Disney Gift Cards versus Cash

[_19disnA]

There are also 24hr Chase ATM's located throughout Disney, so you don't need to bring a lot of cash with you.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/atm/

 

[pooh2001]

We paid for our WL room with Disney gift cards - it was like getting our room for free
saved up for 3 years !

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We paid for our WL room with Disney gift cards - it was like getting our room for free
saved up for 3 years !

It's the best feeling to have a great vacation and go home knowing it's all paid for (no CC statement lurking when get home).

 

[Alynw]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

 

[siren0119]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

You can combine Disney gift card balances onto a single card (up to $1000) at the Disney gift card website! YMMV but for us, ANY savings is worth it I will buy GC with my target red card anytime I can, then combine them onto one card. I use that GC to make my trip payments, and then have that and one other that I bring to the parks for spending money. Doing it that way, I will save just over $200 across the entire vacation - that's almost enough to cover the cost of our dinner at Hoop Dee Doo!

 

[DisneyHardin]

If you choose to go the cash route, I would still charge to the room and then go pay the room charges with the cash so that you can just keep the cash in the safe and not actually carry it on you all the time.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

I buy GC to get the best discount. Yes, I combine our cards on: https://www.disneygiftcard.com/ Like @siren0119 said, combine them into units of $1000. You must have the plastic card in you hot little hand to use it. The web site is not an e-card or e-bank, just a method to consolidate. Between the store discounts (Target, Sam's, BJ's) using apps (swagbucks, Dosh,) and a great cc that pays rewards (does you debit pay rewards?) I'm getting 8%-17% savings on MONEY. It all adds up !

 

[wed100105]

I saved almost $250 just on gift card savings (not including credit card bonuses) on our summer trip. That's worth it to me. It may not be for everybody, but I don't mind a few extra steps to save!

 

[clutter]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

1I've had a few trips to Disney where my credit card was compromised shortly after I returned. It's a pain, but at least with a credit card, I'm not out any cash. Plus it's a lot easier to deal with. So I would not be using a debit card there, unless it was linked to an account that was only for that purpose. (I don't have my savings account on my debit/ATM card for the same reason.) Also, with a debit card, isn't there a minimum charge that a hotel will charge against your account, so be prepared.

I'm a convert; I LOVE the MBs. I'm a control freak, so I was worried about overspending. However on my last trip, I bought gift cards in advance to pay for meals, etc. I ended up having to spend more than my normally thrifty self would. Once I got used it it, it was nice to treat ourselves for a little bit. (We're past the souvenir stage.) But the Magic Bands made the GCs really easy to work with. Just run down every few days and pay off the bill. I didn't do it to save money (but I did get Southwest miles!), but the convenience was amazing. Felt so much more like a vacation, and just about everything was paid for before we even left.

 

[Malyficent]

I have both Sam's and BJ's. Right now I think the best deal on the GC is at Sams for the $150 (3 $50 cards), 142.98, about 4.7%. using the Disney Visa to buy them puts the savings over 5% when you factor in the rewards. When does BJs have the 8-9 % sale? That would be fabulous?
The problem is that now I have so many $50 GC! I am going to try the Disney website where you can combine the cards. Has anyone used that?

BJs was doing the 8-9% discount about every three weeks back before Christmas. I started catching them around Halloween. Not sure of their usual spacing during the year. I haven't been buying them recently.

I used the gift card combo site and even added one on the fly while in the middle of Hollywood Studios (had it set aside for DS1 to use for toys but he didn't so I added it to my master card and used it for our last lunch).

 

[Alynw]

You can combine Disney gift card balances onto a single card (up to $1000) at the Disney gift card website! YMMV but for us, ANY savings is worth it I will buy GC with my target red card anytime I can, then combine them onto one card. I use that GC to make my trip payments, and then have that and one other that I bring to the parks for spending money. Doing it that way, I will save just over $200 across the entire vacation - that's almost enough to cover the cost of our dinner at Hoop Dee Doo!

Now that makes a big difference to me, being able to put on 1 card and still save the 5%. My only real reserve was deciding if the saving was worth having to handle seperate cards and balances. Im goin consider this and look into some more. Thanks

 

[TJsMomSarahJane]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

Here's what I do:

1. Get Disney Gift Card - I mostly use Swagbucks, cash those out for Walmart gift cards, then buy Disney gift cards from Sam's Club. Or, I use the Target Card for 5% off and buy them from the online site.

2. Consolidate - As and when the DGCs come in, I use the https://www.disneygiftcard.com/ mentioned a few times to combine the smaller-amount cards into fewer larger-amount ones.

3. Document - I take pictures of the back of those cards in case it gets lost - that way I can go back to the DGC site and transfer funds to the cards I *do* have.

