Vacation plans thrown into chaos as Disney vouchers unintentionally become streaming credits

A family’s eagerly anticipated Disneyland vacation took an unexpected turn when they realized that the $10,000 worth of gift cards they purchased were, in fact, intended for Disney+ rather than the theme park.

Andie Coston shared the bewildering experience on TikTok, where she detailed the confusion that threw their Christmas trip into disarray.

Originally planning the vacation for 2020, the family was compelled to postpone their visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To save money, Andie’s parents decided to purchase $10,000 in Disney gift cards, envisioning them as a resource for tickets and restaurant reservations during their rescheduled trip.

However, as the family attempted to load the gift cards and make purchases, they encountered unexpected issues. Andie explained on TikTok, “I went home this weekend, and they were having problems loading the gift cards correctly and purchasing the tickets.”

The root of the problem? The family had unwittingly bought $10,000 worth of Disney+ vouchers instead of the intended theme park gift cards.

In a plea for help on social media, the family expressed their urgency, saying, “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.”

With the numbers on the back of the vouchers already scratched off, returns were not an option. Fortunately, after reaching out to Disney, the company facilitated the transfer of the gift cards, allowing the family to use them in the parks instead of on a massive Disney+ subscription.

Reflecting on the ordeal with PEOPLE, Andie said, “I am so glad we were able to get it resolved, especially for my parent’s sake. It was also good to hear that my parents are not the only ones who have experienced this. 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.”