Illinois Grandparents Accidentally Buy $10K in Disney Plus Gift Cards from Sam's. Disney Allows Them to Exchange the Cards for Theme Park

A woman who wanted to take her family to Disney World had to put off her trip due to the pandemic, so the grandparents purchased $10K of Disney Plus gift cards, thinking they were for the theme park. This is the update to the story.

Disney World Florida

A family from Normal, Illinois made a blunder when the grandparents thought they were "being smart" by buying $10,000 worth of Disney plus gift cards ahead of time thinking they were good to fund a trip to Disney World.

It wasn't until the grandparents were trying to pay for the trip to the theme park online that they realized their big mistake.

41-year-old Andie Coston shared about the mishap on TikTok recently and her original video was viewed over 4 million times, giving her temporary viral video fame.

In the text overlay in the original video, it read:

"To save some money, my parents bought 10k of Disney gift cards to purchase our tickets and restaurant reservations." -Andie Coston, Disney park enthusiast

After it happened, she said:

"We were all befuddled and baffled at what had happened...The absurdity was funny but then the realization that we may not actually make it to Disney was sad ... This has always been the one big trip that I can take my kids on." -Andie Coston, Disney park enthusiast

Coston Family Realizes They Have $10K in Disney Plus Gift Cards

USA Today reported that Andie Coston's parents thought they had bought $10K in gift cards to the magical theme park in Florida from Sam's Club. When the family discovered they had accidentally purchased gift cards for the Disney Plus streaming service, they first reached out to Sam's Club and also to Disney.

Disney plus gift cards

Here's the update to her story.

Update: Disney Works to Make it Right

Andy Coston posted an update on her situation to TikTok on Thursday.

Andie Coston

In the video, she said:

"Good morning everybody. I just wanted to provide um some updates, some clarifications, uh number one...yes, Disney has contacted us. They contacted my parents Monday evening and they have been working on rectifying the situation ever since. It is a slow-going process.

My parents are having to take photos of every single one of the gift cards and email it to this poor guy named Joey in California. Joey, you have my deepest condolences and sympathies, and then Joey has to do his thing and then transfer them onto like regular like Disney Parks gift cards, so they've been working on that slowly cause you can only send so many pictures per email, right?" -Andie Coston, Disney park enthusiast

Sam's Club did reach out to them, but could not refund the cards.

Andie explains in her update video that her parents had scratched off all of the codes on the back of the gift cards, trying to enter them into the Disney Park website, but they didn't accept them at the Disney Park website, and the cards could not be returned to Sam's after the codes had been used.

Andie's video update can be seen on TikTok.

Update: The Coston Family Went to Disney World

The Coston family was still able to take their dream vacation to Disney World and has posted about it on TikTok.

The photo below was posted on Tuesday, 27 December of her family at Disney World.

Coston family

Andie wrote the following message in the description on TikTok, sharing that some of the internet fame was not all positive.

It read:

"When I was a teen, I wanted to be famous so badly. I graduated high school and joked that one day I'd be a cast member on SNL. It was really a pipe dream I never pursued because my skin isn't thick enough to handle the feedback.

This past week has felt like a month. When I woke up and saw my TikTok had hit 500k and then over the next 7 days watched it hit 4 million, I was aghast. I'm not made for fame, but better in my Therapist chair.

I've had to engage my support system and work hard to try to embrace this BANANAS experience while facing online trolling, criticism, hate, and sheer disregard for the value of human worth. So I stayed MOSTLY out of the comments." -Andie Coston, Disney park enthusiast

Thankfully, her family was still able to travel to Disney World and enjoy the theme park.

Thoughts

Now it's time for the reader to share your thoughts on this story.

• Have you ever made a mishap and purchased the wrong kind of gift or gift card for someone?
• How would you feel if you accidentally purchased Disney+ gift cards instead of Disney theme park gift cards?
• Are you surprised that Disney was willing to switch out her Disney Plus gift cards for Disney Parks gift cards?

Sources

Andie Coston on TikTok: @aofthecoast

Goh, Amanda. "Grandparents messed up and bought the family 70 years' worth of Disney+ instead of a trip to the theme park." Business Insider. 25 December 2023.

