Disneyland passholders: Watch out for birthday blackout dates
By now, most people know you get into Disneyland free on your birthday in 2009. But if you’re an annual passholder, you’d better read the fine print.
It turns out that if you’re an annual passholder — and your birthday just so happens to fall on a Saturday or Sunday, almost any day in June, July or August, during Spring Break, around Thanksgiving, any time between Christmas and New Year’s Day or on Nov. 11 — you might be in for a rude surprise.
Obviously, for the average Disneyland annual passholder who visits the park on regular basis, the free-on-your-birthday deal isn’t much of perk. So the Anaheim theme park offers a free $69 gift card (the standard price of admission) to their most loyal customers. The uncharacteristically generous gesture seemed almost too good to be true.
So on my wife Nancy’s birthday, we headed down to Disneyland to collect her free loot. After waiting in a 45-minute line at Guest Relations, the smiling girl at the window told Nancy she couldn’t have the gift card. Why? Because our annual passes were “blacked out” for that day. All she could offer Nancy was an upgrade ticket into the park (valued at $40).
“So, just because my birthday falls on a blackout day, I don’t get the gift card?” said Nancy, on the verge of tears. “That’s unfair.”
To me, the raw deal seemed completely random. You can’t control what day your birthday falls on.
After a fruitless exchange with a surly supervisor (who had no business working in customer service) and her somewhat apologetic boss, we finally reached an incomprehensible compromise. If we paid $40 (the value of the upgrade ticket), Nancy could have the $69 gift card. By now, with Nancy’s birthday on the verge of being ruined, we paid for the card and tried to focus on the kindness of the $29 gift.
For a place that bills itself as the Happiest Place on Earth, it had proven a pretty grim experience. Throughout the entire ordeal, nobody ever wished Nancy happy birthday — and when I pointed that out, the manager said: “I’m not going to be forced to wish her happy birthday.”
Disneyland officials, contacted for a response, offered apologies but stuck by the company policy: “Our policy for Annual Passholders regarding Free On Your Birthday and blackout dates is clearly stated in Annual Passholder publications and on our website. It is unfortunate that the guest was not aware of the policy and we apologize that she was disappointed.”
Other annual passholders have run into the same problem, which will become more prevalent as we move into the busy summer months (when blackout dates abound).
Have you had a similar experience? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
Here’s a list of the remaining blackout dates for 2009:
March 21, 22, 28, 29
April 3-19, 24-26
May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 22-25, 29-31
June 4-7, 10-14
June 17 – Aug. 16
Aug. 21-23, 29, 30
Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31
Nov. 1, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26-29
Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 18-31
Note: Blackout days vary depending on the type of annual pass.
Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the Los Angeles Times Funland blog: latimes.com/funland.
— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer
Photo: Disneyland
65 Comments on “Disneyland passholders: Watch out for birthday blackout dates”
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March 17th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I had a similar experience on my birthday as well, although it wasn’t a blackout date.
My girlfriend and I are AP holders and our decision to visit the park on my birthday was a bit of a last-minute decision. We are currently in Santa Barbara (a 2.5 hour drive without traffic) and we couldn’t leave until about 5pm. We were completely aware that the park was closing at 8pm that evening and there’d be a slim chance that we’d even make it inside but we wanted to try anyway.
After almost 3 hours of driving through traffic, we arrived with 5 minutes left before closing. We ran to the ticket booths that were still open so that we could just ask if there was someone we could talk to about the birthday promotion. We weren’t expecting to be able to get the gift card by any means, we simply wanted to ask somebody if there was anything we could do since we did technically make it there on my birthday.
To our surprise, none of the four cast members (or the additional two who were watching) that we ended up speaking with seemed to care or want to offer any help. We explained to them our situation and asked if there was someone we could be directed to for questions about the promotion. They were all unbelievably rude and there was not a single “sorry” or “happy birthday,” we were simply told to leave each time.
It’s a good thing that they are pushing these advertisements expressing the importance of birthdays and celebrating special occasions… they definitely got me on that one!
March 17th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
The deal is “FREE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY”. It means that if you don’t ALREADY HAVE a way of getting in free, you can have a free ticket. If your pass is blocked out, you get a FREE TICKET for the day. You are getting what everyone else is getting. You are not being cheated, and Disney isn’t ruining your birthday.
The gift card is so that they can offer you something in the event that you ALREADY HAVE a FREE TICKET. It’s the consolation prize. If you like the consolation prize better than the original offer, that’s your personal preference. But the commercials DON’T say “$69 ON YOUR BIRTHDAY”, so acting like you got gypped is childish. The fact that they offered to give you the alternate gift instead of what you WERE qualified for is GENEROUS, not RUDE.
