Imagine the excitement of planning your dream Disney vacation, scoring a deal on resort gift cards, only to realize they were for Disney+ and not the park itself—a nightmare Andie Coston’s family lived through.
Andie’s mom mistakenly purchased $10,000 worth of Disney+ vouchers, envisioning magical park visits but instead securing 104 years of digital entertainment at the $7.99 monthly rate.
Taking to TikTok, Andie recounted her family’s misadventure, where what seemed like a holiday windfall quickly turned into a digital debacle.
Originally slated for 2020, their Disneyland plans were dashed by the pandemic, prompting them to strategize for a future trip with $10,000 in digital credit.
“We finally planned it for this Christmas. All 16 of my family members were going. To save some money, my parents bought $10k of Disney gift cards to purchase our tickets and restaurant reservations,” Andie shared.
But as departure day neared, their hopes deflated. Issues arose when attempting to redeem the digital vouchers for park access and amenities.
Panicked and facing a Christmas crunch, the family turned to social media, seeking a solution to convert their virtual stash into tangible park passes.
 “We leave in 6 days and the parks are selling out of tickets because it’s Christmas. My mom is distraught, Dad frustrated, and the kids worried we won’t get into Disney,” Andie revealed.
Complicating matters, the activation of the gift cards rendered them non-refundable—a costly mistake etched in scratched-off numbers.
Thankfully, Disney stepped in to rescue their holiday dreams. Through customer service intervention, the digital credits were converted into usable park funds.
Reflecting on the ordeal with PEOPLE, Andie expressed relief, “I am so glad we were able to get it resolved, especially for my parents’ sake.”
She continued, “I received many messages and comments from people telling me that they or someone they know have had similar experiences.”
Andie hopes their cautionary tale will spare others from similar mishaps, urging everyone to verify their Disney vouchers before checkout.
So, before you finalize those vacation plans, ensure your Disney tickets aren’t unwittingly tickets to a virtual movie marathon.