Have you ever sacrificed a significant portion of a Disney Parks visit to acquire a must-have, limited edition souvenir? Have you ever had this effort prove entirely fruitless as the shop, Tiki bar, or outdoor vendor sold out of your sought-after item right in front of you? A collectible mug, pin, and popcorn bucket may be worth a half-day investment. Explaining to your kids how you squandered a massive share of your roller-coaster window, and still didn’t get the cool new Funko you promised them is a tragedy.
Whether you hold Disney, or the throng of Philistines pushing past you with their ten bags of undeserved good fortune, responsible, the resultant disappointment can be enough to ruin your day. The notion that some are likely reselling the surplus, rather than gifting it graciously to grandchildren, might strike outside observers as uncool. Disney clearly agrees.
According to a feature in the Orange County Register today, the Disneyland Resort is pursuing a means to curb the longtime practice. Compiled in the article, the OC Register has identified a number of private Annual Passholders who have had their Disneyland passes canceled. The common thread is that each individual in the story engaged in the reselling of items purchased at an annual-pass discount. A Disney no-no.
The individuals in the story are understandably displeased. However, each admitted they understand what they did to be a legitimate violation of the Disneyland Annual Passport Terms and Conditions, which it is. Disney has yet to release a statement regarding the revocations, nor even to confirm that they are indeed taking place. This seems odd. Public knowledge that you can actually lose something as dear as a Disneyland Annual Pass could prove quite the deterrent for unwanted activity. Awareness of the one particular former passholder who admits she lost her admission privileges, but still has to pay off her pass, might just eliminate the dubious practice altogether.
Terms of the agreement are clear, if not universally known or heeded. Even in the abridged admonishment posted online, Disney warns against commercial chicanery:
Merchandise discounts, as applicable..are for personal use only and may not be used to purchase merchandise with the intent to resell such merchandise.
Whether this is part of a policy intensification, or larger crackdown, is unknown. As a flood of collectible Star Wars merchandise is set to soon arrive at a galactic outpost near you, it’s hardly surprising that Disney is looking to discourage competition for its own product. Disney’s playing hardball, for sure. If it helps get more limited edition items into the hands of appreciative grand kids, so much the better.
