Disney gift cards

[taratony]

We are going to WDW the first of April. Our thoughts are to give our older kids gift cards (instead of cash) to use through the trip because we think we will be split up most of the time. Can the cards be used at restaurants, turkey leg kiosk, and any other gift shops??? We're pretty sure this can be done, but would like advice from others.

 

[ducklite]

Why not just give them charge priveleges on thier room keys so they can buy their meals and souveniers that way?

When you look at your room charges, each transaction has a number that corresponds to a card next to it. So it will be easy to determine who bought what, and if you are talking about kids old enough to be left alone in teh parks, they are old enough to understand the concept of "this is how much you can spend today." (If they can't understand that concpet, please rethink allowing them to be apart from you!)

We did this with our son, and every day got a printout to keep an eye on his charges. We never restricted his food charges--he wasn't going to Singature restaurants--and if he was hungry enough to eat four hot dogs at Casey's, I wasn't going to deny him food! He understood that he wasn't allowed to spend any morey on souveniers that he didn't have the cash to repay us, and was good about his spending.

Anne

 

[Caitsmama]

Um, i vote for the disney gift card vs the room card! At least if you give them the gift card, they have full responsibility over their money, so if they know that once they run out - they run out, maybe they will think twice about wasting their money..
Now, if they carry around your room key with charging on it........ hmm... think of the possibilities!! no thanks! LOL
I think the gift cards are GREAT.. You could even go as far as to give them one a day - with a set amount of money on it, and then they know that is their spending money for the day.. period.
I myself used the gift card system last trip, i put $500 on one for strictly food, and then carried another for spending money.. it worked out great, and will be doing that again next yr.

 

[Caitsmama]

Oh, and i never had a problem using the cards - even at a cart in DTD just to get my dd a bottle of water.
Very easy.

 

[kristinleigh]

Santa left Disney gift cards in our kids stockings for our trip next week. Now they can buy their own souvinears!

 

[ducklite]

Um, i vote for the disney gift card vs the room card! At least if you give them the gift card, they have full responsibility over their money, so if they know that once they run out - they run out, maybe they will think twice about wasting their money..
Now, if they carry around your room key with charging on it........ hmm... think of the possibilities!! no thanks! LOL
I think the gift cards are GREAT.. You could even go as far as to give them one a day - with a set amount of money on it, and then they know that is their spending money for the day.. period.
I myself used the gift card system last trip, i put $500 on one for strictly food, and then carried another for spending money.. it worked out great, and will be doing that again next yr.

Like I said, my son never had a problem with controlling his spending habits and not spending more on souvies than he had the cash to repay us for.

Not all kids go crazy when given "credit."

Anne

 

[Caitsmama]

Yes, but would every kid do that?? To me, why take the chance - When there is a "safer" way to give the child money to spend???

 

[kimis]

I gave gift cards to my nieces (age 13 & 16) and they never had any problems using them any where. I was concerned they would lose them but that can happen to an adult too.
Make sure you have telephones or walkie talkies so you can connect up when you want. Enjoy

 

[icebrat001]

Like I said, my son never had a problem with controlling his spending habits and not spending more on souvies than he had the cash to repay us for.

Not all kids go crazy when given "credit."

Anne

I think it is a good time to teach kids about credit.

 

[ducklite]

Yes, but would every kid do that?? To me, why take the chance - When there is a "safer" way to give the child money to spend???

If a kid isn't mature enough to understand the concept of not spending money they aren't supposed to, then please don't unleash them on the rest of the world. Keep them with you. The ability to manage money is just another level of maturity. If they can't manage rules regarding money, then they aren't mature enough to be left on thier own in the parks because they obviously aren't mature enough to obey "rules" in general.

Anne

 

[Caitsmama]

If a kid isn't mature enough to understand the concept of not spending money they aren't supposed to, then please don't unleash them on the rest of the world. Keep them with you. The ability to manage money is just another level of maturity. If they can't manage rules regarding money, then they aren't mature enough to be left on thier own in the parks because they obviously aren't mature enough to obey "rules" in general.

