Help! My luck ran out - have a dud Disney gift card from Target online :(

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I am not saying that this is what happened with anyone that is posting here about cards they received this week, but please be sure you are scratching off ALL the numbers that need to be entered to find out if a card has been activated. There are four more digits of the actual card number that are under the silver scratch off portion on the left that are very easy to miss. And then on the right side of it is the security code that you need too.

One time I just scratched off the security code portion and didn't realize that there were actually 16 digits for the card number and not 12. I panicked for a minute before I realized the other numbers were there too.

ETA: I did just check the ones I got in the mail this week and they are all activated. Sorry some of you have had problems with them.

I know you are being helpful and I've seen others not do what you mentioned above but thats not my case - I wish it was that easy. Thank you for trying to help!


Update: First I'm sorry I haven't posted earlier but I was at a business offsite all day. I never got a call back from Disney gift card last night so I called Target again last night and once again I was told the speciality gift card area wasn't there. No one can give me their hours or when they'll be in which is nuts. I tried this morning before I left and same thing - omg.

I had a break this afternoon so I called Target.com again. This was the worst yet as I was clear I needed only the specialty gift card area and each time I was transferred believing that's who i was speaking to. I was transferred six times and I finally hung up 37 mins later as I so frustrated and it was time to get back to work. The people I spoke to are beyond clueless. I had three tell me the Disney gift card had too many digits - no it doesn't - and the last guy (that irritated me so much I had to disconnect) kept telling me it should start with 041. I told him, yes TARGET gift cards start that way but again this is Disney. I said you sell many gift cards on yor website. He then asked me if it was a debit card (didn't know they sold debit cards on their website ) and mind you this is after I had read the number at least 20 times.

I then called Disney gift card back and here is what is now interesting: They said they are inundated with calls. I did get the recording they had higher than normal call volumes. They said there is a sudden mass issue it appears and of course Target being the idiots is telling everyone to call Disney and they can't fix it. I had mentioned to the cm that I didn't get a call back and she actually asked if my name was Heather and she had me on a list. They are collecting information and trying to resolve this with Target but not sure when it will be resolved. There are only 3 CM's that work in the gift card area so luckiky they can share info and see this is happening to quite a few people and also a major increase.

I'm going to give Disney a few more days to resolve it then if not, I'm going up to Target and will politely demand they refund my money. I can't keep spending hours on this and it's their company and they need to find a way to make it work or simply exchange the card with a valid activated one. Then when this is all done, you have my word I'm contacting their Consumer Relations and copying the CEO. I dont expect a response or change but they have to know this is not acceptable, period.

Heather

 

[JB2K]

So quick update - Target was a joke - worst call experience ever and that's saying a lot.

That's what happens when Target "went cheap" and pink-slipped 1,000 workers at their Minneapolis HQ in 2009, and did it again, this year and cut another 475 jobs in response to low 2013 holiday sales because of the data breach.

All of those lost jobs are now in their corporate campus in India (where they don't operate a single store).

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

That's what happens when Target "went cheap" and pink-slipped 1,000 workers at their Minneapolis HQ in 2009, and did it again, this year and cut another 475 jobs in response to low 2013 holiday sales because of the data breach.

All of those lost jobs are now in their corporate campus in India (where they don't operate a single store).

It was just awful and I certainly hate to see that above.

Another update and this is more positive this time (I'm hoping my posts will help someone in the future as this has NOT been fun). I received a call from Target not too long ago. It was someone who knew about my situation, was located in MN, and understood exactly what the issue is. He apologized and asked me to read him the serial number and after two tries it worked and he un-locked it and then activated it. Of course he said to wait 4 hours before checking it so I clearly will as I'm not wanting to start over again!

For what it's worth, he made the same comment about the card being "locked" by checking it online 3 times. He said when that happens it requires them to call Disney to get it unlocked and then they can activate it. I never got someone who even knew what to do yesterday so that would not have mattered. In my opinion if a card doesn't work by checking online then I say we are SOL anyway and this is bound to happen. It's human nature to enter it a second time to make sure we didn't make an error in keying it.

So - I'll update again later and let you know if it was truly activated

Heather

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Last update I FINALLY HAVE AN ACTIVATED GIFT CARD!!!!

Take care,
Heather

 

[momto4obkids]

my phone calls to target have been going the same way! I called back yesterday to see if i could talk to someone in this imaginarey gift card dept.

The lady told me I had to call disney to get the card fixed. I told her no, they told me you all had to do it. I told her to get me to someone in the gift card dept.

She put me on hold for 30 minutes and never came back. Seriously, the music ended and the phone disconnected I was on hold for so long.

I called Disney gift card number back right after that and a woman from there is helping me, she said there is someone they deal with at target and she took my gc number and order # and said she will get it fixed.

I told her about the problems everyone on here has experienced and she said there had been some glitch , but she thought target had fixed it, but evidently not!! She said she would look into that as well.

So, hopefully this will stop happening to people ordering gift cards!

