Advice on using Disney gift cards

[Fangorn]

Something else to keep in mind that hasn't been mentioned yet. If you use a giftcard for a purchase and later return that purchase, the funds will go back onto the giftcard that was used for the purchase. This is another reason for combining giftcards onto one or more "keeper" cards. You don't want to have a return go back on a card that you pitched because it was empty.

Steve

 

[tguz]

IMO, it is too much work and hassle for just a 5% discount on a gift card.

 

[Suze10860]

I am very frugal.

I think saving 5% is worth a little work and hassle. If I end up buying $2,000 worth of cards (which I'm planning on if everyone who is scheduled to come on our trip does so), I'll be happy to save the $100.

 

[Lumpy1106]

If you are staying on property, just charge everything to your MB. The night before you check out, go down to the concierge and pay your bill using the gift card(s). You DO NOT even need a physical card - just the number with the pass code will do. I don't even buy the cards until I am ready to settle the bill for the week. Nothing to lose, nothing to get stolen, and I even get a 5% discount because I buy the gift cards from the Target website with my Red Card. Easy.

 

[DVCjj]

Please be patient with me on this one. I feel like I’m missing something here, but I’m not exactly sure what it is.

I’m a little confused about the best way to utilize Disney Gift Cards during our next stay. We were there in February of this year, and I had about $600 worth of e-cards (from Sam’s) that I used, but it wasn’t a smooth process. At the Biergarten on our first day, the server had me follow her across the restaurant to input the card info at a terminal, and then couldn’t quite figure out how to use the card directly, so I charged the meal to our room. That made me hesitant to use the e-cards directly at restaurants, so I ended up charging most meals to our room.

Which was fine, but I then spent more time than I wanted to at the front desk of the Yacht Club while e-card info was physically typed into a computer each time I wanted to pay my balance before it was charged to the credit card on file. It seems a bit old school. Not sure why they couldn’t just scan a barcode, but they couldn’t. And yes, I’ve read differing accounts on this forum, but our credit card was charged on the second day we were there to cover a couple of hundred dollars, and they told me at the front desk to come down every other day to avoid credit card charges.

If I’m understanding correctly, you can’t add Disney gift cards from Sam’s (either e-cards or physical cards) directly to your Apple Wallet. Which I think would be the easiest way to use them.

I’m just curious what others do. Get actual physical cards and hand them over at restaurants like a credit card? Can I charge meals to the room and then have the resort scan the physical card to credit my account?

I prefer to charge as little as possible to our credit card while there, so I’d like to figure out the easiest way to make use of gift cards that I’ll purchase in advance at a small discount.

Thanks to anyone who might offer some advice!

This is my easy way when at Disney:
I always get Sam's (and BJ's) Disney cards when they have that great promo. Because I always save one empty Disney Gift Card that's used up, I go to Disney gift card.com and easily put that's Sam's Disney $ on that available gift card. Never ever have a problem using a gift card anywhere in WDW. Always use.
EDIT: It's Disneygiftcards (plural).com

 

[TheBigErn]

Is there any reason to keep old gift cards that have a zero balance and haven't been used in years?

 

[Fangorn]

Is there any reason to keep old gift cards that have a zero balance and haven't been used in years?

Not really, particularly if they're the generic, red Mickey cards. If they are some other design, and they have some sentimental value to you, then sure, keep them.

The only reasons for keeping a card after it's been used is either you think there's a possibility of a refund for something that the card was used for OR it's special and you want to reuse it (I have several that fall into that category).

Steve

 

[mamarachel429]

I am thinking of giving my daughters their own individual cards to spend money rather than use my credit card... will this work? My older one has a tendency to spend way too much on my credit card so I'm trying to limit the funds and keep a budget. I am surprised I did not do this earlier, but they were easier to trust the younger they were... now she is buying all this junk for her boyfriend using more of my own money...

 

[eticketplease]

Is there any reason to keep old gift cards that have a zero balance and haven't been used in years?

If it hasn’t been used in years it is most likely plastic. If it is plastic I would hang on to it as more and more the cards being sold are paper/cardboard which don’t hold up as well. Just make sure you have the card information and pin recorded somewhere so that you can add it to disneygiftcards.com to deposit money on to it.

 

[TheBigErn]

If it hasn’t been used in years it is most likely plastic. If it is plastic I would hang on to it as more and more the cards being sold are paper/cardboard which don’t hold up as well. Just make sure you have the card information and pin recorded somewhere so that you can add it to disneygiftcards.com to deposit money on to it.

good idea, thanks.