Robledo, Anthony. "70 years of Disney Plus: Family accidently spends thousands on streaming instead of trip." USA Today. 20 December 2023.

FBI is Investigating Bizarre Case of a Russian Man that Flew from Europe to Los Angeles Without a Passport, Visa or Plane Ticket

A Russian man flew from Europe to Los Angeles without a passport, visa, or plane ticket, and the FBI want to know how he did it.

Airplane leaving airport at sunset; credit: Upal Patel on Unsplash

This is definitely a bizarre case of amnesia.

Russian Man Flew from Europe to Los Angeles Without Passport, Visa, or Plane Ticket

Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, landed at LAX on Nov. 4, 2023 on a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen. He showed up at the customs checkpoint without a passport or visa and was not listed as a passenger on the flight manifest,

What makes this case strange is he claimed to be confused and couldn’t remember getting on the plane or how he got past security and boarded the flight without documents.

Ochigava exhibited strange and unusual behavior during the flight, such as wandering around, changing seats, asking for two meals, and trying to eat the cabin crew’s chocolate.

No, you cannot have the cabin crew's chocolate without asking nicely.

The FBI is Still Investigating this Case

The FBI filed a federal complaint charging Ochigava with being a stowaway on an aircraft. The FBI said the investigation is still ongoing and they are trying to figure out how Ochigava managed to get on the plane without a ticket and bypass security checks. The flight’s crew members conducted head counts for their individual sections before the flight, but those were intended to ensure the plane was balanced for landing and takeoff. It was only after the flight landed that the airline discovered its passenger count was one person above the manifest, which makes this a very strange case.

Ochigava is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles and is expected to be in court later this month. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the stowaway charge. He could also face immigration and deportation issues as he has no legal status in the US. His case has raised security and safety concerns for the airline industry and the authorities.

This is a mystery that might take some time to figure out.

Hopefully the FBI will solve this strange mystery in Los Angeles.

Federal Bureau of Investigation seal

Workers Encounter Rats in the Basement and the Rooftop Skytop Terrace Restaurant at the W Hollywood Hotel

The W Hollywood Hotel should have pest control on speed dial after five cooks, servers and receivers filed a complaint due to the ongoing rodent problem, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.

W Hotel; credit: David Starkman

W Hollywood Hotel is Having Rat Issues According to Workers

Unite Here Local 11 represents workers who witnessed "rats and mice running around stored food" at the W Hollywood Hotel located at 6250 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA.

The L.A. Times reported that the workers "discovered bags of flour and rice covered in what appeared to be rat feces, urine, and bite marks." They reported "every rodent encounter to management" with a messaging application.

The rodents have been seen at both the Sky Terrace on the 12th floor of the W Hotel, but mostly "in the storage rooms in the basement" of the W Hotel. This is where workers saw mice and rats "dashing around the stored food," which troubled the employees.

As a result, management set traps to catch the rodents, and asked workers to "clean more thoroughly," but despite efforts, the traps and increased cleaning did not resolve the "rodent infestation."

Unite Here Local 11 union reported the complaint on 16 November 2023 on behalf of five cooks, servers, and receivers who work or have worked there. They attached photos and video footage of live and dead mice and rats and evidence of rodent feces and urine taken between May 3 to October 12, 2023.

The Sky Terrace has remained open despite the rodent complaints.

Mosaic LLC, which operates Sky Terrace released a statement.

It read:

“We take health and safety very seriously and follow standards that meet or exceed health and safety regulations,” a Mosaic representative said in a statement. The spokesperson added that the hospitality group is "ready to assist OSHA or the L.A. County Department of Public Health with any related inquiries.”

Nick Remedio, general manager of the W Hollywood Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard said they work with "a leading pest control company on an ongoing basis and engage[s] them for any specific concerns reported within the building."

The workers said the rodent problem has been "recurring and persistent," and that the inspections did not reflect the "reality of the situation." They said they hope the complaint will prompt the authorities to take more serious action and hold the restaurant operator accountable.

