Scammers in the parks

[cheesecake]

You'd think they would be ashamed, eh? Their heads buried in the car as they take off, hoping nobody's on to them. But instead, they can barely conceal their smugness, completely proud of themselves.

I sadly have, well had - she's dead, a family member like that. She would always brag about how she beat the system at Disney, with GAC cards, which she got for a front of line card, and with every other trick in the book. In her mind, it it simply meant she was smarter, thus superior, thus entitled to it over the dumb masses. Quite sad and infuriating.

My uncle has bragged to my mother about how he faked a disability so he and his kids (a teen an twenty-something, both completely fine and healthy) could beat the lines. My brother has autism, and when he was younger, he quite literally could not handle waiting in line and the only way we could have a Disney Vacation was by using the card. (He's much more patient than he used to be, and we often choose to wait instead of using the updated pass unless my brother is extra on edge, or the wait is over an hour. We generally do just fine with only the regular fastpass) My uncle failed to see what was wrong with that, and why my mother was annoyed.

 

[Pixie VaVoom]

My husband is Brazilian and Peruvian, so the Brazilian kids can't play those games with us either, and he speaks some Japanese as well. I speak Russian and French, so we've got that covered, too. ;-)

So can you swear in 6 languages??? My much brothers all took German in high school and were sitting around dissing my mom in a foreign language. They forgot I had that same teacher a decade before... I put them in their place and taught them a little new vocabulary at the same time.

 

[jloucks]

Scam:noun 1.a confidence game or other fraudulent scheme, especially for making a quick profit; swindle.

People cutting in front of you at an attraction or a parade is technically, not a scam. Rude, inconsiderate, belligerent, and a lot of other words, yes.
Lying about an injury or medical condition to get an assistance pass is a scam.
Parking is a spot for the disabled with no placard or one that doesn't belong to you is a scam.
Trying to return merchandise you never paid for with out a receipt is a scam.
Getting you to pay tens of thousands of dollars to make your own bed and take out your own trash on vacation is a scam...no wait. As someone else pointed out, that's DVC.

If they tell you they ducked out to pee, and are back to catch up with their family (and this is false), that is a scam as it is engineered to fool you into happily allowing cutsies.

But you're correct, if they say nothing and just cut. Not technically a scam.

 

[rob0519]

If they tell you they ducked out to pee, and are back to catch up with their family (and this is false), that is a scam as it is engineered to fool you into happily allowing cutsies.

But your correct, if they say nothing and just cut. Not technically a scam.

In some, but not all of the queues, they would have to go past you to get out. So depending on the queue, if you didn't see them go out, it's scam.

 

[MaxxStephen]

"Does this happen a lot haha?"

I was next to a family of 7 or 10 "plus screaming kids" outside of The Rainforest Cafe' who walked up to the front of the line and claimed they had reservations for a certain time, who got upset when the cast member said they were "no where to be seen on the list."

This poor CM at the front really felt bad and was trying her hardest to talk to this WICKED angry rude man and his wife who were not by any means backing down. Then another CM came over and took the family away from the line and to a table immediately. The youngest kids that followed them "I **** you not", laughed at me and stuck their tongue out at me lol XD

Once my friends and I were sat, we could hear the SAME family complaining that the rain was hitting the rocks too hard and getting them and their kids wet and wanted a free meal. I didn't even think it was possible to be sat that close were you could in fact get wet from the rain lol.

 

[Daniel Johnson]

I've never had an issue letting people know I'm not going to be skipped in line for there "family up front". Regardless of launguage barriers...a sturn "no" and not letting them pass does the trick. I've also been know to say things let "that's not a good idea" more than once to a line jumper. They usually back off quick

 

[BigRedDad]

It's not scammers, it is the entitlement people. People have been programmed to think they are more important than everyone else. They think arguing with a CM will get them what they want. Unfortunately, CMs and Disney give in to it which perpetuates the problem. A simple stance on no will solve the problem quickly.

 

[rob0519]

It's not scammers, it is the entitlement people. People have been programmed to think they are more important than everyone else. They think arguing with a CM will get them what they want. Unfortunately, CMs and Disney give in to it which perpetuates the problem. A simple stance on no will solve the problem quickly.

Totally agree, but that will never happen. Unless they have security personnel intervene to enforce policy a $9.00 cast member is not a good person to handle some of those entitled people.

 

[jloucks]

Totally agree, but that will never happen. Unless they have security personnel intervene to enforce policy a $9.00 cast member is not a good person to handle some of those entitled people.

This is an underrated post.

How much you can expect for $9 has its limit. Pretty much any conflict or confrontation equaling over 15 seconds is over the limit. Batpoo crazy a compete no-go.

One of my daydreams is to work @ WDW after I retire. No where in there is high stress situations for $9hr.

$9hr is ok for a fun little job making happy people even happier. It is a bit more challenging for anything else.

I make quite a bit more now and part of that is to make bitter people happy. Sometime I'm Not sure it's worth it at any price.

 

[danyoung56]

I don't think that Disney wants its front line CMs to handle batpoo crazy people. They just have to be trained to deal with the normal day to day stuff, and also to know the line past which a supervisor is better trained to handle.

 

[WondersOfLife]

We have a pet name for these type of folks and their spawn. We endearingly call them "Bufords" from the song at Country Bears.
No idea how it started or why, but singing or humming the song that mentions not "whupping lil' Buford, but shooting him instead", gives us solace when we see them and the crapola they pull. They also tend to look like 'that bear'.
I don't think any of these behaviors are new at all, maybe there's more of it due to more folks in the parks. We've been calling out 'Bufords' for well over a decade.

