Slowing down FastPass Counterfeiters

[Quicklabs]

Wow! I had no idea that this even happened. So then, these people go to Disney and scoop up all the fast passes they can during the day only to sell "white envelopes" later? Why would anyone even buy these when you can get them for free at Disney?

 

[Robo]

Why would anyone even buy these when you can get them for free at Disney?

1) FP can "run out" early in the day on certain popular attractions.

2) Guests must go to a given attraction to obtain a FP in the park.

3) Guests must then wait for 45-180 minutes (sometimes more on popular attractions) for their FP "window" to open.

4) Some guests have little knowledge of how the FP system works.

5) Some guests have more money than sense.

 

[wilde_oscar]

6) a fool and his money are all over eBay

 

[StephSalyer]

Where is that thread? I just read the article off the dis homepage about guests having to show resort ids for emh evening for a few days this month - I bet that is why.

About a year ago, we had our resort id's scanned to get our wristbands at ak emh - said it was research of course!

Here is the thread - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1730755 I am still disgusted by the whole thing. Some people are ruining my happiest place on earth.

 

[Belladonna]

woa! I just looked on ebay, and its true! You can buy them!

I can't believe that A) Ebay doesn't ban the auctions abd B) people actually PAY money for these things. hahahaha!


I thought I remembered the tickets having dates on them.. right?

 

[MisunderstoodLilo]

They don't. Look right now on ebay. There's at least a few auctions selling these. How easy would it be for Disney to stop this? They don't do a thing about it.

Once they stop the FastPass scandal...maybe they can stop Jim Hill?

 

[WEDway2002]

Problem is, it would create bottlenecks at fastpass lines and thus create longer wait times for everybody. Personally, I'd take that as a tradeoff to all these people selling them on ebay. The people buying them are just fools. The people selling them are scum.

Hear Hear!!!

People are amazing! I remember all too well how difficult it used to be to get ressies for CRT ...

"I hate people ... I abhor them ... " Ebenezer Scrooge

Well .... not all people, all the time ...
Just most of them, most of the time ...

Dave

 

[Robo]

I thought I remembered the tickets having dates on them.. right?

Some older ones I scanned, and some scans of newer FP I found here on the DIS.

 

[bleeps]

I think Disney could do a couple of simple things to (1) help first-time guests learn the ropes and (2) end (or at least slow) the scamming.

Right on the WDW site itself, they could clearly explain the Fast pass system and put in bold that only fast passes obtained in the park, on the day are valid, and that guests attempting to use fast passes purchased or obtained elsewhere will be ejected from the park. I did a search on "fast pass" at the WDW site and got NO relevant link returned; I also looked through their FAQs and found nothing. It should be there -- a description of the program to help explain the system. They should also include in their planning DVDs, where they DO demonstrate FPs, that "only fast passes obtained in the park, on the day are valid, and that guests attempting to use fast passes purchased or obtained elsewhere will be ejected from the park."

Next, when they send you your tickets or better yet, your confirmation letter (or both), they should include info about FPs and -- again -- "only fast passes obtained in the park, on the day are valid, and that guests attempting to use fast passes purchased or obtained elsewhere will be ejected from the park."

You see where I'm going with this! The info should be everywhere they can put it, even squeeze it on the back of the tickets themselves. Then they should enforce it by ejecting guests for the day, and that should get picked up by Orlando media and commented on obsessively here so that it's clear what the program is, how it works, and what the consequences are for attempting to use counterfeited FPs.

I don't think Disney does nearly enough to inform the first-time (or really even the returning) guests at all the opportunities they have at their disposal to do so. I won't go OT and delve into the many areas I think they could improve the guest (and management!) experience by better communication -- but what do you all think of this in terms of this FP problem?

 

[StephSalyer]

Call me cynical, but I have a feeling that this is all leading up to only those staying in Disney Resorts will have Fast Pass privleges. A scanner could easily be installed at the front of each FP line that would "open" when you scan your KTTW card. How odd is it that the FP rumor and the EMH announcement are coming around at the same time. Just like everywhere in life, if people would just do what is right, there would be no problem. A few bad apples ...........well, you get the drift.