Los Angeles Health Department Shut Down Three Storage Rooms Temporarily in July 2023 After Rodent Problems

Back at the end of July (2023), the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health "shut down there of the storage rooms operated by Mosaic LLC for 48 hours after they found dozens of rodent droppings in the facilities, according to official documents provided by the agency to the L.A. Times and "one of the three storage rooms lacked a public health permit."

Around this time a server at the Sky Terrace restaurant uncovered the credenza on the rooftop of the restaurant and found a glue trap near silverware with two mice stuck on it, one dead and the other alive. Management instructed the server to throw the mice into the trash. That same morning, that same server found another live mouse stuck in a trap along the wall of the restaurant.

However, it was noted that at the same time as the storage room problems, the Sky Terrace had no signs of rodent activity and received an "A" health inspection grade.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health re-inspected on August 2, 2023, and found that "all of the violations had been corrected."

Workers allege that the rodent problem came back after this re-inspection.

One of the chefs asked a receiver to get a bag of flour in the storage room and bring it up to the Sky Terrace kitchen on the 12th floor. When it was delivered, the bag had an obvious tear and contained rodent feces and urine residue. The receiver was disgusted to see the rat droppings and yellow evidence of urine.

The chef asked the receiver to dispose of "half of the flour" and "intended to use the other half."

Only a month after this incident, another server noticed rodents inside the Sky Terrace restaurant.

One line cook said: "Nowhere have I seen rodents in the workplace like that, and the managers knew about the vermin." He stopped eating food from the kitchen after that.

Source:

Carcamo, Cindy. "Food Workers at W Hollywood allege rodent infestation at Sky Terrace restaurant." Los Angeles Times. 4 December 2023.

Squid Game: The Challenge Synopsis, Insider Details, and Episode Release Dates

In Squid Game: The Challenge, 456 real contestants compete in a challenge based on the Netflix series, Squid Game, to try to win the $4.56 million grand prize in a reality competition. One player that was in the series even shares the wild details of how players tried to lubricate their chapped lips with the free condoms provided on the show. Then they eventually were given real lip balm.

Squid Game: The Challenge

Netflix’s new reality show, Squid Game: The Challenge, is a thrilling and brutal adaptation of the hit South Korean series and will likely have a sequel due to its popularity.

Like the original series, The Challenge began with a round of “Red Light, Green Light,” in which every contestant tried to make it across a finish line without being “killed.” Meaning: players wore ink packs that exploded if they failed to complete the mission. The Challenge also includes a round of Dalgona, along with new challenges that force contestants to rely on their intellect and physical abilities for survival.

So far, only the first five episodes of The Challenge have been released. The next batch of episodes will premiere on November 29, followed by a two-part finale on December 6. As the series comes to an end, fans are wondering if Squid Game: The Challenge will return for another round. 

How is Squid Game: The Challenge Different from the Original?

The Challenge makes players play in huge versions of childhood games, similar to Squid Game itself. If you saw the original Squid Game, don’t think that you know all of the game show’s surprises, because it has some hidden tricks. We won’t reveal too much for you, but even in the dorm, contestants deal with a lot of mental pressure. Add small amounts of daily food and shifting alliances, Squid Game: The Challenge has achieved the balance between fun television and emotional drama.

After reducing the competition from 456 contestants to just below 70 hopeful players after the Squid Game: The Challenge’s first five episodes, the latest three-episode release makes another big cut. By the end of Episode Nine, we have a very small number of contestants left. When the finale comes out next week on Thursday, December 6, we’ll finally see a winner.

Squid Game: The Challenge, credit: Netflix

Details on Why Players Rubbed Condoms on Their Chapped Lips

Another unusual thing happened during the filming of Squid Game: The Challenge.

Trey ("Player #301") standing next to his mother in Squid Game: The Challenge, credit: Netflix

"Trey" (Player #301) told Entertainment Weekly that players were desperate to find lip balm, which many commonly refer to as "chapstick." They were so desperate that players used all of the condoms out in the communal area on set. The players allegedly tried to use the lubrication found in the condoms to relieve their chapped lips. It really didn't help them.

Trey said:

"Do you think I did that? Do I seem like a person that did that? No, hell no. That's so stupid."

Trey even remembered that some people still had chapped lips after rubbing the condoms on their mouths. This was after players tried to use the lotion and the conditioner to relieve their chapped lips.

