Expecting a swift and enjoyable experience at Disneyland, they ended up feeling nothing but frustration after spending a hefty sum.
On April 30th, Ms. Zhang from Hangzhou, China, lodged a complaint on the Pengpai Quality Observation Platform, stating that she had purchased multiple Disneyland tickets, fast-track passes, and guided luxury packages from a top-rated store on Taobao, totaling over 7,000 yuan. However, on the day of the visit, she was informed that she needed to confirm receipt and give a five-star review before being allowed entry. Once inside, the guide claimed they couldn’t activate the fast-track passes, forcing them to wait in the regular queue. Furthermore, the guide repeatedly urged Ms. Zhang to cancel the Taobao order for an offline transaction.
They were promised they could finish all attractions by 1 p.m. at the latest, but in reality, they only managed three attractions in the morning, two of which required no queueing due to the early hour.
At noon on the 29th, after Ms. Zhang reported to the police, officers intervened. She demanded a full refund from the store and compensation for accommodation expenses, but her requests were denied. The store’s representative even disclosed Ms. Zhang’s home address and had people follow her family, threatening, “Let’s see how you play.”
On the afternoon of May 1st, Pengpai News contacted a representative named Wan from the implicated store, inquiring about Ms. Zhang’s situation. Wan responded, “I don’t recall this matter, you should ask her,” before hanging up. Subsequently, attempts to reach the store’s associated company via the provided contact information on the business credit information system were unsuccessful, with the line indicating it was switched off.
Ms. Zhang’s ordeal is not isolated, as numerous consumers have shared similar experiences of being deceived on social media. Legal analysis suggests that the store’s promotion of exclusive fast-track services via VIP cards, which actually led consumers to queue early in the morning without providing the promised fast-track service, may constitute false advertising and consumer fraud, warranting a refund three times the purchase amount.
Ms. Zhang had previously reported to the Taobao store’s customer service about issues such as premature confirmation of receipt and inability to use fast-track services.
High-priced purchase of a 12-item fast-track package for amusement park attractions, services not fulfilled
On April 22nd, Ms. Zhang ordered three luxury packages and one regular entry ticket from a store named “Shanghai Disney Tickets” on Taobao, with the travel date set for April 29th, totaling 7,700 yuan.
Each luxury package was priced at 2,380 yuan and included entry tickets, fast-track access to 12 attractions, guided tours to five popular shows, as well as reserved viewing spots for parades and fireworks (all inclusive of Zootopia).
On the 28th, Ms. Zhang received a phone call instructing her to arrive at the designated Disney meeting point at 6:10 a.m. the following day. On the morning of the 29th, she arrived with her two children as scheduled. A person claiming to be the manager named Wan arranged for a “guide” named Chen but failed to produce a guide certificate.
Recordings from the scene revealed that Chen insisted Ms. Zhang must confirm receipt of the Taobao order and give a five-star review before being allowed entry. Ms. Zhang refused, stating she would only review after experiencing the service. In response, Wan was called over by the guide. He explained that this was company policy to “protect the guides.” He emphasized that without confirmation, the money would be held on Taobao’s platform and inaccessible. He also stressed that even if satisfaction was not met after confirmation, complaints could still be made. In the recorded conversation, Wan impatiently expressed, “If you don’t want to, then just stay here.”
In order to ensure her children’s enjoyment, Ms. Zhang reluctantly complied with the requirements.
Before entry, another male staff member informed Ms. Zhang that some attractions only had one lane open in the morning and some were under maintenance, so she shouldn’t worry about whether she was using the fast-track after entry, with queues expected to be 5 to 20 minutes long. He also emphasized that all attractions could be completed by 11 a.m. at the latest, or 1 p.m. at the latest.
Ms. Zhang stated that upon entry, the crowd was sparse, and the first two attractions didn’t require queuing. During this time, Chen communicated with Ms. Zhang, suggesting she apply for a refund on Taobao and conduct an offline transaction, which was declined.
When they reached the third attraction, “Seven Dwarfs Mine Train,” the crowd increased, and Chen indicated a 50-minute wait in the queue. It was then that Ms. Zhang learned from Disney staff that she was queued in the regular lane.
