50 Years Merchandise Event Is A Scam!!

[Disneynut]

GREED

[DOOM BGI]

I've been following some discussions about this on another message board. Yes, this is a huge lapse in ethical business practices by Disney, I agree. How they don't understand this is disturbing to me. To advertise an "exclusive, limited to 50 only" event at nearly $2,000 a ticket, and then just decide "hey, we can make more money if we print more tickets!!" comes dangerously close to fraud.

And, I'm sorry, but "all events subject to change" does not cover their a$$ on this.

They need to send a letter to everyone who signed up for the top three packages and explain that they are NOT getting what they paid for when they signed up, and offer a refund or some other concession. They altered the attendee info at the DisneyGallery website as well. All references to specific attendee numbers in the top three packages are now GONE. Replaced with "limited to availability." Funny, that's not what it said when I gave them my credit card number.

Unfortunately, it is only just beginning to dawn on WDES that people are upset about this. I don't think we have heard the end of this developing situation.

--J.

[Aurora]

That is certainly a shame. I would be furious if I paid that much for an "exclusive" event to find that they added so many people.

[Cousin Orville]

Is nothing special anymore?

I think the whole "Limited edition" phrase is horribly abused. Limited to what..5 million? It is an implication that somehow what you have is highly collectible and will be worth something someday, so get it now. For most items it is quite the opposite and usually the object has little intrinsic value. Ask any Watch, Serigraph, or Beanie Babie collector what their collection is now worth. Your moneyu is better off in a T Bill.

Corporate America has made any AMPM minimart cup "Collectible". Well folks, trash is collectible too and they collect mine every Tuesday. I think your story is maddening and I would have wanted a refund too. Imagine booking a romantic Gondola ride in Venice only to find out it's a stretch version for 12! Same thing. I'm sure what they did to you wasn't "Walt's Dream". If you write them, I bet they'll give you some collectible keyring.

[Disneynut]

Is nothing special anymore?

I think the whole "Limited edition" phrase is horribly abused.

To be fair to Disney, a lot of my reaction to this is that I have been spoiled by the previous events. We enjoy attending the dinners where they are limited to 25-35 people. The Tower of Terror dinner was simply amazing. It, in our minds, justified the expense.

I have no problems with them offering a larger package to the masses, just don't sell it as "strictly limited to 50" and then change it after we have paid. What troubles me is that it seems Event Services then tries to hide it and get away with it. Not only did they change the number of guests, they did so without telling anyone. Only when word leaked out did they place a notice on the website. This morning they changed the number of registrants on the website (to reflect the true capacity) and then pulled it after receiving all of the complaints. In my opinion, this is not the way an ethical business operates.

[Not Afraid]

It's a case of a few unhappy participants vs 200k plus additional revenue.

As a participant, I would be unhappy, but as an event manager, I understand how they must've looked at the sold out events as a lost opportunity for more revenue. They may have even been pushed to expand by the financial dorks. God knows the same thing has happened to me.

They put the "Subject to change" disclaimer in there just for this reason. I used to idemnify "acts of God".

[Disneynut]

You are correct, this is exactly what this boils down to, extra revenue! At what point does Disney realize that sometimes the extra money up-front can cost them more in the long run? At the bare minimum, why not offer us a chance to withdraw from the event. My concern is that we asked for a refund and were told "no". Sometimes you have the chance to make more money but you should honor your promises to those who pay your bills.

[SilentBob66]

You're kidding me - today's Disney management, GREEDY?

I don't know, I doubt it, I heard Eisner was in the running for Saint.



Par for the course as far as I'm concerned. People will give all sorts of excuses for these jerks' behavior in business, but in the end, we're all getting ripped off. The positive experiences with Disney management are actually the exception rather than the rule.

Bait, meet Switch.

[Disneynut]

You're kidding me - today's Disney management, GREEDY?

I don't know, I doubt it, I heard Eisner was in the running for Saint.



Par for the course as far as I'm concerned. People will give all sorts of excuses for these jerks' behavior in business, but in the end, we're all getting ripped off. The positive experiences with Disney management are actually the exception rather than the rule.

Bait, meet Switch.

