Don't Get Bitten by the Orlando Hotel Pizza Scam

April 13, 2015, 10:17 AM · Long-time Orlando visitors might be familiar already with this common scam, but it's worth posting to warn first-time visitors to the Central Florida theme parks.

If you come back to hotel room in the evening, hungry after a long day at the parks, stop yourself before you order a pizza from the place that slipped a flyer under your hotel room door while you were out enjoying your day. A member of the "Disney World Addicts" Facebook group described the scam:

Flyers are being slipped under hotel room doors, and when you call and order pizza, they will only accept credit card as a method of payment and your pizza will never arrive. Disney security is aware of this and are warning people to not order from them as they are only trying to get your credit card information. Looks like they have caught some of the people on property distributing the flyers but as recent as last night more popped up in rooms.

The scam is not limited to the Disney World hotels. Theme Park Insider readers have reported seeing these flyers slipped under room doors at many off-property hotels, as well.

At this point, we recommend that you not call any phone number on a flyer slipped under your hotel room door (or under your windshield wiper in the parking lot). If you are craving a pizza after your day at the parks, you can order a pizza from Disney or Universal at many of their on-site hotels. Delivery pizzas even are included on the Disney Dining Plan, though they'll cost you two credits. Several local, reputable pizza restaurants also deliver to hotels in and around the Orlando-area theme parks. But call your hotel's front desk to get the correct phone number to order, or use one of the major national chain's apps or websites to place your order. Don't trust any flyers you see lying around!

Have you seen or been victim of a vacation scam? Warn your fellow readers with the details, in the comments.

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Replies (16)

173.170.190.178

April 13, 2015 at 10:45 AM · This also applies to flyers found on counters in the room, they don't just slip them under the door. Also most of the time it turns out to be somewhat legitimate but it is very poor quality pizza and can take hours. I've heard speculation that some people do this as a home business and home ovens just can't keep up with the demand.

71.115.131.189

April 13, 2015 at 10:53 AM · This has been going on for years. About 5 years ago, when we were staying at Loews Royal Pacific at Universal, we had a different flyer stuck under our door just about every night. We had to call security about an incident in our room (unrelated to the flyers), and when they came, they saw the flyers. They warned us about the scam. It's a good thing they did, too, as we were considering ordering.

66.87.124.167

April 13, 2015 at 11:11 AM · Thank god I didn't order! I remember they slipped a flyer under my door at the Homewood Suites near Disney.

Aaron Moore

April 13, 2015 at 11:21 AM · It's kind of funny when looking at these fake pizza ads these people leave under your door. Most of the ads don't even have addresses where the pizza place is located, I took pictures of three of the ads I got several years ago. The hotels I've been staying at recently have been cracking down on those guys.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/ShinGokuIAM/Florida%20Pics%202008/fakeflyer.jpg

Rob McCullough

April 13, 2015 at 12:37 PM · I was the Resort Manager at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club at SeaWorld for several years. Our security team spent a large part of their time trying to keep these scammers off property. It was amazing how bold they would become and how they would threaten the officers when confronted. That aside, if you want to order pizza when you are staying at ANY hotel call the front desk and ask for a recommendation and a phone number. Hotel employees often have very limited choices for meals on the job and order a lot of pizza. Your front desk /PBX team members will be happy to recommend a local pie shop that is trustworthy and with luck a local favorite, not a national brand. Why eat Domino's or Pappa John's on vacation? Try something unique. I'd recommend Flippers when in Orlando. Delicious!

88.110.15.102

April 13, 2015 at 12:53 PM · Great to have such a frank article on the subject, it's been a huge problem in the UK also.

Anon Mouse

April 13, 2015 at 1:01 PM · I'm glad to hear of this. I never order from flyers. I always check Yelp on my iPhone and order from reputable restaurants. If these restaurants are fradulent, a quick check from Google Maps will raise the red flag.

Anyways, delivery pizza are nasty. Only order if so hungry, you cannot avoid.

N B

April 13, 2015 at 2:06 PM · I am glad someone caught this and posted it. The pizza from the hotel kitchen / room services are crazy money. Luckily, there is a Dominos just a couple blocks from the Hard Rock... I have used them several times when we wanted cheap food fast late at night.

Aren't there cameras in the hallways to catch these scammers?

Robert Niles

April 13, 2015 at 2:20 PM · +1 for Rob's comment. Great insight. I remember Flippers being good, too, though it's been forever since I had it. Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration is another local place that makes good pizza, too, though I believe you'll need to go there for it.

Kris V

April 13, 2015 at 6:54 PM · Every time I've stayed off-site near Universal Orlando I would have at least three or more flyers under the door when I came back to my room at night. I thought it was a problem because the special touristy Orlando tv station would always air a special "alert" about these pizza places. I found it funny when they would say, "your pizza is probably being made in someone's garage... or worst". They would have an ad for Flippers afterwards. I don't know who was in charge of filming Flipper's pizzas in the commercial, but they too looked like they were made in someone's garage or worst.

Kenny Vee

April 13, 2015 at 9:29 PM · Makes me kind of wish Disney would say why they don't want you to order from those places. I've seen printed warnings against ordering off of places that leave flyers, but I always assumed it was just that Disney preferred to keep your money flowing toward them and not other local businesses. It's nice to see that there's a more noble reason for the warnings.

50.197.233.109

April 13, 2015 at 8:15 PM · Never knew this, after seeing them for years. Thank you so much.

81.135.233.41

April 14, 2015 at 1:31 AM · Such a shame there are such lowlifes in the world, and these are the times they are going to catch us out, when on holiday and we've let our guard down! Thankfully, we've always asked Front Desk for their recommendations and ignored such flyers.

Funny someone should comment "this is a big problem in the UK also" - I've never known this in the UK and been working in the hotel industry (operationally) since 2000, in Management Positions since 2004 onwards..

Chad H

April 14, 2015 at 5:45 AM · In general, if you're in a strange city looking for delivery I'd suggest either sticking to the flyers that are in your room guide (although usually only hotels without restaurants have these), or ordering from an online aggregator such as Just Eat (who also allow you to pay COD).

Holger Halfmann

April 14, 2015 at 6:08 PM · I like to WARN before a other Sram: If you stay at the so called "WOW -Resort " and pay cash they charge ALSO your Credit Card and NEVER give the money back!

144.160.226.91

April 15, 2015 at 1:43 PM · Just order Flippers when in Orlando....Problem solved!

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Don't Get Bitten by the Orlando Hotel Pizza Scam

Replies (16)

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