I'm so happy they never cut that little section off... It always gets a good chuckle out of the audience. That and Big Al's appearance/song.

 

[Princess_AmyK]

A couple of trips ago we were sitting on a curb right at the tape, waiting for the parade and a family of five ducked under the string and plopped down right in front of us, on the street. I told the lady she could not sit there as it was too close and she rudely snapped that it was none of my effing business where she sits.
Just a few minutes later, CMs came and made them move. As they were getting up, I waved and said, "Still none of my business where you sit." She just gave me a one finger wave goodbye. I love entitled people.

She sounds lovely.

 

[bjlc57]

we were put in place with our two electric scooters for wishes.. there was NOTHING in front of us.. suddenly people sat in front us... and we could see every thing. so wishes starts and now the people who came much later STAND UP.. Now my wife can't see.. and then some from behind stands IN FRONT OF ME.. they didn't realize that I am 6'5'' and a biscuit shy of a load.. NOW I STAND UP and say... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.... suddenly apologies start coming from behind us.. and telling who ever TO GET BACK.. oh and we didn't see you guys there.. and so forth and so on..

 

[Sonconato]

It's not scammers, it is the entitlement people. People have been programmed to think they are more important than everyone else. They think arguing with a CM will get them what they want. Unfortunately, CMs and Disney give in to it which perpetuates the problem. A simple stance on no will solve the problem quickly.

Just to reinforce your comment, we had an experience this past Saturday that totally falls in line with what you are saying. You can call them what you want, scammers, entitlement people or just jerks.

Crowds were really not bad at all this weekend, so many of the "Stand-by" lines were short waits. We decided to go on IASW in which the line really just snaked up to the entry point, however, it must have been longer at some point because you had to first walk toward the exit end and turn back. As we were heading toward the exit end, we notice a man pointing. He was with two other people. By the time we looped back to the point where you enter, he had taken the chain down letting 10 other people in his group to cut in line. We were about 10 people behind them and there were about 30 or so behind us. The CM said something to them to the tune of that is not acceptable but, as you mentioned, she let them go this time. We later went to talk to the CM at the entry to thank them for saying something but it wasn't the same CM. We told that CM the story and said that unless Disney actually requires that groups either remain split or go to the end of the line if you're not together, then guests will just go to the next ride and do the same because it works. Then they tell their friends and the beat goes on.

That CM also mentioned that some people will act as though they are talking on their phones to someone at the front of the line and even say that to her and she would watch them go all the way to the front of the line never meeting anyone along the way and they simply just get on the ride. Again, if Disney would just say if you're not with your group, you go separate, then this wouldn't be a problem. We always wait at the entry until our group is together before we step foot in line and we're only a group of three.

It sure seems that Disney could use these cards and magic bands to control some of this. Since they are assigned to individuals, they could easily scan everybody in the group that were caught cutting in line or whatever and then if they do it again, they get scanned, it shows that they are starting a pattern, then they ban them from the Parks. Word would get around real fast and this wouldn't ever happen unless you're really dumb.

 

[Ginzuishou]

a couple kids weaved their way to the front of the seven dwarves mine train ride. I waited two hours.

I guess I let them win. Next time i won't. everyone has to take a stand and just say NO! It's not our fault that they didn't get in line with their friends (if their friends even exist).

 

[Stellajack]

On our last trip in May we were walking up the queue for BTMRR when a family in front of us stopped in the queue for picture taking. Now, had this been a short snap we would have courteously waited, but the family wanted to take a group shot followed by shots of each individual in their group, holding up the entire queue. My DH and I just slipped by them and others in line followed us. Soon, this family was plowing through the line to return to their original place in line. This isn't really a scam, but definitely makes the list of "what NOT to do while at Disney World"!

 

[Rachel S1321]

My hubby and I won't travel to WDW anymore with my Mother (who is usually so wonderful) because she starts her own lines to cut people. Mostly for food. So she starts a line, when they all next she just says she was in line and cuts. It's super embarrassing and awful. She says she has earned it!!!! Needless to say we were shocked and won't be traveling with her anymore. When we tried telling her it was wrong she stormed off and said we were embarrassing her lol. So that was the last trip to Disney with her!

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

I have found that when a line cutter is snaking their way up to meet an imaginary group, going "wide" as a PP commented, turning around, smiling sweetly and saying "I'm sure they will wait for you before they board" diffuses the situation. Be sure to say it verrrryyy sweetly with a sachrine smile, then turn around abruptly and hold your ground.

 

[po1998]

The "entitled" guest on vacation. Never surprised to see them while at WDW or any vacation spot for that matter. BTW...the entitled guest crosses all genders, race, class, etc...

It is just a head shaker.

 

[Disney4family]

My dad stood his ground next to people who "didn't speak English'" while waiting for Illuminations. We had the kids in the strollers right up to the fence. A large group came over to our left when time was running out before the show. They kept trying to push in towards where we were waiting. My dad was a tiny Sicilian. He had placed his knee in between two railings of the fence. They pushed and pushed until they finally woke up and realized he won't and "can't" move. He did have to shoot them a look when they actually then raised a child overhead and tried to lift the child up and over my dad to place him/her in front of my kids and onto the lawn leading to the water on the other side of the fence.
I just don't get it. I've traveled the country and the real world. I've never had the nerve to be so rude and act so entitled. WDW is the one place where you see thousands of happy people all wanting to experience the magic. Why do people feel their happiness can happen at the expense of others'?