Disney Dollars Strategy I'm using

[debster812]

I know this won't work for everyone, but here is what I've been doing for about 3 months now.

Anytime I'm at a mall with a Disney store, I pop in and see if they have any Disney Dollars. If they do, I will buy however many Disney Dollars, as I have singles in my wallet (up to $10). I have also received a couple of checks from different surveys I've done, and from eBates. All told, right now, I have $35 Disney Dollars, and another $25 in cash waiting to be converted.

And, we're not going til February!!!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

My strategy is I used all rolled money for Disney Dollars and I also use my Webcertificate I earn through Mypoints for Disney Dollars.

Also, if there's any other unexpected rebates, refunds, or yard sale money, it goes toward Disney Dollars.

 

[debster812]

Oh yes, we do the rolled up coin for Disney Dollars as well. We usually have a big "rolling party" about a month before we go, so we can see how much we have. I need to budget Disney Dollars better this year, since we're only doing 4 days at WDW, and then spending a week in the Ft Myers area.

 

[we3disneygo]

we save change, cash in cans, yard sale, and any rebates, unexpected money and turn it into disney dollars....we are up to 700.00 happy saving!

 

[Jynohn]

We did this last year and it worked out great. We usually go every January so all throughout the year every time I went to the mall I would stop in the Disney Store and buy $10 in Disney dollars. Then I would print out the menus on WDWIG and try to ballpark guess how much we would spend at each restaurant that we were interested in eating in. This worked especially well for character meals/buffets where you knew exactly how much each meal would cost. When I had enough Disney dollars for each meal I would put them in an envelope and write the name of the restaurant, and later our PS time and confirmation # on the outside of it.

By the time our trip rolled around I had an enevelope for almost every special meal we had planned. Each morning I would just grab the envelopes I needed for the day and they would already have the information I needed on them. Not to mention that since everything was "prepaid" it made the meals that much more fun! We paid for almost our whole food budget with Disney dollars and anything that was left over in the envelope if I had overestimated would go to "fun" money.

 

[meandtheguys2]

We did this last year and it worked out great. We usually go every January so all throughout the year every time I went to the mall I would stop in the Disney Store and buy $10 in Disney dollars. Then I would print out the menus on WDWIG and try to ballpark guess how much we would spend at each restaurant that we were interested in eating in. This worked especially well for character meals/buffets where you knew exactly how much each meal would cost. When I had enough Disney dollars for each meal I would put them in an envelope and write the name of the restaurant, and later our PS time and confirmation # on the outside of it.

By the time our trip rolled around I had an enevelope for almost every special meal we had planned. Each morning I would just grab the envelopes I needed for the day and they would already have the information I needed on them. Not to mention that since everything was "prepaid" it made the meals that much more fun! We paid for almost our whole food budget with Disney dollars and anything that was left over in the envelope if I had overestimated would go to "fun" money.

That is one of the best ideas I have heard! YOu are one smart cookie! I loved the voucheres because I could go with meals paid and have been trying to figure a way to do so again! Thank YOu!

 

[TeresaMc]

I have bought Disney Dollars here and there.....I have about $400 right now. I have quit purchasing them since we have a Disney package including dining, I don't think we will need alot of extra money while there.

 

[newchic99]

We have $200 in Disney Dollars. Since we have the free dining, I think that is all I am going to get. We don't usually buy alot of stuff to bring home.

 

[ticketwm35]

I belong to mypoints.How can you use your points for disney dollars?
Help me out on this one I always use them for rainforest g.c.Didn't know I could get disney dollars.

Ticketwm35

 

[beattyfamily]

I belong to mypoints.How can you use your points for disney dollars?
Help me out on this one I always use them for rainforest g.c.Didn't know I could get disney dollars.

Ticketwm35

Don't know how others do it but I do it this way. I always redeem my mypoints for webcertificates which can be used online OR you can get their credit card and use the webcertificate anywhere Master Card is accepted. So I get the webcertificate and then I go to the Disney Store and buy Disney Dollars with it.

Others may buy gift cards at www.disneydirect.com and then go to the Disney Store and buy Disney Dollars but then you'd pay shipping charges.

My way, the only cost is the one-time charge for the webcertificate credit card I got about 5 years ago for $5. Every time it's about to expire, I give them a call and they renew it and send me a new credit card for no charge. It's been well worth it for me!

 

[Trixiezzz]

.... I also use my Webcertificate I earn through Mypoints for Disney Dollars....QUOTE]

I didn't know you could do this. Please tell me how, since our Disney store has closed and I don't have a way to buy DD anymore. Thanks!