It seems like the sense of entitlement is the issue here, not the blockout days.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I don’t understand the point of this article. In the AP guide it says: If your birthday happens to fall on a day that your Passport is blocked out, you will receive a 1-Day admission ticket to the Disneyland® Resort Theme Park of your choice valid on your birthday.” So AP’s still get the $69 but in the form of admission on a day that they would normally not be able to enter the park. The $69 gift card is for those park holders who can’t take advantage of the free day because they already can get in on their AP.
Sounds like all benefit from this promotion.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
IMO this is not a problem, nor unfair. You chose to purchase a lesser expensive anual pass, and therefore agreed that you would be subject to block-out dates. You could have purchased a PREMIUM pass for additional money and then gotten your $69 gift card. I am sorry that your wife was upset, but Idon’t understand how you can expect the company to simply toss you $70 because that’s when your birthday occurred. Since you were on block out, you should have just accepted the ticket, and gone in on the block out day, but then you wouldn’t have gotten the $29. Basically, your wife still got the $69 value, but you had to use it to get into the park, since she was blocked out (due to your decision to buy a lesser expensive pass). I don’t see the frustration here, except for the fact that you got less free merch or food. Sorry, but my eyes aren’t exactly welling up here. That being said, I hope you had a nice day in the parks and enjoyed the $30 gift.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Did they know they were talking to Mr. Funland? Whoops!
March 17th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
This story is so dumb. I can’t believe the LA Times published it.
As a Disneyland pass holder also you should be happy that you got in for free and with $30 gift on a black out date.
At what point did you think they were going to let you in on a blackout date and then give you $70? That doesn’t make any sense at all. If I went on a blackout date all I would expect is to get in for free. The $30 gesture is added niceness.
I can’t believe that your wife was in tears over this or that you escalated this up to the manager. How about next your you buy a 360-day pass and not have to worry about black out dates and can get your free gift.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:32 am
While I think some of the responders are unduly harsh and I’m sorry your wife was upset, you should have known this fact. It’s really not a secret. I knew about it and I’m not a AP’er of any level. Some investigating should have been done aforehand.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:59 am
The guidelines for the promotion (and black out days) are clearly stated in the AP guide and DIsney.com. If you choose to have the less expensive pass (which I also have) you should’ve been aware of the blackout days.
Disney did exactly as their promotion stated it would do- Give you free admission on your birthday if you didn’t have admission on that day (which you didn’t- it being a black out day) Its obligation was now finished. If you look at Disney.com under the main page for the celebration it clearly lists under a FAQ about APs and the admission… Its not their fault you didn’t read…
March 18th, 2009 at 8:02 am
haha, wine wine wine, that’s all pass holders do. Get a premium pass, shows your more of a fan than not. And another things, birthdays get ruined, its nothing to cry about sheesh.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I concur. If you have a Deluxe or Southern California Pass, and your birthday lands on a blockout day, that’s the luck of the draw. But you STILL get in free!
The gift in that case, is only $40, where in all other cases, the prize is maximum $69. It would be a nice gesture for Disney to offer blocked out AP’s (how show up on their birthday) the FastPass gift, or a $29 merchandise card.
I wish my birthday didn’t fall on a workday, which I can not take off. Maybe I can complain to Disneyland about that…
March 18th, 2009 at 8:56 am
I can’t believe you used your own personal greed and extremely warped sense of entitlement, and your position as a newspaper writer, to cause stress and pain for your wife.
The promotion is for free entry, they offered that. The $69 gift card is in the same fine print that also states the rules regarding blockout days. Did stop reading at a point? Did you cause trouble just for a headline??
We all know the answers…
March 18th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Poor Nancy…she cries and blames Disney for ruining her birthday. Grow up woman. Disney did nothing wrong. Read the rules of your annual pass and the birthday celebration. Don’t blame Disney for your stupidity. And really Mr. McDonald why don’t you stop the rediculous stories and write something that is newsworthy. The Los Angeles Times continues to go downhill daily.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Wow, people’s comments are harsh! Yes, everyone agrees Mr. MacDonald is responsible for knowing the policy. But just because it’s stated in writing doesn’t necessarily make it guest friendly. “Kevin” makes it sound like it’s the couple’s fault they purchased the less expensive AP. That’s silly. Yes, Mr. MacDonald has no one to blame but himself for not knowing the fine print before getting to the ticket booth, but the truth remains that for those non-premium AP’ers unlucky enough to have their birthdate fall on a blackout day, it’s not much of a perk compared to everyone else.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I am amazed by this posting, by the “Funland” reporter. With comments by an adult of “on the verge of tears”, “Nancy’s birthday on the verge of being ruined”, “pretty grim experience”.
If the difference between a $29 vs $69 GIFT “ruins” your birthday, I’m stunned. And if you are the theme park reporter and you don’t understand the “free on your birthday” promotion, you are not doing your job.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I agree with everyone else.
