Seven busted for slipping tourists a Mickey with bad tickets
Filed under: Shopping, Travel, Fraud
Like hard drugs and booze, Disney can be addictive. Even when times are tight and income is lean, people still want a hit of the big Disney theme parks, so much so that despite everything else going on in the economy, they're still posting a decent profit.While occupancy and hotel rates decline, gate prices at the big Orlando theme parks go up and up. Naturally, such a buoyant commodity is a tempting target for crooks, who prey on eager tourists who come to town, kids in tow, looking for a score.
Last week, after the mega water slide park Wet 'n Wild noticed that many tickets were being sold to credit cards registered as stolen, police arrested three people.
They're accused of pretending to be debt consolidation counselors, collecting credit card information, and then using those details to buy theme park tickets for resale on Craigslist. (They say their boss did it, and they're being taken for a ride.)
A few days later, the police swooped in on more suspected theme park tricksters. Four people, ranging in age from 22 to 47, were hauled in for running scam ticket-selling operations at four offices on or near U.S. 192 in Kissimmee, east of Walt Disney World.
Cops seized some $131,000 in park tickets to Walt Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld, plus another $6,000 in cash. The tickets were real, but unfortunately, their provenance wasn't.
In decades past, when Disney World tickets were validated with not much more than an ink stamp, people could sell their unused tickets to other guests, and often, that's what all those rinky-dink ticket peddlers outside the parks would sell.
Nowadays, particularly after 9/11, the big parks require guests to offer a finger scan when they enter for the first time, and that print is paired to their ticket. Once you use a ticket, it cannot be legally used by anyone else.
Some tourists don't know that, and they fall for buying tickets with unused days on them. When some were turned away at the gates, they pointed the finger at the four ticket offices where the alleged scammers were working.
I'm an author of a guide book to Walt Disney World and Orlando, and my advice never changes: No third party will offer legitimate major ticket discounts for the three major theme park resorts.
A very few, such as AAA, may offer deals that knock off $7 or $10 from a multi-day pass, but when you're talking about something with a sticker price of more than $200, you're not talking about much of a discount, and sometimes, just having the passes mailed to you can wipe out what you've saved. The reliable Disney discounts clearinghouse site MouseSavers.com links to a few respectable sellers of these middling deals.
Those roadside tourist traps, which cluster around the big parks like rats to a radiator, are usually either passing off illegal tickets with unused days, or they are trying to rope visitors into enduring hours of time-share pitches before the tickets are handed over. Either way, tourists waste money, time, or both. I wouldn't trust any of them.
When it comes to the major theme parks, you're better off focusing your savings energy on lodging and food, where you're more likely to score a true value.
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All About Disney
Last week, after the mega water slide park Wet 'n Wild noticed that many tickets were being sold to credit cards registered as stolen, police arrested three people. For more stories about the wonderful world of Disney, click through this gallery.
AP
Disney
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-20-2009 @ 9:00AM
michelle said...
we were in Orlando the week of 8/1---8/8/09..we stayed at the Marriot Seaworld....I can't remember the name of the road but if you turned LEFT out of the hotel and took it to the end then took a RIGHT at that light almost immed. on your left there is a "GAS STATION/DUNKIN DONUTS/SUB SHOP" They advertise "CHEAP TICKETS NO TOURS" to all the theme parks. While my husband was getting gas I went in to ask the guy about the tickets. He was VERY rude, never made eye contact with me and said he had tickets but I had to tour his timeshare. I told him we weren't interested in a time share and he said "I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO BUY A TIMESHARE, I AM ASKING YOU TO TOUR MY TIMESHARE" I reminded him of the sign out front hat said "NO TOURS" and he said that he had tickets that he buys from people and that i could buy those from him but I only had a 50/50 chance of actually getting into the parks with them!!!! Stay away from him and that store!!!! They are scamming people...
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8-20-2009 @ 9:44AM
Mousey said...
I live about a mile from Walt Disney World & I am right in the thick of the theme park ticket mayhem. 99% of the brokers on 192 and International Drive are not doing anything illegal, and they are not scamming. Unfortunately, one bad apple was scamming for credit cards.
The brokers do sign people up for timeshare because that is the absolute, 100% best way for tourists to save money on any theme park or dinner show.
