Disney Gift Card Issue (long)

[darthspud]

Hi everyone!
Long story short.. I was given misinformation from Disney and now trying to figure out who to call to get my $250 back in gift cards...

Now the long story:
I had a trip planned to the world for December but had to cancel due to financial reasons I was going with a friend who had paid for her trip in full and I had only made a few payments 3 of which were on gift cards purchased online at the disneystore.com. I cancelled 2 weeks before our 45 day mark. When I called reservations to cancel I asked about the gift cards and how those would be refunded she had told me that I would be issued checks mailed to my home since the gift cards were used and could not be returned to. She told me it would take 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.
I allowed 10+ weeks to pass (christmas holidays and all) and nothing came in the mail. I called reservations back to inquire and was told that I was given wrong information that they in fact would/could be credited back to gift cards which didn't help me any because by now I had thrown them away.
I asked what could be done since I had pitched them and I wasn't willing to just let $250 dollars disappear. She said that I would have to contact billing and sales so she gave me the number and I called them. They told me that they could not help me because I no longer had the cards and so I would need to call Chase to have the cards re-issued. So I called them and the number that I was given was just to check the balance of a gift card so I pressed 0 to speak to an operator and apparently that just gives you the sales dept. who also could not help me. They gave me another phone number to call which turned out to be disneystore.com customer service. I told her the entire story and she misunderstood me and told me that I would have to call central reservations at this point I was getting frustrated at the prospect of having to start all over again. She had said that there was nothing she could do because it was for the walt disney world resort I told her that I purchased them online and that apparently was a horse of a different color. She put me on hold to ask her manager what to do and I guess she had to email resort and billing or something and that once she got a response she would email me back with in 24-48 hours that was on Monday so at the latest I should have heard back by Wednesday and it is now Saturday.

Has this happened to any one else? How was it resolved? Who did you have to contact?

All I want is my $250 dollars back so that I can give it back to them.. I need to make my room reservations soon so that I can make my 180 day dining ADRs...

I am getting slightly frustrated

 

[Tiger926]

As far as refund policy, Disney is correct. They will only issue refunds on the exact manner that the purchase was secured. This is for security reasons. I just re-asked this quesition again this week, as I cancelled a 1 night stay before our arrival, and they had to refund it on the VISA that it was purchased on, despite hubby giving wrong card. We will be there for our DVC stay, and I asked for clarfication, as it's been awhile since I cancelled a stay, and wanted a credit on our account or a gift card, and they said they could not do that.

As for getting a refund, I would speak to billing again, and request a manager. If not, you can also contact Guest Services and hopefully a supervisor will contact you. It may be difficult to work this out, as you threw out the cards (why would you do that?), as it more than likely will take several departments to work this out.

I have different scenarios over the years with getting credit back, and you really need to keep on them, as it usually requires several departments.

Since you no longer have a reservation, they can't attach it to your cancelled reservation, so you need to convince them that you were indeed told the wrong info about the cancellation. I am surprised a CM would tell you this, as the cancellation policy is pretty well known, but this is common with Disney, that CMs do give out wrong info.

At this point, it's your word against their word, and you threw out your cards, so you several issues, of which a supervisor will more than likely need to handle. Did you get the CMs name who you are waiting on the email from?

Good luck, and might I suggest that for the future, you never throw out any paperwork, write down all names, etc. that pertains to a current issue, until that issue is resolved. I'm sure you know now that you should not have thrown out the gift cards, as that card number has your refund attached to it. $250.00 is a lot of money, so you should have kept all pertinent info until you actually had the $250.00 refunded back to you in a an appropriate manner. You would at least have your gift card to then use against a future purchase or reservation.

Tiger

 

[EKW]

So sorry for your hassles! I don't have advice, but I do have sympathy as I've been stuck in that Disney "we can't answer that, here's another number" loop once myself!

As an aside, I am so glad they have the "ignore" button here, as I am now using it liberally to block having to read responses from members who can't give a reply without giving a put-down at the same time. Off I go to block another one....

