Disney Gift Cards

[CoachBeard]

You can go on the Disney Gift Card website and combine funds from multiple cards up to a max of $1000 onto one card. So I think that what PP is doing is buying a fresh gift card from Disney Gift Store and then transferring balances from other gift cards on to the fresh one.

I usually buy wristlet gift cards either at Epcot or my resort gift shop (I just put a minimum amount on these) and then transfer funds from e-gift cards that I have purchased at a discount from Sam's Club or Best Buy . These gift cards are plastic and not flimsy, and the wrist band makes them convenient to use.

I also never use a gift card at a table serve restaurant. What I did last time, was use my magic band to charge my meal back to the room and then I went to the front desk when I got back to my resort and used gift cards to pay down my balance.

Ohhhh ok I get it. Thanks for the explanations I like your magic band idea I may try that next time!

 

[VGCgroupie]

I guess I’m not following your method. You mentioned continually buying $25 GCs. I am confused lol

I get the $25 ones from Disney store and then transfer any I buy elsewhere or that have been partially used on to the Disney store ones until I get it loaded up to $1000.

 

[gottalovepluto]

So you’re paying for everything using $25 increments or am I misunderstanding here? I know you can transfer from card to card. How are you keeping track of everything?

Absolutely not doing my Disney life in $25 increments, I'd lose my mind! I transfer and combine them as stated by others above, I get most of my cards from places like target and best buy when deals are out. I have a spreadsheet to track all my gift cards.

All our spreadsheets differ a bit, I do: purchase date, vendor, order #, card number, ean, purchased value, date transferred, transfer location. Another tab has my "permanent" cards (ones I will kill after I use in person) with the same data but also a current total value, last date I checked the value on the website and a note section for things like "3/23 $200 hotel deposit" so I don't ever overload a card (spend $200 and then load $1k, then need that $200 refunded- the system will choke and Disney has to get involved and issue new gift cards since you can never have more than $1k on a gc).

 

[CoachBeard]

Absolutely not doing my Disney life in $25 increments, I'd lose my mind! I transfer and combine them as stated by others above, I get most of my cards from places like target and best buy when deals are out. I have a spreadsheet to track all my gift cards.

All our spreadsheets differ a bit, I do: purchase date, vendor, order #, card number, ean, purchased value, date transferred, transfer location. Another tab has my "permanent" cards (ones I will kill after I use in person) with the same data but also a current total value, last date I checked the value on the website and a note section for things like "3/23 $200 hotel deposit" so I don't ever overload a card (spend $200 and then load $1k, then need that $200 refunded- the system will choke and Disney has to get involved and issue new gift cards since you can never have more than $1k on a gc).

Oh ok that makes sense. I see what you’re getting at. I do spreadsheets for planning and budgeting pre-trip but there’s no way I’m going to remember or want to update one as I’m on the trip. I’m glad that system works for you though.

Luckily I haven’t had a problem yet but next time I’ll apply some of these safeguards to help protect me from things I didn’t realize previously.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Oh ok that makes sense. I sent you’re getting at. I do spreadsheets for planning and budgeting pre-trip but there’s no way I’m going to remember or want to update one as I’m on the trip. I’m glad that system works for you though.

Luckily I haven’t had a problem yet but next time I’ll apply some of these safeguards to help protect me from things I didn’t realize previously.

I bring my cards and use them. When the trip is over I transfer any remaining funds to an unused card and trash the cards I had used while on the trip.

Disney store cards are plastic like you want. The only real difference here of what you have been doing is just not keeping funds on a card that has been used before to avoid stolen funds while they remain on the card just sitting there waiting for your next trip.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh ok that makes sense. I see what you’re getting at. I do spreadsheets for planning and budgeting pre-trip but there’s no way I’m going to remember or want to update one as I’m on the trip. I’m glad that system works for you though.

Luckily I haven’t had a problem yet but next time I’ll apply some of these safeguards to help protect me from things I didn’t realize previously.

Never said anything about updating on a trip. That would be ridiculous LOL.