Old tickets and trying to find out what left on them..

[smjj]

On our resent trip to WDW we took some tickets that were from 2002 that we knew still had pluses on them. Keep in mind these were bought at the same time, use at the same time by my wife and I. We had the Guest relations desk CM at OKW where we were staying check them to find out just what was on them. She typed in the numbers(no barcode) and told us one had 4 pluses and the other had none. We explained to her this was impossible and why. She was not having a Disney day and promply told us that was what was showing and that was that. She refused to re enter the tickets. My wife and I both just stood there with our mouths open and as I proceed to give her what for, she pulled me from the line and we left. We went to the gift shop and ask the cashier if she could check them and she said no that we would need to have the guest relations person do it. I was really getting upset. My wife then took the tickets back to guest relation and was going to ask for the manager on duty but noticed the CM was now not present and so she got in line and a couple of minutes later had another person check them. Both came back with 4 pluses on them!! She then told her about our experience and she was so apolygetic and nice to my wife and said she would take care of it for us and printed out the readout showing the ticket numbers and the 4 pluses still left on them. I guess the point of this post is to stick to your guns if you think you are right I was going to include this info on my trip report but left it out as it was the only negative and just felt like not posting it at that time....smjj

 

[sistertrip]

This just shows what a difference there is between cast members. I can't believe the first refused to recheck the cards for you! How rude! That's usually the first thing you do when there's a discrepancy (sp?).

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I have had my tickets checked at the resort and at Guest Relations at DTD and MGM. When I had them checked at DTD and MGM(who actually had to replace a lost one for me) it was a simple process of swiping and them writing down the numbers for me. Took about 2 minutes. When I had the resort CM check, she had to sort of "back into it", checking the times it was used, and coming up with what was left. She said they don't have the same access to the info at the resorts (why????) and it takes longer, so she could only check 4 of the six cards I had. I wrote the numbers directly on the ticket, so I would always know.

 

[sistertrip]

I'm trying to learn from other people's experiences. I've got some tickets that we have no idea what, if anything, is left on them. They are 50th anniversary versions, so it should be pretty simple.

What I'm getting from this thread is that the easiest way to check would be to use guest relations at one of the parks, NOT the resort. Does that sound about right?

 

[karrit2000]

Sounds like the one I asked to print my SWA boarding passes. She gave me a hard time saying she might be busy with another guest at the precise time that my boarding passes would be available. Like she couldn't do it 5 minutes later when she was done with the hypothetical guest that she might be busy with. I had to explain that as long as she did it as soon as she had a chance it was certainly better than me having to ask someone hours later when I arrived back at the resort.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . She said they don't have the same access to the info at the resorts (why????) and it takes longer, so she could only check 4 of the six cards I had . . .

Because that is just the way it is
. . . the computer system is different
. . . if we checked more per person the lines would get really long
. . . plus, this stops brokers form coming in to check a lot of tickets

 

[Thinking]

We checked out tickets at the Customer Service office near the exit at Magic Kingdom -- took 2 minutes and they were accurate. Maybe you would have better luck checking at a park verses a hotel.

 

[LorieR]

My DH and I had the same problem at guest relations in POR a few years back -- different number of days left on tickets I KNEW had the same amount on them. We checked later on with a different CM and this time we got an accurate answer!!

Lorie

 

[AJKMOM]

DIS'ers know to go to a theme park.

 

[tolookaa5]

Is there anywhere that you can call to find out before you go down how much is left on a ticket? Thanks

 

[sistertrip]

Is there anywhere that you can call to find out before you go down how much is left on a ticket? Thanks

Unfortunately, no. The only way is to check in person.

 

[TSR6]

I have had my tickets checked at the resort and at Guest Relations at DTD and MGM. When I had them checked at DTD and MGM(who actually had to replace a lost one for me) it was a simple process of swiping and them writing down the numbers for me. Took about 2 minutes. When I had the resort CM check, she had to sort of "back into it", checking the times it was used, and coming up with what was left. She said they don't have the same access to the info at the resorts (why????) and it takes longer, so she could only check 4 of the six cards I had. I wrote the numbers directly on the ticket, so I would always know.

The Resort Guest Services computers are designed to check reservations, check tickets, sell tickets, change rooms, charge rooms, ect, ect, ect..

The Park Guest Relations are setup to ONLY sell tickets on one program, and then make dining reservations on what could almost be considered a "web site" sort of on the computer. AND, this whole system is on windows unlike the resort system.


The Guest Relation's computer is quicker to check, as they have a magnetic strip scanner built into them. The only thing they read are the ticket codes. It does not read your resort information past your "Resort ID#" unless you are charging. It actually reads the larger upper number on your card, which only a CM can decode. Those numbers represent where your card was issued, what date, what station, and which # card that is of the day.

 

[WillCAD]

The discrepency between two tickets seems to me to simply be an accidental typo on the part of the CM. Those old tickets have long numbers, and if the CM typed even one character wrong, the computer would bring up the stats on a completely different ticket.

There was no need to "stick to your guns", because the CM telling you that one of those tickets had no plusses left did not make it so - it simply meant that she had typed the serial number into the computer wrong. She did not program the tickets, change the tickets, or make those plusses vanish - she was simply reading the stats for the wrong ticket. There was no need to make any kind of a fuss over this incident.

A CM should never treat a Guest badly. You should have called the CMs supervisor and made a complaint on the spot.