 

[darthspud]

I have the reservation number plus the cancellation confirmation. Every one I spoke to was very nice and understanding. Since I was asking to re-issue the cards and I had the last 4 numbers of the cards which the lady I spoke to at resort and billing had given me and I have her name and number she told me that once I have the cards in hand that I can just call them back and they will issue the refund when I have the cards

I just need to know who/what number to call to get a gift card re-issued I was hoping that I will be the disney store since I have the purchase orders for the gift cards since they are in my email and they ahve a record of my order in thier systems

 

[poohfriend]

lesson learned from those paying with Gift Cards...keep the gift cards until your trip.

As far as what you can do...I agree you need to be in some area of guest accounting. Call Central Reservations again. Ask to have someone from guest services involved that may know WHO can fix your issue.

I see a number of possibilities:
Maybe they can reissue the cards the credits were given to (although I'm pretty sure the fine print on the card itself has them under NO obligation to do so.)
Maybe they can cancel the cards that they refunded money to and the credit card company send you a check.

I understand that you just want your $250. But in Disney's mind they already gave it to you.

When you call, be emphatic about the day (and aproximate time) you called to cancel the reservation. WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION FROM THE FIRST Call Center Cast Member, this whole thing could have been avoided . I bet you would have been transferred to accounting at THAT time. Now we're 10+ weeks later and it's much harder to resolve. Ask them to look up phone records to see if the REP gave you wrong information.

Although it is not Disney's fault they followed appropriate guidelines for refunding to exact payment method, they should have given you the CORRECT information. 10 weeks ago it would have been much easier to reverse the refund and cut a check. If I were DIsney I would want to get some confirmation that the Gift Card had not been used and cancel that card and REISSUE you a new card worth $250-- they'll get it all back anyway!

And while you're emphatic, please remember to treat the Disney employees you're speaking to with courtesy and respect. They are trying to help you resolve a problem that they personally did not create. DO NOT LET THEM HANG UP THE PHONE WITH YOU until you feel like someone is willing to help or find someone who can.

 

[poohfriend]

I have the reservation number plus the cancellation confirmation. Every one I spoke to was very nice and understanding. Since I was asking to re-issue the cards and I had the last 4 numbers of the cards which the lady I spoke to at resort and billing had given me and I have her name and number she told me that once I have the cards in hand that I can just call them back and they will issue the refund when I have the cards

I just need to know who/what number to call to get a gift card re-issued I was hoping that I will be the disney store since I have the purchase orders for the gift cards since they are in my email and they ahve a record of my order in thier systems

this response was not posted until after I already began writing mine.

Best Wishes!

 

[Tiger926]

So sorry for your hassles! I don't have advice, but I do have sympathy as I've been stuck in that Disney "we can't answer that, here's another number" loop once myself!

As an aside, I am so glad they have the "ignore" button here, as I am now using it liberally to block having to read responses from members who can't give a reply without giving a put-down at the same time. Off I go to block another one....

If this in reference to me, then that was rude. In which case, you won't see this response anyway, so oh well.

My response was not meant to be a put-down at all. I have been contacting companies for years, and with hugely successful results, but when dealing with multibillion dollar companies like Disney, with a multitude of departments, it is difficult. OP doesn't have her gift cards, so not even sure Disney can locate the serial number of her original cards? Therefore, it's her word against the CM who told her that she could do this. Do you have any idea of how many guests say CMs told them something, and then expect Disney to refund, send free stuff, etc? It's not an insult to the OP, it just means she has to keep on this situation, and more than likely contact several departments in the process.

This will more than likely require several departments, and it might be difficult because Disney has a very strict policy about refunding back to original form of payment, but Disney is pretty understanding, so I'm sure something can be worked out for the OP. But remember, Disney already gave the OP back her money, and she threw it away, so now it requires some work in getting that money restored.

Hope the OP is able to work this out. If she contacts billing again, and also contacts Guest Services, she should be able to work something out. I have done this many times, and have a great track record with Disney. They are usually pretty good about working stuff out, but since she did throw out gift cards, it will require her to stay on them, as I mentioned, and it might require some extra patience on her end to just keep track of whom she spoke with, etc., so that she has a better chance of getting it straightened out in a timely manner.