I have the same pass and my birthday fell on the Sunday before Presidents Day and I knew full well that I wasn’t going to get the $69.
I admit that I wasn’t sure what I was going to get, but I assumed it would be a free admission.
I commend Disney for offering the $29.
Although I can’t excuse the rudeness that anyone expressed. :-(
March 18th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Hey, it’s not rudeness Ted, I think people are just sick and tired of this “it’s not my fault” defense that so many people use today. Nancy was offered a free admission to one of the Theme Parks for the day that was blacked out on her pass. She was given the same courtesy as everyone else, however she decided that was not what she wanted regardless of Disney’s clearly written policy. The “if I can’t get my way I’ll cry” defense just doesn’t cut it any longer.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Thanks for all the great comments. Believe it or not, I agree with just about everything you guys said.
Here’s my response to a few of your comments:
Megan Says: If you like the consolation prize better than the original offer, that’s your personal preference. But the commercials DON’T say “$69 ON YOUR BIRTHDAY”, so acting like you got gypped is childish. The fact that they offered to give you the alternate gift instead of what you WERE qualified for is GENEROUS, not RUDE.
Brady says: I admit it. I like the $69 consolation prize better than getting into the park for free. IMO, Disneyland is being surprisingly generous, whether they let me into the park for free, give me $29 gift card or a $69 gift card. Yet, I still feel Nancy was gypped. And I am acting childish and entitled. I’m not proud of it. But it’s true.
Perry Hacker Says: In the AP guide it says: If your birthday happens to fall on a day that your Passport is blocked out, you will receive a 1-Day admission ticket to the Disneyland Resort Theme Park of your choice valid on your birthday.
Brady says: True. I should have known better. But I suspect a lot of other people may be in for the same surprise. That was the point of the story: to spread the news to those who might not have read the fine print.
Kevin Says: You could have purchased a PREMIUM pass for additional money and then gotten your $69 gift card.
Brady says: We specifically purchase the Deluxe passes in order to avoid the park on the busiest blackout days. We went to the park on Nancy’s birthday only to pick up the gift card. I never checked the blackout dates because we had no plans to go into the park. That was my mistake.
Chase Says: As a Disneyland pass holder also you should be happy that you got in for free and with $30 gift on a black out date.
Brady says: That’s what I explained to our daughter: we should be grateful for any gift. Disneyland doesn’t have to give us anything.
Marko50 Says: While I think some of the responders are unduly harsh and I’m sorry your wife was upset, you should have known this fact.
Brady says: Thanks for the kind words Marko. A few of the comments were harsh, but it comes with the territory.
Jeric Says: haha, wine wine wine, that’s all pass holders do.
Brady says: You’re right. Passholder do whine a lot (and, some, like myself, enjoy the occasional glass of wine). At the same time, I’m sure Disneyland doesn’t want to upset their most loyal and passionate customers.
Nancy M Says: If you have a Deluxe or Southern California Pass, and your birthday lands on a blockout day, that’s the luck of the draw.
Brady says: This is the one place I disagree. It seems unfair that the gift card comes down to the “luck of the draw.” I get a $69 gift card and so does my daughter, but my wife gets the $29 gift card. It doesn’t make sense.
Dan Bejma Says: I can’t believe you used your own personal greed and extremely warped sense of entitlement, and your position as a newspaper writer, to cause stress and pain for your wife.
Brady says: Dan is right. It is greedy to want $69. But I suspect many people would wait in a 45-minute line for $69. That said, I wouldn’t wait in the same line for a free ticket to Disneyland — because I can get into Disneyland 315 days a year.
Travis Says: Yes, everyone agrees Mr. MacDonald is responsible for knowing the policy. But just because it’s stated in writing doesn’t necessarily make it guest friendly… The truth remains that for those non-premium AP’ers unlucky enough to have their birthdate fall on a blackout day, it’s not much of a perk compared to everyone else.
Brady says: Perfectly put, Travis. And please call me Brady.
John Says: With comments by an adult of “on the verge of tears”, “Nancy’s birthday on the verge of being ruined”, “pretty grim experience”.
Brady says: I hate to see my wife cry. Especially on her birthday.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
that lady just didn’t know well for that matter. read the rules on the back. always read the guidlines on the tickets. have a magical birthday lady.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
The rules are clearly stated for passholders who incur blackout dates. You get in free on a blackout date, so you can enjoy your birthday at Disneyland. That is truly a gift.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
The promotion is ‘get into the park free on your birthday’ not ‘give everyone $69 gift cards on their birthday.’ They let your wife in free on her birthday. The only problem I see is that you still throw temper tantrums at your age. I’ve watched a lot of Disneyland interactions over the years and if the people in Guest Relations were indeed rude to you, you must have been shoveling it out both hands to them in the first place. While waiting for birthday buttons or travelers check cashing or whatever in City Hall, I have watched those employees deal with an incredible array of guests and they are unbelievably patient and professional with a lot of jerks I would be hard-pressed not to pour a soda over.
