minutes, I would have told her that my children actually do care so please wait at the end of the line. You can mess with me and I almost always brush it off, but when you mess with my children I can be very outspoken.

 

[coolspot]

There were several people who witnessed this and were obviously watching the cast member response. Many people now know that there is a chance if you are in a group and the lines are long, all you need to do is tell the cast member that you lost your passes and he/she will let you right on the ride.

Could it be possible the CM recognized the people?

 

[seashoreCM]

One teenage boy knocked my then 6 year old DD down. ...

OT: Now's your chance to get an extra round of fastpasses. Ask at Guest RElations, describing the incident. In the event of refusal add a comment that they are meaning to say that next time your invited brother in law should instantly knock the offending teen down in response.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[COACHSTING]

It's one thing when a single person in a group loses a FP. It's entirely different when a group of five comes along and makes the claim the passes were lost and are given preferential treatment. I don't know if the CM recognized the folks, but I guess the answer is for the legitimate folks to speak up.

When there are large lines and you can only get in to so many attractions a day, compared to the cost of an entrance ticket, each attraction is expensive. The cutters and scammers are really stealing in my opinion.

The fact is, if they are told to go back to the rear of the stand-by line, they may lose a few minutes.

Someone said that cast members won't want to challenge the cheaters. Maybe if the honest people were more vocal, the emphasis could be placed where it should go; on the offenders.

Send 'em back I say. Sooner or later, they will get it, unless they are successful on a high percentage of their bogus, cheating scams.

 

[Luv4Disney]

That's very unfortunate. In May, we were in the standby line for Buzz when a group of kids (I'm assuming they were on a school trip since they were all wearing the same shirt) decided they didn't want to wait in line and hopped in the FP line. Luckily, the CM must have known what they did and turned them away, saying without a FP, she couldn't let them enter. Good for her! That's what needs to be done.

 

[DizzKneeGeek]

please ignore my previous post; if you read it. i need to learn not to post when i'm in a bad mood. sorry if anybody was offended.

 

[disneykidatheart]

Wow, what will people think of next? Glad you enjoyed your trip though!

The answer is they will think of anything and everything. I overheard a group one time laughing that they always get a wheelchair for able bodied Mom whenever they go to a park so the entire party can go to the front of the line.

I read about a family who claimed it was Mom and Dad's anniversary everytime they went to a new restaurant to get a free cake.

My husband was on a business trip and stopped in an Olive Garden for dinner. It was very busy. A family consisting of husband, wife and three or four younger children were at the next table. The woman browbeat the waitress over the time it took for service even though it had not really been a long wait for them. She escalated the problem from there until a manager was called and the entire family received free desserts. After the waitress left the woman smugly laughed about the time they went without reservations to a hotel. She didn't want to pay the requested rate and berated the hotel employee until the employee made a remark. At that point the woman demanded to see the manager and she was given her two or three day stay free. What a great thing to teach her kids!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Working in the hospitality industry I see this every day. People complain about batteries in remote control to the point they get a free fruit basket or upgrade on their hotel room.

You're kidding! I can DO that? Darn... all this time, I've only ever asked for new batteries, or maybe a new remote control. I can get a fruit basket???

It's one thing when a single person in a group loses a FP. It's entirely different when a group of five comes along and makes the claim the passes were lost and are given preferential treatment. I don't know if the CM recognized the folks, but I guess the answer is for the legitimate folks to speak up.

I know, but... back in the olden days, before there was a "green" ride and an "orange" ride at Mission Space, I was in the singles line behind two teenagers. We were on that last ramp up to the ride, after the CM had taken the FastPasses from those Guests but about fifteen feet back from the top. These lovely young men : looked up and down the almost-empty FastPass line, made sure nobody official could see them, and jumped the railing. Twenty or so minutes later, when it was finally 'my' turn, I discussed it with a couple of CM - but they didn't see it happen, I was too far back to get anybody's attention and the twits were long gone...

 

[iwynlea]

I know when we were at MGM a few weeks ago, we were headed into the FP line at RNR and there were two women ahead of us. They had the little tickets that spit out when you already have a fast pass "NOT A FASTPASS" they say in big letters with the time that you can get another one. The CM refused to let them on, since they weren't fastpasses (even showed them where the tickets clearly said it), and the women proceeded to shout at the CM that they weren't going to use the other FPs they had, so she should let them on. The CM refused to do it. The women went off steaming mad, and I rolled my eyes at the CM. I was actually really impressed at the CM's professionalism, as she just smiled, checked our FP times, and sent us on through the line.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I saw someone attempt this in January on BTMR. At the point where the FP are collected, the guys said "Oh, we've lost them. We'll be sure to have them next time." The CM came back with something like, "I need you to have them THIS time. I'm sorry, but you'll have to go to the stand-by line." When these guys realized they weren't getting by the CM, they started to just step over into the stand-by line from where they were. The CM, said, "You'll have to go back outside the ride and get at the BACK of the line." They weren't happy about it, but they left. I was thinking, "Way to go!!"

We didn't see anyone try this a couple of weeks ago. In fact, the CMs at the FP return entrance were adament about counting our FP & us before letting us in. (DH usually held all four FP) I hope they'll crack down more to prevent cheaters.

 

[ArtsyPics]

I've seen this happen all too many times. Luckily my daughter is too young to understand what's happening.

She does, however, understand and get upset when people think we are walking too slowly in line and push past us. Sometimes I will stand off to the side and let a few people go through. I know that we might be walking a little slowly, but honestly, we want to get to the front of the line too, folks! So, if you hear someone saying that after being trampled on, it's probably me. Say hello! LOL

 

[carl59]

We went to ride "Star Tours", the line was not bad so we went without fastpass. We got to the entrance area just after the last ramp and we waited and waited for the fatspass line to stop, and it never did. I just happen to look back down the ramp a saw a CM by the break in the railing before the last ramp. She was spliting the line, and letting half the people go up the fastpass line. Will the CM's at the top did not know this and were taking the line as fastpassers. After about 10 more minutes of us not moving I voiced my opinion on what was going on. And was told that I did not know what I was talking about and that I should shut up. As my fellow line mates started in to. I told the CM that if he can show me the fastpasses from the people on the other line that I would shut up, if not he would check out my claim. The first thing he said was that the fastpasses were collected down below, but when some told him that his fastpass the day before was taken were he was standing. CM finally checked. When he returned he was very sorry for the problem and we would be the next people to go. Quess what they did not make us get off after the ride, the whole group of us rode the ride 3 times in a row.

 

[shellybaxter]

The answer is they will think of anything and everything. I overheard a group one time laughing that they always get a wheelchair for able bodied Mom whenever they go to a park so the entire party can go to the front of the line.

Imagine their surprise when they realize that 95% of Disney's lines are wheelchair accessable and no "front of the line" privledges exist. In about half of the shows at Disney wheelchair guests get the worst seats in the theatre.