You can also purchase Disney Dollars from WDW Mail Order - (407) 363-6200.
DD$ are accepted at any Disney-owned venue in the WDW parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney.
Click the link in my signature for more info on Disney Dollars.
The new Disney gift cards are a nice option for saving for your trip, but they have a few limitations - they can only be accepted in places that have credit card readers, which means that some of the smaller drink, snack, and merchandise carts can't take them.
FYI - if you lose a Disney gift card, you can get it replaced, as long as you have the original purchase reciept.