FTC proposes banning "hidden/junk fees": RIP Seaworld transaction fees?

[whiteness]

I have been on the verge of purchasing an annual pass from Seaworld for months, but always get annoyed and stop myself when I get to the point where they tack on their stupid "transaction fee." I'm really hopeful that they might be forced to stop adding that junk fee, now!

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4248744-ftc-proposes-rule-to-ban-junk-fees/

 

[reddog21]

False hope, if your a company gaining say 1 million dollars a year described as a junk fee are you just going to say:
A. oh well I guess we can't get that money anymore
B. Lets find a more creative way to make sure we don't lose a million?

It's going to be option B.

 

[whiteness]

False hope, if your a company gaining say 1 million dollars a year described as a junk fee are you just going to say:
A. oh well I guess we can't get that money anymore
B. Lets find a more creative way to make sure we don't lose a million?

It's going to be option B.

I just checked Seaworld's webside, and they don't separately disclose the junk fee, anymore. Now, it just says "Taxes & Fees" which "Covers taxes and administrative and processing costs." There is apparently no way to determine what the breakdown is between "taxes" and "fees": is that even legal? I thought businesses were required to fully disclose how much sales tax one is paying in a transaction.

Also, why isn't "sales tax" also a "junk" or "hidden" fee? Shouldn't that be fully disclosed upfront, too?

 

[tony67]

This is why I try to buy my tickets from AAA - no fee.

This fee is a total scam - they even wanted to add it to buying the drink pass for hallow scream Ill just get it there on the night - maybe.

So I am paying for a fee to print the ticket myself at home? Why exactly?

Still its nothing compared to the hotels - the renaissance across the street from SeaWorld has a $43 a DAY fee - that is often over 25% more than the room rate.
That gets you 2 welcome drinks (Not two drinks per day) and supposed transportation to\from Disney\Universal which I have never seen and is probably not worth the effort typically.

I guess that is better than the destination fee many Marriot's now have which gets you nothing - just a money grab

Id much prefer they just add it to the rate and be done with it - but Marriott also charges that fee on award nights so just another way to ruin the loyalty program - at least Hilton does not charge that fee for award nights.

 

[shh]

This is why I try to buy my tickets from AAA - no fee.

This fee is a total scam - they even wanted to add it to buying the drink pass for hallow scream Ill just get it there on the night - maybe.

So I am paying for a fee to print the ticket myself at home? Why exactly?

Still its nothing compared to the hotels - the renaissance across the street from SeaWorld has a $43 a DAY fee - that is often over 25% more than the room rate.
That gets you 2 welcome drinks (Not two drinks per day) and supposed transportation to\from Disney\Universal which I have never seen and is probably not worth the effort typically.

I guess that is better than the destination fee many Marriot's now have which gets you nothing - just a money grab

Id much prefer they just add it to the rate and be done with it - but Marriott also charges that fee on award nights so just another way to ruin the loyalty program - at least Hilton does not charge that fee for award nights.

this is why i never buy tickets from sea world directly. Their discovery cove package charges $5 resort fee AND a separate service fee. Total cash grab - annoys the heck out of me. I buy from undercover tourist or sams

 

[drenalin'junkie]

I bill out my time at work although it is built into the estimate so time is money to me. If the fees actually save me time in line/online then they have value. If they don't save time or provide additional benefits then I'll avoid where possible. I've traveled enough to see addons called everything from a resort fee to an outright bribe. In the end I'm either content with the total cost or not, what they call it means nothing to me.

 

[Darth Insidious]

this is why i never buy tickets from sea world directly. Their discovery cove package charges $5 resort fee AND a separate service fee. Total cash grab - annoys the heck out of me. I buy from undercover tourist or sams

The resort fee is now $24.99 per person. I bought the tickets anyway but I do wish they’d be more straightforward with it. It was still cheaper than the “military discount” tickets. I used quotes because the 30% off for military was more expensive than the 20% off rate for the general public. They took 30% off a jacked up rate.

 

[shh]

The resort fee is now $24.99 per person.

Unbelievable- it was $5/person not that long ago (plus the $10 "online ticket fee" that neither WDW or UO charges just to buy tickets on their own website )

I thought that was nuts, given that we already pay a three-figure "resort fee" just buying the admission ticket. Now they suddenly raise it 500%?

What justifies that crazy leap: do you get anything more? If not and I can't buy from UT or elsewhere without that add-on fee, I just won't go. No loss. Not rewarding them for this crap.

 

[Darth Insidious]

Unbelievable- it was $5/person not that long ago (plus the $10 "online ticket fee" that neither WDW or UO charges just to buy tickets on their own website )

I thought that was nuts, given that we already pay a three-figure "resort fee" just buying the admission ticket. Now they suddenly raise it 500%?

What justifies that crazy leap: do you get anything more? If not and I can't buy from UT or elsewhere without that add-on fee, I just won't go. No loss. Not rewarding them for this crap.

They still have the $10 fee (one per transaction). It’s obnoxious. I saw an amazing deal for one day on our trip and jumped on it. It was $550 less than the other days. Not sure why. Later realized the day wasn’t going to work and called to move it, expecting to pay the difference. But they didn’t charge me and just moved them. So the $135 in resort fees for 5 plus the transaction fee sucked but I guess I came out pretty far ahead.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

It's even more obnoxious if you are trying to use gift cards, because SW only lets you use one per transaction...