Anyone ever get a Disney freebie?

[rsoxguy]

I have poured enough money into Disney World to start a third world nation. On two occasions they have paid me back.

1. Years ago my wife and I purchased passes at the gate, but charged them to our room. Upon checking out, we discovered that they had not charged us properly for the passes. We spoke to the CM at the hotel counter for quite a while, and then to a manager in an attempt to get the charge placed on our bill. They both insisted that we did not know what we were talking about, and after half an hour of being treated like mentally challenged , we decided to leave. They never charged us properly, and the free passes were a treat. I hate to take anything from people dishonestly, but they would quite literally not take our money or accept our explanation of the debt. Unreal! :hammer:

2. We once took our daughter to Discovery Island. The boat hauling us out had about ten people aboard. There was nobody at the turnstile when we arrived, and after a fifteen minute wait everyone just walked in and disappeared. My wife and I went to see a bald eagle show and then returned to the entrance to speak to a CM. We told him what had happened and attempted to pay our admission fee. He freaked out that we had come back to pay and kept telling me that he couldn't believe how honest we were. I placed the money in his hand and he kept telling me that he refused to allow me to pay because of our honesty. After several attempts to convince him, we gave up and thanked him for the free entrance. Wacky!

I realize that a corporation as large as Disney is going to make mistakes, and I'm not one to have a "stick it to the man" mentality, but has anyone ever had an honest mistake made to their advantage. (Please, no stories regarding dishonesty).

 

[bluefaery]

My exboyfriend (boyfriend at the time) and I went to WDW for a week in Feb after he got back from Iraq, and to celebrate my birthday. We stayed at POP and about 2 hrs after we checked in I realized that we forgot to rent a fridge. I walk back down to the front desk w/ CC in hand ready to pay. I step up to the desk and the very first thing the CM does is wish me a happy birthday (was wearing my pin). We get to talking and I tell him that it's my first time at WDW for my birthday. Almost forgetting what I came down there for , I asked what I had to do to rent a fridge for our 7 day stay. He got onto his computer and put in the request then proceeds to tell me that I should consider it a birthday gift and that it was free for out stay. I smiled, thanked him, and wished him a magical day. I guess I got lucky and walked up to the manager on duty. LOL Yes I realize that it's just a appliance but that is the only free thing I have received at WDW.

 

[marksniles]

This past summer we were there during Topical Storm Faye. We had planned on not using our tickets and go to PI but because of the break in the rain, we decided to do DHS. Now there were 13 of us going. Because we used our tickets that day we were short one day on the tickets for the end of our stay. We went to the lobby and asked to add on a day to our ticket. We were eady to pay and they said "Have a magical day.! You're all set!" We didn't have to pay for the tickets. When we got our bill for the room, the tickets were listed as main desk error. YEAH!

Later!
Mark

 

[haveyoumetmark]

I got free soda at Club Cool in Epcot one time... :lookaroun

 

[kimmychad]

I have poured enough money into Disney World to start a third world nation. On two occasions they have paid me back.

1. Years ago my wife and I purchased passes at the gate, but charged them to our room. Upon checking out, we discovered that they had not charged us properly for the passes. We spoke to the CM at the hotel counter for quite a while, and then to a manager in an attempt to get the charge placed on our bill. They both insisted that we did not know what we were talking about, and after half an hour of being treated like mentally challenged , we decided to leave. They never charged us properly, and the free passes were a treat. I hate to take anything from people dishonestly, but they would quite literally not take our money or accept our explanation of the debt. Unreal! :hammer:

2. We once took our daughter to Discovery Island. The boat hauling us out had about ten people aboard. There was nobody at the turnstile when we arrived, and after a fifteen minute wait everyone just walked in and disappeared. My wife and I went to see a bald eagle show and then returned to the entrance to speak to a CM. We told him what had happened and attempted to pay our admission fee. He freaked out that we had come back to pay and kept telling me that he couldn't believe how honest we were. I placed the money in his hand and he kept telling me that he refused to allow me to pay because of our honesty. After several attempts to convince him, we gave up and thanked him for the free entrance. Wacky!

I realize that a corporation as large as Disney is going to make mistakes, and I'm not one to have a "stick it to the man" mentality, but has anyone ever had an honest mistake made to their advantage. (Please, no stories regarding dishonesty).