They also sell used tickets. That sounds odd, but it is legitimate. They buy tickets from tourists who already used a few days on a ticket, they upgrade it at the park, and resell to new tourists. Disney frowns on this practice, but it is not illegal. The brokers will be very honest with you, and tell you how to get around the fingerprint machines, etc. Once a year the po-po will swoop down and arrest people and confiscate tix & money based on other B.S. business practices, but what you don't realize is that ticket re-sale is a multi-MILLION dollar a year industry (per booth), and these confiscations of 100K are only a slap on the wrist. I know people who were arrested last week, and they were back out on 192/Idrive that very night selling tickets again.
If the practice was really illegal, there would not be booths sitting on 192 and Idrive right now with huge signs that say "no tours".
BUT if you want to make 100% sure you are getting legitimate, cheap tickets, do a timeshare tour. All the theme parks, dinner shows, attractions, etc., have contracts with timeshares for specialty, cheap tickets - they have tickets you can't buy at the park! The only company that will keep you over 2hours and treat you badly is Westgate. Everyone else (Mystic Dunes, Liki Tiki, Orange Lake, Blue-Green, Silver Lake, Summer Bay, Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, etc, etc, etc.) are not bad. ***Disney Vacation Club does not gift anyting & lies a LOT about what timeshare is & how you can use their Club to your advantage***
Actually, if you want to do a tour you can just reply to this, and I will set you up, lol
8-20-2009 @ 8:58AM
CARL said...
We bought 2 tickets to Disney on Craigslist that were legit. We then bought 5 more that were a scam. This person used Paypal. Should have known as these tickets were way too cheap. We learned the hard way and will take the advice of this article and ONLY buy from AAA or Disney.
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8-20-2009 @ 9:24AM
scott said...
I love going to disney I go at least 5 times a year. This is where I go to get info. www.tinyurl.com/disneysecrets. I don't trust buying tickets from anybody other than the park.
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8-20-2009 @ 9:39AM
dale said...
The deliberations of mortals are timid and unsure are our plans.For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.And scarce do we guess the things on earth,and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty;but when things are in heaven,who can search them out?Or whoever knew Your counsel,exept you had given Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?And then were the paths of those on earth made straight and men learned what was Your pleasure,and were saved by Wisdom.
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8-20-2009 @ 2:17PM
ThisIsNuts! said...
Dear God, please give me the Wisdom to understand what this individual has just said!
8-20-2009 @ 9:41AM
diane said...
to carl--
if you contact paypal about those bogus disney tickets, they will investigate the seller of them to you, and get you your money back! i know ebay does this,
and i love disney also, but would only buy tickets directly from disney when i plan my trip there, doing a package deal with hotel, airport transfers, meals, etc,
hope this helps,
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8-20-2009 @ 10:03AM
Joe said...
Disney is such a rippoff! They can charge half price for tickets and still make their billions of dollars.
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8-20-2009 @ 10:15AM
joel said...
In a time of financial struggle, they continue to raise their prices. I guess huge profits are more inportant than making dreams come true. Oh they are making "their" dreams come true by overpricing as they hurt the average family with escalating cost.
8-20-2009 @ 11:18AM
riderdiechic said...
I agree totally with you Joe. That's why I don't go to disney, I strictly go to universal studios where I can go to 2 parks for the price of a 1 day disney pass.
8-20-2009 @ 10:41AM
pat said...
Does anyone know if the Official Ticket Ctr on Vineland Rd, Kissimmee is an authorized dealer. They had the best prices for Disney tickets. Little bit cheaper than AAA. They have a site www.official ticket center.com
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8-20-2009 @ 11:14AM
david said...
Most tourist centers and ticket booths are not a scam! However if the deal sounds to good it probrably is.
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8-20-2009 @ 11:34AM
JoAnn said...
Undercover tourists is a reliable source for tickets and there is no shipping cost.
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8-20-2009 @ 11:19AM
gail said...
we went to florida in feb found get deal with expedia for all the things i needed but i forgot tickets we stayed at the continental plaza i would never stay there again no body spoke english in the lobby i guy was selling tickets at the booth i asked for 2 days at universal he took 20 off price i needed 4 tickets after 387 dollars we went oh i was embassing to put finger in thing and we had to show drivers license to get in it kept rejecting us embassing...... then we get home and after we paid with credit card they charged us twice the next month had to cancel card fill out papers for invesigating at the bank they were called Arbor tours if u call them they have to find someone to talk in english oh my god vacation problems......
