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Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:26 pm
by felinefan
Thee's so much of this going on. There have been college students who got fake handicap tags so they could park in handicap spaces, there was this woman who taught her son to act retarded so they could get Social Security disability benefits, and the one who shaved her daughter's head and said she had cancer so they could take advantage of Make-A-Wish. All of these were caught and punished. People do things like that just so they can see if they can cheat the system and see how long they can get away with it. And to them it's sometimes a game.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:43 pm
by Sarah Magdalene
How can you just shave a kiddie's head and then claim MAW? Don't people have to go though several meets and then even paperwork through hospitals and doctors to confirm the illness? As I have heard, you are lucky NOT to be chosen as those who are have been dealt the nastiest hand of cards one can get.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:55 pm
by felinefan
I didn't get the details of how they did it, but these days, anything can be faked.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:13 pm
by Ms. Matterhorn
drcorey wrote:like the movie FREAKS, that girl wanted to be one of them so badly, they fixed her up, for free...

but, which would be better, face charactors or furrys?
Awesome, classic movie!

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:14 am
by Cheshire Figment
GRUMPY PIRATE wrote:Isn't there a way for Disney to check on this from them? Their Web site talks about the partnership with Disney on fullfilling wishes. I would think that there would be some sort of coordinator that would be knowing at MAW and Disney (DLR or WDW) on who is going to be at what park and when.
There is a way, but it is unworkable.

The tickets that are given to families at GKTW, or by their Wish Granting Organization if they cannot stay at GKTW, are marked "Compassion/Complimentary" and do not trigger the biometrics scan.

If the Greeters were to look at the tickets closely when a group comes into the park wearing MAW or GKTW buttons and saw they were regular MYW tickets then probably action could be taken. Of course, if one of the group was in an obvious pediatric wheelchair then there could be a fairly obvious correlation that they were legitimate.

However, you would have to have a way for the Attraction Hosts (or Security) to check occasionally inside the park when there is no physically obvious sign on anyone in the group to cover the people who would keep the buttons hidden until they are past the gate.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:40 pm
by GRUMPY PIRATE
Cheshire Figment wrote:There is a way, but it is unworkable.

The tickets that are given to families at GKTW, or by their Wish Granting Organization if they cannot stay at GKTW, are marked "Compassion/Complimentary" and do not trigger the biometrics scan.

If the Greeters were to look at the tickets closely when a group comes into the park wearing MAW or GKTW buttons and saw they were regular MYW tickets then probably action could be taken. Of course, if one of the group was in an obvious pediatric wheelchair then there could be a fairly obvious correlation that they were legitimate.

However, you would have to have a way for the Attraction Hosts (or Security) to check occasionally inside the park when there is no physically obvious sign on anyone in the group to cover the people who would keep the buttons hidden until they are past the gate.
Oh, I was under the impression that a wish giver from MAW accompanied the group, to help coordinate all the stuff, as they are seeking volunteers to help with that. They even talk about arranging stuff for the family of the wish maker, and coordinating the extras and so forth. That really is too bad, as I can forsee that some sort of "offical" escort might be required in the future to keep the "fake" ones from taking advantage of, not only Disney, but other organazitions and places that the wishers might want to experience.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:33 pm
by disneyprincess1988
How can anyone be so sick and twisted to do such a thing? They are taking away time and fun that real, legitimate MAW and GKTW families could be using. I would encounter these families all the time when I worked at Epcot and I always made sure to give them the same level of Guest Service I give any Guest. Still, it disgusts me that anyone would take advantage of something like this. And the innocent children too, what are they learning? To lie and cheat to get what they want in life? That's just horrible.

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:50 pm
by GRUMPY PIRATE
disneyprincess1988 wrote:How can anyone be so sick and twisted to do such a thing? They are taking away time and fun that real, legitimate MAW and GKTW families could be using. I would encounter these families all the time when I worked at Epcot and I always made sure to give them the same level of Guest Service I give any Guest. Still, it disgusts me that anyone would take advantage of something like this. And the innocent children too, what are they learning? To lie and cheat to get what they want in life? That's just horrible.
I agree, but what some people will stoop to is beyone belief. Sad to say, faking a MAW is actually really mild comparied to other illegal activities.

I remember a group that used to train their kids to steal cartons of cigarettes, and other things, for the adults, because if the kids are caught, they get turned over to their parents, and no record is carried over when they turn 18. They justified it by hiding behind a religion, and saying that they "purified" the child after the transgression. The adults would sell the merchandise, to help their "church" which provided income to the familys.

There are also bands caled "rovers" of familys that travel around, committing frauds. I could see a group such as this doing the MAW type of fraud, to include getting into DLR and WDW for free, or getting autographs of sports stars and other celebrities. and so on.

It is really sad that some a-moral peopel would capatalize on someone elses tragedy!

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:34 pm
by GaTechGal
GRUMPY PIRATE wrote:I remember a group that used to train their kids to steal cartons of cigarettes, and other things, for the adults, because if the kids are caught, they get turned over to their parents, and no record is carried over when they turn 18. They justified it by hiding behind a religion, and saying that they "purified" the child after the transgression. The adults would sell the merchandise, to help their "church" which provided income to the familys.
Which part of "Thou shalt not steal" do you suppose is ambiguous to them? Maybe the "Thou" part?

Re: Fake MAW buttons?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:44 pm
by BRWombat
GaTechGal wrote:Which part of "Thou shalt not steal" do you suppose is ambiguous to them? Maybe the "Thou" part?
Maybe it depends on what the meaning of "is" is? :rolleyes: