Grumpy Mumblings - Magic Who's Way, Exactly?

Walt Disney World tickets. There is perhaps no facet of the Walt Disney World experience this side of Fastpass as convoluted and befuddling as "Magic Your Way" ticket options. A descendant of the old "park hopper" tickets, the new system of Disney ticketing is tiered in such a manner that it makes almost no financial sense to stay on property for less than four days.

This has been brought to the forefront of my consciousness recently as I move closer to moving into a condo in Central Florida. As I look forward to the many enjoyable trips to Florida that I am about to experience, right alongside beach trips, dinners on the bay, and Yankees spring training games are day trips to Walt Disney World with my friends and family. It seems to only make sense that when I furnish the condo for weekend guests, I buy not only extra beach towels and dinnerware but also Disney park tickets for people to use on spare of the moment excursions to Orlando. Unfortunately this can not happen because of Disney's crazy rules for buying tickets.

You see, a Walt Disney World ticket is only licensed for the person who buys it. The same person must use day one that uses day three, day seven, and day fourteen. Have you ever stopped to consider who utterly ludicrous this truly is? Why in the world can I not buy a Magic Your Way, 14 day park hopper, to use for whatever friends and family are visiting me? If I buy season tickets to a Major League Baseball team, I'm allowed to give my seats to whomever I want, whenever I want. Why should Disney World be any different?

I understand the argument about ticket re-sale and that technically it would be illegal for me to sell my season tickets to someone without using a licensed broker just as it would be against the rules to give my Disney tickets to someone. I also understand the argument that a ticket with no expiration options could, theoretically, be sold 10 years down the road at huge profit...but honestly, shouldn't there be a system for those of us who don't want to obfuscate the system for personal gain?

What if perhaps they create something like a "guest ticket" where I, as an annual passholder, had to be present at the time of admission with all "guest ticket" holders in my group? Or what if the tickets expired one year after the first use, just like an annual pass, to stop brokers from buying them up and selling years down the road at a markup?

These are just thoughts and ideas off the top of my head but I can't help but think that it's ridiculous that when push comes to shove my guests will most likely just choose to do something else when they come visit for a weekend instead of paying the exorbitant cost for a one day, one park, Walt Disney World ticket...especially if this economy keeps getting worse.

Oh well. Don't mind me. These are just my grumpy mumblings of the day.

- NT3

P.S. Don't even get me started on the fact that I can't use 2 days on on a MYW ticket in lieu of park hopping. Seriously. Don't even get me started.