Golden Ticket Experience/ YOAMD Fakeout

[CommandoDisney]

In Dec of 06, we were in WDW going to MVMCP, which my dad had bought tickets to months in advance as most people have to. however, when we got to the gate, out of the 9 or so tickets we had, only 4 actually worked. We were told to go to the office window over to the side. we were confused but we started to get excited thinking maybe we were getting some special YOAMD prize. we get over to the office, tell them our problem and they scan the cards. they tell us our cards are invalid! they were cancelled because we upgraded our tickets! so again, we are like, is this some part of the YOAMD? and they were like um... no... there is no upgraded ticket... so then we start getting annoyed, because if there are no upgraded tickets, then why are you telling us our tickets were cancelled because of them? after a while, things got ironed out and we were eventually allowed in and given the infamous Golden Ticket, which allowed our entire party to skip the line and go right up to the front, kind of like a super fastpass that worked on any ride.

we werent really that upset about the whole deal, more just confused. we ended up waiting until the next day, because it didnt expire for like a week or something, on POTC. we got to go around the back of the building (which was exciting and disappointing at the same time) and through a secret hallway to the front of the line. it was pretty cool!

so i was wondering 2 things:
1. has anyone else been faked out by the YOAMD thinking they were getting a prize when they werent?
2. has anyone else gotten the Golden Ticket, how did you get it and what did you use it on?

 

[Master Yoda]

In Dec of 06, we were in WDW going to MVMCP, which my dad had bought tickets to months in advance as most people have to. however, when we got to the gate, out of the 9 or so tickets we had, only 4 actually worked. We were told to go to the office window over to the side. we were confused but we started to get excited thinking maybe we were getting some special YOAMD prize. we get over to the office, tell them our problem and they scan the cards. they tell us our cards are invalid! they were cancelled because we upgraded our tickets! so again, we are like, is this some part of the YOAMD? and they were like um... no... there is no upgraded ticket... so then we start getting annoyed, because if there are no upgraded tickets, then why are you telling us our tickets were cancelled because of them? after a while, things got ironed out and we were eventually allowed in and given the infamous Golden Ticket, which allowed our entire party to skip the line and go right up to the front, kind of like a super fast pass that worked on any ride.

we werent really that upset about the whole deal, more just confused. we ended up waiting until the next day, because it didnt expire for like a week or something, on POTC. we got to go around the back of the building (which was exciting and disappointing at the same time) and through a secret hallway to the front of the line. it was pretty cool!

so i was wondering 2 things:
1. has anyone else been faked out by the YOAMD thinking they were getting a prize when they werent?
2. has anyone else gotten the Golden Ticket, how did you get it and what did you use it on?

Faked out by YOAMD? No.

Golden ticket? Yes.

It was a simple case of a new CM getting a bit confused about an AP purchase and renewal. The whole process took about 30 minutes and we given said ticket to make up for the inconvenience. We used the golden ticket on TT.

 

[the-reason14]

I remember getting the golden ticket back in 2004 for a second time. It was something about we were stuck at the TTC with tying to get our first APs. But, I remember the first time we got it, it was back in 1999. We were at Epcot, and my grandma was with us. This is back in the day when we used to buy our tickets from the cheap booths seen all over orlando. I think it was something about she had several tickets and she aint know which one to use or which was valid, so we had to go to guest relations and talk for along time, and by the end of it, they had given us a fastpass for any ride; the golden ticket. Now note that this was before fastpass was introduced at WDW with the machines and extra lines they have now, so it was cool. Of course we rode the then new test track with it, and it was great to be able to bypass the 90 min. line.

 

[Cane27]

Last year we bought seasonal passes, so we went to ticketing at AK to get them made. The gentleman ended up doing the whole process, but got our names wrong on the ticket, so he ended up having to do it over. I was thinking no big deal, but he gave us a golden ticket for the delay. We ended up going to Everest for a fast pass and then went right onto KS with the golden ticket. It really helped the schedule out.

 

[Captain Hank]

They're called "No Strings Attached" cards.

That is all.

 

[PrincessMiko]

We got a golden ticket a couple of weeks ago when some punk kids tried to cut us in line at POTC. Me and mom went to get some drinks to endure the 60 minute wait while dad and the boys (14, 13, 6, and 3) waited in line. When we got back, dad was out of line talking with security personel... So, yea, these kids decided they were "filling in all available space" by cutting ahead of everyone, and dad doesn't go for stuff like that. (he's very vocal...) So dad confronts kids and tells them they are not going to get in front of him in line and they better go ahead and move to the back of the line and quit causing trouble. So punk kid #1 says "what are you gonna do about it old man?" and acts like he's going to hit him (not a good plan...) while his girlfriend is telling him to stop. So the ride attendant comes over and the kids run off and we got a golden ticket for our trouble. We used it on Splash Mountain (which had a 120 minute wait that day!)