March 18th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
“After a fruitless exchange with a surly supervisor (who had no business working in customer service)” You can’t say he doesn’t belong in that dpt. just because he is “Surly”. He probably does a great job there, Disney seems to like him in that position. Just because you want someone you can yell at because you don’t get your way doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t be in a position based on their looks!! You and your wife need to grow up and learn how to read, and stop being a spoiled brat and crying when you don’t get way.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
In addition to the gift card, which you MUST use the day of your birthday, you can also get a fastpass. I chose the fast pass seeing how my birthday was on a Saturday. Be warned, although they are redeemable for use at any time, you are limited to certain rides. The plus is that up to 5 additional people in your party can also enjoy the fastpasses.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
This has created some wild and interesting discussion over on the LaughingPlace discussion boards…
check it out at:
http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-104593-P-1.asp
And Brady, I know you hate to see your wife cry, but honestly now didn’t she bring this all on herself? I think so.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Birthday gal, Nancy, here. I just want to say thanks to my husband, Brady, for defending my honor. You should all be as lucky as I am. As for the money: my plan is to give my $69 gift card (real value of $29) to our daughter, Hannah, on June 26. On that day, she turns 9 on a non-blackout day. She’ll have $138 (real value of $98)to spend as she pleases. She will be the happiest kid in the world. So, in advance, I’d like to say, “Thank you Disneyland.” I just hope someone at Disneyland wishes Hannah Happy Birthday.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
the dates you published in your article aren’t the deluxe AP blockout dates. They appear to be the So. Cal AP blockout dates. Misleading.
I am also of the opinion that it’s kind of tacky to go collect a gift card but not go to the park. Sorry but there it is.
March 19th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I’m a Deluxe Pass holder as well, No matter what the Annual Pass that you hold, or what blackout dates you have………EVERYONE knows that the promotion is get into the Park free on your birthday, NOT get a free gift card AND get in free on your birthday.
I for one am very proud that the ticket staff dealt with your situation in a more than fair manner by giving you the gift card in addition to the, and hope that made your wife’s birthday magical. What puzzles me is that by writing this article, you come across as being cheated somehow, and are abusing the power of the press to vent your frustration dude, lighten up! you had a good time at the park and got a free gift card for crying out loud……..literally.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:35 am
The whole point of the promotion is to get in free on your birthday - not to stop by for free stuff.
This was not the point of the promotion - While it’s nice of you to share your card with your daughter - the whole point was for YOU to go on YOUR birthday for free.
I think this was an unfortunate example to set for your daughter. The rules are clear, you didn’t like them so your wife cried and you went up the chain of command until you got what you wanted - while others were waiting patiently in line for you to finish.
I am sure the CM’s will all wish your daughter Happy Birthday from the moment she ENTERS the park with her birthday button on. I am sure the same would have happened to your wife had she actually entered the park instead of just stopping by for her free stuff!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
but what if you already have an AP with no blackout dates? the premium or delux whatever.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
I just wanted to pop in and say that the rules of this promotion are not “fine print” as you say, all of the rules are very clear and covered in the FAQ section right here;
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/disneyland/index?name=CelebrationsDLRFreeOnYourBirthdayPage
I urge all people (passholders or not) to PLEASE READ THEM. Then you can be sure to know what to expect and not have any surprises.
If your birthday is on a blackout day for your pass, then you can get the FREE TICKET to get into one of the parks on your birthday. Just like all of the NON-passholders can. Therefore, you cannot be greedy and expect BOTH free admission AND a gift card.
Honestly, I AM sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, but this was not “unfair.” You cannot pin this on Disney, the rules were clear and you didn’t read them. If you had, then you would have at least known what to expect.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
So what baffles me is that you ARE an Annual Pass holder, so you MUST know about the the Annual Pass information on Disneyland’s website. Furthermore, if you HAD gone and read the FAQs in advance you would have been CLEARLY informed prior to your arrival of what to expect.
And you must be internet savy enough to know your way around the net, since you’re using this outlet to vent what is in my opinion a completely pointless argument. But in case I am wrong, allow me to direct you - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/disneyland/index?name=CelebrationsDLRFreeOnYourBirthdayPage
And after all the crying and whining is done, the card is going to be given to someone else anyway.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
The information in this article is WRONG! All your questions can be answered right on the Disneyland website.
If you are an annual pass holder and your birthday is blocked out, you have three options:
• Get a free admission ticket on your birthday good for one park.
• A Birthday Fun Card worth the value of the ticket ($69) to use for merchandise at the Disneyland Resort.