The first one just sounds like incompetence on the cms part, but good for you, I'm sure you tried harder than I would have to make it right. We went to six flags a couple years ago and they didn't charge us right for the tickets, we brought it to their attention and they removed the original charge from my card but never recharged me for what they should have in the first place. oh well, good for me I guess.

 

[YankeeMouse]

We complained at Guest Relations in Epcot when Test Track first was operating, that we were in the single rider line twice as long as the standby line. We watched people streaming by. They gave the four of us in our group each a one day theme park ticket to be used at any park, no expiration, and this was back when that was about $55, each, I think.

 

[earldw28]

:lol: The first time I saw the title I thought it said Anyone ever get a Disney frisbee? It made me curious what kind of frisbee you were talking about.

 

[rsoxguy]

I got free soda at Club Cool in Epcot one time... :lookaroun

:lol:

 

[heliumalias]

My friend and his twin went to DL for their birthday while back and were to short for Indiana Jones. One got really upset and there were given free 1 day tickets (with no expiry date) and marshalled the parade.

Universal (Hollywood) were doing a buy a day get the year free thing and myself and 2 others went. We all bought the same ticket-type and each ended up with slightly different annual passes - One until the end of year w/blackouts, one end of year w/o black outs and one 365 day pass w/o blackouts.

My dad got a free cake on his birthday because he was wearing his pin.

We got free ice cream, biscuits, sodas, tea and coffee from DVC because they were selling us something even though we told them beforehand that we wouldn't be buying it.

I got 2 lots of free WWTBAM goodies just for sitting in the hotseat and answering some questions

....

 

[dvcnut39]

Back in JUL02, we booked our first stay at BCV using our DVC points for the first time. We booked two separate rooms and invited my wife's family. The rooms weren't ready on time, in fact they were hours late, and the manager gave us a $150 meal voucher which we used at Cape May Cafe.

Also, I forget which year, I got stuck in an elevator at Vero Beach for almost 1/2 hour. When it finally started to work, the elevator did not open on the floor that I was on, but took me to my floor. I never said anything to any of the CM's. I few days later, my wife was joking with a CM and advised them that I was the unlucky one. The CM said "So that was you?" I nodded and the CM asked a few questions about the kinds of things that I like. I told her that I really didn't want anything. Then my wife told the CM that I like to use Mickey soap (from the resorts) when I'm at home. The next day a very large basket of soaps, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower caps, body gels, etc. arrived at our room. I thought the CM really mad a nice gesture for such a minor inconvenience.

 

[MKCP 1985]

:lol: The first time I saw the title I thought it said Anyone ever get a Disney frisbee? It made me curious what kind of frisbee you were talking about.

I got a frisbee from Sci Fi Dine in Restaurant once. My kids' meals came served in it. The cheeseburger and fries are long forgotten, but the glow in the dark frisbee remains!

as for freebies though, I am sure I've been the beneficiary at various times along the way, sometimes from other park guests.

The most recent, a friend and I were enjoying the Disney Hollywood Studios park after hours, after the 13K race and a guy came up and said he was leaving and had some drink tickets left and gave them to us. The tickets were good for beer or wine. :king:

At other times, I've been given fastpasses by people who couldn't use them for one reason or another.

Lots of freebie desserts at Disney restaurants on different occasions and for different reasons.

prizes at year of a million dreams - pin lanyards for the entire family.

 

[BigRedDad]

I have received several random things. Here goes...

1. On our Honeymoon, 2 months after 9/11, we were upgraded to a Savannah Room at AKL from a parking lot view. We were supposed to be at the Contemporary and somehow it got screwed up and were put at AKL.

2. "Free" popcorn when I dropped mine on Main St.

3. Free drink at CSR pool bar

4. Free fastpasses

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I got free soda at Club Cool in Epcot one time... :lookaroun

Was it Beverly?

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

We got upgraded from standard to courtyard view last year for free. Nothing else really.

 

[TinkerbellTara]

One year when my famiy went, I was about 9 years old, we were staying off site at a horrible horrible horrible place. We had gone to busch gardens for the day because we were meeting up with some cousins and they didn't want to go to disney, boo. Anyway, while we were there I must've picked up a 24 hour bug or something because I was as sick as a dog. On our way back to orlando area my dad said we'd try to get a room at a disney. We stopped at GF to see if they had any rooms and we told them how bad our experience with our other hotel had been and they noticed how sickly I was looking. They offered us a room at the value resort price and when we got to the room, to make me feel better, someone had brought chocolate covered strawberries dipped like little tuxedos, I'm guessing they were left over from a wedding. It was so amazing! I didn't eat any of them because I was still pretty puiny but it just shows how magical disney can be!! I'll be eating in the castle exactly one week from today! YAY!!!