 

[darthjohnny]

so i was wondering 2 things:
1. has anyone else been faked out by the YOAMD thinking they were getting a prize when they werent?
2. has anyone else gotten the Golden Ticket, how did you get it and what did you use it on?

1. Yes. A few times actually.... :lol:
2. Yes. The CMs said it was taking a while to process my new Annual Passes so they gave me the pass to make up for the time lost at the ticket counter. I really didn't think it was taking that long, but didn't mind getting the pass.

 

[CommandoDisney]

so far, it seems like these passes are given out when things at the ticket counters take a few minutes... i guess that makes sense

 

[Captain Hank]

so far, it seems like these passes are given out when things at the ticket counters take a few minutes... i guess that makes sense

No Strings Attached are given out at the Cast Members' discretion when they feel that something that the Guest had no control over has negatively affected their experience. They can be issued for a variety of reasons and can provide a number of reimbursement options. It's something that cannot be asked for by the Guest (asking for a No Strings is a sure way not to get one).

 

[Jerm]

No Strings Attached are given out at the Cast Members' discretion when they feel that something that the Guest had no control over has negatively affected their experience. They can be issued for a variety of reasons and can provide a number of reimbursement options. It's something that cannot be asked for by the Guest (asking for a No Strings is a sure way not to get one).

What he said! Thank you for betting me to it Hank. Also if I had to pick any attraction for a NSA (No Strings Attached) it would not be one of the fastest moving attraction lines in the park. I would have gone for something like Splash or Space that always has a long line and has the delay built in due to Fastpass®

 

[kc1296426]

How does the Golden Ticket work? Does it give you entitlement to ride any ride in the park or all of WDW? Can you ride the rides over with these passes? Do they expire on the day?

 

[figmentmom]

A NSA is valid for the day it's issued, for one use only.

 

[disneydata]

A NSA is valid for the day it's issued, for one use only.

And only valid in the park it was issued.

 

[Jorden]

Also NSA's aren't just used for "fastpasses". They are mainly a tool for guest recovery. I used one once when someone in a tour group lost their soccer ball in the World Showcase Lagoon 20 minutes before illimunations. Enough time for them to go get a new one, not smart or safe to try to recover the old one.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

Hmm... this is very interesting thread for me. In March, the CM at the gate voided my ticket & told me it had expired when it hadn't. It took a half hour to figure out that my ticket WASN'T void, and they let me in & gave me a new ticket that worked.

I wasn't given anything except a good old, "We're very sorry"

I never mistook this for a YOAMD prize though, I was too busy crying about the fact that the my 7 day hopper was voided on day 2 of it, and wondering what in the world I was going to do.

I once thought that they were asking me to be in the parade though! A CM approached me and my aunt & mom when we were sitting on a bench. They asked if we were planning on staying for the parade, to which I emphatically yelled "of course!". They said, "Okay can you please move to another location then, because we need to rope off this area."

 

[CommandoDisney]

A NSA is valid for the day it's issued, for one use only.

actually the one we got was valid for a couple days. im not sure the exact time period, but we used ours later that trip, but it was indeed only valid at the MK. this could be due however to the fact that it happened right before the MVMCP, and so would not be as beneficial to use then as it would during normal hours on a normal day.

 

[Eyorefan]

Hmm... this is very interesting thread for me. In March, the CM at the gate voided my ticket & told me it had expired when it hadn't. It took a half hour to figure out that my ticket WASN'T void, and they let me in & gave me a new ticket that worked.

I wasn't given anything except a good old, "We're very sorry"

I never mistook this for a YOAMD prize though, I was too busy crying about the fact that the my 7 day hopper was voided on day 2 of it, and wondering what in the world I was going to do.

I once thought that they were asking me to be in the parade though! A CM approached me and my aunt & mom when we were sitting on a bench. They asked if we were planning on staying for the parade, to which I emphatically yelled "of course!". They said, "Okay can you please move to another location then, because we need to rope off this area."

I feel the same way. Last year we checked into our hotel and then headed to MGM for our lunch reservations while we waited for our rooms to be read. Our cards didn't work. There wasn't anything on them.

We had to go to Guest Relations who had to call the hotel to varify our information. After much back and forth on the phone the CM issued us one day passes to the park. All told it took about 40 minutes for us to get in the gate. All we got was, "you should have had them check the tickets at your resort." :lookaroun

 

[HollyBelle]

Just last week we received a NSA card at Blizzard Beach when there were technical issues with printing our tickets. It delayed us for about 20-25 minutes but we received a free locker rental. The cast member actually gave us a choice between a free locker or free ice cream. It was a very nice gesture, as we definitely weren't expecting anything.