Disney Vacation Account Pro/ Con

[justme0729]

I have discounted Disney gift cards that I want to put into a DVA to get the $20 per $1000 spent. However, I have read past threads about people having trouble spending DVA money on food, in-park items, etc. I plan to use the DVA to pay for...

• Food: Either a DDP through DVC or a gift card
• Park Tickets: Through DVC discounted annual pass or WDW (wouldn't work for undercover tourist I assume)
• Wishes Fireworks Cruise
• GF Spa Treatments
• Cake through private dining
• Cruise
• In-park purchases (souvenirs, drinks, etc.)

Would the DVA allow me to pay for all of these things? Or, would I be much better off just combining my gift card amounts and not getting the $20/ $1000 spent?

Thank you for any input!

 

[supersnoop]

Food: You can use it to pay for the dining plan, or you can cash it out for a gift card. But cashing it out doesn't earn the bonus
Tickets: As long as you buy the tickets in advance, you can use DVA, but you can't use it in person at a ticket booth.
Cruise: Sure, you can use a DVA for that

Fireworks cruise, spa treatments, cakes; can you pre-pay for those with a gift card over the phone? If not, then DVA wont' work.

Again, cashing out for a gift card does not earn the bonus. So, load as much as you need to pay the things you can, up to the threshold for the bonus, and just combine gift cards for the rest.

 

[Quellman]

Food: You can use it to pay for the dining plan, or you can cash it out for a gift card. But cashing it out doesn't earn the bonus
Tickets: As long as you buy the tickets in advance, you can use DVA, but you can't use it in person at a ticket booth.
Cruise: Sure, you can use a DVA for that

Fireworks cruise, spa treatments, cakes; can you pre-pay for those with a gift card over the phone? If not, then DVA wont' work.

Again, cashing out for a gift card does not earn the bonus. So, load as much as you need to pay the things you can, up to the threshold for the bonus, and just combine gift cards for the rest.

Couldn't you just room charge it and then use the DVA to pay off your room charges, or does it not work like that?

 

[supersnoop]

Couldn't you just room charge it and then use the DVA to pay off your room charges, or does it not work like that?

No, you cannot use a DVA to pay room charges. You cannot use it for anything on-site. You can only use a DVA to pay in advance.

 

[justme0729]

Thank you! Yeah that is sounding like the best plan. I read somewhere that you can only buy $500 worth of gift cards from the money in your DVA account? Is that true? Although I plan to put the extra money we can't use with DVA not in the account, we would maybe need a lot more than $500 and wouldn't want to risk not being able to get enough gift cards (I know could get refund but seems like more hassle than buying a gift card).

Food: You can use it to pay for the dining plan, or you can cash it out for a gift card. But cashing it out doesn't earn the bonus
Tickets: As long as you buy the tickets in advance, you can use DVA, but you can't use it in person at a ticket booth.
Cruise: Sure, you can use a DVA for that

Fireworks cruise, spa treatments, cakes; can you pre-pay for those with a gift card over the phone? If not, then DVA wont' work.

Again, cashing out for a gift card does not earn the bonus. So, load as much as you need to pay the things you can, up to the threshold for the bonus, and just combine gift cards for the rest.

 

[supersnoop]

Thank you! Yeah that is sounding like the best plan. I read somewhere that you can only buy $500 worth of gift cards from the money in your DVA account? Is that true? Although I plan to put the extra money we can't use with DVA not in the account, we would maybe need a lot more than $500 and wouldn't want to risk not being able to get enough gift cards (I know could get refund but seems like more hassle than buying a gift card).

They changed the rules on getting gift cards back from your DVA. You'd need to look for it on their site. I think they allow $1,000, and allow you to do it multiple times, but I'm not sure how long you have to wait in between.