Anne

I'm sorry, i disagree. When you put any teen in WDW, there is a temptation to spend - even for the strictest adult.. Between food, and gifts.. there is just a ton out there. I don't feel it makes the kid a bad kid b/c they want to get something or might want that extra snack -- if they go over their daily spending limit..
I think the gift cards help teach them all about "credit" b/c if it is not available on their card, then they can't get it.. same as a credit card.. Also, what about the card loss?? If the kid happens to drop their room key with charging on it, and doesn't realize it -- well now, just about anyone can scoop that up. Yes, they can do that with a gift card too - but at least they are restricted to what's on it.
Let's be real - I am 29, and i still have a hard time "managing money" in WDW! I'm always tempted to spend more than i should.. Should i not be going??

 

[WillCAD]

The Disney Gift Card can be used at any Disney-owned venue at WDW that has an electronic card reader, including shops, stores, restaurants, and eateries in both the parks and resorts, and at Downtown Disney (note that some of the shops in DTDs West Side are not Disney owned and therefore don't take room charge, Disney Dollars, or Disney Gift Cards).

A useful feature of the gift cards: they can be replaced if lost, just like a lost park pass or room key, as long as you have the original purchase reciept. So keep those reciepts safe, and take them to WDW with you!

 

[ducklite]

If a room key is lost or stolen, it can be cancelled and reissued--and any "fraudulent charges" will be wiped off. If a Gift card is lost or stolen, if you have the numbers from the back it can be replaced--only up to the value left on the card at the time it's looked up, they won't put back money used by someone else except under very special circumstances.

Room chargtes are actulaly safer to carry. And the signatures are compared on room charges, not on gift cards, making it much more difficult to use a "found" room card to charge with.

And I still feel that any kid who can't control their spending is probably not mature enough to be alone in the parks.

Anne

 

[TMB1203]

ducklite-I agree with you-I don't see a problem giving your child a room key with charging privledges. Obviously, there is a certain age and maturity level needed, not only for charging privledges but for wandering the park on their own. I have an 11 year old so this isn't an issue for me, but in a couple years, I will allow my DS to have charging privledges on his room key. It will be fully explained to him and a limit will be set. Like anything else, you monitor your child and if they are abusing their privledge it's taken away.

Currently, my son puts Disney Dollars on his wish lists for Christmas/birthday's and has some spending money for himself that he can use anyway he would like.

 

[Caitsmama]

Then, i guess again, i shouldn't be in WDW myself..LOL

To the OP -- how old exactly are these kids you are talking about anyway? You didn't say- and i think that makes a difference as to wheather or not they should have the oppertunity to carry anything. Although - if you are saying that they will be alone in the parks, i am assuming they are older teens?

 

[WillCAD]

Currently, my son puts Disney Dollars on his wish lists for Christmas/birthday's and has some spending money for himself that he can use anyway he would like.

Since your DS is not yet old enough for charging priviledges, you could ask if he would rather have a Disney Gift Card instead of Disney Dollars. Whether he carries them himself, or you carry them for him, the Gift Card at least gives you the option of replacement if lost, which DD$ do not, and the Gift Cards are a lot easier and more convenient to carry around the parks than DD$.

Just another option for you...

 

[TMB1203]

Since your DS is not yet old enough for charging priviledges, you could ask if he would rather have a Disney Gift Card instead of Disney Dollars. Whether he carries them himself, or you carry them for him, the Gift Card at least gives you the option of replacement if lost, which DD$ do not, and the Gift Cards are a lot easier and more convenient to carry around the parks than DD$.

Just another option for you...

That's a good point. Can I buy the gift card at a Disney Store with the Disney Dollars he already has?

He has about $150.00 right now.

 

[WillCAD]

That's a good point. Can I buy the gift card at a Disney Store with the Disney Dollars he already has?

He has about $150.00 right now.

You sure can. And you can take the card back to the Disney Store any time you want to add more money to it - the Gift Cards are reloadable, just like WalMart gift cards.

 

[ducklite]

I'm not sure that the gift cards that TDS sells are valid at WDW. The definitely did not used to be. I'd be very careful and check it out before going that route.

Anne

 

[WillCAD]

I'm not sure that the gift cards that TDS sells are valid at WDW. The definitely did not used to be. I'd be very careful and check it out before going that route.

Anne

This is an entirely new gift card system that premiered in early 2006, and replaced the older gift cards that were found at the Disney Store and at Disney parks. It's called a universal Disney Gift Card (not to be confused with that other park up the road), and it is valid for purchases at the Disney Store, WDW, Disneyland, and DisneyShopping.com. I have used it myself at WDW.