However, "giving the CM what-for" is also a very bad move. Firstly, behaving badly in response to bad treatment simply brings you down to the bad CMs level. "She did it first!" is no excuse; it didn't fly in first grade, and it doesn't fly now.

Secondly, behaving badly seriously decreases your chances of getting a satisfactory resolution to the problem; if a supervisor walks up and sees you giving "what-for" to one of his CMs, but didn't see the CM's bad behavior, he's going to naturally assume that you a a problem Guest, not that you are responding to a problem CM.

Keep your cool in all situations when dealing with problem CMs!

------------------------------------------------------------

Now, here's a little information that may help you to avoid problems in the future:

WDW tickets hold no information except for their serial numbers. How many days are left, how many days they were used, etc. is all recorded entirely on the WDW computer system. This is a good thing; it means that if you lose a ticket, you can get it replaced if you have the serial numbers, and the lost ticket can be made inactive so that anyone who finds it cannot use it.

It also means that the only way to check usage information on a ticket is by interfacing with the WDW computer system. Nobody who doesn't have direct access to the WDW computer system can check a ticket. This is why you can't check tickets on line, this is why you can't check tickets by phone (not all call centers are located at WDW), and this is why, up until last year, you couldn't even check tickets at the resorts.

WDW has two computer systems - one for the parks, and one for the resorts. The resort system has limited access to the park system, so that simple things like checking tickets can be done at the resorts, but the parks cannot re-issue a lost KTTW card.

 

[TSR6]

WDW has two computer systems - one for the parks, and one for the resorts. The resort system has limited access to the park system, so that simple things like checking tickets can be done at the resorts, but the parks cannot re-issue a lost KTTW card.

They can pull the tickets OFF of the KTTW cards, giving you a stand-alone ticket, and your KTTW card.

This makes a sepperate paper ticket for the park entry, and keeps your room card and hotel charge on your KTTW card. However, CM's rarely do this, as sometimes it had a tendency to screw up the resort's system when they try to put it back. Sometimes they have to "check you out" and then re-book your entire stay.

Crazy, isn't it?

 

[joe1946]

Is there anywhere that you can call to find out before you go down how much is left on a ticket? Thanks

Unfortunately, no. The only way is to check in person.

I thought a while back someone posted on another thread that you can call Disney and ask for Ticket Research and they can get the information for you.

 

[TSR6]

I'm not aware of that - so it may be reserved for "extreme" situations - but it is definately one of Disney's rules that they do not release ticketing information over the phone. I remember having to sign a waiver of that even at one point!

 

[AJKMOM]

It has been an "in person only" checkup for a few years now. You used to be able to call with the numbers, but not now.

 

[smjj]

There was no need to "stick to your guns", because the CM telling you that one of those tickets had no plusses left did not make it so - it simply meant that she had typed the serial number into the computer wrong. She did not program the tickets, change the tickets, or make those plusses vanish - she was simply reading the stats for the wrong ticket. There was no need to make any kind of a fuss over this incident.

By "sticking to my guns" I simply meant I was going to insist she check them again or have someone check them. What would you have done? We were going to the water parks that day and needed to find out what was on them. She simply refused to re-check them. I guess you had to be there to fully understand. Anyway, we did check later(my wife did). If I would have insisted on seeing a manager there Jhonny on the spot as you preposed, I think that would have been making a scene. You had to see here face and her mannerissomes to understand this CM was not having a Disney day.
Anyway all worked out just fine and we now have a printout showing the tickets and the pluses on them minus the entry to TL that day....smjj

 

[WillCAD]

By "sticking to my guns" I simply meant I was going to insist she check them again or have someone check them. What would you have done? We were going to the water parks that day and needed to find out what was on them. She simply refused to re-check them. I guess you had to be there to fully understand. Anyway, we did check later(my wife did). If I would have insisted on seeing a manager there Jhonny on the spot as you preposed, I think that would have been making a scene. You had to see here face and her mannerissomes to understand this CM was not having a Disney day.
Anyway all worked out just fine and we now have a printout showing the tickets and the pluses on them minus the entry to TL that day....smjj

Oh, yeah, I've seen a few CMs over the years with that kind of attitude. I can't stand dealing with people who treat me like I'm imposing on them when I only expect them to do their job, but I never lose my cool, never make a fuss, and never give up when I know I'm in the right.

Here's what I would have done:

CM: This one has 4 plusses left, this one has none.

ME: Really? They should be exactly the same; they were both used exactly the same. Would you mind double-checking the serial number? You might have made a typo.

CM: No.

ME: I beg your pardon?

CM: No, I won't double-check, I know I typed it in correctly.

ME: I'm sorry to be so troublesome, but please, we're going to Blizzard Beach today and we really need to be sure about the numebr of plusses left on the passes.

CM: I told you, I entered the right number. One pass has 4 plusses on it, the other has none. Now, please step aside, I have other Guests waiting.

ME: Well, okay, I guess I'd like to see your manager, please.

CM: What?

ME: Please call your manager over. I'd like to speak to your manager, NOW, please.

Note that at no point during this exchange would I raise my voice, and duting the entire exchange I would have kept smiling and speaking in a pleasant, calm voice. I would not have banged on the desk, pointed my finger, or made a fist out of frustration - but I would not have moved away from the desk until the manager came over.

Asking to see her manager probably would have prompted her to re-check the pass for you, just to keep from having a complaint lodged on her employment record.

You are certainly right in one respect: when you are dealing with someone who is flatly refusing to do her job, then is when you need to stick to your guns.