WDYT: friend thinks she can get in free

[megs1313]

I have a very good friend who is an Orlando native (though we now live in TX) who is planning to visit family in orlando for her daughter's 2nd birthday. As a native, they have plenty of castmember friends, though my friend hasn't actually been to WDW since she was a kid (like maybe 2000ish). She tells me they have never paid to get in and that the way it works is their castmember friend will meet them at the gate and just let them through. It will be herself, her DH and their three kids (though 2 of them under 3yo, so free) and then her mother. I told her I was concerned that it might not be as easy as it used to be with all the security measures now. I'm afraid she's setting herself up for a really big disappointment. Does anyone know if this is still a doable thing?

ETA: this will be at MK.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Leave it to her CM friends to correct her.

 

[CinderDuffy]

You made your concerns known. I would now just forget about it & see how it goes.

 

[Madivan]

True - If CM friend wants to use his/her passes on this woman and her family. CM wouldn't just let them in and that's it, if you're thinking she's being snuck in - I'm not sure exactly how many or how it works but they are given a certain number of family and friends passes. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be by.

You don't need a ticket to get through security. You go through security (bag check and random metal detector) before you get to the ticket windows and turnstiles so I'm not sure why the increased security would change the process, although I have not been brought in gratis by a CM since security has been increased so I can't say for sure.

 

[FastPasser]

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[BadPinkTink]

@Madivan is correct CM's get a certain amount of friends and family free passes per year.

@megs1313 The process is
1. go through security checks same as everyone else
2. Host CM and guests go together to the entrance turn-style
3. Host CM hands over their their employee photo ID to the CM at the turn-style and says "me and this guest, this guest"
4. Turn-style CM prints out a ticket for each person, which will have the host CM name and employee number on the back
6. Tickets are scanned and host CM and guests enter the park

 

[FastPasser]

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[FastPasser]

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[Hannahinwonderland]

CMs also sometimes get tickets they can print out and just give to guests as well. Hopefully the CM friend will just take care of everything and there is no need to worry!

 

[yulilin3]

everything everyone has said, plus now there are blocked out dates
https://blockoutdates.disney.com/app/#/

 

[FastPasser]

.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

CM's get complimentary tickets that they can give to friends and family. They're called "Main gates" -- I have a friend that works in a Disney Store here in South Florida and she gets 8 a year. I don't know if cast members in the park get more. From experience I'd say that regardless... they'll probably get in for free. Had plenty of friends in the college program, and they did this all the time. Heck, I used to do it all the time when I worked at a theater. Not saying it's right, just saying it can be done.

Hope she has a nice trip!

 

[yulilin3]

That's always been the case. Well, for at least 20 years anyway.

but there has been an increase in clocked out dates, especially for the CM themselves

 

[Alesia]

Mind your own business.

If she gets in, she gets in. If not, she learns a lesson.

 

[FastPasser]

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[DisneyOma]

If they get in for "free" - no ticket of any kind - then they can't use FP+, can they? That would be a drag, waiting in every standby queue.

 

[megs1313]

Update from me, the OP: she wants us to go with them, which is why I'm concerned. I don't want to show up with tickets to the gate with my family and have hers have a problem...that would be awful!

but it sounds like it should be easy-peasy and I am glad!

 

[DisneyOma]

Update from me, the OP: she wants us to go with them, which is why I'm concerned. I don't want to show up with tickets to the gate with my family and have hers have a problem...that would be awful!

but it sounds like it should be easy-peasy and I am glad!

If she has no ticket media, then she can't reserve any FP+. What are you planning to do in the parks - are you using FP+?

 

[IrishNYC]

Update from me, the OP: she wants us to go with them, which is why I'm concerned. I don't want to show up with tickets to the gate with my family and have hers have a problem...that would be awful!

but it sounds like it should be easy-peasy and I am glad!

I would go, tickets in hand, and not feel bad about it for a second. Unless she can confirm that a CM friend of hers is "just letting her in" her details are sketchy at best. I'd also not want to "just get let in" like she thinks she will be, because her wording sounds like she's doing dishonest and below the board. Maybe it's not sketchy or dishonest, but she just doesn't sound like she's got a solid plan at all.

 

[megs1313]

If she has no ticket media, then she can't reserve any FP+. What are you planning to do in the parks - are you using FP+?

I told her this, but she said they've never had to wait long for rides, so she's not worried about it. You can lead a horse to water...

I will most def be making FP+reservations. The planning is half the fun for me. We're going for 10 days, though, and my friend is only going to be there 1.