• A Birthday Fast Pass good for the birthday person and up to 5 other people.
The free admission ticket can be used to purchase an Annual Passport, or to be used to upgrade or renew your current Annual Passport.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/disneyland/index?name=CelebrationsDLRFreeOnYourBirthdayPage
March 20th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Those of us who read Nancy’s blog think she is great and don’t want to see her cry on her birthday either :)
Brian, you sent a very useful link but I’m not sure what part you were reading. Here’s a short quote:
Q: What if I’m an Annual Passholder and my birthday falls on a day my Annual Passport is blocked out?
A: If your birthday falls on a day that your Passport is blocked out, you will be able to enjoy your birthday in the park with a free birthday ticket, a 1-Day/1-Park Ticket valid on your birthday. You can also use that ticket to upgrade …..
No gift card. However one way to get your full $69 value on a blockout day would be to use it to upgrade your pass. Doesn’t work for everyone, but might work for some.
March 20th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
…Me again.
I have just one more thing to add;
The fact that a passholder has the option to get a free ticket to one of the parks on a blockout day is still generous, because under normal circumstances, a passholder would NEVER be allowed to enter one of the parks on a blockout day.
March 21st, 2009 at 12:45 am
I agree that the Macdonald’s should have know the policy ahead of time and been prepared to get into the park free, period. I had no problem on my birthday because I read all the rules ahead of time. But I also think the the level of customer of service at Disneyland has fallen dramatically in the last few years. Whether the “guest” is informed or not, cast members should be nice!!! I have had several bad experiences lately, including one at the first aid center when I was injured in a fall. Most of the employees who helped me went out of their way to do so, but the nurse involved was downright mean and refused to get me help out to my car. When I limped out of there and fainted on main street, she still refused to provide any help. It was one of the worst nights of my life, and things like this do change the way you think of the place forever. I don’t really feel safe there anymore. If the friendly culture they are so proud of keeps changing like this, they’ll have to call it the “happiest place on earth if you get the right cast member” place.
March 21st, 2009 at 7:29 am
I have a premium AP. Knowing that the lines would be shortest at DCA, I went through those turnstiles and was given a very warm “Happy Birthday” by the CM. I then went to the guest relations office. After a relatively brief exchange, I was warmly given my $69 Fun Card and given another warm “Happy Birthday.” It felt pretty great.
I don’t think it is Disney’s fault if somebody is unfamiliar with the rules and policies, which while unclear in places, have been pretty clearly articulated and explained in the various boards, where people share their experiences.’
Brady, I’m sorry that your wife cried on her birthday. I hope that in the future, especially as an LA Times journalist, you will do the necessary research so that she is not set up to be disappointed.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
You have all done a great job of reinforcing the point of the story: if you are a Disneyland annual passholder hoping to collect the $69 gift card on your birthday, make sure you read the rules.
I didn’t. You should.
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Just to clear it up a little, disney doesnt give you a “$29 gift card” if you are blacked out. You have to buy a blackout ticket ($40) to get in the park, but then you get a $69 gift card. that’s how you end up at +$29 instead of just free admission.
March 28th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Another point that hasn’t been brought up is that premium passholders pay more for their pass than your wife did for hers. That is why they are “rewarded” in a different way than so cal or deluxe passholders. It is another incentive for guests to pay the extra money for that premium pass. Southern California or Deluxe passholders also “whine” when they don’t get the 10 per cent off in stores that premium holders get. I’m truly sorry if anyone was rude to you.. but I think there policy is more than fair. It is a gift.. take it or leave it. Don’t ask for more!
March 29th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
I recently purchased a Southern California Annual Pass and during the process checked out which of my family member’s birthdays fell on a blackout date. We noticed that mine did and asked how the free on your birthday promo would work. The person at the Annual Pass desk explained the best deal would be to buy the $40 ticket and get the $69 fun pass, so we’d still be up $29. I wasn’t offended or disappointed. Instead I used some good old common sense to PLAN AHEAD. This guy and his wife sound like the kind of people who feel they are “entitled”, no doubt this is not the only place that has left Nancy “on the verge of tears”.
March 30th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
What you could have done was buy the blockout ticket for $40, and then gotten the $69 card as the birthday gift.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Jeric your an idiot. How does buying a premium pass make you a bigger disney fan? Idiot…
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
I think that wishing someone a happy birthday amidst all that was going on around the birthday promotion would have come off as extremely insincere. I hope alternate means were used to try and ‘lighten the mood’ that didn’t strike at the heart of the issue.
April 4th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Thanks for posting the Disneyland blackout dates. I tried one of the Disney sites and it had last years blackout dates.
Your readers seem to think that we are living in Roman times. Let the buyer beware.
I paid a lot of money to get my pass and I am less than happy to have a pass that doesn’t seem to be good on weekends or the month of July.
