The family’s long-awaited Disney trip seemed momentarily in jeopardy when the grandparents realized a huge mistake.
@aofthecoast TikToker Andie Coston shared a now-viral TikTok of her giving a real-time update on her family’s Disney vacation, beginning with the explanation that the big family trip was originally scheduled for 2020 and was later postponed due to the pandemic.
“We finally got it planned this Christmas. All 16 of my family went. To save some money, my parents bought 10,000 Disney gift cards to buy our tickets and restaurant reservations,” Andie explained.
“I went home this weekend and they were having trouble loading the gift cards and buying the tickets properly,” she continued, then showed the physical gift cards and revealed they were all for Disney+, Disney’s streaming service, not for use. to the theme park.
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At first, Andie put out a call for help to “get the money in the right shape.”
“We’re leaving in 6 days and the parks are sold out because it’s Christmas. My mom is freaking out, my dad is frustrated, and the kids are worried we won’t get into Disney,” she said.
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Things moved quickly as TikTok and her followers, the answers to questions she received from commenters, went viral overnight.
Andie explained that the confusion happened in part because her parents don’t use streaming services and weren’t aware there was a difference. “It was an honest mistake,” she noted.
Furthermore, because the couple was trying to enter the gift cards on Disney’s gift card website, the numbers had already been scratched off the back, making them ineligible for a refund.
People came forward in incredible numbers with different ideas on how to solve the problem. Andie also learned that her family wasn’t the only one this happened to.
“It was a comfort to my parents,” she said.
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Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Walt Disney World. Blaine Harrington III / Getty Images
Less than 24 hours after her first TikTok post about the situation, Andie was able to find a solution. Disney reached out to the family and was able to “convert $10,000 in Disney Streaming gift cards to $10,000 in Disney Parks gift cards.”
The family is now looking forward to enjoying their long-awaited trip and cherishing the moments together. Speaking to PEOPLE about the experience, Andie expresses her gratitude to everyone involved in resolving the situation.
“I’m so glad we were able to work it out, especially for my parents. It was also good to hear that my parents weren’t the only ones going through this,” she tells PEOPLE.
“I have received many messages and comments from people telling me that they or someone they know has had similar experiences. I hope this story will make more people aware of the difference in cards so that no one else has to experience it.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education