Ms. Zhang messaged Chen via WeChat, who claimed there was a delay in activating the fast-track and it would take two to three hours at the soonest, saying, “We can only play like this,” and ceased responding. They then requested Chen to ensure the fast-track services for the remaining nine attractions, but after an hour-long stalemate, Ms. Zhang contacted the police at 10:25 a.m. The onsite representative explicitly stated that fast-track services for the remaining nine attractions “cannot be provided.”
The so-called fast-track, known as the VIP card, was offered by the store. The Disneyland app indicates that VIP packages are categorized into Thrill, Kid-Friendly, and Adventure types, with combinations of 3, 6, or 8 attractions, priced from 435 yuan to 1160 yuan, with no 12-item combination. Single attraction fees range from 140 yuan to 180 yuan.
Ms. Zhang and her family explicitly stated that due to the dispute, they wasted a significant amount of time and demanded a full refund and compensation for accommodation expenses, which was refused by the store. Wan also disclosed Ms. Zhang’s detailed home address during the conversation, which she interpreted as a threat.
After unsuccessful negotiations, in the afternoon, around 1 p.m., Ms. Zhang’s family left the police station, intending to return to the park, but Wan had people follow them, threatening, “Let’s see how you play.” With police escort, Ms. Zhang’s family re-entered the park, but the queues were increasingly long. “I queued for 90 minutes to play the TRON Lightcycle Power Run but eventually couldn’t because of equipment failure, so we left the park,” Ms. Zhang said. By nearly 3 p.m., they had only experienced three attractions, leaving disappointed.
On the same day, Ms. Zhang filed a complaint on the Taobao platform against the store for false sales and failure to fulfill promises, but the seller responded that there was no deceitful behavior.
Lawyer: Suspected of False Advertising and Consumer Fraud
Pengpai News noted that “Shanghai Disney Tickets” was rated as a top seller on the Taobao platform, with a comprehensive rating of 5 stars. The store only listed one Disney ticketing product link, indicating 700 units sold with 12 reviews, all of which were positive.
During police mediation, Wan and others claimed their company was named “Middle East Ticketing,” but the business license provided showed “Nanjing Piaojing Tong Ticketing Co., Ltd.” Business information shows that the company was established in July 2017, registered in Qixia District, Nanjing City, with business scope including ticket agency and tourism information consulting.
On the morning of May 1st, Pengpai News inquired with “Shanghai Disney Tickets” as a consumer. Customer service explained that the fast-track passes in the store’s package were official VIP cards, but they needed to be activated after entry. Regarding doubts about Disney not launching a 12-item VIP package, the customer service said the packages sold by the store were different from official ones, but assured that they could provide 12 fast-track passes, and there wouldn’t be any activation issues after entry.
In the afternoon, Pengpai News called Wan, but upon hearing it was a reporter inquiring about Ms. Zhang’s situation, he said, “I don’t remember this matter, you should ask her,” before hanging up. The contact number provided in the business credit information system of Nanjing Piaojing Tong Ticketing Co., Ltd. couldn’t be reached, indicating it was turned off.
Regarding Ms. Zhang’s experience, Pengpai News consulted Taobao’s official customer service as a consumer. The customer service said that if consumers had evidence proving that Taobao sellers were inducing premature confirmation of receipt and five-star reviews, they could file a complaint within the protection period—usually 15 days after the transaction’s success—and the report would be reviewed by dedicated personnel. Once verified, appropriate action would be taken against the seller.
Lawyer Liu Kai from Beijing Zhongwen (Changsha) Law Firm stated that while stores advertised providing fast-track services via VIP cards, in reality, they made consumers queue early in the morning without offering the promised service, which may constitute false advertising. Additionally, if the fast-track services sold by the store didn’t exist or were misrepresented as Disney Express Lane services, selling the so-called “VIP cards” that allowed early entry in the morning to deceive and mislead consumers, thereby infringing on their legal rights, it might constitute consumer fraud.
Liu Kai advised that when consumers encounter such situations, they should first collect and retain relevant evidence, such as purchase records, communication records, screenshots, etc. Then, depending on the specific circumstances, they should take corresponding measures to safeguard their rights, such as contacting the seller for a refund or reasonable compensation and negotiating a resolution. If the seller fails to resolve the issue, consumers can complain to the Taobao platform or local consumer associations or regulatory authorities, or file a civil lawsuit to hold the seller accountable and protect their legal rights.