By now, you’ve seen the countless Walt Disney World Facebook scams that Doctor Disney keeps warning about time and time again. We’ve go to remember that there are other Disney scams as well, and one scam even offers “VIP Passes.”
Please know that for legal reasons, I’m not going to post any names of people or businesses here. Just know that you won’t need names to know who to avoid.
While doing some work this weekend, I came across someone advertising their business on Facebook.
The business offered up the rental of some vacation homes they owned near Walt Disney World. They offered up competitive rates, great location, awesome amenities, and a few extras that didn’t quite make sense to me.
The confusing offers were “Free VIP Parking and Free VIP Passes.”
Wait…what?
Yeah, that really made my brain go to mush and it was due to the fact that free parking is primarily available at Walt Disney World for Annual Passholders and Resort Guests. Yet, if you stay off property at these vacation homes and don’t have an AP…that’s kind of impossible.
Even more intriguing were these “VIP Passes.” No matter what anyone says, there are no VIP passes to Disney World. There are VIP Tours you can pay for, but no VIP Passes.
But none the less…this person was advertising them on Facebook and on their site.
A number of people were interested in the offer, commenting, and many asking what the VIP Passes and Parking was all about. The thread-starter would never quite answer. They would simply private message each person, and then comment advising them of the PM.
I played it dumb and asked for info. I received this private message.
“If you book either home soon, I will provide you with 4 Fantastic VIP Ride Passes ( 7 night stay) or 2 (5 night stay) These will let you and up to 7 in your party get onto a specific ride in the fast pass line ( you MUST have a child/ early teen that is tall enough with you for that ride).
As an added bonus, I also give a VIP Parking pass which will allow you to park in the AAA Diamond lot at ALL the Disney parks.”
Interesting.
I showed this to a good friend of mine that works for Disney (has for a long time), and he was not very thrilled. My main assumption is that somehow this person had gotten hold of some of the passes given to “Give Kids The World.”
Notice the restriction of having a “child/early teen” with you? If there are restrictions like that and you don’t automatically fill them…chances are, you’re doing something not allowed.
Before being able to message the proprietor back, a number of people began commenting on the thread on Facebook and saying they believed it to be a scam. They said there is no such thing as VIP Passes and all of that.
Shortly after, the business owner deleted the entire thread and disappeared.
A little thought came to mind and it clicked in my head.
There are actually special passes – very FASTPass-like – given to children that are too short to ride certain attractions. When I was a Cast Member, we called them “When You Grow Passes.”
These passes enable those shorter children to come back when they are tall enough (even on another visit to Disney) and ride the attraction via the FASTPass line when tall enough. Cool huh?
Someone involved in the scam conversation on Facebook actually ended up messaging me. This person had gone back and forth with the business owner and asked exactly how they got these “VIP Passes.”
“These are like a fast pass, you would go to the fast pass line with these…They are not illegal …Disney gives these out to children that wait in line only to find out they are not tall enough…they can come back when they grow up more and use them at any time…I do not sell these they are simply a perk I provide.”
Well, if you’re promising these “VIP Passes” along with the rental of your vacation home and these passes are given out free to children, then yes…yes, you are selling them.
And that…is a scam.
From there, my source even asked how she got these “VIP Passes.” The business owner said that they simply “had a connection.”
So, the problem here is that someone is selling these free “When You Grow Passes” along with their Free AAA Diamond Parking (which isn’t free and actually is non-transferable) along with the rental of their vacation homes.
Yes, my friends, that is another scam.
What bothers me so much is that someone is willing to pass these things off even as a “perk” when they’re not.
What bothers me is that this person has “a connection” which means that someone allegedly at Disney is giving this person these passes…to sell.
It’s a scam. It’s a scam. It’s a scam.
Sure, the vacation homes may be really nice and close to Disney and have great amenities. That’s all true and accurate.
Adding in some “VIP Passes” and free “VIP Parking” and you just made the whole thing a scam.
Be careful of these kinds of things, everyone. If something sounds sketchy or over-the-top-good, then look into it more. Sometimes, there are explanations and things check out.
Other times, you can use your “VIP Passes” by making sure you don’t say much about them and that you have a “child or early teen” with you.
If something sounds like you shouldn’t be doing it…then chances are, you shouldn’t do it.
