Get All Access for $5/mo

Family 'Distraught' and 'Frustrated' After Accidentally Buying $10,000 of Disney+ Gift Cards Instead of Disney World Gift Cards TikToker Andi Coston says that her parents purchased the cards to save money.

By Emily Rella Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • A TikToker named Andi Coston is going viral after she revealed that her parents accidentally purchased $10,000 of Disney+ gift cards ahead of an upcoming family trip to Disney World.
  • She explained that her parents were trying to buy gift cards for Disney World to use for park tickets and meals.
  • The family is set to spend Christmas at the park.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The most magical place on Earth during the most magical time of year was almost compromised for one family of 16 after they made a colossal error in an attempt to save money.

In a clip that's now been viewed over 3.4 million times, TikToker Andi Coston explained how in 2020, she and 16 of her extended family members were set to visit Walt Disney World for Christmas but had to reschedule for this year due to the pandemic.

Trying to be financially savvy, her 78-year-old parents purchased $10,000 worth of what they thought were park-redeemable Disney gift cards to use to purchase tickets and meals to cut costs. Some retailers will reportedly sell Disney gift cards at a discounted price.

@aofthecoast Do I have a story for you! PLEASE HELP! Note that the purchaser is not familiar with Disney Plus and did not know the difference! Honest mistake. It is not about the funding of the trip. It is about finding someone who can help us transfer the money into the correct gift card so we can make it to Disney! @Disney Parks @Disney+ @Disney #ohno #fail #disney #disneyworld #disneyplus #disneyfail #help ♬ Oh No - Kreepa

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

Related: Dad Slams Disney World After Daughters Got Stuck on Ride

The screen then showed viewers a photo of a massive stack of gift cards with the Disney+ logo on them — gift cards that are only redeemable through and for the streaming service.

"That's over 70 years of Disney+," she said. "My mom is distraught, Dad frustrated, and the kids worried we won't get into Disney."

Coston then asked viewers for help figuring out a way to reallocate the funds to the proper Disney services, noting that the parks were selling out of tickets quickly because of the Christmas holiday and explaining that her family was leaving six days from the time of the video being posted on Monday.

In a follow-up video, Coston explained that someone with Disney reached out to her family after the video went viral and was in the process of transferring the money on the Disney+ gift cards to the appropriate gift cards for the park.

@aofthecoast

Thank you.

♬ original sound - Andie.ink

"I am glad that this is resolved. I hate that this is what it took," she told viewers, noting that she hopes to never go viral again. "It is so frustrating to think that there are other people who have done this in smaller amounts because financially, this was not a thing for my parents, but I know that there are people out there who this would have been disastrous or would have set them back."

Related: Disney World Snow White Ride Closed, Dopey May Be to Blame

Coston updated viewers on Thursday afternoon that she had, in fact, begun packing for the trip.

A Christmas miracle indeed.

Disney did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur's request for comment.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise 500 Annual Ranking

50 Franchise CMOs Who Are Changing the Game

Get to know the industry's most influential marketing power players.

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.