Is Disney World TRULY a magical place?
Happily Ever After
It certainly can be, if you’ve planned ahead, are flexible, and have a game plan for your budget AND time going into your trip. But there are some things that can make it less than magical, especially if you end up falling for a scam. So how do you know if something is a scam in Disney World? Well, we’re going to tell you.
These are the top five scams we’ll warn you about when it comes to Disney World. So if you see ANY of these coming up either before or during your trip, RUN FAR AWAY.
Pizza flyers under your hotel room door
If you want to order pizza in Disney World, you may be tempted by a pizza flyer that’s been shoved under your hotel room door. Don’t! Many of Disney’s resorts offer a pizza delivery service, but you’ll see the menus for those delivery options in your room on a cardboard placard with the Disney logo.
MICKEY!
However, other paper flyers have been ending up under Disney World hotel room doors. These are most likely scams to steal credit card numbers. It’s been such an issue in the Orlando area that there are now laws against it. If you see one of these flyers, just throw it away and don’t think about it again.
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Cheap tickets that are timeshare presentations in disguise
You might see an ad somewhere for cheap Disney World tickets, and sure, they may be heavily discounted, but it might mean you lose valuable Disney World time because you’ve actually just signed up for a presentation for a timeshare (that is NOT Disney Vacation Club).
Be wary of non-Disney timeshare opportunities
When it comes to suspiciously-low park ticket offers, use your best judgment. Some non-Disney-affiliated salespeople may try to use pressuring techniques, which can make a lot of people uncomfortable. Unless you’re interested in buying a timeshare, you’ll probably want to skip these offers.
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Beware eBay scams
It might be tempting to buy tickets that have been partially used on eBay, but there’s no guarantee that those tickets are valid. You could be in for a nightmare situation when you arrive at Disney World, scan your ticket, only to find out it’s not usable. Then you’re out the money you spent for that ticket PLUS the cost of a valid ticket.
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The same goes for pre-owned MagicBands because they might not work. If the MagicBand was already registered to someone else, you won’t be able to use it yourself. Once a MagicBand has been linked to a Disney account, it cannot be shared with someone else.
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Likewise, you do NOT want to buy Disney Park event tickets on eBay, either. If someone is selling a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ticket for a sold-out day for WAY more than what they paid for it, it’s a scam.
Don’t buy tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on eBay
If you buy event tickets directly from Disney, it specifically states that “Tickets are nontransferable and nonrefundable and may not be resold.” So if someone is selling tickets on eBay, they’ve already gone against the policy and those tickets are null and void.
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We want to inform you about these scams so that you’ll know to avoid them when you’re planning your Disney World trip or when you’re on your vacation. It’s important to keep an eye out for these scams and stay far away from them. If you see something fishy while you’re at Disney World, you might also want to visit Guest Services to report it.
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Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
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If you get a pizza flyer under your door, take it to the front desk. They want to know when these scammers have been on property. It is true that they generally are after your credit card information, so if you don’t want to get pizza from an on-site place, make a call (or order online) to a known restaurant, like one of the major chains or a local spot that delivers (ask a CM).
One scam not mentioned is once you check in and go to your room , beware od any phone calls stating their system went down and they need to rerun your card. If this happens always go to the front desk and check. And also mention to the cast member not to mention the type of card you are paying with.
Another scam to avoid in the parks – anyone offering to sell you “official Disney” merchandise that they happen to have in their bag. No, they aren’t giving you a great price because they changed their mind and don’t want to bother going back to the World of Disney store to make the return. It is cheap knock-off junk. It is happening all the time at Disney World and cheapens the experience. Don’t fall for it and report the scammers to security.
@ Shirley Sylvester
Disney resorts have a laminated card in the room warning against this scam as recently as last week.
Good looking out!
I made the mistake of my last Disney trip to schedule five days as travel, park, park, park, travel. Having a non-park day to take in a condo/timeshare presentation sounds like a way to gain some well-needed ‘slack’ in the trip. (I’m old and cynical, so the probability of actually buying a timeshare is negligible)