Comments for Disney's Five Free Blu-Ray Disc Promotion Is Broken

Disney's Five Free Blu-Ray Disc Promotion Is Broken

2008-04-24T22:00:00Z

A lot of you have written in about problems with the Five Free Blu-Ray Discs promotion that was available here. The deal was supposed to be, buy a certain Blu-Ray disc player, mail in the coupon and proof of purchase postmarked by February 29, receive five free Blu-Ray movies. Many of you haven't received your movies. What happened?

]]> One reader reports that he submitted his rebate paperwork during the holidays and still hasn't heard anything. Another says he postmarked his February 29, and received it a few days later with a note that the P.O. Box had been closed. Another recently wrote in to say he still hasn't heard anything from the summer promotion (the postmark deadline for that was October 31).
Here's what we know. The number for the rebate's support line (which most readers say hasn't been very helpful) is 800-598-9671. A WHOIS search for the rebate site shows that Disney is the owner of the site, and one reader spoke to a CSR who suggested mailing a copy of everything to Buena Vista Home Entertainment, PO Box 72699, Rockford, MN 55572. Maybe it's time to EECB of call the CEO of Disney.
UPDATEReader Isaac writes in to let us know that although "Buena Vista Home Entertainment is a stain" and sent him The Corpse Bride because they ran out of The Italian Job, he complained to Costco, where he bought his Blu-Ray Disc Player (in this case, a PS3), and Costco sent him a copy of the movie he wanted, despite having really nothing to do with the rebate. Kudos to Costco, boo to Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

(Photo: highdef)

Comment from Downhill on 2008-05-30

2008-05-30T23:28:54Z

Thanks to 3entari for the post on Canadian orders (The Canadian offer's contact number is 1-877-823-0804.
)

I called the number and a very friendly lady confirmed that my order had been entered, and that they were waiting for stock on some of the discs that I had requested.

Not crazy about the fulfillment part of the offer, as I sent in my rebate between Christmas and New Year's. She said they entered my data in their database on January 23rd, and it's May 30th today, and they still don't have stock, and no ETA. That's a little lame...

Still, can't fault the call centre at all. The rep I spoke to was wonderful!

Anyone looking for other deals on Blu-Ray discs should check out Amazon.com. They have some good "bundle" deals. I think American customers get free shipping, too (cost me almost $17, but it was still worth it).

Cheers!

Comment from shades_of_blue on 2008-04-25

2008-04-25T16:00:24Z

I got my 5 free HDDVD movies in the mail back in February, over 2 months after I sent in the paperwork.

When DVD first hit the market Sony was running a 5 free movie promo, which my sister tried to take advantage of, she never received anything from Sony.

Comment from kyle4 on 2008-04-25

2008-04-25T07:44:35Z

I receieved my free Blu-rays (all the ones I asked for) after about seven weeks.

As for the HD DVD Player I bought after the format was over, it's been almost 6 weeks now and no movies, but I'm still holding out.

Comment from KD17 on 2008-04-25

2008-04-25T07:34:04Z

I know it can take a long time. I got the 5 free mail in on the 07 Summer Promo and it took somewhere around 8-10 weeks. I was able to check the status online ( kern2000 already posted the link ) but it took like 6 weeks till it showed up as being processed.

Comment from Nutterball on 2008-04-25

2008-04-25T06:32:03Z

I called the Canadian toll-free number for the great white north version of this deal today. I mailed out the data in late February -- they said they received it and it was 'data entered' on March 20th, and that the standard was 8-10 weeks for the films to go out from the date of data entry.

So I mailed the goods in February, and it will be June before I get them. Yay rebates.

Better than nothing, though, I guess. ;-)

Comment from TheKingBoar on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T03:25:48Z

@dragonvpm: Just FYI, that number you mentioned is disconnected. I bought my PS3 in early January and still have not gotten my movies. I called them in late February and they said they were processing my order, yet it still hasn't arrived. Now, every time I try and look it up, they've mysteriously lost my information. As if they weren't trying to lose my business already by charging $20.00 more for a Blu-ray than a DVD. Whoever is running this thing needs to get their act in gear.

Comment from zgoat on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T02:47:56Z

I sent in the request mid to end of February and haven't received anything.

Sadly, I think I forgot to make copies and just tried calling that customer service number and it says disconnected.

Guess no free movies for me huh

Comment from hubris on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T02:21:35Z

@statnut: Lies! While I do actually like the Rock's acting, that was a steaming pile of crap.

Comment from CJ4 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T01:53:50Z

I submitted mine in mid-February and also just received my movies about 2 weeks ago - just as I was starting to assume that I would never get them.

Comment from jackjackson on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T01:23:06Z

I got mine today, after a few months. I was just about to start complaining.

Comment from statnut on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T01:15:55Z

@omerhi: Haha, you secretly wanted Doom. :)

I submitted mine in October, and got my discs in December/January.

Comment from Snowrunner on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T01:11:13Z

I bought a PS3 back in June of last year, just after they chopped the price. I mailed the paperwork in ~a month later, first wanted to make sure I wanted to keep the thing.

A month later I got a call, apparently I sent them the wrong barcode, right, after some back and forth they told me they'd still send me the discs, that was sometime in mid August.

In Early January I called them up to inquire what exactly was going on, they told me because of Paramount dropping Blu-Ray in August they had to "reassess" what they could send me, so now it seems I get the original Fantastic 4 instead of Babel (yeah, great substitution, those movies are so much alike) and that it would ship now.

Now we're in April, nothing has shown up, a week ago I get a call claiming that Canada Post apparently returned the package because I never picked it up, though I never got a note (okay, that could be my parcel carrier, I work from home and yet, somehow I never seem to be here when he tries to ring, UPS, FEDEX or Purolator for some reason don't seem to have that issue).