 

[jen73]

glad I read this post as I have $500 in GCs I bought at Target and am planning to use them starting Sunday. I checked all my cards and fortunately, they are all activated correctly. I would have been upset if I got to DW and they had zero balance.!

 

[justlook3]

So glad it finally worked out for you!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

So glad it finally worked out for you!

Thank you!

To the others, just know I get it and I hope you also get yours fixed ASAP! I noticed earlier it wouldn't allow Disney gift cards on Target.com (kept getting an oops something went wrong) so not sure they shut it down while they worked on something or they are trying to stop further nightmares! I haven't checked since getting home from Target but I glady bought my latest gift card, there!

Heather

 

[SUSIEQ]

To the others, just know I get it and I hope you also get yours fixed ASAP! I noticed earlier it wouldn't allow Disney gift cards on Target.com (kept getting an oops something went wrong) so not sure they shut it down while they worked on something or they are trying to stop further nightmares! I haven't checked since getting home from Target but I glady bought my latest gift card, there!

Heather

Target.com should really remove Disney gift cards from their website until they get their act together.............if that's even possible!

 

[momto4obkids]

I finally got my gift card fixed this morning!!

This has been a rediculous process.

I thought I was going to get it fixed on friday when Brian from target called and left a message to just call back and there are notes on what to do linked to my order number.

Well, that was terrible. I was switched to the gift card department and the guy kept trying to activate a target gift card. Then he told me he couldn't do it to call this other 800 number. I called that number and they said they couldn't do it they would get me another number. Well, when I called them they couldn't help me either. They all kept thinking it was a Target GC!!!

So, when the last guy gave me the target redcard phone numbers I gave up.

I called back this morning and they CS rep put me on hold to send me to the GC dept. He came back and yet again I was told they weren't available!! I needed to call back later!

I told him I wanted to speak to his supervisor. He put me on hold for a minute then came back on and told me I could go to www.target.com/ecards!!!

I said NO! I told you this is NOT a target gift card it's for Disney. Why didn't you get me your supervisor? He said,my supervisor was busy, can you hold on for a minute and I will get him.

He put me on hold then I hear the click and a recording saying press 1 for escalated gift cards or 2 for BB gifts cards. I pressed one and a woman answered. I told her my issue and she said she could fix it right now.

I now officially hate target.com!lol I am buying my gift cards in store from now on. It's definitely not worth the risk of having this type of headache trying to get it fixed.

I had ordered $2400 worth before this with no issue

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I finally got my gift card fixed this morning!!

This has been a rediculous process.

I thought I was going to get it fixed on friday when Brian from target called and left a message to just call back and there are notes on what to do linked to my order number.

Well, that was terrible. I was switched to the gift card department and the guy kept trying to activate a target gift card. Then he told me he couldn't do it to call this other 800 number. I called that number and they said they couldn't do it they would get me another number. Well, when I called them they couldn't help me either. They all kept thinking it was a Target GC!!!

So, when the last guy gave me the target redcard phone numbers I gave up.

I called back this morning and they CS rep put me on hold to send me to the GC dept. He came back and yet again I was told they weren't available!! I needed to call back later!

I told him I wanted to speak to his supervisor. He put me on hold for a minute then came back on and told me I could go to www.target.com/ecards!!!

I said NO! I told you this is NOT a target gift card it's for Disney. Why didn't you get me your supervisor? He said,my supervisor was busy, can you hold on for a minute and I will get him.

He put me on hold then I hear the click and a recording saying press 1 for escalated gift cards or 2 for BB gifts cards. I pressed one and a woman answered. I told her my issue and she said she could fix it right now.

I now officially hate target.com!lol I am buying my gift cards in store from now on. It's definitely not worth the risk of having this type of headache trying to get it fixed.

I had ordered $2400 worth before this with no issue

OMG I'm getting horrible flash backs and isn't it strange they are consistently bad? Same with me as you saw above, kept telling me the gift cards start 041 (Target does, not Disney), kept telling me department was closed, kept dumping me back into the VR system, wouldn't let me speak to a supervisor, etc. It's seriously LUCK you found a needle in the haystack of a person who understood you FIRST and then SECOND could help you. I'm so very glad you got it fixed. Bryan was the one who called me as well from Target so clearly he must know these issues happen and it's not acceptable.

Like you, I'm no longer ordering online. I've spent quite a bit online with never a problem but I knew it was bound to happen and it's just not worth the headache. Like others have said, I can't imagine if I was checking into WDW or using at WDW or on the ships, etc THEN found out they were duds and there was nothing you'd be able to do about it at that point. Luckily quite a few of us know to check the balances beforehand, load into Disney Vacation Savings account, etc.

What an absolute mess!

Heather

 

[meggybear17]

On the phone with target now trying to get $600 worth of unactivated gift cards straightened out. So far the rep i am speaking to seems to have no clue what i am talking about. I did request to speak to the specialty gc department. He also didn't seem to know what that was ugh. I am on hold now while he "looks into it." This was the last batch of gift cards i ordered, the first $4,400 i purchased over the last few months were just fine. I will say thank you to everyone who posted about their issues though. The rest of my gift cards were used as payment against a cruise and went through just fine and i honestly didnt even think to check this last batch that will be my onboard spending money. Thank goodness i checked well before my cruise date! I for sure will check every gift card i buy anywhere from now on!!!!