 

[lillygator]

We did this last year and it worked out great. We usually go every January so all throughout the year every time I went to the mall I would stop in the Disney Store and buy $10 in Disney dollars. Then I would print out the menus on WDWIG and try to ballpark guess how much we would spend at each restaurant that we were interested in eating in. This worked especially well for character meals/buffets where you knew exactly how much each meal would cost. When I had enough Disney dollars for each meal I would put them in an envelope and write the name of the restaurant, and later our PS time and confirmation # on the outside of it.

By the time our trip rolled around I had an enevelope for almost every special meal we had planned. Each morning I would just grab the envelopes I needed for the day and they would already have the information I needed on them. Not to mention that since everything was "prepaid" it made the meals that much more fun! We paid for almost our whole food budget with Disney dollars and anything that was left over in the envelope if I had overestimated would go to "fun" money.

what a great idea!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

.... I also use my Webcertificate I earn through Mypoints for Disney Dollars....QUOTE]

I didn't know you could do this. Please tell me how, since our Disney store has closed and I don't have a way to buy DD anymore. Thanks!

See my above post. I get a webcertificate and then I go to the Disney Store with my webcertificate credit card and buy them in the store. I do not do it online. I don't know of any way to buy Disney Dollars online.

 

[cristbaby]

My daughter and son-in- law and 3 grandkids are joining us. I wanted to give them a gift of going out to dinner w/o the kids while they are there so I made an ADR for Concourse Steakhouse (their favorite place) and I put enough DD in an envelope to pay for it. They will be thrilled.

 

[ducklite]

Wouldn't it be safer and more economical to deposit that money into an interest bearing savings account? If the DD are lost, destroyed, or stolen, you're out cold. Can't happen with a bank account.

Why let Disney hold your money for that time? Hold it in the bank and make a few bucks in interest.

Anne

 

[meandtheguys2]

That would be the case for all of the trip stuff, in general. I like having tickets purchased, etc before I leave. It is fun, plus, interest rates aren't exactly soaring at this point. MO, of course.

 

[beattyfamily]

Wouldn't it be safer and more economical to deposit that money into an interest bearing savings account? If the DD are lost, destroyed, or stolen, you're out cold. Can't happen with a bank account.

Why let Disney hold your money for that time? Hold it in the bank and make a few bucks in interest.

Anne

Because I enjoy buy Disney Dollars...it's all part of the trip planning fun. Also, once I turn money into DD, I can ONLY use them at Disney World so no chance of being tempted to spend that money on something else.

I have a savings account for Disney with tax money and $200 a month we deposit. I'm earning interest on the bulk of my vacation money, but I also enjoy buying DD with any 'extra', unexpected money I get.

To each their own.

 

[debster812]

Wouldn't it be safer and more economical to deposit that money into an interest bearing savings account? If the DD are lost, destroyed, or stolen, you're out cold. Can't happen with a bank account.

Why let Disney hold your money for that time? Hold it in the bank and make a few bucks in interest.

Anne

I'm echoing beattyfamily here, but I agree with her points. DD are fun, helps build aticipation of the trip, and can't be spent anywhere but a Disney Park. Do we run a small risk, sure? But I'm willing to take it.

Like I said in my OP--It doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me and my family.

 

[cathyamy]

I Buy 2 Big Plastic Piggy Banks Every Year(after We Return From Disney) One Goes To My Grandaughter(7) And One To Me. We Fill It All Year With Extra Coins And Bills. The Week Before We Go(always In Oct), My Husband And I Carry Over Our Piggy Bank To My Daughter's House, Where She Cooks A Nice Filet Mignon Dinner, After Dinner, The 2 Banks Are Put On Dining Room Table After My Son In Law Gives The Big Cut In The Bottom. I Give Out Slips Of Paper To Guess How Much In Each Bank, And I Put Down Two Twenty Dollar Bills, Whoever Gets The Closest After Opening Each Bank,wins The 20. ...my Grandaughter Has A Ball Filling The Penny,nickle,dime And Quarter Wrappers. My Daughter And I Have Fun Counting Out The Bills. We Ususally Have About The Same.....she Saves About 500. Mine Is Usually 600.oo......it's Really A Fun Pre Vacation Nite For Us, And The Money Saved Is Really Like A Gift, Since We Never Miss The Coins And Bills Put Into Them...............try It.you'll Like It..............

 

[disneyfamilyof5]

Okay, I've been reading these boards but have yet to find an explanation of Disney Dollars. What are they? Why do you purchase them? Are they double the value you pay for them? Please help me understand....I leave in 9 days and would love to get some for my kids. We have rolled all our coins, I was gonna take it to the bank this weekend for cash and split the cash between the kids to spend in WDW for themselves. BUT....if Disney Dollars are better....please tell me!!!