Glad you agree. Some people (without naming names) seem to think I am a horrible person for criticizing Disney. I love Disney for many reasons, but also do not care for every single thing they do. Some of the commentary passed my way today said "this was only a mistake or oversight on their part" and "be thankful they let you buy these packages". I simply want what was promised to me or a refund of the money paid.

[Morrigoon]

A better response would have been to offer an additional, but different, event to catch the overflow of guests.

Not to mention allowing you to get your refund - if demand is that high, they should have NO trouble filling your spot.

[Dustysage]

I stopped paying the big bucks for these "Special" events some time ago. They just kept getting bigger and bigger all the while becoming less and less special. The Toad event was amazing. The Villians event was solid. The Pirates event was a huge mess. They never really recovered. It has become all about the merchandise. You pay top dollar for the opportunity to be first to buy overpriced art/pins/t-shirts, half of which end up in the Disney Gallery or Disneyana after the event.

Just once, I'd like to see them offer a special event which is only about entertainment and doesn't offer any merchandise or pins. I'd pay for a special dinner and show experience like that.

[Morrigoon]

Note to self... really must tease the pin traders with my Maleficent pin one of these days

I actually enjoyed the Pirates event. But then, there's something special about standing on Main Street at 2am, being apologized to profusely, getting driven backstage (even though I'd seen it) to be taken to my car, and eventually having the price of admission being refunded without even asking for it.

I'm just kooky that way

...and it was fun standing around w/other fans. Guess that's why I want to line up for the 17th.

[sir clinksalot]

Wow, sorry to hear that. I would certainly be upset if I was spending that kind of scratch and that happened. Hopefully something will come out of this that will be a good resolution to all involved.

[robotpirates]

I'm sorry about that. I can't say anything that hasn't been said on this thread already. I'm afraid of reiteration.

[Circarama]

Are they going to increase the number of seminars/workshops, so that we can still have adequate access to them? Because if they don't, I'm really gonna be upset.
And as far as merchandise goes, the only piece of limited edition merchandise I am hoping for is a leather jacket. Assuming they are going to have one, I'm going to use both mine and my wifes RSP form in order to get one.
Do you think that they will increse the number of limited edition collectibles? Or do you think that those of us attending are going to get stiffed on the collectibles we want?

[robotpirates]

Are they going to increase the number of seminars/workshops, so that we can still have adequate access to them? Because if they don't, I'm really gonna be upset.
And as far as merchandise goes, the only piece of limited edition merchandise I am hoping for is a leather jacket. Assuming they are going to have one, I'm going to use both mine and my wifes RSP form in order to get one.
Do you think that they will increse the number of limited edition collectibles? Or do you think that those of us attending are going to get stiffed on the collectibles we want?

Cica, I think they have a leather jacket on sale for around $250-300. You can find them at the Disneyland Hotel, I believe.

[Circarama]

Cica, I think they have a leather jacket on sale for around $250-300. You can find them at the Disneyland Hotel, I believe.

There are already 3 different leather jackets for the 50th. I am hoping they come out with one to commemorate the actual 50th on July 17th. They did for the 45th anniversary, it is an Australian lambskin hip length leather jacket with the 1958 Disneyland Map by Sam McKim embroidered on the back, over 300,000 stitches. It's very cool.

[jmuboy]

DISNEYNUT - How did you come to find out this info? I want to confront Event Services about this myself.

[Circarama]

[BoneDaddy]

I welcome all thoughts or debate -

Frankly, I think you're making a lot of noise about something that matters very little.

If you would have passed on buying the package if they had originally set 80 as the number instead of 50, then ask for your money back. Although these events are typically non-refundable, I'm sure they'd do it for you in this instance. They added more because it's a very special circumstance. That's all.

I just signed up for the Shag cocktail party. While I'm not paying nearly what you paid for your package, even at your price, I wouldn't look at it as anything other than something fun to do. If "exclusivity" is so important to you, then I have to wonder why you're doing anything with Disney anyway. Or to put it another way, I'd bet that most others who paid for the Walt package did so for the things you get to do, not simply because the number was arbitrarily set at 50. The exclusivity factor is pure (and laughable) snobbishness.

Go and enjoy, or drop out and pout. There's no conspiracy here to scam guests.