 

[Bug715]

One year when my famiy went, I was about 9 years old, we were staying off site at a horrible horrible horrible place. We had gone to busch gardens for the day because we were meeting up with some cousins and they didn't want to go to disney, boo. Anyway, while we were there I must've picked up a 24 hour bug or something because I was as sick as a dog. On our way back to orlando area my dad said we'd try to get a room at a disney. We stopped at GF to see if they had any rooms and we told them how bad our experience with our other hotel had been and they noticed how sickly I was looking. They offered us a room at the value resort price and when we got to the room, to make me feel better, someone had brought chocolate covered strawberries dipped like little tuxedos, I'm guessing they were left over from a wedding. It was so amazing! I didn't eat any of them because I was still pretty puiny but it just shows how magical disney can be!! I'll be eating in the castle exactly one week from today! YAY!!!

Grand Fla at value rate?! awesome!

Last year my friend's parents came to visit him while on the College Program. He dropped them off and went to park his car. When he got to the lobby he couldn't find them. His mom sent down someone to get him because they'd gotten upgraded to Concierge level. When I told my parents my mom laughed and said "When they see DVC on our reservation they say, 'They're coming back we don't need to do anything great.'"

When I was down for my 21st birthday I got a free margarita on my trip around the world, free marshmellows on a stick dipped in chocolate and sprinkles (in my old home the Confectionary from a lady I didn't even know), and a free cookie at DHS at the place just inside the park to the right.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

:lol: The first time I saw the title I thought it said Anyone ever get a Disney frisbee? It made me curious what kind of frisbee you were talking about.

LOL

When I put our FPs in for Winnie The Pooh this time, the machine spit out "Surprise FPs" for Mickey's Philharmagic. I'd never heard of that and went running over to show DH!!

We also got free cookies during one of our meals from a nice CM.

 

[lynnie5150]

we stayed at the BW last year and were woken up at 1:00am. I opened the door and the hallway was full of smoke. We were asked to evacuate. We went down to the lobby and were allowed to return to our room 15 minutes later. It wasn't a fire but some punk kid who discharged the fire extiguisher and started banging on doors. The next morning everyone on the floor received a appolgy letter from the hotel with a 200.00 credit to our bill.

Also, we just won a all expenses paid trip for 4 from the vacation club. That is a little better than the first story.

 

[OC_Disney]

you did the right thing. what i read from what you said is that the people did not want to take your money one because you were upset after talking to that person for 30 minutes and 2 because maybe they didnt want to get anyone in trouble for this mix up. i hear disney is not forgiving for giving away free tickets.

just a thought

I have poured enough money into Disney World to start a third world nation. On two occasions they have paid me back.

1. Years ago my wife and I purchased passes at the gate, but charged them to our room. Upon checking out, we discovered that they had not charged us properly for the passes. We spoke to the CM at the hotel counter for quite a while, and then to a manager in an attempt to get the charge placed on our bill. They both insisted that we did not know what we were talking about, and after half an hour of being treated like mentally challenged , we decided to leave. They never charged us properly, and the free passes were a treat. I hate to take anything from people dishonestly, but they would quite literally not take our money or accept our explanation of the debt. Unreal! :hammer:

2. We once took our daughter to Discovery Island. The boat hauling us out had about ten people aboard. There was nobody at the turnstile when we arrived, and after a fifteen minute wait everyone just walked in and disappeared. My wife and I went to see a bald eagle show and then returned to the entrance to speak to a CM. We told him what had happened and attempted to pay our admission fee. He freaked out that we had come back to pay and kept telling me that he couldn't believe how honest we were. I placed the money in his hand and he kept telling me that he refused to allow me to pay because of our honesty. After several attempts to convince him, we gave up and thanked him for the free entrance. Wacky!

I realize that a corporation as large as Disney is going to make mistakes, and I'm not one to have a "stick it to the man" mentality, but has anyone ever had an honest mistake made to their advantage. (Please, no stories regarding dishonesty).

 

[TinkerbellTara]

Also, we just won a all expenses paid trip for 4 from the vacation club. That is a little better than the first story.

That's awesome!! Congrats!!!