runDisney Announces Policy Change: No complimentary park tickets for 2023 Wine and Dine volunteers

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runDisney Announces Policy Change: No complimentary park tickets for 2023 Wine and Dine volunteers

runDisney Announces Policy Change: No complimentary park tickets for 2023 Wine and Dine volunteers

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Splash4eva]

I dont run. I dont volunteer but just wow! Talk about a slap in the face

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If they were getting compensated, they weren't volunteers.

 

[King Racoon 77]

 

[Splash4eva]

Listen i understand what it means to “volunteer” so dont get me wrong but how does Disney benefit from this?!? Its bad PR and my guess these people will be spending money in the parks anyways… just a bad decision imo

 

[JohnD]

Interesting timing. The reconstituted CFTOD recently ended the benefit of paying for tickets, etc. I wonder if the former RCID bought the tickets enabling Disney to hand them out to volunteers at the Wine and Dine Half-Marathon? Think about it. Disney gets the money from RCID. They're not out any money by giving away "free" tickets.

 

[LAKid53]

Interesting timing. The reconstituted CFTOD recently ended the benefit of paying for tickets, etc. I wonder if the former RCID bought the tickets enabling Disney to hand them out at the Wine and Dine? Think about it. Disney gets the money from RCID. They're not out any money by giving away "free" tickets.

RCID has nothing to do with runDisney races.

This is a slap in the face of the thousands of volunteers who man bib pickup, races mornings, etc.

I am shocked and appalled that Disney would do this. Without volunteers, there's be no races.

@DznyGrlSD, what are your thoughts?

 

[LAKid53]

If they were getting compensated, they weren't volunteers.

Incorrect.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Listen i understand what it means to “volunteer” so dont get me wrong but how does Disney benefit from this?!? Its bad PR and my guess these people will be spending money in the parks anyways… just a bad decision imo

I THINK, but I'm not certain, that this is a compliance issue, not a cost-saving issue.

Those tickets are likely taxable in-kind benefits that are likely not excludable from income because they're not "de minimis."

It would be a massive headache for Disney to administer the tax paperwork for that many volunteers if this is indeed the issue.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Incorrect.

Interesting, are you a CPA? Because I am, and the IRS says that this type of compensation is a taxable fringe benefit.

 

[LAKid53]

I THINK, but I'm not certain, that this is a compliance issue, not a cost-saving issue.

Those tickets are likely taxable in-kind benefits that are likely not excludable from income because they're not "de minimis."

It would be a massive headache for Disney to administer the tax paperwork for that many volunteers if this is indeed the issue.

And you'd be wrong.

IRC Section 132 does NOT preclude giving volunteers tickets to the even they volunteered for.

 

[LAKid53]

Interesting, are you a CPA? Because I am, and the IRS says that this type of compensation is a taxable fringe benefit.

I'm the retired revenue manager of a large academic 501(c)(3) and it was my JOB to know the de minimis rule. Again, providing event tickets to volunteers are not considered compensation under IRC 132. I had to make this determination on a weekly basis. And I'm a retired accountant.

 

[sWANNISAX]

knowing this is a money maker for the company despite the for charity element I would not volunteer. There are plenty of other worthy causes that you could volunteer 8 hours with that would benefit and not being making a profit off your time.

 

[Splash4eva]

I THINK, but I'm not certain, that this is a compliance issue, not a cost-saving issue.

Those tickets are likely taxable in-kind benefits that are likely not excludable from income because they're not "de minimis."

It would be a massive headache for Disney to administer the tax paperwork for that many volunteers if this is indeed the issue.

So a billion dollar company with countless accountants couldnt handle this?!? Or as someone else has mentioned this can be possibly due to the fact of the Reedy Creek and no longer getting those tickets that Disney may have been playing a cute accounting game with?

 

[lazyboy97o]

So a billion dollar company with countless accountants couldnt handle this?!? Or as someone else has mentioned this can be possibly due to the fact of the Reedy Creek and no longer getting those tickets that Disney may have been playing a cute accounting game with?

Reedy Creek Improvement District was buying benefits for their employees through a program offered to all operating participants at Walt Disney World. It wasn’t some accounting game and had absolutely nothing to do with the races which are not organized by the District.

 

[lazyboy97o]

And you'd be wrong.

IRC Section 132 does NOT preclude giving volunteers tickets to the even they volunteered for.

Wouldn’t the race be the event for which they volunteered?

 

[LAKid53]

So a billion dollar company with countless accountants couldnt handle this?!? Or as someone else has mentioned this can be possibly due to the fact of the Reedy Creek and no longer getting those tickets that Disney may have been playing a cute accounting game with?

The tickets given at a discount to District staff were part of their benefits package. Completely different situation.

 

[JohnD]

RCID has nothing to do with runDisney races.

This is a slap in the face of the thousands of volunteers who man bib pickup, races mornings, etc.

I am shocked and appalled that Disney would do this. Without volunteers, there's be no races.

@DznyGrlSD, what are your thoughts?

Look, I get it. I'm just saying the timing is interesting that tickets are no longer offered at the same time a RCID/CFTOD benefit is pulled. Maybe the two aren't linked at all technically and Disney got cold feet because of the perception issue already pointed out by CFTOD.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm the retired revenue manager of a large academic 501(c)(3) and it was my JOB to know the de minimis rule. Again, providing event tickets to volunteers are not considered compensation under IRC 132. I had to make this determination on a weekly basis. And I'm a retired accountant.

Tickets to the Magic Kingdom are not the same thing as tickets to the event being volunteered (i.e. the RunDisney race).

 

[lazyboy97o]

Look, I get it. I'm just saying the timing is interesting that tickets are no longer offered at the same time a RCID/CFTOD benefit is pulled. Maybe the two aren't linked at all technically and Disney got cold feet because of the perception issue already pointed out by CFTOD.

This isn’t the first time the benefit has been reduced.

runDisney pares back complimentary full-day ticket to half-day for volunteers

Article from the Orlando Sentinel - "After helping runners at Disney World’s runDisney marathons in shifts that can run eight hours or more, volunteers looked forward to receiving a complimentary full-day ticket to Disney’s theme parks in return. But that changed last month, after volunteers...

forums.wdwmagic.com

The tickets given to Track Shack were not part of the operating participants employee benefits program. That program is not going away. There are no actual issues with the program.