Canadian Disney Gift Cards

[Sue M]

I used them on my last trips to DL & WDW and they worked fine. I have always used gift cards at the parks instead of using my Visa or Mastercard. But I also go to other US destinations as well so have a USD checking acct & Visa. Before you could use Canadian Disney gift cards at the parks I’d just buy them once I arrived in WDW with my US Visa.

 

[Tinkershelly]

Anybody from Nova Scotia and find the gift cards any other place besides WalMart ? I have been checking weekly at the local Walmart’s around me and can’t find any since Christmas ! I’m hoping to get a few more before my trip in april !

I have been too and not found them anywhere since they first came out at the Walmart in Bedford.

 

[ebharris]

I found the gift cards at Shoppers here in Winnipeg. I picked up one for each of my kids for our summer trip, and will get more-it’s a decent way for them to have spending and snack money in the parks.

Side note, the manager told me that they can order the cards they want, so if you can’t find them you may want to ask mgmt if they’ll order them!

 

[star72232]

Has anyone seen Disney GC at Shell?

 

[b33ching]

Was debating charging vacation package to AMEX (2x the points on travel) or no forex fee by using GC. Found a way to do both. Went to local Shoppers and purchased GCs using AMEX. Shoppers is considered "grocery" which still incurs 2x the points! Then also found out I have enough DMR points for some USD GCs! Will be securing my exchange rate once the reward GCs come in the mail.

Every dollar counts when Canadian dollar is so low...

 

[kuhltiffany]

Has anyone seen Disney GC at Shell?

I wish! I've been stocking up on GC every paycheque since our closest Shell is part of the 5AM for $5 in-store promotion, but haven't seen any Disney ones...

 

[StarSeven7]

Can anyone confirm that we can use the gift cards purchased in Canada (thinking of buying them at Shoppers) to pay off our room only reservation when we arrive this week?

 

[Donald - my hero]

Can anyone confirm that we can use the gift cards purchased in Canada (thinking of buying them at Shoppers) to pay off our room only reservation when we arrive this week?

A quick scan thru just this thread has pulled up the following answers that confirm, yes you can pay for your RO reservations -- lots are doing it even before they leave home.

I Went and purchased the remaining balance for my RO reservation. The Disney Store gave me 3 x $1000 gift cards, so I called immediately as I got in the car and paid it off!

The exchange rate is the day you use the cards not buy the card.

I have a room only reservation and I am applying the cards to my reservation to prepay by calling the reservation number . I was just going to hold all the cards until I got to the park but feel the exchange rate will not improve so want to lock in at the current rate.

It says on the cards that they are good at the parks, plus DCL and even Adventure by Disney trips.

You can definitely use them at the parks. I've been using them to make payments on my room reservation in WDW in March. They are worth their value in Canadian dollars but when you use them in the parks it's converted to USD so it will only be worth whatever the exchange rate is. I believe they go off of the exchange rate of the previous day when you use them.

I have been using them to pay off a room only reservation through the automated system and the gift card is treated the same way as a credit card, so I would think DVC is the same.

Buying the gift card saves you the approximate 2.5% fee that the credit card companies charge on the exchange, and you are still getting the points through your Avion card.

I've almost got my room paid off with gift cards by calling in and making payments over the phone. It's been working great!

I don't plan to cancel but if something happens and we do they'll put it all back on my GC and I'll have a good chunk of money to put towards the next trip!

 

[StarSeven7]

A quick scan thru just this thread has pulled up the following answers that confirm, yes you can pay for your RO reservations -- lots are doing it even before they leave home.

Thank you! I was working my way through the thread but we wanted to leave in a few minutes to go buy the giftcards so I wanted to double check before I did that!

 

[Donald - my hero]

Thank you! I was working my way through the thread but we wanted to leave in a few minutes to go buy the giftcards so I wanted to double check before I did that!

It's super easy to use the search feature on the boards .. I just typed in Room Only, clicked this thread only and hit search. Hope you have a blast next week!

 

[StarSeven7]

Just to confirm for anyone else wondering, we bought enough gift cards to pay off the remaining balance on our room only reservation (at Shoppers) and I was able to call it in immediately when I got home and pay off that entire balance. We figure we saved just over $100 on the foreign transaction fee!

 

[DavidL]

Just to confirm for anyone else wondering, we bought enough gift cards to pay off the remaining balance on our room only reservation (at Shoppers) and I was able to call it in immediately when I got home and pay off that entire balance. We figure we saved just over $100 on the foreign transaction fee!

Thanks for the informational post. I've found this to be a very helpful thread. That foreign transaction fee is something that many people don't realize exists because the credit card companies bury it in the exchange rate.

We have an upcoming trip to Disney in August. The idea of purchasing gift cards in Canada is now something is something we are considering..

 

[Pumpkin1172]

I really wish they would do that for Universal Studios as well. It would help to offset some of the cost...instead of having to travel with cash vs credit cards. I HATE HATE HATE giving any extra money to those companies!!!!

 

[tinkerone]

Is anyone able to tell me what the exchange rate for the GC are today? I would love to compare to what I get as a rate from my bank. TIA.

 

[milena2008]

Just purchased a Disney gift card for the first time and it’s written « card not valid until activated », do we have something to do to activate the gift card?
Thanks!

 

[Donald - my hero]

Just purchased a Disney gift card for the first time and it’s written « card not valid until activated », do we have something to do to activate the gift card?
Thanks!

No, once the cashier scans it that will activate it ... simply means that you can't take a gift card off the shelf and walk out of the store without paying for it.

 

[milena2008]

No, once the cashier scans it that will activate it ... simply means that you can't take a gift card off the shelf and walk out of the store without paying for it.

Thank you!

 

[isabellea]

Is anyone able to tell me what the exchange rate for the GC are today? I would love to compare to what I get as a rate from my bank. TIA.

Two days late but I registered one of my GC today and the website shows 19.74$USD for 25$CDN. I also got 100$USD from BMO and I paid 130.54$. Now you need to figure out the calculations to compare (sorry I cannot help you with that).

 

[tinkerone]

Two days late but I registered one of my GC today and the website shows 19.74$USD for 25$CDN. I also got 100$USD from BMO and I paid 130.54$. Now you need to figure out the calculations to compare (sorry I cannot help you with that).

Thanks. I actually went and bought a $25 gift card so I could figure it out. I'm retired bank staff so the rate I get is better than the rate others get. Having said that, the rate of exchange on the GC works out to exactly the same as the rate of exchange I get on US dollars from being staff. Looking at that example, buying GC's is a much better deal for the average person but doesn't benefit me so much. I think I am going to use my Air Miles to purchase them though. It will be a round about way but still money I don't have to lay out.
Again, thanks for your answer.

ETA--The examples you gave work out to $1.266464 for the gift card and $1.3054 for the cash so you can see you are gaining almost 4 cents per dollar with the card. Not bad at all.

 

[DucksDad]

Two days late but I registered one of my GC today and the website shows 19.74$USD for 25$CDN. I also got 100$USD from BMO and I paid 130.54$. Now you need to figure out the calculations to compare (sorry I cannot help you with that).

You got approximately $76.60 USD for $100 CDN from the bank and $78.96 USD for $100 CDN through the gift card. Canadian Disney gift card wins by approximately 3.08% (i.e. $78.96/$76.60 = 1.308)