Okay, so, apparently I'm just going to start posting here without bothering to set up a new blog?
For now, yes. One of my faithful and longtime readers asked me about a thing that apparently goes on at Disney World, with third party "guides" charging people to navigate the parks. I read the article on WaPo, and honestly, I had no idea that this was even a thing, and I've been very active both at Disney and in online forums about Disney for many years. The article makes it sound like an industry Disney is shutting down, and I'm curious about how many of these people are out there? A dozen? A hundred? It's just not a thing!
I can't imagine WHY this is a thing. The article says this service was helpful to people with disabilities, senior citizens, etc. Lemme stop them right there - what, exactly, were these third party guides doing that their paying customers couldn't get directly from Disney? Nothing, unless you count the woman who dressed up and gave the kids fake jewels, etc.
Wait, come to think of it, when Delaney was little one of the bus drivers from their resort gifted her with a purple jewel ring and other things, just because. Disney does stuff like this every day, it's referred to as "pixie dust," and is dished out mostly at kids, for reasons that should be obvious. (Karens who demand to be pixie dusted usually aren't.)
So these third-party "guides" convinced their "clients" that it was all so complicated they needed their services, then sold them services Disney already has for everybody. Millions of people navigate the "extremely complicated" world of Disney parks every year without hiring a guide. This includes people with disabilities, dietary restrictions, whatever. Disney already provides accommodations. And if you really do need an extra level of care for whatever reason, book through a travel agent that specializes in Disney.
The article doesn't say what these "guides" charged for their services, but apparently they were making a living at it. I'm sure their services were cheaper than the private tours Disney offers, which are super expensive and include skipping lines at attractions, etc. - that's how Beyonce-level famous people do the parks. They aren't offering that level of service. They're basically charging people for things Guest Services would be happy to help with for free.
Bottom line, it's sketchy as shit, and I don't blame Disney one bit about cracking down on unofficial tours.
Do the clients who book these "guides" know it's not sanctioned by Disney? Doubtful. It's a liability issue for Disney to have third parties roaming the parks with guests, charging them as guides, when they aren't employees of or trained by Disney. They have no control over what comes outta those "guides" mouths, and no way to fix it if people are ripped off, lied to, or otherwise screwed over by sketchy operators. It's Reputation Management 101, and I am on Disney's side with this.
Disney is totally fine with people making a (sometimes really nice) living off YouTube-ing and blogging and sharing THEIR experiences at Disney. Those who have been doing it well for years will even get invited by Disney to cover events, and get comped resort stays, etc. That's because they are sharing their own experiences and impressions, and not selling themselves as guides in person. The good ones make a nice living sharing "insider" stuff about Disney, through their own documented experiences. I've learned some cool stuff from them.
That said, I'm in a bunch of Disney Facebook groups and I'm constantly boggled by how fucking lazy people are when it comes to planning a vacation that is very expensive and for many people a once in a lifetime experience. The QUESTIONS, especially in the cruise groups, will kill your faith in the survival of the species.
I am not a travel agent, and I don't play one on the internet. If you really want professional guidance about your Disney vacation use a Disney travel agent, not me or some sketchy "guide" you probably found in a Facebook group.
/end rant.
2 comments:
I do wonder how many people were doing this, but from the article it sounds like more than a few were making a living at it. Kimmen
It's very vague about how many, isn't it? I mean, I'm not surprised that this is a thing, as I said I'm on various Disney Facebook boards and there's no shortage of people who ask strangers on FB for help instead of doing five minutes of research on Disney's website. I'm sure these people were also in those groups, sizing up their prospects and PMing them offering "services."
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