Slowing down FastPass Counterfeiters

[TheZenMaster]

I've only read the first two pages of this thread so forgive me if this has been mentioned.

But I love this butthead on ebay that is selling fastpasses.

Here is the main listing that comes up on searches: "DISNEYWORLD ANIMAL KINGDOM FAST PASS PASSES FASTPASS."

Here are the first lines of the actual listing: "YOU ARE BIDDING ON A PLAIN WHITE ENVELOPE

ALSO, WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS ENVELOPE , I'M THROWING IN, FREE OF CHARGE 6 AUTHENTIC FAST PASSES TO THE BEST ATTRACTION AT DISNEY ANIMAL KINGDOM .

Funny how this envelope wasn't even in the main description, don't you think? What a scumbag.

 

[missesdisney]

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.

We tried to use a legitimate day old rider swap pass last year on everest (we ran out of time and left the day before without using it) and were turned away because it was the wrong color.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

No - What's amazing is this has been going on for years and neither Disney nor ebay (both who are WELL aware of it) do nothing to stop it. Ebay, yeah - Doesn't surprise me. I use ebay but when it comes to caveat emptor, that phrase could be given a whole new light in regards to ebay. Disney's neglect of this has always bewildered me. I've always seen it as a slap in the face to those of us who play by the rules. We all get limited vacation time with our families, and because of people like this (seller and buyer), we're spending more time in line instead of enjoying the attractions which we spent so much money to experience.

Should we be mad at Disney for doing nothing? ABSOLUTELY!

Actually, if you look at the auctions, you'll see that the seller is selling a WHITE ENVELOPE. So, you're bidding on a white envelope, and if you win, the seller will throw in the fastpasses "for free".

I imagine that this is the reason neither Disney nor Ebay do anything about it. By selling a white envelope, the seller isn't violating Disney.

We all know that it's a scam, and they're selling the envelopes as a way to get around the rules. I just hope that people realize they are dealing with a scam artist. If they'll scam Disney, they might just scam you, too!

 

[CarolA]

Um. The UG is a guide book. The 2008 version is listed at $18.99 USD though the price varies by retailer. That's not a lot of money, particularly compared to the average cost of a Disney Trip. It's not a lot of money compared to other resources of its type and is one of the best sources of info, if not the best out there. It is huge but it is organized by topic so if you don't need hotel info and the like, you can skip that entire section. Or, you can thumb right to the resort you're interested in and it will give you what rooms have particular views.
As far as the tidbits themselves are concerned, in the version I have, the tidbits are boxed, labeled as to Jim Hill being the source, and are thus easily skipped. They also make up maybe 1% of the thing at most.

Yes, but why should I pay for "things Jim made up" ??? I assume they are paying him and IMHO if he gets one penny for his stuff he's over paid!

Sorry, but as long as he is there I won't buy or recommend.

Fiction should be sold in the FICTION area of the bookstore no the Travel section!

There are lots os other sources for data. I can't say that my trips have suffered at all from my decision!

 

[CarolA]

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.

REALLY? Disney right now has lodging that comes close to your $1,000 a night and with that they provide a comparable service to the All Stars!~

Four Seasons may understand that, but Disney doesn't and why should they? People spend TONS of money on so so hotels and service right now....

 

[CanadianGuy]

I've moved this discussion over to the Theme Parks Community Board.

Thanks,

Knox

 

[boomhauer]

Actually, if you look at the auctions, you'll see that the seller is selling a WHITE ENVELOPE. So, you're bidding on a white envelope, and if you win, the seller will throw in the fastpasses "for free".

I imagine that this is the reason neither Disney nor Ebay do anything about it. By selling a white envelope, the seller isn't violating Disney.

We all know that it's a scam, and they're selling the envelopes as a way to get around the rules. I just hope that people realize they are dealing with a scam artist. If they'll scam Disney, they might just scam you, too!

Bad analogy, but let's say you were caught selling envelopes on ebay and included a couple packs of pot in them. Then as your defense you tried to say it was a free gift. Granted, fastpasses aren't illegal in that sense, but I assure you, if Disney ever took someone to court over this (which they reserve the right to do), the seller would lose. Courts don't have a alot of patience for people who break the law, and even less for people who try to break it on a technicality.

 

[kaytieeldr]

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.

That sounds kinda risky... on the other hand, is there any Ebay seller here who would be willing to auction a plain white envelope containing... another plain white envelope?

 

[Timon_n_Pumba]

I once saw an auction that wasn't an auction....it was the person trying to let people know that something was a rip off.

Why who would do something like that?

As I recall, that auction got pulled because one of the scammers reported it to Ebay; in addition, the person who posted that auction got some very nasty emails...er, might have gotten some nasty emails. I mean, how would I know?

Heh.

Bottom line, didn't work.