He noticed that all of the condoms were gone within a day and a half.

He said:

"When people tried it and they kept trying it and it didn't work, and I was like, 'Obviously!'" he adds. "So yeah, that's 100 percent true."

After that he noted that show producers gave players individual tins of lip balm with their numbers on them. Trey wished he had kept his, as it was one of the few items he could have taken home with him.

Trey said:

"I gave my chapstick to someone last minute because I accidentally kept it in my pocket during Glass Bridge," Trey says. "And I was like, 'Can you please give this back to me? It has my number on it.' And they were like, 'I will not see you again if you don't make it over that bridge.' I was like, 'Great. Killer. Awesome encouragement.'"

(Source: Entertainment Weekly)

Are you looking for the episode release schedule for Squid Game: The Challenge?

Episode Release Schedule for Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix

The following is an episode release schedule in 2023 for Squid Game: The Challenge:

Episode 1: “Red Light, Green Light” — November 22

Episode 2: “The Man with the Umbrella”— November 22

Episode 3: “War”— November 22

Episode 4: “Nowhere to Hide”— November 22

Episode 5: “Trick or Treat”— November 22

Episode 6: “Goodbye”— November 29

Episode 7: “Friend or Foe”— November 29

Episode 8: “One Step Closer”— November 29

Episode 9: “Circle of Trust”— November 29

Episode 10: “One Lucky Day” — December 6

Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel Christmas Episode 22

Merry Christmas from the Power Rangers

Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel Christmas Episode 22

In Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel Episode 22, caveman Koda returns to this time and space after the "Dimensions in Danger" that took place earlier in the season. 

After the red steel ranger defeats the frosty enemy with Lion fire, Koda gifts the Ninja Steel Rangers clubs and invites them back to his time period. They accept, and they use a transportal device and enter the portal to celebrate Christmas in Koda's dimension.

Immediately after, another enemy traps a good guy inside of a Christmas ornament using his Christmas tree weapon, but runs out of juice to suck the final hero into an ornament.

We then cut to a Christmas tree inside the base, where three robots are standing around the tree. Steel has accidentally sucked another Ranger into an ornament. They are able to talk the robot Steel through how to fix the problem, and the Rangers are brought back from their temporary prisons in the ball ornaments.

An Elf and Santa with a Gift for Mia

Lastly, two freezing guys dressed as Santa and an elf show up with a present at the dojo for Mia, but she isn't there.

Dressed as Elf and Santa

Sensei lets them in to warm up. On Christmas morning, they wake up and try to leave before having to face a drill instructor. They are pleasantly surprised when the Power Rangers show up to "thank" them for their help.

In the picture below, the Power Rangers are seen in the dojo saying, "Thank you for saving Christmas!"

The YouTube video below shows a clip from the beginning until about 6:39 minutes.

Did you enjoy this Power Rangers Ninja Steel Christmas Episode 22?

California Man Has Spent Over $80K in Plastic Surgeries to Look Like His Idol Britney Spears

A California man obsessed with Britney Spears since a teenager has had over $80,000 for 90 plastic surgeries to look more like his idol. He will be featured on the show, Plastics of Hollywood.

a Britney Spears wax model; credit: Mathew Browne on Unsplash

It shows that 31-year-old Bryan Ray from Los Angeles has been a Britney Spears fan since 17, and you could say it shows on his face. She is the apple of his eye.

Bryan Ray Has Had 90 Procedures to Look Like Britney Spears

It all started as a teenager when he wanted teeth like Britney Spears, so he had surgeons design veneers to mimic hers, and that was only the beginning. 

He said:

"I’ve never been more nervous, I was face to face with my biggest idol and inspiration, she was completely not glammed stripped of make-up, very real and so gorgeous." -Bryan Ray

He went on to have a total of 90 procedures to continue his journey to look like his pop idol.

Below is a picture of Bryan Ray as a teenager before starting to have plastic surgery procedures.

Bryan Ray

Bryan Has Changed Himself to Look More Like Britney Spears

One thing is certain: Bryan doesn't mind changing how he looks to become more like his idol, Britney. 

