Learn a Lesson From Tickets on eBay...

[Treelo]

I would be interested to know what Guest Services would have done, if anything, for the family in that situation. Disney is among the best at customer service, but I don't think they COULD do very much for the family. It would eventually get out to the public and you'd see a line of people standing at Guest Services at each park trying to get in with expired tickets.

[Main Street Jim]

Right...we can look up the serial numbers here at the parks; but there's no way just by looking at the tickets to tell what's left on them.

As far as if we did do anything to help them out, that I do not know. I sure wish I did know. It really is a shame that they got taken the way they did; not sure if eBay will do something or not. You're right; it'd sure pack the line at Guest Relations...

[Altair]

This is the reason for the non-transfer policy, it avoids any liability for Disney in messes like this one.

There are laws against fraud and there will be a paper trail back to this seller.

[Lizzy]

That is very sad that it happened, but really, did they really expect to get Disney tickets at carnival ticket prices and it be legit? [img]graemlins/shakehead.gif[/img] I feel really bad for the children, but I hope that Disney didn't do to much for them at the same time. [img]graemlins/shakehead.gif[/img]

[mpoppins-sc]

Speaking as the former Guest Relations CM, I doubt they did much for the family. 1. They weren't bought from Disney 2. WDW tickets are non-transferrable.

It would be really hard to look them in the face and be pretty unapologetic, but that is part of they job. The only thing they MAY have done--but highly unlikely--would have been to let them in for the day. However, since it wasn't a WDW error it would have to be a pretty sad story for that to happen (saved for 10 years, dying of a very rare form of cancer next week). HIGHLY UNLIKELY!

As far as EBay goes, the seller should be reported. Hope they bought the tickets via Paypal with a credit card, not sending a money order or check. I would think they could be prosecuted for fraud.

Just goes to show you--there is no such thing as a good deal when it comes to WDW tickets (unless they are coming directly from Disney).

[Patti]

What an expensive lesson to learn.

[GTDigger]

as I scan all the posts, i just keep thinking about the feeling on those kid's stomachs. lessons learned and more money on the credit cards aside on the parent's part. you're all geared up for that 1st day at Disneyworld and you're mom and dad have no idea they've been taken by some idiot.

[ October 23, 2003, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: TiggerRPh ]

[Roland]

Originally posted by Main Street Jim:
It really is a shame that they got taken the way they did; not sure if eBay will do something or not.

eBay will NEVER do anything about it. They let people sell bootleg copies of American DVDs, you know the disclaimer that says we can be fined 250,000 at the beginning of the DVD, and you can report and report and report and it still goes on and no one EVER gets arrested or fined.

The only company that eBay has actively worked with to clean up false sales was Microsoft and the resale of software YOU already own.

so, eBay will never cuts the hands that drops money in their bank accounts.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I feel NO sympathy for the adults.
2) If it looks too good to be true (you know the rest)

[Septbride2002]

I also do not feel sorry for the parents in that group. I mean come on! Common sense tells you to get your tickets from Disney. If you can't afford to buy them direct from the company then you can't afford to go. Take your family to Six Flags or save up another year and then go.

~Amanda

[Ian]

Hmmmmmmm ... I think a lot of people may be assuming too much. Sure, WE all know you need to buy your tickets direct from Disney, but this may very well have been these folks' one and only Disney trip in a lifetime. They may have seen nothing wrong at all with buying their tickets from eBay ... especially if they are regular users of it and have had positive experiences in the past.

I think it's a little harsh to lay all the blame at the parents feet. They made a mistake sure ... but they honestly may not have known any better. Sometimes I think we all take a bit for granted just how much we know about Disney theme parks and it can tend to make us all just a tad snooty.

[Piglet822]

I agree with Ian, there's a good possbility that the parents didn't know, or realize.
Another thing, there are many, many, many good people in this world. And there are many bad ones, as well. The majority of us would never dream of trying to *sell* bad tickets, knowing (or perhaps innocently not knowing) that they are no good. It is hard for us *innocents* to understand and fathom that some people knowingly and willingly do bad things to others.
I too feel badly for the family and I hope some kind of resolution was reached but as stated, there isn't much that Disney can do in this case.

[goofyfanatic]

Ian,

I agree with you. We don't know the circumstance of what happened. We are savoy with Disney whereas a lot of people aren't.

Seth

[rafgomez]

I feel bad for the poor family, that reminds me that there is bad people taking advanced of good heart people.

[DizneyRox]

Yeah, it's sortof unfortunate, but comon now, how about a little common sense!

That family knew that there was something "different" about those tickets. If you believe the first place they went looking for tickets was eBay it's time to wake up. You know they looked into Disney tickets and found out how expensive it is. Next, they probably did a quick search on Google for "Discount Disney Passes" and came up with a few sites. I can almost see the conversation now.

<flashback>

Mom: "Hey, eBay, I've never heard of anyone getting taken advantage of on eBay!"
Dad: "Yeah, and look how cheap these tickets are too! That's amazing, 5 day passes for 10% of what Disney sells them for! I bet this person doesn't know what they are really worth, lets buy em! Heck, let's buy like 10 of em and sell em to our friends for full price! Who's gonna know?"

</flashback>

If the thought didn't cross their mind that:
a. They weren't even going to get the tickets or
b. The something was fishy with someone selling tickets for a loss.

They deserve the lesson they got. Maybe next time they will think twice before doing something like that. I understand looking for a deal but at some point at least one brain cell must have sent up a red flag!

[ October 24, 2003, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: DizneyRox ]

[GTDigger]

my bad, I didn't fully read the original post. I thought they had bought hoppers with a balance left on them. 80.00 for a 5 day? yeah, right. that is a lesson learned. [img]graemlins/mickey.gif[/img]

[ October 25, 2003, 02:29 AM: Message edited by: TiggerRPh ]