Special Info for these Crazy Times:
News for 2021:
- Planning and Executing Your Walt Disney World Vacation During These Trying Times
- 2021 Walt Disney World Armed Forces Salute Ticket Announcement
- Using Disney Armed Forces Salute Tickets in 2021
- Using the Walt Disney World Theme Park Reservation System
- Park Hopping Returns to Walt Disney World Starting in 2021
Everything is Different at WDW since it Reopened. See Our Trip Reports:
- Our Return to Walt Disney World (Aug/Sep 2020)
- Our Second Trip Back to Walt Disney World (Nov 2020)
- Our Third Trip Back to Walt Disney World (Jan 2021)
All you need to know about your Privacy Concerns for your Disney Trip.
From time to time I get emails or blog comments from those who are concerned that Disney requests information from military members to track the usage of the Disney Armed Forces Salute tickets, or are concerned that Disney fingerprints its guests.
They worry about Disney accessing military/DoD systems or asking for and keeping sensitive information. Some worry about their children being fingerprinted.
While it is wise in today’s world to be cautious, there is no need at all to be concerned here.
Rest assured that you are at no additional risk using the Disney Armed Forces Salute compared to say shopping at Target or being a DoD employee. You are probably actually much better off!
Regarding Tickets
Base Ticket Offices have nothing to do with tracking the ticket limit. In fact some will go ahead and happily sell you tickets that you will be unable to use, after you have reached your ticket limit. Disney does the tracking to ensure you do not use more that you are allowed to.
In this modern age all electronic data is a target, but Disney asks for only the most basic information to track ticket usage: name, address, email. They have no access to any DoD system such as the DEERS database. Your ID is only looked at to prove eligibility. Your Social Security Number is not recorded nor are CAC chips accessed or IDs swiped.
Disney has been collecting this same information since 2009 and literally hundreds of thousands of military members have successfully used this offer with no privacy issues that I have ever heard of.
Fingerprints During Park Entry
At Walt Disney World when entering the parks all guests ages 3+ will scan their ticket or Magic Band and then place their finger on a scanner/reader.
When you place your finger on the reader the system an image is taken of your finger (this system utilizes the technology of biometrics). The system then converts the image into a unique numerical value (called a Ticket Tag) and immediately discards the image. The numerical value is then recalled and verified when the same ticket is used to re-enter or visit another park. The Ticket Tag system does not store fingerprints.
Children under 3 do not need to place their finger on the reader.
This is to prevent “ticket sharing” which is explicitly prohibited bby Disney’s rules.
Ticket Tag in use
Opting Out
If you are still concerned you can opt to show a picture ID that matches the name on the ticket rather than using Ticket Tag. Be aware for larger parties this slows everything down and will inconvenience people behind you.
Hundreds of thousands of people use Disney’s Ticket Tag system daily.
You place yourself at more at risk applying for a US government security clearance than you do taking a Disney vacation. As we know the Chinese have already hacked all our info from the Office of Personnel Management already anyway.
Pictures vs Ticket Tag
At Disneyland they use an entirely different system. All multi-day ticket holders will have their picture taken with mobile devices the cast members have at the entry point during their first entry.
When you use the same ticket to re-enter or visit another park you picture flashes on a screen for the cast member to verify that it is you using the ticket.
Disneyland started doing this in 2013 to combat ticket brokers who would buy multi-day tickets (which have a lower daily cost than 1-day tickets) and then rent individual days to others at less than the 1-day price, while still making a profit.
More Information
For more see this page (near the bottom, look for Ticket Tag)
Hope this helps reassure you!
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Read about the Temporary Changes to Disney World during their Post-Lockdown Re-Opening
See Our Great Disney Discount and Planning Info:- Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
- The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation Guide
- Military Disney Tips Disney Packing Checklist
- Disney Military Tickets – Your Start to Finish Guide
- Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
- Dining Overview Page
- Transportation Overview Page
- Technology Overview Page
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military Only Resort
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