 

[momto4obkids]

On the phone with target now trying to get $600 worth of unactivated gift cards straightened out. So far the rep i am speaking to seems to have no clue what i am talking about. I did request to speak to the specialty gc department. He also didn't seem to know what that was ugh. I am on hold now while he "looks into it." This was the last batch of gift cards i ordered, the first $4,400 i purchased over the last few months were just fine. I will say thank you to everyone who posted about their issues though. The rest of my gift cards were used as payment against a cruise and went through just fine and i honestly didnt even think to check this last batch that will be my onboard spending money. Thank goodness i checked well before my cruise date! I for sure will check every gift card i buy anywhere from now on!!!!

If they can't help you or the gift card dept. is "not available" make sure you insist on talking to their supervisor! It's the only way I got to the gift card ept. with these people!

 

[meggybear17]

If they can't help you or the gift card dept. is "not available" make sure you insist on talking to their supervisor! It's the only way I got to the gift card ept. with these people!

Yeah after being on hold for quite some time they tried to connect me to the "special gift card area" and surprise surprise they were closed (at 1pm on a wednesday?) Called disney and they did something to the card but told me target needed to handle the rest. Sigh. Guess i know what i will be doing on friday!

 

[SUSIEQ]

Yeah after being on hold for quite some time they tried to connect me to the "special gift card area" and surprise surprise they were closed (at 1pm on a wednesday?) Called disney and they did something to the card but told me target needed to handle the rest. Sigh. Guess i know what i will be doing on friday!

Good Luck and eat your Wheaties before you call again!
Target.com has PATHETIC customer service, as you are finding out!

 

[disfanforlife]

I was going to order Disney cards online to get the extra 5% using target gift cards that I plan to buy on Friday. But with the bad experiences I am reading about I think I will happily settle for the 10% Black Friday discount and just buy the Disney gift cards in the target store. At least if there is a problem I can get it taken care of there in the store. I have bought Disney cards in my local target and never had a problem, I have not bought any online before.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I was going to order Disney cards online to get the extra 5% using target gift cards that I plan to buy on Friday. But with the bad experiences I am reading about I think I will happily settle for the 10% Black Friday discount and just buy the Disney gift cards in the target store. At least if there is a problem I can get it taken care of there in the store. I have bought Disney cards in my local target and never had a problem, I have not bought any online before.

Yep - this is me a T. I buy a lot so the extra 5% was nice, however the stress and time it took was not worth it. Luckily I can throw in a few hours of OT to cover what I'm losing on the extra 5% and I'm fine with that

I truly feel for you guys and just know I know what it's like. I hope you guys get your cards activated quickly.

Heather

 

[PhiSigKris]

Thank you to everyone that contributed to this thread! I just got my first dud card today, which is of course now flagged with Disney because I tried it several times with my DVA. I already have a case # through Target, but they're telling me I need to call Disney in to get it figured out since the card is showing that it was activated & has a $0 balance. So frustrating!!!

 

[JenzyHP]

I got the number 1-800-544-3875 from a different thread and they fixed my card very quickly. The only reason I had to wait a little longer was because I'd tried to see if it had a balance too many times and it had locked. They had to call Disney.

I had to call during regular business hours. They aren't open late.

 

[GOOFY D]

Well - I knew it was bound to happen eventually and I have my first non-activated Disney gift card I purchased online. I know to check the balance first and make sure they are activated before using and glad I did since this was not. I was going to bring it with me on the Wonder in two weeks.

I can't remember how you guys fixed this and I'm currently going in circles with Target and Disney and I'm getting really irritated (you all can appreciate this that have gone through this).

Disney gift card said they can't fix it if bought online. He advised me if I had bought at the store and they didn't activate, he could do something. I was "forced" to call Target online and it's going nowhere. He said to call Disney gift card and I explained I already had.

I was also told by the Disney gift card person that you shouldn't check the balance online as it caused the card to not be activated and they have to reset something on their side. I had asked could I bring into the store and show them on my app it wasn't activated and he said not to do that as it will kick it out again.

Can you guys help a girl out?? How do I get this activated if bought online? If this isn't resolved easily and quickly, I think I'm no longer ordering online 5% savings or not

Thanks in advance,
Heather

Had the same problem with 2 cards recently. I got the same explanation (that more than 2 attempts to check a balance locks it from being activated). After many calls, I finally got it activated. However, Target's customer service is TERRIBLE. The original person I spoke with told me it would be taken care of in two days and never called me back. When I called back, another person looked at the account and said nothing was done, so they tried to proceed. The next day, the original rep called me at home late at night to basically scold me for calling back in because per Target policy, it takes it out of his queue and starts the whole process over again. I told him I did not care about Target's processes, just follow through on your promises and I would not have to call back. Eventually it got resolved. Good luck.