Disneyland Tickets … Beware Craigslist Scammers!

KTLA 5 is reporting that Guests seeking discounted Disneyland tickets are being cheated out of hundreds of dollars.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives are warning buyers about purchasing Disneyland tickets from Craiglist sellers. In March 2015 three families reported the scam to LAPD after purchasing extremely discounted Disneyland tickets from Craigslist, and getting turned away at Disneyland’s front gate due to the tickets being “invalid” or not activated.

Just a quick search on Craigslist.org pulls up many ads for discounted Disneyland tickets.

On 3/11/15, the victim met the suspect at 7th St & Figueroa to purchase Disneyland tickets he had posted for sale on Craigslist. The victim paid him $1,600 in cash for 10 tickets at $60 each as well as 20 additional tickets at $50 each. The victim also took a photo of his driver’s license at the time of the transaction. The victim then took her family to Disneyland and discovered the tickets were not valid and had no value. The victim has been unable to make contact with the suspect.

On 3/23/15, the victim answered the suspect’s Craigslist ad listing Disneyland tickets for sale. The victim met him at Figueroa & Chick Hearn, in front of the Staples Center. The victim purchased 6 tickets for $500, which they paid in cash. The suspect offered to have the victim take a photo of his driver’s license, which they did. When the victim took the family to Disneyland, they discovered the tickets they had purchased were not valid.

On 3/17/15, the victim saw the suspect’s Craigslist ad listing Disneyland tickets for sale. The victim contacted the suspect and they agreed to meet at the Starbucks, near the Staples Center. On 5/9/15, the victim tried to use the Disneyland tickets and was advised by security that the tickets were not valid, they had not been activated. The victim then contacted the suspect who agreed to meet him in front of the police station and refund his money, but the man never showed up.

In Nov 2013, there were three victims who reported purchasing Disneyland tickets from the same suspect and in all cases, the suspect sold invalid Disneyland tickets to the unsuspecting buyers. ~ LAPD Blog

Disneyland tickets can be expensive, especially for those with large families and if purchasing multi-day Park Hoppers. Unfortunately, discounts for tickets are few and far between, but there are a few valid options for Guests.

• Some American Automobile Association (AAA) locations sell slightly discounted tickets to members. AAA members are advised to contact their local Auto Club for up-to-date information. www.calif.aaa.com
• Citypass.com offers the Southern California Citypass which includes a three day Park Hopper to Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park, and one day admission to SeaWorld San Diego and LEGOLAND California.
• Qualified Military Service Memebers can go to their local ITT/MWR office and purchase the deeply discounted Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets or regular Disneyland tickets at a slight discount.  If your local ITT/MWR office does not carry Disneyland tickets you can contact Camp Pendleton ITT, Los Angeles AFB ITT, or one of the many ITT offices located in the San Diego area. Service members can also purchase the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets at the ticket counters at Disneyland.