 

[MHaf]

Something else to keep in mind that hasn't been mentioned yet. If you use a giftcard for a purchase and later return that purchase, the funds will go back onto the giftcard that was used for the purchase. This is another reason for combining giftcards onto one or more "keeper" cards. You don't want to have a return go back on a card that you pitched because it was empty.

Steve

I do this with my extra money I make from swagbacks and other apps. The money I make from the apps help or pay for our food while we are there.

 

[comicguy]

I just simply charge everything back to my room and pay the charges with my GC's every couple of days, They will also give you a print out of all of your room charges (nice to look at when you get back home and think how the heck did I spend that much!?!?). Good time to stop at front desk is if you take a mid day break or returning from the parks in the evening, I have only ever waited about 5 minutes to work with a CM on paying room charges

 

[SL6827]

Paying down a room balance every few days on your MDE would be a great option, but that just makes too much sense. Also, if you save up say $3,000 on three different gift cards, that is three grand that is for vacation. It can't be used to pay for anything else, any other bill or emergency. You might have to put off your trip until the next year or so, but your still going.

 

[bluezy]

I just simply charge everything back to my room and pay the charges with my GC's every couple of days, They will also give you a print out of all of your room charges (nice to look at when you get back home and think how the heck did I spend that much!?!?). Good time to stop at front desk is if you take a mid day break or returning from the parks in the evening, I have only ever waited about 5 minutes to work with a CM on paying room charges

You can look at your room charges on the MDE app in real time and you also get an email of your room portfolio when you check out.

 

[bluezy]

Paying down a room balance every few days on your MDE would be a great option, but that just makes too much sense. Also, if you save up say $3,000 on three different gift cards, that is three grand that is for vacation. It can't be used to pay for anything else, any other bill or emergency. You might have to put off your trip until the next year or so, but your still going.

That's exactly why we have the Disney Visa card -- to earn rewards/money specifically for a Disney trip. I have people tell me all the time that I could be getting better rewards with a different card (usually one of the airlines, but my husband hates to fly and really only does it for business, so earning free airline tickets is useless for us.), but we stick with the Disney card because it "forces" us to take a Disney trip every few years. That's what works best for us.

 

[MartyParty]

I'd get a physical card (or more depending on how much you are going to combine) and merge the electronic cards onto it via disneygiftcard.com - you can put up to $1000 on one physical card.

This is the way.

I ordered a gift card from the Disney link mentioned above (disneygiftcard.com). Last time a received the card it was plastic but maybe times have changed. In retail stores like Target, I think they are less plastic and more cardboard.

I then keep this same physical card and continue to reload and reuse it. I merger all gift card dollars onto this single card prior to every trip.

Lastly, I tend to do what you mentioned and charge to the room. Having the physical card makes it easier come checkout versus those Sam's e certificates.

 

[VGCgroupie]

This is the way.

I ordered a gift card from the Disney link mentioned above (disneygiftcard.com). Last time a received the card it was plastic but maybe times have changed. In retail stores like Target, I think they are less plastic and more cardboard.

I then keep this same physical card and continue to reload and reuse it. I merger all gift card dollars onto this single card prior to every trip.

Lastly, I tend to do what you mentioned and charge to the room. Having the physical card makes it easier come checkout versus those Sam's e certificates.

They all still plastic. I use $25 ones I buy from shopdisney exclusively to load anything on I bought elsewhere for security reasons. Also makes keeping track of my cards so much easier. I can give each card a name based of the insanely cute picture on the front vs all the store bought ones looking the same.

 

[CarolynFH]

They all still plastic. I use $25 ones I buy from shopdisney exclusively to load anything on I bought elsewhere for security reasons. Also makes keeping track of my cards so much easier. I can give each card a name based of the insanely cute picture on the front vs all the store bought ones looking the same.

I think I’ll order from shopdisney next time I need a new plastic card. I currently have 4 Mickeys, numbered 1-4, and one Toy Story. I need more variety!

 

[VGCgroupie]

I think I’ll order from shopdisney next time I need a new plastic card. I currently have 4 Mickeys, numbered 1-4, and one Toy Story. I need more variety!

My son loves when we open a new one to see what I got! So many fun options. I will get Halloween or Christmas or Birthday and use those for trips during those occasions.

 

[DVCjj]

Is there any reason to keep old gift cards that have a zero balance and haven't been used in years?

Yes, I always keep at least one. Comes in handy when any gift card purchase (like Sam's Club sales or Target) sends the gift card purchase electronically. I simply copy the #'s, go to Disney gift card site and enter it on a hard card to take to the parks.