Those who aimed at the psychology of tourists, saying they could go on rides without queuing, were actually illegal operators who had nothing to do with Disney.
According to the China Daily on the 21st, the People’s Court of Pudong New District in Shanghai sentenced Yao and Wu to 14 months in prison, 10 months and a fine, respectively. The court said, “The social harm is great due to systematic fraud that abuses the trust of tourists.” The court sentenced them to prison for knowingly deceiving a large number of consumers and for being organized. The two sold fake products through social media from July to August 2024 under the names of “Disney VIP Pass” and “Fast Pass-only Guide Tour.” Package prices ranged from 799 yuan to 4,880 yuan per person, and “first entry, exclusive tour, and boarding without waiting” were put forward.
However, as a result of the investigation, they had no official partnership with Shanghai Disneyland. When customers remitted money, they sent an unauthorized guide to the site or guided them only through WeChat, and the actual fast pass was rarely purchased. The victims were angry at accepting only general admission tickets at the scene, and they were threatened with “wait a little longer” or “there is a disadvantage if you report it.”
As a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that the number of victims reached dozens, and the total amount of damage exceeded 78,000 yuan. The defendants established several travel agencies, disguised themselves as “official sales outlets,” and created a reservation system and fake receipts to create trust.
In addition to the incident, similar cases of damage are continuing, local media said. In April last year, the family of the victim, Ren, purchased a 7,700-yuan “luxury package” through a store called “Shanghai Disney Ticketing” in Taobao, but only general admission tickets were issued at the site. The guide threatened, “If you don’t leave a review first, we won’t provide the service,” and when he protested, he threatened to “send someone,” referring to the victim’s home address.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