Considering the amount of time it took me to not find the information I needed on the Disney sites I wouldn’t say that Disney is as open about its policies as insurance companies, automobile companies or the IRS.
It is no joke when people drive hundreds of miles round trip to discover that they arrived on a blackout date.
After I arrived on a blackout day my girl friend and I went the third venue at Disneyland-the shopping area where the lines are short and things are real.
Thanks again for printing the blackout dates.
Sincerely,
Craig Athon
April 10th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
In response to Nancy: you indicated that your husband defending your “honor”. What was HONORABLE about what you did?! That is what’s wrong with today’s society. People and their selfish idea and sense of entitlement. You made an error by not having researched the facts. Instead of kindly working with the Disney staff and expressing some gratitude that they were willing to offer you options…. YOU CRIED! Over dramatics for selfish gain. Terrible. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Please, do us all a favor and stay away from Disneyland!! I personally don’t want your negative vibe anywhere near my fun. I know that when I enter Disneyland, i feel like a kid again; but I certainly DON’T ACT CHILDISH LIKE ONE!!!!!!!!!!!
April 12th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Not to rude or snarky, but it seems to me that Craig Athon is yet another person who jumps into things without reading the rules. You can tell by his tone.
My God, is it really that hard to read the rules or are people just lazy?
In this case, it is not hard to read them. Again, the rules are NOT fine print and they are NOT hard to find, they are spelled out in an easy to understand “Facts and Answers” format.
Here they are again;
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/disneyland/index?name=CelebrationsDLRFreeOnYourBirthdayPage
And just for good measure, here are the blockout dates for the Disneyland Annual Passes;
For Southern CA Select;
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/ap/blockoutCalendar?name=AnnualPassholderSoCalSelectBlockoutCalendarPage
For Southern CA;
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/ap/blockoutCalendar?name=AnnualPassholderSoCalBlockoutCalendarPage
For Deluxe;
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/ap/blockoutCalendar?name=AnnualPassholderDeluxeBlockoutCalendarPage
(Premium passes have no blockout dates)
April 12th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Question…my family and I have AP’s. I am taking my daughter on her birthday, which falls during spring break (a blackout date for our pass). I get that I will have to pay the $40 for my pass to work that day, but can I pay the $40 for her to get in and then redeem her birthday pass for the birthday FASTPASS? Spring break is such a busy time, and the FASTPASS would be worth more then a free entrance. I will be happy to pay the $80 to get her and I in if we can get this benefit. I cannot find the answer to this question on the Disney website. Thanks!
April 14th, 2009 at 8:27 am
In response to Eva;
Yes, from what I understand asking around, if you pay for a blockout ticket, then it seems that you are eligible for one of the alternate prizes such as the birthday fastpass.
At least that the information that I got from someone in the know.
I certainly hope that you don’t get any trouble at the ticket booth!
Good luck! :)
In regards to some of the comments, I also have to add that Mr. Athon fails to realize that Mr. MacDonald didn’t even attempt to look into the rules of this Birthday promotion…
Anyway, its not worth saying much else about this.
Most people who commented seem to be on the same page that it wasn’t a smart thing to do. (To say the least!)
So hopefully, lesson learned.
April 21st, 2009 at 11:13 am
Wow. I had to fly to California and pay for my ticket. Disneyland, give me the free ticket. I’ll take it and be VERY happy with it.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
I see both sides of this. First off, we are inundated with fine print in this society, to the point where you can’t watch a simple ad on tv about free park admission without having to worry about fine print. So nobody should be hard on a customer for not knowing. This is a radical idea, but maybe we need less fine print. And secondly, I’ve experienced this with some Disney employees - they are lovely if you are spending loads of money, not so much if they suspect for one moment you are trying to get something for nothing. (It doesn’t matter whether you are or not, they just act that way if they suspect it.) Most Disney employees are great, but there are a few who give dirty looks and have an attitude. I’ve even heard that some Disney employees dislike guests with premium passes. We stopped wearing ours as an experiment, and we thought it seemed had fewer experiences with cold, unfriendly cast members when the passes weren’t on display. Back to the birthday promotion - they really shouldn’t offer it if they can’t at least be sympathetic to people who want to try to make the most of it, even if they have to say “no.” I heard once that potential Disney employees had to demonstrate that they are friendly and people oriented. Maybe they get burned out.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I’ve read some more of the comments, and I have to wonder if, reading between the lines, the problem really was the way they were treated. If they are basically reasonable people, they probably weren’t nearly as upset by the fact that they thought they were going to get a free gift and then discovered it wasn’t what they thought it was. It was the surliness. I would have felt like they were treating me like a criminal who was coming in to try to steal something, instead of a person who somehow managed to make a mistake and not know the rules. It’s humiliating. That’s far more upsetting than finding out that the gift card is worth less than expected. I think people should treat each other with kindness and tolerate human mistakes.