Steph

 

[wilde_oscar]

well not to beat the Jim Hill gong... but the EMH situation, the fast pass situation, the nintendo DS testing, the concept of Disney's night kingdom... there are all the kind of things i figured would be on the horizon when they announced they are building a Four Seasons... a Four Seasons customer expects a very high level of service, Four Seasons would not have agreed to build onsite if they could not offer their customers an exclusive experience. When you drop $1000 a night for a room, you are going to expect more.

 

[jeast]

Just curious, other than the UG thing, who is Jim Hill?

 

[Laurabearz]

I didnt see any fast passes for sale on Ebay... Everyone was selling LOVELY WHITE ENVELOPES

Up for Auction is a White Envelope.

If you win this auction for the white envelope, I will also include FREE of charge these VIP passes that I have left over from my vacation.

This ad wanted $500 for that enevelope

Oh and he wants $25 in SHIPPING for it...

omg this is just too too funny

 

[boomhauer]

I didnt see any fast passes for sale on Ebay... Everyone was selling LOVELY WHITE ENVELOPES



This ad wanted $500 for that enevelope

Oh and he wants $25 in SHIPPING for it...

omg this is just too too funny

Sadly, it's not funny anymore. I disagree with alot of the posters on here. I don't feel bad for ANYONE who purchases these things. They know darn well it's against Disney policy. They know darn well they're cheating.

What's really sad is, if you've ever tried contacting one of these sellers and ask them how they can go about doing something so immoral and wrong. They all seem to lack any morals whatsoever. The excuse is always the same - "What do you care?" It's scary to think that some of these people have children. What kind of message are you sending? It's OK to cheat the system, as long as you don't get caught.

 

[wilde_oscar]

Just curious, other than the UG thing, who is Jim Hill?

google jim hill and you will find his blog, it is about 25% interesting, and 4% accurate.

 

[boomhauer]

Call me cynical, but I have a feeling that this is all leading up to only those staying in Disney Resorts will have Fast Pass privleges. A scanner could easily be installed at the front of each FP line that would "open" when you scan your KTTW card. How odd is it that the FP rumor and the EMH announcement are coming around at the same time. Just like everywhere in life, if people would just do what is right, there would be no problem. A few bad apples ...........well, you get the drift.

Steph

I personally would love that (sorry to any who don't stay on property). That's what Universal does, and I think it's pretty darn cool. However, I don't see Disney doing this anytime soon. There are far too many locals who go to the parks who wouldn't stand for this.

 

[boomhauer]

google jim hill and you will find his blog, it is about 25% interesting, and 4% accurate.

As I've said about Jim Hill before - He's like a meterologist tracking the weather 7 days out. Eventually, he's gonna be right.

 

[boomhauer]

Unfortunatly, This auction is legit in ebay's eyes because it clearly states that up for auction is a white envelope. Having the fast passes as a free bonus allows this auction to remain. The seller also clearly states that these fast passes probably won't work.
I know that ebay is pretty strict about there sellers. My ex-sister-in-law was banned from ebay for selling fake North Face jackets. (she believed they were real even though she was getting them from Hong Kong for less than $20 bucks each)
Anyway, it is crazy that this happens, it's even crazier that there are bids on these auctions.

I've used this example before:

Would ebay allow an auction to take place where someone was selling a plain white envelope and included as a free gift inside, was a bag of marajuana?

Don't waste your time worrying about ebay. They have no morals. None.

 

[wilde_oscar]

what i see a lot of on eBay is re entry tix more so than fast pass tix... do they still give out that style of re entry tix?

 

[boomhauer]

what i see a lot of on eBay is re entry tix more so than fast pass tix... do they still give out that style of re entry tix?

Those are "given out" in 2 instances:

1.Ride/attraction breaks down.
2.Rider swap.

So, either someone had REALLY bad luck and most of the rides they were in line for broke down. Or, they used a kid to get a rider swap pass with no intention of using it, but rather selling it.

Personally, I think it's a Disney employee stealing them and selling them, or stealing them, having someone else sell them, and they're making off with a part of the profits.

I had an idea some time ago that they should color-code fastpasses for the given day. It's Monday - Must be green. Tuesday - Must be yellow. That'd send up the 1st red flag (so to speak). Another, more expensive possibility, is the scanners at fastpass entrances which was already brought up. Scanner scans the barcode. It'd be VERY hard to cheat that system. It would create bottlenecks, but I think it'd be a fair tradeoff.