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Family buys $10K in Disney gift cards for trip…but makes huge mistake

Loved ones were devastated to learn of the costly mistake when they tried to book a family vacation.
Family buys $10K in Disney gift cards for trip…but makes huge mistake
Posted at 1:39 PM, Dec 20, 2023
and last updated 2023-12-21 13:57:27-05

A family's long-awaited Disney trip was put in jeopardy after the realization of a major mistake.

TikTokker Andie Coston, who told the story on social media, said she and her loved ones had been excited to go on a big family trip to Disney after the pandemic in 2020 ruined their initial plans.

"We finally planned it for this Christmas. All 16 of my family members were going. To save some money, my parents bought $10,000 of Disney gift cards to purchase our tickets and restaurant reservations," Coston said.

But things weren't going so smoothly when it was time to use the cards.

"I went home this weekend, and they were having problems loading the gift cards correctly and purchasing the tickets," she said.

That's when they realized the unfortunate mistake: The $10,000 worth of gift cards were for the Disney+ streaming service, and not for use related to the theme park.

Coston said it was an "honest mistake," explaining that her parents are 78 years old and do not use streaming services, so they were not familiar with the platform.

What's worse, the numbers were already scratched off the back, making them ineligible for return.

In her TikTok video, Coston issued a plea for help, tagging Disney, Disney Parks and Disney+ in her caption.

"My Mom is distraught, Dad frustrated, and the kids worried we won't get to get into Disney," Coston wrote.

The video quickly went viral, garnering nearly 3 million views on TikTok and thousands of comments.

Less than 24 hours after the video was posted, Coston and her family got their Christmas wish — Disney reached out to the family and was able to transfer the money from Disney+ cards to $10,000 worth of gift cards for Disney Parks.

"I am so glad we were able to get it resolved, especially for my parents' sake. It was also good to hear that my parents are not the only ones who have experienced this," Coston told People Magazine.

"I received many messages and comments from people telling me that they or someone they know have had similar experiences. I hope that this story makes more people aware of the card difference so no one else experiences this," she said.


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