Disney Influencers Face Lawsuits and Arrest For Illegal Savings Hack

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

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.

Hong Kong Disneyland Welcome Sign with Characters

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!

Disney Park Completely Closing For at Least Two Weeks

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has announced today that it will be closing its doors to all Guests beginning 7 January 2022. The move comes amid a rise in COVID-19 infections across the area with the Disney Park temporarily closing for at least two weeks.

Located near Penney’s Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort — home to Hong Kong Disneyland Park and hotels like Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, and Disney Explorers Lodge — the Disney Park was the second expansion into Asia after Tokyo Disney Resort opened many years earlier. Hong Kong Disneyland Park was built after Walt Disney’s first theme park location, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and features Disney characters, popular rides, and fireworks celebrations. Now, the popular theme park destination will shut down operations for an extended period.

Per Yahoo!:HONG KONG, Jan 5 (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co will shut down its Hong Kong Disneyland park from Jan. 7 to Jan. 20 as coronavirus cases rise in the city, the company said on Wednesday.

Hong Kong’s government announced tightened restrictions on Wednesday including a ban on some incoming flights as authorities feared a fifth wave of infections.

The closure announcement was also shared by DLP Report (@DLPReport) on Twitter. They said:Due to a resurgence in Covid-19 cases, Hong Kong Disneyland will be closing temporarily on January 7, 2022 for 14 days.

While the news currently states the Disney Resort will be closed for 14 days, the current Hong Kong Disneyland Park calendar has blacked out all forthcoming dates, suggesting that the Disney vacation spot will only reopen as and when it is deemed safe to do so.

This extended closure comes just weeks after the Disney Park saw an abrupt shutdown when government officials ordered those visiting, or working at the Park as Cast Members, to take an antigen test upon exit leaving Guests backed up in lines for hours. This one-day closure stretched into multiple days but Hong Kong Disneyland Resort was able to reopen shortly after.

Local government demands Guests of Disney Park be tested for COVID by today

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Hong Kong Disneyland closed its gates for the entire day Wednesday, and according to Disney’s website, it continues to be closed today. The site says that the decision to cease operations temporarily came from “an abundance of caution” related to a single confirmed case of a novel coronavirus infection among its visitors to the park on Sunday.

A similar scenario took place at Shanghai Disneyland only weeks ago. After that park’s closure, visitors inside the gates were subjected to mass testing by health care workers, per orders from government authorities.

When the positive result was discovered at Hong Kong Disneyland, it was announced that the park would close for the day on Wednesday. Unlike Disney’s U. S. parks, Hong Kong Disneyland is not wholly owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. Disney’s fifth theme park to be built is owned by a joint venture company, Hongkong International Theme Parks Limited, the Hong Kong Government, and The Walt Disney Company.

The Guest who was positive after COVID testing had only recently come into the country from Indonesia and had complied with the mandatory quarantine for 21 days.

Because the government of Hong Kong, which is somewhat separate from the government of mainland China, has ownership in the Hong Kong Disneyland Park located in Lantau Island, decisions to close because of the pandemic, or for any other reason are not solely left to Disney, and this is even more obvious within the confines of the global coronavirus crisis. The Hong Kong government is instrumental in decisions about closures at Hong Kong Disneyland, and it is the entity responsible for Hong Kong laws and statutes related to COVID-19 and the measures implemented to help slow or stop the spread of the virus.

When the decision to close was made, the government also announced that visitors at Hong Kong Disneyland on Sunday, November 14 would be required to have COVID testing performed. That mandatory testing must be completed by today, Thursday, November 18.

Hong Kong Disneyland has seen multiple COVID related closures, beginning with its initial closure in early 2020 as the coronavirus outbreak was in its infancy. Only weeks later, every Disney Park had fallen victim to early pandemic closures in an effort to keep Guests and Cast Members safe.

Disney Park closes today after authorities discover Guest tested positive for COVID-19

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has closed its gates today following the discovery by authorities that a Guest who visited the park over the weekend was infected with COVID-19.

The Disney Resort, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company and the local government spoke about the decision to close the park, saying the choice was “an abundance of caution.”

A visitor who recently arrived in Hong Kong from Indonesia had completed her mandatory 21-day quarantine, and following the completion of the quarantine, she tested positive for the virus. However, authorities say she has a “low viral load,” which is clinical-speak for “a low amount of the virus in her body.” This lead authorities to believe the young Indonesian woman is a repositive case, meaning she likely had the virus and recovered, but still tested positive.

She visited the park on Sunday.

Hong Kong Disneyland to Reopen on Friday – The Hollywood Reporter

According to the Hong Kong Disneyland website, anyone who was present in the park between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 14 is required by the government to be tested for the virus:“Hong Kong Disneyland Park Temporary Closure on Nov 17 (Wed)

In an abundance of caution, Hong Kong Disneyland Park will be closed on Nov 17 (Wed) to ensure relevant Cast Members can complete the test sooner. Guests who planned to visit the park on Nov 17 are advised to visit on another day.

The government issued a compulsory testing notice requiring any persons who were present at the park at any time during the period from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Nov 14 (Sun) to undergo compulsory testing for COVID-19 on or before Nov 18 (Thu).”

The order for compulsory testing applies to both Guests and Cast Members who were in the park on Sunday, and testing must be completed by Thursday, November 18.

Sheriff Woody Gets a New Look at Hong Kong Disneyland

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Sheriff Woody from Disney / Pixar Toy Story films has taken on a new character look at Hong Kong Disneyland. It looks like maybe Woody took on a New Year’s resolution and slimmed down a little and is less shiny!

As we previously shared, Hong Kong Disneyland just reopened from their third closure due to COVID-19. After 25 years, Woody debuted his fantastic new look. While character meet and greets are still modified, you can see him in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Toy Story Land.