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Credit: @nateyagiThe Disney theme parks were hit by guests seeking to profit.
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The Disney theme parks are supposed to be places filled with magic and fun, allowing guests to create memories that will last a lifetime. With tons of rides and attractions as well as declivous restaurants and world-class shows, the Disney theme parks have become the go-to vacation destinations for guests all around the globe. Unfortunately, this magic can fade away depending on how other guests act, and recently, one Disney resort was overtaken by some unruly and disrespectful guests.
It’s quite common for theme parks to be victims of resellers, but it seems like the Disney parks have been seeing an uptick of guests eager to make a buck off of some merchandise.
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The issue of resellers is nothing new at the Disney parks, with dozens of examples popping up over the last several years. This is an issue that is not specific to any specific region or location, with resellers hitting every Disney park and resort around the world, from Disneyland in California to Disneyland Paris in Chessy, France. Disney does its best to combat the issue of reselling, but it’s impossible to ensure that every guest is obeying the rules, no matter how strict Disney may be.
Recently, a truly shocking event occurred at the Disneyland Paris Resort, where multiple wagons were filled to the absolute brim with merchandise.
Ummmm do you think they’re resellers??? 🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/0J0faw0hh5
— Nate in Tokyo celebrating ✨Disney100✨ (@nateyagi) November 29, 2023
As you can see, several wagons are piled high with bags upon bags of merchandise as well as duffle bags. It’s unclear if this was all done by one guest who skirted the limitations or if this is the work of multiple guests.
At most Disney storefronts, guests are limited to two items per guest, assuming the items are special or limited edition. There are other limitations on items, but reselling only affects items with a limited release window or low supply. Back when Splash Mountain closed, we saw dozens of guests rush to the Disney parks in order to scoop up all of the remaining merchandise. We saw everything from plushies to picture frames hit online websites like eBay, with some guests raking in hundreds of dollars. We even saw jarred water from the ride itself make its way to second-hand markets, and while the validity of the contents is questionable, this really goes to show just how “passionate” some Disney park fans are.
Splash Mountain closed at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in early 2023 after decades of backlash regarding the ride. The Walt Disney Company first revealed its plans to close and retheme Splash Mountain in 2021.
While unfortunate, there doesn’t seem to be much Disney can actually do to mitigate these types of actions.
Have you ever seen resellers at the Disney theme parks?