4. Spend - Before the trip, I use the cards to pay the deposit, then the package balance with Disney. When it's time to go to Disney, I bring the 4-5 cards that I've consolidated into. I leave them in the hotel room safe. While in the parks, I charge everything to my room via the Magic Band.

5. Pay Off - Every few days, I take a card or two and bring it to the hotel's front desk and pay off the balance from the room charges.

We've done this for two vacations now, and literally saved thousands. My wife and I just started back on Step 1 again at the start of last month, and between the two of us we've already got $465 n DGCs. This is 100% from the Swagbucks > Walmart GC > Sam's Club > DCG method I've mentioned above. Our trip is in the fall of 2020, so hoping to get at least a couple thousand in DGCs betwen now and then.

 

[AlohaNow]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try. How much trouble is it to carry a bunch of cards and keep track of balances. From what i can see, the actual savings is very little, maybe $50-$100 by using these so is really worth it or is most people using these because they dont want to use cash. I use my 1 bank debit card for everything, is it worth the hassle to go from 1 card to several different to save $50?

Once I started churning for GCs it just became habit. And I really enjoy seeing my savings add up on my geeky spreadsheet. Of course deciding to start is dependent upon having the time and inclination for the few extras steps involved. Now it is just what I do and I don’t consider it effort. When amassing thousands in gift cards, your savings can be in the hundreds and I have no doubt that some have hit $1,000 in savings. Without churning, we couldn’t do Disney, so I’m going to churn!

 

[Alynw]

Once I started churning for GCs it just became habit. And I really enjoy seeing my savings add up on my geeky spreadsheet. Of course deciding to start is dependent upon having the time and inclination for the few extras steps involved. Now it is just what I do and I don’t consider it effort. When amassing thousands in gift cards, your savings can be in the hundreds and I have no doubt that some have hit $1,000 in savings. Without churning, we couldn’t do Disney, so I’m going to churn!

Just a quick break down, i stay offsite and cant use gc to pay for house and i use my southwest card (points) to pay for flights and we go to other places like universal. So, i was thinking that i would only be able to use gc for my spending which is prob around 2k with food and souvenir so i wasnt sure if $100 was worth the extra steps and time. But, if i could use the gc to purchase all of our tickets and spending, ur talkn about 4k which now has a $200 savings which seems like id be crazy not to use em. Im guessing these gc are exclusive to disney?

 

[pooh2001]

We gave the WL about 20 $100 DGC to pay off our room
Took sometime - but guest services was very helpful and nice.

 

[Jimsig]

I see alot of different posts about the gift card savings 5% and im tryn to decide if its something i want to try.

5% might not seem like much at first but when you are talking say a $4000 vacation that's a savings of $200 which is like getting a free night at some resorts, or a free meal TS meal at certain locations, or a few QS meals. If you are able to get them a BJ's for 8% your savings are even more.

 

[Adventurelawyer]

Just a quick break down, i stay offsite and cant use gc to pay for house and i use my southwest card (points) to pay for flights and we go to other places like universal. So, i was thinking that i would only be able to use gc for my spending which is prob around 2k with food and souvenir so i wasnt sure if $100 was worth the extra steps and time. But, if i could use the gc to purchase all of our tickets and spending, ur talkn about 4k which now has a $200 savings which seems like id be crazy not to use em. Im guessing these gc are exclusive to disney?

Not at all. You can find GCs for all sorts of companies that might be useful. Do you eat at Rainforest? GC. Do you fly a particular airline? GC. I used Swagbucks to buy a GC for an oil change at Jiffy Lube with my 1.5% cashback CC, and prepaid for a discount, plus I got almost 1K in Swagbucks on my (necessary) oil change, which earned me a $10 visa gift card. Those add up too. Oh, and I’ll still get the cash back reward from my CC.

You can find discounts on Prepaid Visas too. Safeway in my area is running a discount on them, plus you usually get 4X rewards points for fuel or grocery. You can always take those savings and earmark for trips or put them into additional GC.

 

[Herbatlees]

Can you use your magic band to pay for things after you check out? Presumably, we will be in the park our check out date. So can we still use our MB to pay for stuff?

Can you settle your bill using GC's on the MDE app?

 

[siren0119]

Can you use your magic band to pay for things after you check out? Presumably, we will be in the park our check out date. So can we still use our MB to pay for stuff?

Can you settle your bill using GC's on the MDE app?

No. The Magic band does not directly link to your credit card in any way. It links to your hotel stay, similar to a room service charge. That's why you settle up your bill at the front desk of the hotel. once you check out, you would need to use your credit card/cash/gift card to pay for anything you would have normally used the MB for.

 

[DisArmyWife215]

Can you use your magic band to pay for things after you check out? Presumably, we will be in the park our check out date. So can we still use our MB to pay for stuff?

Can you settle your bill using GC's on the MDE app?

No to both. But if you have GC's on you; you can just use those on items you'd want to charge back anyway.