If she finds it's not getting resolved to her satisfaction (I would allow at least 10 days to work it out), then she can try and contact a Guest Services supervisor, whose job it is to contact the approriate departments for her.

I have the reservation number plus the cancellation confirmation. Every one I spoke to was very nice and understanding. Since I was asking to re-issue the cards and I had the last 4 numbers of the cards which the lady I spoke to at resort and billing had given me and I have her name and number she told me that once I have the cards in hand that I can just call them back and they will issue the refund when I have the cards

I just need to know who/what number to call to get a gift card re-issued I was hoping that I will be the disney store since I have the purchase orders for the gift cards since they are in my email and they ahve a record of my order in thier systems

This was posted after my initial response as well. Having the last 4 digits might help, so hopefully this works out! I doubt it would be the Disney Store at all as they already gave you your refund, so you are now looking to get that refund reapplied in a different manner. In my dealings withe The Disney Store, they are difficult to deal with, so if you go through Guest Services, you should have a better chance of getting this resolved.

You need to contact Guest Services, as several of us have suggested, as they will contact the appropriate department for you:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/contact/

Hopefully this link will help you! Best of luck, Tiger

 

[darthspud]

Really I just wish they could give me the 16 digits I really dont care about having the physical card in hand cause then I can just book my trip and be happy...
I know about being nice to the CMs I've been one and know what they have to deal with. I'm slightly annoyed that I was given false information about a refund but I believed what was told to me and so I pitched the card because it was worthless and why keep a piece of plastic around that I didn't need...

Now I know better and won't toss em

 

[snowywhite89]

Hi everyone!
Long story short.. I was given misinformation from Disney and now trying to figure out who to call to get my $250 back in gift cards...

Now the long story:
I had a trip planned to the world for December but had to cancel due to financial reasons I was going with a friend who had paid for her trip in full and I had only made a few payments 3 of which were on gift cards purchased online at the disneystore.com. I cancelled 2 weeks before our 45 day mark. When I called reservations to cancel I asked about the gift cards and how those would be refunded she had told me that I would be issued checks mailed to my home since the gift cards were used and could not be returned to. She told me it would take 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.
I allowed 10+ weeks to pass (christmas holidays and all) and nothing came in the mail. I called reservations back to inquire and was told that I was given wrong information that they in fact would/could be credited back to gift cards which didn't help me any because by now I had thrown them away.
I asked what could be done since I had pitched them and I wasn't willing to just let $250 dollars disappear. She said that I would have to contact billing and sales so she gave me the number and I called them. They told me that they could not help me because I no longer had the cards and so I would need to call Chase to have the cards re-issued. So I called them and the number that I was given was just to check the balance of a gift card so I pressed 0 to speak to an operator and apparently that just gives you the sales dept. who also could not help me. They gave me another phone number to call which turned out to be disneystore.com customer service. I told her the entire story and she misunderstood me and told me that I would have to call central reservations at this point I was getting frustrated at the prospect of having to start all over again. She had said that there was nothing she could do because it was for the walt disney world resort I told her that I purchased them online and that apparently was a horse of a different color. She put me on hold to ask her manager what to do and I guess she had to email resort and billing or something and that once she got a response she would email me back with in 24-48 hours that was on Monday so at the latest I should have heard back by Wednesday and it is now Saturday.

Has this happened to any one else? How was it resolved? Who did you have to contact?

All I want is my $250 dollars back so that I can give it back to them.. I need to make my room reservations soon so that I can make my 180 day dining ADRs...

I am getting slightly frustrated

I am sorry to say but you are out the money. Only the GC has the money. Take this as a learning experience.

Disney always returns the money to the same medium that you paid with. This is why I never pay for any trip deposit with a GC.

BTW if you use a GC to buy something at DTD and then return the item they put the money back on your GC. They have told me to keep the GC just in case I do a return.

