Help! Question re: paying in gift cards

[PeanutButterMom]

I'm planning on going and buying gift cards on Monday and paying off our trip. BUT I have a question.

Right now, I'm booked for POR, Garden view, and Park hoppers for 4 (2 adults, 2 kids). I'm hoping for Free Dining, but prepared for none. Question is, should I add the DDP onto my reservation now, and get credited in the event that there IS FD come July or whenever? (I'll keep the used gift cards just in case regardless). Or just pay off what I have reserved (no DDP) and add it in the event that we know for sure. (we will definitely have the dining plan, regardless).

 

[blessedby3]

I'm planning on going and buying gift cards on Monday and paying off our trip. BUT I have a question.

Right now, I'm booked for POR, Garden view, and Park hoppers for 4 (2 adults, 2 kids). I'm hoping for Free Dining, but prepared for none. Question is, should I add the DDP onto my reservation now, and get credited in the event that there IS FD come July or whenever? (I'll keep the used gift cards just in case regardless). Or just pay off what I have reserved (no DDP) and add it in the event that we know for sure. (we will definitely have the dining plan, regardless).

Not sure about your question, I just wanted to say that I had gift cards that I was going to use to buy our MNSSHP this past October (I had been buying them up for a while). After giving her two of them (I had quite a few) she said that I couldnt use anymore (that they system couldnt take them). Not sure why, but just wanted you to be aware this happened to me and you may want to call WDW before you buy a bunch of gift cards.

 

[aprhj]

I used the automated system to pay off out last trip, 70+ gift cards, I paid 3 gropings just for my sanity.

If I were you I would wait to see if free dining was added but that's jus me. Not sure if one way or the other would be better but although I kept all my gift cards until after our trip I sure would not have wanted to hunt for specific ones for a credit.

 

[PeanutButterMom]

So far, I've used maybe 7 or 8 cards (from the Target deal at Christmas). I know I could only enter 2 online, so I called and did it over the phone no problem.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I am in the same boat with you. We are booked for POR, will be paying in gift cards and I am holding out hoping for free dinning. I plan on just adding it if it becomes available. That way I do not have to worry about keeping up with refunds and how much was sent back to which card.

 

[Abharmagic]

Why are you paying your vacation off now? Put it in an account and sit on the money, or buy cards and sit on them. No offers for the Fall have come out yet- no reason to pay yet b/c if you pay now full price rack rate you pretty much KNOW a discount of some sort is coming out- whether it's 30% off rooms, Free Dining, something else. It would be more of a PITA to get credited back money you already paid than to just pay for the trip when the trip gets closer and you know what discounts are being offered. Add dining, you can always remove it. FWIW when I was going to cancel my trip paid for with Disney Gift Cards a few months ago I was told that I would receive a CHECK from Disney not the money credited back to the original gift cards.