May 11th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Well, recently I went to the Disneyland Resort for my birthday,and had no trouble whatsoever.
I choose to get the Birthday Fun card. When you pick it up at the ticket booth, they will tell you that the card does not expire, so you do not necessarily have to use it the same day you get it.
The cast members I encountered at the ticket booth were polite and no one was rude.
And remember guys, if you registered your birthday but for some reason did not receive a confirmation e-mail, don’t sweat it, just explain at the ticket booth that you did indeed register and you should have no problems.
As I side note, I notice some comments here that respond to the fact that according to the author, Cast members were rude.
Well, lets think about this;
Mr. MacDonald and his wife never attempted to look in to the rules for AP’s whose birthday’s fall on a block-out date, they just came expecting a Fun Card or “free loot” as he called it. Sounds greedy to me.
It is very POSSIBLE that Mr. MacDonald and his wife gave the CM an attitude when they found out that they couldn’t get what they wanted, and by the sound of things, were probably not being reasonable with the CM because of that.
It is possible the the CMs were trying everything they could to make them happy. If CM’s were rude, that is a shame. But remember, there are two sides to every story, and lets face it, if you read between the lines, this blog post is just fishing for sympathy and written to make the author and his wife look like the poor victims.
The LA Times has always been biased against Disney.
The biggest problem with this post is that the author and his wife did not even attempt to looking in to the rules
Hard to believe they didn’t have any knowledge since the info for blocked-out passholder birthdays was written in the Winter 2008 AP newsletter, the AP section of Disneyland.com, and “FAQ” section for the general Birthday promotion on Disneyland.com
Anyway, I’m really sorry for that rant, the primary reason I wrote was to share my experience and to let people know important info about the “Fun card” and to not worry if you didn’t receive a conformation e-mail.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I am currently a premium passholder and recently went to Disneyland on my birthday. Because I was not subject to blackout dates I was given one of 3 choices; free fastpasses to either Disney California or Disneyland for myself and everyone in my group up to 5 people, a $69 voucher to be used at either park or a $69 return ticket. I cannot see how someone who pays less for an annual pass with blackout dates could possibly imagine that they would receive the same benefits as someone who potentially is paying double the amount for a premium pass. This birthday information is stated on the AP website and also in their monthly newsletters. So it isn’t like Disney is hiding the rules and regulations nor are they setting out to potentially ruin people’s birthdays. And perhaps the cast members were not as polite as they wanted them to be but I wouldn’t completely put it all on the cast members since they are only following the rules. And trust me, I’ve been in guest relations where people just don’t take no for answer and at some point you have to be a little more firm with them; sorry the customer isn’t always right. The people should have done their research. They should have called prior to entering the park instead of assuming that all AP holders have the same options. And pointing out that the supervisor didn’t wish her a happy birthday? Okay if I spent 30 minutes or longer arguing with someone who wouldn’t give me my way and they turned around and wished me a happy birthday, I would think they were being sarcastic. Yes you are not going to have every single cast member in the park wishing you a happy birthday. Can you imagine the hundreds of thousands of people who are there on their birthday and having to wish every single one of them a happy birthday? Moral of this article – Don’t assume. :)
May 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Brady… I’m impressed with your calm, thought-out responses here.
Even tho most of us are “bashing” you, we don’t “know” you personally. We are commenting on your story, the way you used the promotion (or lack of using it properly, if you will) and your experience. All of us passholders know that mood, crowds, a hot day, a personal issue between those family members with us, cold un-salted french fries, and a few strollers bumping into you can EASILY slant ones day and ones opinion of the system at Disney Guest Services. It doesn’t take much sometimes. I’ve been there.
Although I don’t agree with your opinions of the promotion, and I must admit, I showed a bit of rudeness and misspellings in my post (and run-on sentences such as this one), you came back and still thanked us and said we were right in some aspects of our arguments? Seriously?
That’s very refreshing and unexpected. Thanks! :)
Ok, folks… move along. Nothing more to see here. Parade is over.. ;)
Thanks for allowing us the lively debate on your story here and for taking it “like a mouse” when you were wrong, in our opinions. ;)
Dan Bejma
Carlsbad, CA
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I saw someone in Guest Relations “crying” about this same thing tonight. Disney is GIVING stuff away and if your birthday falls on a blackout day then YES you get in for FREE on that day…..just no giftcard. It is because you have the lower grade pass, if you had a Premium pass this would not be an issue. Your post is a tribute to the ingratitude that our society as a whole is guilty of.
June 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Well, again, it seems that most people are on the same page here.
I agree with Jennifer’s comment about “society as a whole”.
