Family purchases $10,000 worth of gift cards for trip to Disney World only to realize they’re all Disney+ vouchers with just days left before their trip
A social worker who went viral while getting ready to go to Walt Disney World revealed that her parents accidentally bought vouchers for Disney+ instead of the theme park resort.
Andie Coston, 41, admitted in a Dec. 18 TikTok video that her mom and dad, who are in their 70s, bought $10,000 worth of Disney+ gift cards after mistaking them for Disney parks vouchers.
Each gift card had a value of $100, and according to Coston, $10,000 would allow them to enjoy Disney+ for more than 70 years.
Coston's family members were concerned that their Disney World trip would be ruined, especially since they were leaving for Florida in less than a week.
“My mom is distraught, dad is frustrated and the kids are scared we won't be able to get into Disney,” Coston wrote her first video.
Coston's mother is 'distraught' and her father 'frustrated' – her children are also worried they won't be able to go to Disney
The trip for 16 family members was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Coston and her family originally planned to make their trip to Walt Disney World in 2020, but they postponed it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She and fifteen family members planned Disney World to be a Christmas trip, and Coston's parents thought the gift cards would “save some money.”
“My parents are 78, they don't use streaming services,” she said in her first follow-up video.
“I don't know why I've had anyone buy so many tickets from streaming services.”
The social worker also said that she and her other family members only looked at the backs of the cards and that it was “an honest mistake” and not a scam.
Coston confirmed that her family has all hotel and dinner reservations; they just need the park tickets.
“We have plane tickets, so we're definitely going to Florida,” she added.
Coston emphasized that the issue was not a scam and that it actually happened to the concerned family less than a week before their trip
She said it was “an honest mistake” since her parents don't use Disney+ and the rest of the family members only looked at the backs of the cards
Disney+ contacted Coston's parents and agreed to convert the $10,000 from their streaming services into Disney Parks coupons in time for their trip
Coston explained to her second follow up video that Disney contacted her parents and agreed to convert the $10,000 streaming service into $10,000 worth of Disney Parks gift cards.
However, she did note that the company reaching out to the family was all due to the comments of other TikTokers.
“Those of you who are nice, we did it – those of you who are mean, you amplified my comments so Disney would notice,” Coston said.
Now Coston is calling on Disney to change their system so this mistake doesn't happen to others.
Coston emphasized, “Sixty-one percent or more of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck right now, so I really hope Disney takes note of this and creates a slightly better system.”
“Many of you suggested we try to transfer… we couldn't get in at the time and it said 'yes, you have this amount of money' but then we couldn't do anything else with it.”
It looks like the Coston family will be able to enjoy their Christmas vacation at Disney World, but the TikToker hopes to “never go viral again.”