Scott in MO

 

[Timon_n_Pumba]

I am not to sure about the accuracy of Jim Hill's post because he said that CM's are feeling the top for the perferations that shoud supposedly be there. I have a few fast passes left over from our most recent trip and they are crisp and clean on all four edges. The machines spit them out, you don't tear them off like prize tickets

I just checked some that I had thrown in an old fanny pack and they are smooth as well.

The Jim Hill blurb apparently came from an article in the LA Times about the mouse trying to stop the use of re-entry passes...not Fastpasses per se.

The re-entry passes and rider switch passes (both are similar, printed on the same format) DO indeed have perforations at both the top and the bottom.

IF they have no expiration date on them (which about half of the ones for the Magic Kingdom that I've seen either in person or on Ebay do not---unlike the same type passes at, say, Epcot, which ALWAYS have an expiration date but even it is a month or so in advance), then printing and selling them becomes a relatively easy thing to do. And, even though it's also an easy matter to use a paper cutter with a perforation thingy on it, apparently Disney doesn't think the sellers have thought of that. Yet.

The re-entry passes are printed en masse legitimately by TPTB and handed out in huge stacks at City Hall as compensation for real or imagined damage to a guest's vacation somewhere on Disney property. Last June, we were getting anniversary buttons and next to us a guy came in with a code number they'd given him at EPCOT for something that had happened to him at Electric Umbrella or another CS, and they gave him a HUGE stack of re-entry passes.

Until they stop practices like the above, then anyone could go through the motions to get these and sell them on Ebay, just like you can get a child swap (rider switch) pass with no intention of using it and sell those, too. I do think, however, many of these auctions are run by current or past CMs; too many originate in Florida. But, there are many sellers of HUGE amounts of these located in the midwest, New York, etc. They have to be getting them somewhere...or making their own.

My question is, there are SO many of these totally legitimate passes in circulation that have no expiration (issued as I described above by Guest Relations), that I don't see HOW Disney can deny their use and not make a lot of legitimate users of these very unhappy. It all boils down to trying to find some middle ground where they don't upset any guests---and that's totally impossible, so ?????

Just an FYI (and my two cents regarding the matter).

Scott in MO

 

[FantasyCM]

Bad analogy...QUOTE]

You should have just stopped right there while you were ahead. Pot = Illegal substance. Fastpasses are not illegal in any way, shape, or form. You comparison is weak and unsubstantiated. Sounds like you're just jealous of the folks who have what you don't...to be honest, you come across as a bit of a whiner. Are you a lawyer? Are you lawsuit happy? Seems you think you know alot about the subject.

Here's a tip...Disney doesn't care! Unless someone walked up and beat up a cast member for them, they don't care! Why? Because Disney wants people who have the money to buy these to come to the park and have more money to spend on material items rather than waiting in line.

Why on earth would you care who Disney has an interest in and why? Seems to me you have entirely TOO much time on your hands. The folks that end up selling the passes don't bother me at all...that just means they didn't take their turn to ride and instead are jumping on the huge consumer value of these passes and I give them credit for that. It's just a fastpass man, not a sack of dope! There are far greater things to worry about in life.

 

[Jalva22]

Bad analogy...QUOTE]

You should have just stopped right there while you were ahead. Pot = Illegal substance. Fastpasses are not illegal in any way, shape, or form. You comparison is weak and unsubstantiated. Sounds like you're just jealous of the folks who have what you don't...to be honest, you come across as a bit of a whiner. Are you a lawyer? Are you lawsuit happy? Seems you think you know alot about the subject.

Here's a tip...Disney doesn't care! Unless someone walked up and beat up a cast member for them, they don't care! Why? Because Disney wants people who have the money to buy these to come to the park and have more money to spend on material items rather than waiting in line.

Why on earth would you care who Disney has an interest in and why? Seems to me you have entirely TOO much time on your hands. The folks that end up selling the passes don't bother me at all...that just means they didn't take their turn to ride and instead are jumping on the huge consumer value of these passes and I give them credit for that. It's just a fastpass man, not a sack of dope! There are far greater things to worry about in life.

Man, using your first ever post on these boards to dredge up a thread that has been dormant for more than a month and lodge a scathing post.

 

[FantasyCM]

Man, using your first ever post on these boards to dredge up a thread that has been dormant for more than a month and lodge a scathing post.

Nah, not my first ever. I figured the discussion comes to light every other week anyway, so why not? I actually just found this post after reading another more recent thread on the same exact topic, and started searching for others. Apologies for not posting there, but this thread was the last I visited...and it wasn't vaulted into the archives yet, so why shouldn't it still be open for discussion? I'm just giving a different perspective on things, that's all. I suppose I could have started a new thread, but why? I'm sure there are some who didn't see this thread the first time around, like me, and wouldn't mind checking it out.