Via DisDining.com
The Walt Disney Company is taking legal action against Disney influencers who hold an Annual Pass for repeat admission to this Disney Parks Resort after they violated the service term agreement.
With the rising cost of theme park entry for Disney Parks like the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland in Southern California, and even the international locations, some Guests get creative trying to save money on a Disney day. Moreover, for those who plan on frequent visits to their local Disney Park, utilizing the Annual Pass programs available, such as Magic Key, can be thrifty in the long run.
Like here, general admission to the Chinese Disney Park fluctuates based on date and demand, with a range of HK$639 ($81.43 USD) on weekdays to HK$759 ($96.72 USD) during weekends and public holidays. In contrast, the Magic Access pass is just a bit more for the lowest tier at HK$1348 ($171.78 USD), though the premium perks at its highest range are around $4278 ($545.15 USD).
Of course, Disney has strict guidelines in place to prevent abuse of this program, such as blackout dates, the Park reservation system, and even taking Guests photos upon entry and/or registration to prevent misuse of the Annual Pass. At Hong Kong Kong Disneyland, the Magic Access pass functions similarly to its US counterparts, allowing Guests to visit yearly at a reduced rate than if they were to purchase individual tickets each time.
However, according to the South China Morning Post, some crafty Guests are hoping to save even more by renting out a single Magic Pass to numerous users! In fact, the Post reports that the Hong Kong Resort recently caught some Disney influencers bragging about this taboo hack online, detailing how they rent different Annual Pass tiers on Carousell, a public selling platform similar to American eBay.
For example, about 20 different listings advertised the use of a Magic Access pass and detailed appearance guidelines for the day so as to match the ID photo associated with the pass. Shockingly, these allowed Guests to unethically visit Hong Kong Disneyland for just HK$100 ($12.74 USD) a day with a refundable deposit of $500 ($63.71 USD) down.
Furthermore, Disney claims this is not an isolated incident but a growing widespread problem of unauthorized commercial use due to increased travel restrictions for the Hong Kong area, leading many to try and recoup their pass fees online. Even so, the cheap trip trick violates the Magic Access Pass terms of service, giving Disney grounds to remove any Guests suspected of using it immediately, press charges, or even enact permanent lifetime bans for all involved if it cannot verify their identity and pass eligibility.
Hong Kong Disneyland has resolved to “handle such abuses very seriously and will contact the law enforcement authorities if there is any suspected case of fraud or illegal conduct,” meaning just… find other ways to save!
