When visiting Disney, one of the fun things to do is browse the stores and see what kind of amazing merchandise you can add to your collection. Disney fans love seeing the latest spirit jerseys, Loungefly backpacks, Minnie ears, mugs, and so much more. Guests also love to head to the Parks and swoop up limited-time merchandise, like that which was released during Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration.
Unfortunately, while many Guests simply want to buy something for themselves or for their friends and family, there are others who will head to the Parks looking to buy merchandise with the purpose of ripping people off.
Resellers are becoming a bigger and bigger problem at not just Walt Disney World, but Disney Parks around the globe. Resellers head to the Parks when popular new merchandise is released, buy as much of it as they can, and then sell it online for exorbitant prices. The troublesome resellers have descended on the Parks to get their hands on the Figment popcorn bucket, EPCOT 40th Anniversary merchandise, Haunted Mansion figurines, and so much more. They have even bombarded the Disneyland website, so they could get tickets to Oogie Boogie Bash. The party sold out in just hours, and tickets began popping up on eBay not long after.
On August 9, Disney released its 3rd edition of the Hat Box Ghost tiki mug at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. Guests swarmed the small eatery in the hopes of getting their hands on one. The line stretched through the pathway to the Disneyland Hotel, past the hotel, and got close to Downtown Disney. Many Guests waited more than an hour in the hopes of purchasing the mug.
Of course, resellers couldn't pass up their chance to make a quick buck and take advantage of Disney fans who couldn't get their hands on one. The day the Hatbox Ghost Tiki Mug went on sale, it quickly popped up all over eBay. The original mug, which included a specialty cocktail, was being sold by Disney for $75. It was selling on eBay for close to $200.
For the most part, Disney has been trying to crack down on these resellers, with purchasing limits being placed on new and popular merchandise. However, resellers will bring a lot of people with them or go from store to store in order to circumvent Disney's rules. Should Disney discover who these resellers are, they may decide to ban them from the Parks. If the reseller is an Annual Passholder or Magic Key Holder, Disney may decide to revoke their Pass.
The best way to help shut down resellers is to simply not buy what they are selling. It may seem tempting, especially if the merchandise is of one of your favorite characters or rides, but that only encourages the seller to keep taking advantage of people. If Guests stop buying from resellers, that may stop them from hoarding Disney merch.