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8-20-2009 @ 11:23AM
K said...
Look at the back of the tickets you want to buy from these places and you will see the "NOT FOR RE-SALE"" NON TRANSFERABLE" printed very plainly on them. If there is a signature bar on the back of the ticket look to see if it has been altered, erased tickets will be smudged. Second day free tickets will allow you as it says second day free, but usually your name is associated with the ticket number. Never ever purchase a second day free ticket and then attempt to get another second day free, your asking for security or worse the sheriff's department deputy to intervene when you argue you are not getting the extra day free. Lastly although some of the parks do not always ask for ID to match the biometric print that is associated with the ticket you may have purchased from a bogus tour booth, but if they do; and the name(s) does not match you will not be allowed entry, the ticket gets confiscated and if you have kids that are really wanting to go see Mickey, Minnie, Shamu or the Cat in the Hat are are screaming them not only are you out the "discounted" money you spent but now you have to pay the gate entry price of that particular theme park. Remember if the deal you are looking for appears to be too good....turn and walk ..no run from the seller of those bogus tickets. Also regardless if you are unaware or aware that the tickets you purchased are no good, bogus or even have a few days left on them...remember not for re-sale non-transferable and you want to argue because you did a no no you could be trespassed from from that particular theme park (private property) not to be allowed back again. The property owner can always request to have that trespass warning re issued when the time limit expires and the owner can do it on his own discretion especially based on ticket issues.
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8-20-2009 @ 11:56AM
Cheryl said...
We were in Orlando in June, and spent 2 days at Disney World. Online tickets were expensive, and I didn't want to take a chance on getting ripped off on craiglist. We stopped at one of the ticket offices on 192, very close to where we were staying, and signed on for a tour the next morning. We were at Westgate, I believe, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., and saw their beautiful facility. But I had owned a timeshare before, and was immune to their sale tactics. We got a free, halfway decent breakfast brunch, enjoyed the tour, and left with tickets that saved us at least $150 for three tickets for 2 days. I actually felt guilty for attending the tour knowing we would not sign up to own a condo. We went to the park shortly after noon, avoiding the opening crowds, and stayed until midnight. Totally enjoyed it, and the extra couple of hours to save so much money was worth it.
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8-20-2009 @ 12:05PM
Mandy said...
Use common sense and don't buy tickets outside of the parks. Disney won't let anyone in with a questionable ticket and will tell the persons to buy a brand new ticket. The guest will end up spending a lot more money than intended when they don't use their brains and allow themselves to be scammed by outside the park ticket sales.
In ending, only buy your tickets from the park gates. You'll have that guarantee that it has never been used and you won't be denied at the turnstile. Keep in mind of expiration dates as well because once your non-used day has expired, you can't get in and will have to buy a whole new ticket.
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8-20-2009 @ 12:52PM
Richard said...
I did a bit of homework just right now. The parks ARE more crowded - attendance went up - but theme park revenue went down, and Disney blamed the discounts in its budget reports. That was why the prices rose: the extra people didn't produce extra revenue, and I'd bet they produced extra work load for the cast members.
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8-20-2009 @ 1:58PM
Frogeye said...
While applauding the arrest of those committing fraud, I must condemn the unconscionable greed of Disney, both In Florida and in Anaheim.
We have a steady stream of English friends visiting us in Anaheim each year. Through our employment, retirement and charities, we are able to obtain for them the worthwhile discounts needed for families with children vacationing on a budget. Disney is the one and only exception, refusing to offer any real discounts while boosting the prices beyond all reason.
Then, there is the food issue. Disney policy prohibits ANY outside food being brought in from the outside. How many times visitors have come back at night to tell us they had their strollers, diaper bags and backpacks searched and any food confiscated. The only alternative left was for them to purchase food inside the park at exorbitant prices!
All the time they are milking the citizens of Anaheim, getting tax rebates from the city, paying $24 a year to have city paramedics respond to 1,700 emergencies a year, while residents are saddled with the same $24 a year for this very basic of fire department services. Of course, the city officials get the free passes and perform a multitude of free services for Disney.
No, Disney and its greed are not good neighbors.
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8-20-2009 @ 1:24PM
T said...
Oh, No One Should Ever Rip Off Disney. That Place Is Fun For Everyone.. . . . . . . . .
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