When all is said and done, I really hope Mr. MacDonald, that you learned something from this. It really, truly was all your fault. I’m sorry it happened, but you would not have had any surprises had you read the rules and not automatically assumed like someone who is NOT a writer for a newspaper.
And IF you choose to try for to get the “fun card” for any other birthdays in your family. I certainly hope that you look into the block-out dates and any other rule info so that you know what to expect and so you and/or your kids are not “almost in tears” because you couldn’t get a gift card.
If you DO have a pleasant experience on a family birthday visit to Disneyland later this year, (you or your kids) I certainly hope that you blog about the pleasant experience, because I would hate to think that you are biased and only write blogs to try and make Disney look bad.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I think all ofyou peopleneed to get a grip!!My b-day is ona block out date as well & i feel very cheated. i paid over 1600 dollars for 7 seasonal passes and what am i gonna do pay for all 6 of my family members to go one day so i can get in for free. Just give me my gift card so i can go spend it at Downtown Disney and have dinner with my family. My mother is also blockedout just 11 days later. We are not renewing our passes because of this little ordeal. Disney sucks anymore….have been a passholder for yrs and quite frankly we have seen the parks go downhill..including cast members attitudes.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Geez. Getting so worked up and almost crying over a gift card?? How do you deal with everyday life?
August 21st, 2009 at 11:25 am
I know that most people are probably not readings these comments anymore, but I just had to speak up just so there are both sides represented here.
Jennifer’s comment (from July 16th) said that she felt cheated.
There is no reason to feel cheated when there is actually an option for people whose Birthday is on a blockout date
Here is the option;
“If your birthday falls on a day that your Passport is blocked out, you will be able to enjoy your birthday in the park with a free birthday ticket, a 1-Day/1-Park Ticket valid on your birthday. You can also use that ticket to upgrade to a Park Hopper® ticket or to upgrade your Annual Passport. However, you are responsible for the incremental cost, and the new, upgraded ticket media may only be used by you.”
If there wasn’t an option, only then one should feel cheated. If you are blocked out, you are able to do EXACTLY what the promotion is about; getting in free on your birthday. Since your pass is unfortunately not valid that day, you are being treated just like a “normal” guest.
Also, the park has not declined, attractions are constantly getting maintenance and refurbishments. In fact, some classic Fantasyland attractions recently reopened from refurbs in which both the exteriors and interiors of the rides were freshened up, and there are more refurbs on the way. Just look at the schedule on Disneyland.com
The point is, upkeep at Disneyland has been infinity better since Michael Eisner and the former management left.
As for cast member attitudes. Most cast members act fine. But it is also not easy being a cast member. And many tend to get firm only when they are dealing with a guest who is acting stupid or unreasonable.
Jeniffer also said; “Disney sucks anymore” Brilliant statement.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Wow! I can’t believe how many people feel so strong about supporting Disneyland’s deal. We have been loyal pass holders since my son now 31 was 5. This year my three children, my husband and myself all had birthdays on blackout days. Thank you Disneyland! Our birthday celebrations were still grand but we avoided the most crowded place on earth!
September 6th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I am an annual passholder “deluxe” and “a Thanksgiving baby” (nov 26th). It means no gift card ! It is OK.
I am so happy I am not a December 24th or 25th baby ..because, not only you do not receive the same as others each birthday of your life BUT WORSE, with time going on you even have to make presents to your whole family and friends the day of your Birthday!
Disney had the rule that was fair with the “free on your birthday” year. I agree with Nancy, I would have liked the 69 on top too but this year, it is not for me!
September 14th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Does anyone know if you can use the birthday gift card at a restaurant like the Bayou? Or where to ask?
October 5th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I am so glad to read this and know that there is a big group of people out there who will stand up against the sense of entitlement so many in our country try to claim.
To reiterate: the offer is to get in free on your birthday. Your wife was given this offer and she refused. I can’t believe they acutally ended up giving you money instead, in any amount; truly unbelievable. They should have showed you the door.
Your wife was given the same offer as everyone else. But it wasn’t enough. I really hope all of these comments have taught you a lesson about gratitude and humility.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I just stumbled onto this article and it’s stupid. You don’t reserve a $69 gift card for no reason. You have a passed and they offered to let you into Disneyland on your birthday just like everyone else. You ruined your own birthday. Get a life. Disneyland is great and kudos for them to offer this birthday deal in this economy.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:01 am
If you are having this much trouble with a Disney Annual Pass then you should really avoid getting into any contract period. This is pretty straight forward and when you bought the passes you should have looked over the black out dates if you really only wanted the gift card on your birthday.
October 14th, 2009 at 10:29 am
It sounds like they really didn’t intend on going into Disneyland on their Birthday and were just trying to get some free cash for a later date. And we wonder why Disney or other generous businesses don’t do special promotions like this all the time.
Thank you for ruining it for the rest of us.