Well, a week has passed since the call, who knows, maybe they finally show up before the end of the decade.

Comment from OminousG on 2008-04-24

2008-04-25T01:09:45Z

I bought an 80gb PS3 from WalMart on Black Friday last year. Not only did WalMart give me 10 free BluRay movies in the store, I mailed in for my 5 free movie offer and got those before Christmas.
Smoothest and quickest mail in I ever had to deal with.

Comment from dragonvpm on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:53:43Z

I sent my rebate form in at the end of January (in fact I bought my PS3 partially to take advantage of the offer). I just called their fulfillment line (1-800-596-9671) and asked about my movies.

According to the CSR I spoke to they sent them out today (talk about suspiciously convenient timing) and it looks like I got the 5 movies I picked. I'm going to be hopeful that she wasn't misspeaking, but, I was amused when she informed me that I should allow 3-4 weeks for delivery...

What modern method of delivery can possibly take 3-4 weeks to get 5 discs anywhere in the US?

Comment from secretoftheeast on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:37:49Z

I forgot to include the UPC of the player I bought, (I'm usually good at rebates, so I guess I dropped the ball). However, I was able to resend the application to a different address that was given, and I'm still waiting. I got my player in early feb, and heard from them last in march.

Comment from 3nteri on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:36:46Z

The Canadian offer's contact number is 1-877-823-0804.
Surprisingly, the agent was very helpful, had no problems bringing up my account, and gave me the date it was approved, an estimated ship date, and an order number for future reference!
I didn't even have to wait on hold!

Hooray for polite Canadians! lol.

Comment from Alex Chasick on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:29:46Z

Although I appreciate that Consumerist readers have exquisite taste in cinema, anyone who doesn't think American Psycho is amazing is not someone I want to know.

Comment from Yoooder on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:21:31Z

Mine came through. Mailed out the rebate forms in Mid January and received my movies a couple/few weeks back.

Comment from macinjosh on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T23:12:20Z

Incomplete story! It does not say whether he used highlighter or not.

Oh, and I blame the victim.

:winky eye emoticon:

Comment from joopiter on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:57:39Z

My mother participated in the Summer Blu-Ray offer. First time around, she forgot one of the receipts so she had it returned. Second time around, she didn't notice that they had requested she send it to a different PO Box, so it got returned as undeliverable (and after the rebate was up.) I called the clearing house and they told me to send the whole package to Buena Vista Home Entertainment with a note explaining the situation, but that she couldn't guarantee that they would respond. We actually wrote it off as a loss, but about 10 weeks later she got the movies with a note from Buena Vista apologizing for the delay and only one movie substituted for something she didn't choose. So the contacting of Buena Vista might actually work if your movies are MIA.

Comment from cronick on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:55:14Z

Same here. Sent in my rebate forms in mid-February. Got the discs the other day.

Comment from CPC24 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:55:12Z

They don't have to give them away anymore, now that HD DVD is gone. The prices of discs and players have risen and soon Netflix will charge more. I'm starting to miss the format war.

Comment from kern2000 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:51:22Z

Go to:
[portal.archway.com]

You can check the status of your shipment there.

Comment from kern2000 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:49:39Z

Go to:
[portal.archway.com]

You can check the status of it here.

Comment from satoru on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:48:11Z

That's peculiar. I sent my rebates in early February. I got my Blu-Ray disks in the mail just last week. I was going to give them a call to complain since it had been awhile, but they magically came in the mail. They even gave me the selections I wanted which was scary because I assumed they were going to give me the crappy ones despite my selections.

Comment from randombob on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:47:48Z

I finally got mine about two weeks ago. Sent out in late January. Yeah I agree that the choices were crap, though I INCLUDE FMJ in that group of suckiness.

For the the only shining star in the bunch (which I picked & luckily did not get substituted) was The Prestige.

yay me! Now i just need to find some sucker to buy 4 sucky movies off of me: Chain Reaction, SWAT, American Psycho (what the fuck??), and something else I can't even be bothered to remember, lol.

Comment from DashTheHand on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:41:53Z

I called a few weeks ago and was told I was in the system and to give them a few more weeks before the "you will revceive within 10-12 weeks" would be up.

Comment from sharki3232 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:31:56Z

@omerhi: I had the same thing with my free HD-DVD offer. I submitted back in November didn't recieve them until early April and only got three of the five that I wanted.

The key is to be patient, these types of things can take several months.

Comment from MattO on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:26:07Z

i just got mine last week from ordering roughly middle of feb....

Comment from Copper on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:26:03Z

I got mine mid-March after sending it in the beginning of February.

Comment from Traveshamockery on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:22:00Z

Is this the Buena Vista fulfillment of the 5 Free BD offer, or something else?

If the former, I received my discs in February after about a 4-5 week wait.

Comment from hubris on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:19:41Z

Gah! *wouldn't want

Comment from hubris on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:18:59Z

I *finally* received my 5 HD-DVD movies on Tuesday, after having sent it in mid-December. Worse, they substituted three of the movies for different ones, two of which I already had (Serenity and Blood Diamond) and one of which I would want in a million years (Doom....blegh).

Comment from bigdirty on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:18:21Z

I received mine this week from sending it in in Mid-February. It took the max range they said, but they came and I got everything I asked for. Now the HD-DVD offer, I'm still waiting on, and right about now, I'm not holding my breath, and even if I get them, it probably will be 5 random movies I could care less about.

Comment from nyaz on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:17:48Z

@dragonfire81: didn't help that the movies they offered were equally sucky, cept Full Metal Jacket.

Comment from dragonfire81 on 2008-04-24

2008-04-24T22:11:10Z

Mail in promotions are almost always sucky, that's why I try to avoid them at all costs.