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View Full Version : What to do with $300 gift card?

AmandaK
12-23-2009, 08:29 AM
It seems that we should use it for dining because getting a dining plan will not save $300, right? The dining plans seem to save around $100, right?
msce2
12-23-2009, 09:43 AM
Do you have any thoughts on where you might want to eat? Once you know where you want to eat, you can use the menus at allears.net for the prices (they may not always be exact, but they are pretty darn close and a great tool when planning)

To find out how much the dining plan saved us, I made some calculations.

1. How much it would cost without the plan. (remember to add tax and any upcharges depending on when you are going)
2. How much it would cost with the plan (ddp prices per night * # of nights you are staying)

On our last trip, I found we saved money by doing the plan vs paying OOP for everything. This is not the same for everyone, and when planning our most recent trip, I considered doing DDP for 2 nights and DxDDP for 2 nights (we have 2 reservations), and found that we would actually be paying more for the DDP then we would get. So it was worth it to do the DxDDP for all 4 nights and eat at the restaurants we really wanted to eat at. I have us saving over $400 and that's based on a conservative avg cost.

A lot of people really enjoy paying OOP instead of feeling "tied down" to a dining plan. When we go in 2012, we are probably not going to be doing the dining plan because our oldest will be a Disney adult :rotfl2: and it probably won't be worth it.
TinkerBelle920
12-23-2009, 10:37 AM
Get the dining plan but use the gift card to pay for it then you are saving around $400
AmandaK
12-23-2009, 11:19 AM
I have to pay for the dining 45 days prior and won't get the gift card until I check in.
beroh2253
12-23-2009, 12:07 PM
Take everyone to see the Hoop-Dee Doo, then with souvenirs the rest of the $300 will evaporate.
tinka-belle
12-23-2009, 05:16 PM
Book a Bounceback and use $200 of the GC for the deposit!
squirrel
12-23-2009, 10:09 PM
How much money would you spend on souveniers?

You can use the gift card to pay the gratuities on your TS meals.

Will you be upgrading tickets?

If you are having trouble using up the $300 then maybe you don't need the DDP, just pay out of pocket.