Ticketing/Entry System Crash

[HauntedPirate]

There are backup provisions. Disney's systems are distributed. Clearly, what happened in this case was that both the primary and the backup failed. There is a limit to how many levels of redundancy is appropriate for a ticketing system, as compared to a system that stores PII, and as compared to a system that when it fails people die.

I can't really argue with that. I'm curious to know what their BC plans are around this, seeing as how this is kind of a critical system (Maybe I'm wrong, but...).

 

[danlb_2000]

Finish that sentence you're recounting from the textbook: Controls and contingencies need to be in place in proportion to the incidence and severity of the risk.

You are making a false assumption that I learned the business through formal schooling, that would be incorrect, I learned through years of experience. Not being able to take tickets at the front gate of the most popular tourist spot in the world is something that there should be a contingency for. I am fully aware that a lot of companies are not fully prepared for this, but it doesn't excuse them for not being prepared.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Yeah all of the new Guest Experience kiosks throughout the park were slammed. The park itself was very very busy. All major E-tickets were minimum two hour waits for a good portion of the day. We gave up and went to Disney Springs before my flight out.

But if a lot of people were not able to get into the park, wouldn't the park have been less full? Sorry to hear about your experience, and glad you found a way to make your last day enjoyable.

 

[dreamfinder]

Leaving paid guests sitting outside the gate for hours is not defensible. Though I’m not surprised to see you make the effort.

Has there been any actual proof that they were left outside the gates for hours? I haven't heard of this outside of this thread, and we all know how people on twitter (and other social media) like to blow stuff up over nothing. Hours may have been in reality minutes, and for all we know based on the limited info in the article, the one poster choose to go to what seemed to be a shorter line at guest services rather a longer line (that may have been faster) via a CM holding a mobile device/iPad. In the past when there were ticketing issues/questions, additional CMs were deployed at the touchpoints with iPads to assist. Or heck, that poster may have gone to guest services to complain about the inconvenience looking for compensation leading a long wait, while other people took it in stride and went in much sooner. Its hard to tell based off the single tweet listed in that article.

And are the barcode scanners in the handheld devices the CMs at the touchpoints themselves use? I seem to recall them having iPhones or Symbol devices that they referenced when trying to help a guest get a green light. (My memory is fuzzy though, so don't blame me if I'm mistaken)

 

[monothingie]

But if a lot of people were not able to get into the park, wouldn't the park have been less full? Sorry to hear about your experience, and glad you found a way to make your last day enjoyable.

I just think the crowds and ticket issues were two separate things. @lentesta touring plans showed the trend of higher than anticipated attendance for the past 5 days. In all honesty if it wasn’t for the mess at the TTC you wouldn’t have known there was a problem and just assumed it was a really busy summer day.

 

[aaronml]

So I’ve seen other folks posting online now that it was ATS (“Automated Ticketing System” — WDW’s ticketing solution) that was offline.

In that case, the tapstiles were likely in “Auto-Green” mode yesterday (the turnstile equivalent of a fake security camera.... it looks like it works but isn’t actually doing anything).

In terms of barcodes, you cannot enter a park, use a FastPass+, etc. without an RFID card or MagicBand. Barcodes would perhaps be on print-at-home tickets which a CM would need to scan and re-issue it to an RFID card. I’m not sure if CMs at park entry can do that..... I think only ticket booth / Guest Relations CMs can, though I’ve never personally used print-at-Home tickets.

 

[Demarke]

After being told the card reader was down, they didn’t know when it would be back up, and only magic bands were able to be processed, I believe it would take me about five seconds to decide to walk over to the store and pay the $11 for a gray one and walk on in.

If I were Disney (and the reports are correct that people really were in a position where they might wait for hours), I’d probably be sending CM’s running to get boxes of gray bands to pass out to people for free to link up on their MDE apps (and another battalion of CMs to assist people that needed help figuring out how to link them)!

They were passing out $50 cards to the people that got stuck on the monorail recently, free magic bands would seem to be a cost conscious way of dealing with the situation while the system is fixed.

 

[DryerLintFan]

As far as I know, there are no barcode readers at the entry turnstiles. There's a touch-point ("Mickey-to-Mickey") and a finger sensor. If it's not an RFID issue, then what could it be? Magic Bands work and printed tickets don't. Both have RFID.

We had paper printouts for our Annual Passes and our MNSSHP and once we got to the park we had to go to Guest Relations to get plastic card tickets. They were not accepting paper tickets at any turnstyles. It even said so on the paper tickets themselves, that you would have to stop by GR.

 

[JenniferS]

Except this is indefensible.

You see “indefensible”. I see “unfortunate”.

