Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, be cautious where you lean—especially when near a pressed penny or souvenir coin machine. A recent experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park revealed that a simple physical interaction with one of these machines could lead to an accidental charge, even if you aren’t actively making a purchase.
During a visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, a Disney Tips team member and their family found themselves in a familiar situation: waiting for their Up Close With Rhinos Tour with no seating available nearby. They spotted an open space by one of the pressed penny machines near the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris. They decided to rest for a moment before the tour began, leaning against the machine.
No one could’ve predicted what happened next. A few minutes into the guests’ rest, the machine suddenly began to make noise, and three pressed pennies were dispensed. At first, they thought it was a mistake—there was no way they had activated the machine by leaning against it, right? But when they checked their banking app moments later, they realized that a charge of just over $3 had been applied to their account.
So, what happened? One of the Disney Park guests was wearing a backpack, and the credit card reader on the machine sensed their tap-to-pay debit card through the wallet inside their bag. Since the machines only dispense a complete set when paid by card, it processed the payment automatically and completed the transaction.
The Disney Tips team member quickly contacted their bank, and Walt Disney World Resort was understanding enough to issue a refund for the accidental charge. However, this situation serves as a reminder to be mindful of where you lean during your next Walt Disney World Resort visit. If you get too close to one of these machines, you might end up with some unplanned souvenirs.
Pressed pennies and souvenir coins are available at similar machines throughout Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney Springs, and the Disney Resort hotels.
How would you have responded to this situation at Walt Disney World Resort? Disney Tips would love to hear from you in the comments!