 

[snowywhite89]

Really I just wish they could give me the 16 digits I really dont care about having the physical card in hand cause then I can just book my trip and be happy...
I know about being nice to the CMs I've been one and know what they have to deal with. I'm slightly annoyed that I was given false information about a refund but I believed what was told to me and so I pitched the card because it was worthless and why keep a piece of plastic around that I didn't need...

Now I know better and won't toss em

Do you have the receipt from when you bought the original GC? It would have the entire number on that card.

I really don't know how anybody else could tell you the entire 16 bit number.

 

[Tiger926]

I am sorry to say but you are out the money. Only the GC has the money. Take this as a learning experience.

Disney always returns the money to the same medium that you paid with. This is why I never pay for any trip deposit with a GC.

BTW if you use a GC to buy something at DTD and then return the item they put the money back on your GC. They have told me to keep the GC just in case I do a return.

This is true with a lot of companies, but the OP says that another CM told her something different, and so that is why she threw out the cards. I know a lot of stores around here, say you must keep the gift card, and I've heard that they won't reissue under any circumstances, but Disney is different, so they will probably be able to work something out, but it might take some work.

At this point, it's her word against the CM's word, and so Disney will have to figure out whom to believe. More than likely, it will just take a bit of work, and then they might re-issue the money in the hopes of keeping the OP happy.

Tiger

 

[darthspud]

Do you have the receipt from when you bought the original GC? It would have the entire number on that card.

I really don't know how anybody else could tell you the entire 16 bit number.

They only have the last 4 digits on it... I purchased them online at disneystore.com and I have the order form but it doesn't have the card number just the order number...

I do have the last 4 digits of all 3 cards...

 

[Tiger926]

They only have the last 4 digits on it... I purchased them online at disneystore.com and I have the order form but it doesn't have the card number just the order number...

I do have the last 4 digits of all 3 cards...

That is for security reasons. Not sure how well their software tracking system is - perhaps they can locate the original cards?

Not sure if you are seeing my responses, but I gave you the link to Guest Services up above, so you can contact them.

Good luck!! Tiger

 

[darthspud]

So I figured I would just call the disney store again and tell them that the gift cards were lost (thrown away) and the women I spoke with said that some one (me) had called on the 17th and said the same thing I told her that that was me and I was just calling to check up on the status... she told me that the gift cards had been cancelled and refunded back to the credit card I had purchased them with... !!! The money is back in my Chase account safe and sound..

My lesson learned: Never throw away anything!


Thanks all!

 

[Leajess99]

So I figured I would just call the disney store again and tell them that the gift cards were lost (thrown away) and the women I spoke with said that some one (me) had called on the 17th and said the same thing I told her that that was me and I was just calling to check up on the status... she told me that the gift cards had been cancelled and refunded back to the credit card I had purchased them with... !!! The money is back in my Chase account safe and sound..

My lesson learned: Never throw away anything!


Thanks all!

That is great news!!! I am so glad it worked and it helped teach me something as well.

 

[Tiger926]

That's great!

Disney comes through again.

Tiger

 

[snowywhite89]

Glad it all worked out.


Why would you buy a GC with a CC to make a deposit rather than make the deposit with the CC?

 

[Shleedogg]

Really I just wish they could give me the 16 digits I really dont care about having the physical card in hand cause then I can just book my trip and be happy...
I know about being nice to the CMs I've been one and know what they have to deal with. I'm slightly annoyed that I was given false information about a refund but I believed what was told to me and so I pitched the card because it was worthless and why keep a piece of plastic around that I didn't need...

Now I know better and won't toss em

Ask to hear the tape. I used to work in a call center and they taped every, single conversation. If you know when you called, they should be able to track it down. Whenever there were mistakes (ours or the customers), the tape was played for them if they were in the wrong. If we were in the wrong, the supervisor would issue a refund upon hearing the tape.

Hope this gets resolved! $250 is a lot of money!

 

[Shleedogg]

Sorry, should have finished reading the thread before responding Glad it worked out!

 

[disneychic2]

Glad it all worked out. Disney will usually really try to work with you to resolve issues in my experience. We all learned a valuable lesson!