If I were in that mess, yes I would be irked. And then, I would cut my losses and get on a monorail and head to the Tambu Lounge, or walk over to the Contempo Cafe ... or go to another park altogether.

When crap happens, one still has options.

 

[larryz]

In terms of barcodes, you cannot enter a park, use a FastPass+, etc. without an RFID card or MagicBand. Barcodes would perhaps be on print-at-home tickets which a CM would need to scan and re-issue it to an RFID card. I’m not sure if CMs at park entry can do that..... I think only ticket booth / Guest Relations CMs can, though I’ve never personally used print-at-Home tickets.

At DLR, guests with paper print-at-home tickets can go straight to the entry turnstiles. I'd like to think the same is possible (normally) at WDW.

 

[drizgirl]

You see “indefensible”. I see “unfortunate”.

If I were in that mess, yes I would be irked. And then, I would cut my losses and get on a monorail and head to the Tambu Lounge, or walk over to the Contempo Cafe ... or go to another park altogether.

When crap happens, one still has options.

A very reasonable response from someone who gets to visit frequently. But APs and frequent visitors mostly have bands so didn't have the issue. Some of the ones who did have the issue paid $125 for a one day ticket. And they didn't do that to go hang out in a lounge or cafe. And they potentially had ADRs and FPs scheduled in THAT park.

 

[eliza61nyc]

A very reasonable response from someone who gets to visit frequently. But APs and frequent visitors mostly have bands so didn't have the issue. Some of the ones who did have the issue paid $125 for a one day ticket. And they didn't do that to go hang out in a lounge or cafe. And they potentially had ADRs and FPs scheduled in THAT park.

So the best option is to what??? Hang outside an entrance??

I really wonder how folks would survive in an unexpected emergency.

Ok so if they had to, they wouldn't have made them so that's a moot point. ADRs? Get on phone, call to make sure you are not charged cancellation fee and eat elsewhere.

I understand the frustration, I don't understand the helplessness

Does anyone know if they were refunded their money

 

[xdan0920]

You see “indefensible”. I see “unfortunate”.

If I were in that mess, yes I would be irked. And then, I would cut my losses and get on a monorail and head to the Tambu Lounge, or walk over to the Contempo Cafe ... or go to another park altogether.

When crap happens, one still has options.

Yeah. That’s great for you specifically. How many times have you been to MK? Do you ever pay $120 for a one day ticket? Then get told, sorrey. You can’t come in.

So the best option is to what??? Hang outside an entrance??

I really wonder how folks would survive in an unexpected emergency.

How about let them in? How about that is the solution.

 

[drizgirl]

So the best option is to what??? Hang outside an entrance??

I really wonder how folks would survive in an unexpected emergency.

Ok so if they had to, they wouldn't have made them so that's a moot point. ADRs? Get on phone, call to make sure you are not charged cancellation fee and eat elsewhere.

I understand the frustration, I don't understand the helplessness

Unfortunately Disney created a system with no good options in this situation.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Unfortunately Disney created a system with no good options in this situation.

Disney created computers . Systems crash, even the most sophisticated ones

Anyone know who runs Disney systems? Did they in house install

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Disney created computers . Systems crash, even the most sophisticated ones

Well, I'm sure if a particular person or persons could be scapegoated for the problem and all the $ lost due to those guests being unable to enter the parks, that heads would roll.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Well, I'm sure if a particular person or persons could be scapegoated for problem and all the $ lost due to those guests being unable to enter the parks that heads would roll.

Probably. I would think the easiest thing would be to simply issue credit/refunds and move on.
But I'm sure someone will soon say their life was destroyed and they are psychologically damaged

 

[drizgirl]

Disney created computers . Systems crash, even the most sophisticated ones

Anyone know who runs Disney systems? Did they in house install

No, I'm not talking about computers. I'm talking about a system where rides are reserved in advance so switching last minute to another park puts you at a disadvantage in terms of what you can get done if you have a last minute change in plans.

 

[MinnieWaffles]

TBH I'd either go over to one of the other 3 parks (Remember those?) and ask if I could have my ticket converted to let me in to those so I could at least get into ONE Disney theme park or go the nearest place selling Magic Bands, buy one and enter the park, in a third of the time people spent gnashing their teeth outside MK.

 

[Andrew C]

Yeah. That’s great for you specifically. How many times have you been to MK? Do you ever pay $120 for a one day ticket? Then get told, sorrey. You can’t come in.

The other option is to wait 2 1/2 hours in the sun. It definitely sucked for these people but I imagine WDW will be compensating them as necessary. It is unfortunate that is happened, but it did. Hopefully lessons have been learned on how to better handle in the future.