Bryan Ray said:

"I love making modifications to my face and body with the art of plastic surgery, fillers & countless other cosmetic procedures...Ever since I was young there was something about Britney Spears and the qualities she had that I thought was the perfect package." -Bryan Ray

He has met Britney Spears in person three times. 

Bryan described these other times.

He said:

"The next time I met her she was going through a dark period and was speaking in a British accent while waiting in line at a pharmacy, she acknowledged me but wasn’t too friendly...Then I also met her again at a club called Tiger Heat in the VIP lounge when she was there with her boyfriend of the time, where she was very sweet." -Bryan Ray

The photo below is a photo of Bryan two weeks after having rhinoplasty surgery to "copy" Britney Spears' nose.

Bryan Ray after rhinoplasty

Bryan Ray Will be Featured on 'Plastics of Hollywood' Show

Bryan Ray will be featured on the show "Plastics of Hollywood," where he and others try to find real fame after they have had plastic surgery to achieve a desired look. 

The picture below shows Marcela Iglesias (one of the producers of Plastics of Hollywood) next to Bryan Ray in a photo taken in 2023.

Marcela Iglesias and Bryan Ray in 2023

Marcela Iglesias described Bryan and the show where she is one of the producers.

She said:

"We want to help these living cartoons and human dolls to achieve their dreams in Hollywood, because of the way they look and appear people don’t believe in them they do, we’re showing them everybody has a chance at fame.

When we did a casting call, Bryan showed up and I was surprised [at] how well he looked, I thought he was 16 or 17, so to realize he was in his thirties was a shock.

‘He’s more like a living doll because of the way he looks, he looks very angelical, to be honest, he will be the ageless man." -Marcela Iglesias

Britney Spears is no Stranger to Knives - See Her Dance 

Britney Spears made headlines when she posted a video to Instagram of herself dancing with knives. The Independent posted the video on YouTube on 26 September 2023, which can be seen below.

She captioned the video, stating: “I started playing in the kitchen with knives today. Don’t worry they are not real knives!!! Halloween is soon!!!”

Source: The Independent

Don't forget to share this blog post on social media.

Google and Apple Have a 'Secret Deal' That Keeps Google Search as the Default Search Engine: How to Change this on Your iPhone

Google and Apple have a secret deal that affects iPhone users. Google pays Apple billions of dollars every year to be the default search engine on the iPhone. This secret agreement helps Google dominate the online search market and make more money from advertising. The money Google pays helps Apple fund its product development and innovation.

iPhone users: Have you ever wondered why Google Search is the default search engine on the iPhone?

That's because they have a secret deal.

Google pays Apple billions each year to keep it the default search engine.

Business Insider reported that Google paid Apple up to $15 billion in their secret deal, which is also why Apple walked away from meetings to potentially make DuckDuckGo a default search engine on Apple products. This amount would account for about one-fifth of Apple's annual income worldwide.

CNBC reported that Google paid multiple companies $26.3 billion in 2021 to keep Google Search as the default search engine on mobile phones and web browsers. This number includes the amount it paid to Apple.

Not everyone wants Google to be their default search engine.

It is public knowledge that Google tracks online behavior, uses personal data, and influences search results. Other search engines offer more privacy, security, and even social good.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in 2020. The lawsuit claims Google has unlawfully maintained its monopoly in the online search market by entering into exclusive agreements with Apple and other device makers to prevent them from using other search engines. The lawsuit claims Apple received between $8 to $15 billion.

The DOJ complaint stated:

“Google pays billions of dollars each year to distributors—including popular-device manufacturers such as Apple, LG, Motorola, and Samsung; major U.S. wireless carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon; and browser developers such as Mozilla, Opera, and UCWeb—to secure default status for its general search engine and, in many cases, to specifically prohibit Google’s counterparties from dealing with Google’s competitors.”

How to Change the Default Search Engine on Your iPhone

Here’s how you can change Google Search from your default on your iPhone it in a few steps:

• Go to Settings on your iPhone and tap Safari
• Tap Search Engine
• Choose the search engine you want to use from the list. You can choose to stick with Google or go with Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia
• Close the Settings app and open Safari. You will see that your new search engine is now the default

Sources:

Feiner, Lauren. "Google paid $26 billion in 2021 to become the default search engine on browsers and phones." CNBC. 27 October 2023.

