Most summers, around 48 percent of all Americans opt to skip out on summer vacations because they can’t afford it. In summer 2021, that number may climb even higher, thanks to the layoffs and other side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For most families, taking a summer vacation, and particularly a dream Disney World or Universal Studios Orlando vacation takes a lot of careful planning, hard work, and often months or even years of saving.
Finding great deals on hotels, food, and even tickets can go a long way towards making that next dream vacation more affordable. Unfortunately, there are lots of ticket scams lurking on the web, promising cheap tickets that either don’t exist or that come with lengthy timeshare presentations.
That’s where Undercover Tourist comes in.
Is this site legit, or are their ticket savings too good to be true? Keep reading to find out.
Beware of Ticket Deals That Seem Too Good to be True
A quick web search for discount tickets to Walt Disney World or Universal Studios Orlando will turn up hundreds of reviews and horror stories about ticket scams.
Some individuals buy tickets online from unreputable sellers, only to receive nothing in return. Others receive tickets that seem legit, but won’t get them in the gate once they arrive in Orlando.
Either way, these scams can cost buyers hundreds of dollars or more. For families planning a vacation on a tight budget, this can bring a quick end to that dream vacation.
Finding out that your tickets weren’t legit once you’re already on vacation is even worse. You’ll be faced with a big decision; disappoint little ones who were expecting to see the Mickey Mouse or experience Hogwarts in person, or shell out even more money on last-minute tickets.
Right now, Walt Disney World is requiring all guests to make a reservation for the day and park that they plan to visit. While capacity numbers are being increased as local health regulations allow, reservations are still limited, especially on popular days of the week and holidays.
If you’ve purchased tickets that are not legit, you won’t be able to make those crucial reservations. Fail to purchase real tickets right away, and you might miss the window on making a reservation, and will have to adjust your plans.
Even legitimate hacks for getting discounted park tickets aren’t always reliable. For instance, while Costco was once a great way to save a few dollars on Disney World tickets, many locations now no longer carry these tickets.
Common Theme Park Ticket Scams
There are a number of common ticket scams out there.
Fake Ticket Websites
Perhaps the easiest to fall for are websites that look legitimate, but that are selling fake tickets. If you fail to notice major warning signs, like the site not being an authorized ticket seller for common theme parks, you might wind up with tickets that look real, but won’t allow you to make a park reservation or get through the gate.
Ticket Resales From Individuals
Another common ticket scam is individuals peddling tickets on websites like Craigslist and eBay. Some may advertise unused tickets. Occasionally sellers will claim to be offering up leftover tickets that they didn’t use on their own vacation packages.
The latter is impossible to do. When you buy and use a ticket, that ticket is registered to your name. You can’t transfer these tickets, even to members of your only family. So buying these tickets from someone on the web is always a scam.
Never, ever buy tickets from an individual on any resale site or through social media.
Timeshare Presentations
A final popular ticket scam that will actually get you legitimate tickets is a timeshare presentation. While this will land you real tickets to get into theme parks like Universal Studios Orlando, Legoland, and Disney World, there’s a big catch.
In order to get your hands on your tickets, you’ll first have to sit through a timeshare presentation. These can last anywhere from an hour to several hours. During this time, you’ll be bombarded by a salesman trying to get you to sign the dotted line on a multi-thousand dollar timeshare.
Besides taking time out of your vacation, this can also put a damper on a good day. In most cases, you won’t receive your ticket until after you sit through the presentation during your vacation. This can make it impossible to make a park reservation if necessary, which may limit which parks or days you can visit.
What is Undercover Tourist?
Now that you know a few common ticket scams, it’s time to find out why Undercover Tourist is different.
Unlike a resale on Craigslist or a fake website, Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of tickets from popular theme parks across the country.
This means that companies like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, Legoland, and more have chosen to trust Undercover Tourist. These companies allow the site to sell real tickets at a discount.
Is Undercover Tourist Legit?
Because Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of theme park tickets, you might be wondering whether it’s worth booking your tickets from them. After all, if you get the same benefits, why not book directly through the park instead?
So is Undercover Tourist legit? The answer is yes, it’s a legitimate site offering discount tickets to popular destinations.
While Undercover Tourist sells real tickets, they’re actually selling wholesale tickets.
That means that the website has purchased large batches of tickets from the theme parks that they partner with. By doing so, they are able to score a discount on these tickets.
These discounts are then passed on to their customers. Depending on the parks that you choose and the number of days on your ticket, you can save anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars on your vacation. All by simply switching from the theme park’s website to Undercover Tourist.
When you buy these tickets, you’ll receive most of the same benefits as buying directly from the theme park that you’re planning to visit.
For instance, when you buy a Disney World ticket from Undercover Tourist, you can still add your ticket to the My Disney app. This allows you to make advance park reservations, add dining reservations, and more. You can also purchase Genie + to get to the front of the lines on most rides.
If you’re staying at an on-site Walt Disney World resort, you can still purchase your park tickets through Undercover Tourist. You’ll be able to book Genie + the same day that you visit the park, so no need to worry about purchasing the Genie + feature in advance.
What Tickets Can You Purchase Through Undercover Tourist?
Undercover Tourist offers tickets to the most popular theme parks and other destinations in Orlando, Florida. Some of the most popular parks that you can purchase tickets for include:
- Walt Disney World
- Universal Orlando
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Fun Spot America Theme Park
- LEGOLAND Florida
But Undercover Tourist offers tickets to destinations outside of Orlando, and for far more attractions than just theme parks.
You can also purchase Undercover Tourist Disneyland tickets for the parks in California, book shows and tours in cities like New York and Chicago, and make hotel reservations in cities across the country. You can even get discount tickets to ski resorts!
Besides ticket sales, hotel reservations, and car rentals, Undercover Tourist also offers a variety of features to help you plan your next vacation. The Undercover Tourist crowd calendar makes it easy to find the best dates for your next visit.
Planning Your Next Visit to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Legoland, and More
Planning a family vacation to Disney World, Universal Studios, or LEGOLAND can be expensive. But sifting through the many ticket scams on the web can make saving money feel impossible.
Luckily, Undercover Tourist offers a great alternative. Whether you’re looking for discounted Undercover Tourist Disney tickets or want to save on your hotel stay, the website offers real, legitimate savings that can help your family enjoy more vacation fun for less money.
Another great way to save on your next vacation is by working with a travel agent.
While this method often gets a bad rep, working with an agent won’t actually cost you any money. Instead, your agent can help you plan the perfect trip for your family while also saving you big bucks on your Walt Disney World or Universal Studios Orlando vacation.
Check out this link next to learn how to find the best Disney travel agent and why you should use one to plan your next vacation.