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Disneyland suspending APs of personal shoppers and flippers

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Step 1 wouldbe, don’t use your discount when buying for others. But it seems they are targeting based on public advertising too. We’ll have to pay close attention.

Posting from Mysterious Island, btw. One last ride before heading to the airport and going home.
 
Step 1 wouldbe, don’t use your discount when buying for others. But it seems they are targeting based on public advertising too. We’ll have to pay close attention.

Posting from Mysterious Island, btw. One last ride before heading to the airport and going home.

I had this thought as well.

And if pickups continue it might have to go underground.


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I read the article and had a few questions and thoughts about it. Maybe someone has an answer or theory.

1.) Is this only at Disneyland? I didn't see mention of AP holders from other Parks having their pass revoked.

2.) Can they track you if you don't use your AP?

3.) If they can't track people (stop people from buying multiple items and flipping them) unless they use their AP, will this really prevent flippers from buying the merchandise to flip? I think this will only drive prices higher from the people not targeted. Flippers just won't use thier APs.

4.) At what number do they consider a person is buying too many of an item?

5.) Will they offer more merchandise on their shop parks app? The article stated this as a possible motive for the crackdown. I saw most pins (including OE pins) being sold only in the park.

6.) Is this in response to the craziness surrounding the recent Windows of Evil pins and Tiki mugs? Was that the tipping point?
 
The only way to track it is when you use your annual pass?
The annual pass seems to be Disney's easiest tracking; someone seems to be finally paying attention to their vast data warehouse. I think they could track merchandise paid through recurring electronic transactions, such as using the same credit/debit card, but I'm not sure. So is @hopemax 's mention of public advertising. "Doing pickups" on FB and other large traffic sites is like shooting fish in a barrel for Disney.

I wonder why the crackdown now. The reselling business has been around forever, hasn't it? Is it because of the increasing number of ways to access and move product? I see Disney's side too, but wow....no warnings, just immediate revocation of the pass.

Anyways, my opinion: although I'm a passholder, I'm not local, so I need personal shoppers. But it's a gamble for them....potential to have pass revoked and not able to go to the parks. Or you have to pay full price tickets. Oh heck no......not full price tickets!

It will be very interesting to follow all this.
 
I honestly think Disney is just fed up with the rampant arbitrage they know is happening, they are making an example to those at the low end of the totem pole by going after those who show up excessively using the AP discount. I'm sad that they were cut off but am even more surprised that each one said they were not aware of the specific clause in their contract; CM's are specifically told that that is a terminable offense and I wonder if that means they are also striking down hard on CM's as well...
 
So this has been happening in the Disney Dooney groups for a little while. It started when someone specifically got reported to Disney for “abusing the discount” and it is not clear to me (I haven’t read the article, just basing this on the Dooney groups) whether everyone impacted got reported or whether Disney is actively seeking them out. I have only heard of it happening at Disneyland. This is all secondhand info, so your mileage may vary but I thought I would offer it.
 
Yeah I was talking to folks and it seems to maybe be a combo of being in response to the Dooney’s and I’d wager it’s even stuff like the popcorn buckets, and just anything with all the hype really.
It will be curious to see how far this goes, I was wondering if they’ll go after CMs guilty of the same thing too.
 
People will always find a way to skirt the system so I doubt this will do much to curb the resellers. As folks have pointed out, the loophole is to not use your AP discount. I don't know how Disney could track someone using their AP discount but selling under a pseudonym or having a family member sell it through another account. "I gave it to them as a gift and they sold it..." And doesn't the Mouse have better things to do than crack down on flippers? LOL
 
In a FB group I was reading that DL scans a barcode on the AP cards? That'd be how they track them out there. But publicly advertising what you're doing (some of them on facebook and instagram are very public about running businesses like this) gives Disney a case against them with evidence.

A lot of people have been crying that Disney can't do this and they'd sue and blah blah blah. Good luck with that. No one reads the AP agreement apparently. It straight out says using your discount to resell is against the rules and no lawyer will back up an AP holder in a case like that against Disney.
 
This story has finally hit officially, now that it's in print and with interviews. It was a rumor going around for awhile this past year.

Seemed the past holiday popcorn containers, DLR's remedy was to have an endless supply. For Halloween the cauldron didn't seem to sellout, and the LGM for Xmas seems to be still around.

I find when Disney cracks down or changes anything, it's a direct response to complaints by the public. When a complaint is logged, and enough of them, it seems to trigger an action on their part so they have a response.

Sadly what was easier, convenient, and logical is now a hassle or deterrent. We forget our identy is not private nor our actions especially in the Happiest Place. It works both ways for what we expect from Disney.

Not sure for other Disney collectibles, but for pin's sake, I'm hoping that they can become reasonable traders again? Maybe too hopeful, but if pins can trade at ratios of wants/haves, LE#, or not on a sliding $$$ amount maybe it can become a fun hobby again? Instead I interpret it as a grab fest of I've got it, you don't, and mine is worth more.....and then I enthusiastically say "congrats, you have a nice pin, glad you were lucky to get it" :p
 
This story has finally hit officially, now that it's in print and with interviews. It was a rumor going around for awhile this past year.

Seemed the past holiday popcorn containers, DLR's remedy was to have an endless supply. For Halloween the cauldron didn't seem to sellout, and the LGM for Xmas seems to be still around.

I find when Disney cracks down or changes anything, it's a direct response to complaints by the public. When a complaint is logged, and enough of them, it seems to trigger an action on their part so they have a response.

Sadly what was easier, convenient, and logical is now a hassle or deterrent. We forget our identy is not private nor our actions especially in the Happiest Place. It works both ways for what we expect from Disney.

Not sure for other Disney collectibles, but for pin's sake, I'm hoping that they can become reasonable traders again? Maybe too hopeful, but if pins can trade at ratios of wants/haves, LE#, or not on a sliding $$$ amount maybe it can become a fun hobby again? Instead I interpret it as a grab fest of I've got it, you don't, and mine is worth more.....and then I enthusiastically say "congrats, you have a nice pin, glad you were lucky to get it" :p
I will say, I have noticed the trade value of park LEs drop significantly in the past two years; and I do think part of it is that they're more readily available for people via pickups (not just here, but in the wider hobby), so people aren't trading after them as much. So maybe this will swing the pendulum in the other direction?

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I understand all sides of this issue; I really do. Sadly though, if reselling and pickups dry up, the end result will be that non-locals will be pushed out of the hobby.
The only think that would keep that from happening is if they started putting LEs on the app. Which isn't totally out of the realm of possibility.

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I will say, I have noticed the trade value of park LEs drop significantly in the past two years; and I do think part of it is that they're more readily available for people via pickups (not just here, but in the wider hobby), so people aren't trading after them as much. So maybe this will swing the pendulum in the other direction?

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Seemed to be how it was before my time, that DLR traded with WDW or other parks, for their special pins, whether HM or LE. That's what made friend relations across country, sort of pin pals.

Seems possible to return, but most newbies seem happier with a $$$ figure evaluation or prefer buying?

What You and Shelterkat offered was amazing at cost! It's fun to make people happy, but when helping becomes a worry, it gets stressful. It's getting up and to the park, finding the store where the pin is at, making sure they're ok, and that's only the 1st half. : p

There's always a rainbow when we can find it, we'll adapt, and work it out. That's how our friendships work:p
 
I understand all sides of this issue; I really do. Sadly though, if reselling and pickups dry up, the end result will be that non-locals will be pushed out of the hobby.
I don't think it'll completely dry up. If people start listing "wanted" more often, and those that can help will try. Possibly this will help from relying on 1 or 2 people for everything. More of a co op situation? :)
 
Well well... Looks like the free train ride us over for some. The sad part is that some of us would only buy pins for a friend or two and never with a mark up. Those kinds of deals will be missed. But on the flip side it will cut back on the people that like to leach off the hobby. Disney was not ever trying to give any of us a new money making machine. So this is long over do and pretty cool to see they care. Next I hope they start to do a better job at who and how they license to make pins. Turn this hobby back into a hobby that is for the true Disney fans and not the sharky resellers. Rant over....
 
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