Massachusetts Parents Share a Warning After Finding 2 Sewing Needles Inserted into Their 8-Year-old's Halloween Candy

A father and the local superintendent are warning other parents who took their children trick-or-treating in Sandwich, Massachusetts that two pieces of candy in his child's Halloween bag had puncture holes and contained sewing needles. Someone had malicious intent and came close to harming his child.

Trick or Treating; credit: Jill Wellington on Pexels

A parent's worst fear was realized after they found two pieces of Halloween candy containing sewing needles in their child's candy, and contacted the police.

These parents are now wanting to warn other parents to check any Halloween candy brought home, to make sure it has not been tampered with.

Two Sewing Needles Found in Halloween Candy

WCVB NewsCenter 5 News reported that a mother and father are concerned about the safety of local children who went trick-or-treating down Main Street in Sandwich, MA after finding his 8-year-old possessed candy that had been tampered with.

The parents wished to remain anonymous with speaking to the media, and NewsCenter 5 agreed to withhold their identities.

The father said "He [his son] had bit into a Twix bar and noticed there was something hard" and ended up finding it was a needle and came downstairs and told my wife, 'What the heck is this? I found this in my candy!'"

The mother then did a more thorough search of her son's candy. That's when she also found a needle in a Snickers "fun-sized" bar, which had a punctured wrapper.

The father said:

"This is a potential major injury and potentially life-threatening to a little kid. Think about others and don't be so malicious. If he swallowed this, there is a chance it could pierce into the esophagus or somewhere else in his G.I. tract and get pretty sick so I'm really happy he noticed it was in his mouth before he decided to swallow." -Concerned Father in Sandwich, Massachussetts

The parents recalled the places they took their child trick-or-treating, which included their neighborhood, the Sandwich Public Library, Main Street, and some side streets.

Sandwich Police Department Post Facebook Message to the Public

The Sandwich Police Department posted the following message on Facebook.

It read:

"Updated 11/2/2023 at 11 a.m.

The Sandwich Police Department is investigating the report of a sewing needle found inside a piece of Halloween Candy. Late in the evening on November 1, the Sandwich Police Department was called to a Sandwich residence for a sewing needle found in a piece of Halloween candy. The mother of an 8 year old child advised police that her son was checking his candy and noticed something poking out of it. The mother checked the candy, a small Snickers "fun size" bar. The wrapper had a puncture hole and a sewing needle was found inside the candy bar. She then checked her other children’s candy and discovered a Twix candy bar that also contained a sewing needle. It was reported that the family went trick or treating on the Main Street area of Sandwich. The police department is recommending that all trick-or-treat candy should be inspected. If your child was trick or treating in the downtown area of Sandwich, please be extra vigilant in checking your children’s candy. The police department has not received any other similar complaints.

Please contact the Sandwich Police Department if you suspect or find that your child’s candy has been tampered with. 508-888-1212."

The following images of the Snickers and Twix bars found with needles are seen below.

Candy found with sewing needles

It's sad that there are people out there intentionally trying to harm children.

The Sandwich School Superintendent released a statement, asking parents to check their children's candy for safety.

He said:

"If your child was trick or treating in the downtown area of Sandwich, please be extra vigilant in checking your children's candy." -Dr. Joseph Maruszczak, Sandwich School Superintendent

Thoughts

Now it is time for the reader to share their thoughts on this story.

• Have you ever heard of people tampering with candy on Halloween?
• Have you ever heard of someone putting needles in candy bars?
• What would you have done with your child's candy if you found it had been tampered with?
• Do you think that more people are taking their children to "Trunk-or-Treat" because the candy from church and local events is safer?

Please share this article on social media so others can be informed about this story.

It is very important that parents know to check their child's candy to keep their little ones safe.

Sources

Richardson, Rhondella. "Massachusetts mom reports finding sewing needles in 8-year-old's Halloween candy." WCVB NewsCenter 5 News. 2 November 2023.

Sandwich Police Department profile on Facebook.

Sandwich School Superintendent website.