Disney Vacation Accounts--discontinued!

[danielocha30]

So I just had all my money transferred into a Disney eGift card. My concern with this, I now have these eGift cards sitting in my email box. How secure are they? They have the GC numbers, bar code to scan, PIN codes etc. If someone hacks my email, I have must lost all that money. Not sure what to do about it...

If I were you I would pay whatever expenses comes first with this e-card, I opted for it because the amount wasn't too high, but any significant amount of funds I will preferred to have back into my account And forfeit any bonus

 

[HappyMomma]

So can we use these gift cards to pay for our vacation still? Do we call them in? I'll have three big ones when they finally set my account straight. My total gift cards aren't matching up to my total account savings. Had to call IT.

 

[fitnessmouse]

How strange, you can combine other eGift cards onto physical cards. Another option would be to just pay for your vacation now with the gift cards.

Have you tried to combine an eGift card from Disneygiftcard.com onto a physical card? Because the fine print says you can not

 

[jcvalenti]

Im super glad I loaded mine up quickly. Opened it a month ago, just to pay for park tickets in November. I bought Disney Gift Cards with my Target Red Card (saving 5%), loaded up my vacation account, and was waiting until the account matured to buy the tickets. Now, not only do I not have to wait, I just cashed it out for a 5% bonus, instead of the 2% they promised. Score ! Saved 10% on my tickets with almost no effort at all.

 

[cmwade77]

First I have heard that Target is phasing out Disney GC's. Do you have a third party source to confirm this?

Just the managers at three different Target stores when I asked if they had any more gift cards because I needed more than they had, it is moving to an online only item and they have a limit on how much you can buy.

 

[cmwade77]

I did

Have you tried to combine an eGift card from Disneygiftcard.com onto a physical card? Because the fine print says you can not

This was sever months ago, but I did.

It is also possible that you could take them into the local Disney store or to the theme parks and have them combine them.

 

[tlmadden73]

So sad, yet another cost savings tool gone. Add this to the fact that Target has recently told me that they are phasing out Disney Gift Cards and we end up with very few options left.

As far as I am aware once Target sells out of current inventory the only options for discounted Disney Gift cards will be:

• BJ's (Do not need to be a member to order these online and there is no extra charge for not being a member and ordering Disney Gift cards, but if you don't have BJ's close, you do have to wait for shipping, which takes about a week and a half)
• Sam's Club (Online there is a limit of one $500 gift card per person, not sure about in person)
• Costco (Only in store at a very limited number of locations)
• Target (If your store still has them in stock, they will still sell them and they do qualify for the Red Card discount)

What? Target is phasing them out?
I guess word got out that it was a sweet deal with the Red Card. Not sure what sort of "kick back" stores get for carrying other stores gift cards (since a purchase of one gains the store nothing in theory), but it may not be worth for the amounts that people buy them up.

 

[tlmadden73]

Im super glad I loaded mine up quickly. Opened it a month ago, just to pay for park tickets in November. I bought Disney Gift Cards with my Target Red Card (saving 5%), loaded up my vacation account, and was waiting until the account matured to buy the tickets. Now, not only do I not have to wait, I just cashed it out for a 5% bonus, instead of the 2% they promised. Score ! Saved 10% on my tickets with almost no effort at all.

Not bad ...

Between getting rid of the no-expiration tickets, making currently purchased tickets expire, eliminating the vacation account and the rumor of getting rid of Disney Gift Cards at Target (not sure if this is Target driven or Disney driven) .. just feels like every way of saving on tickets is being eliminated .. forcing you to take the yearly price hikes (and who doesn't think that prices will skyrocket .. knowing that demand will be huge with all these new things coming over the next 3 years?)

All the ways I've been making Disney affordable the last 5 years is slowly being eliminated (I didn't use the Vacation Account .. but I didn't realize you could load it up with Gift Cards purchased at Target).

The most affordable purchase I made actually was 10-day no expiration tickets way back in 2014. I've gone on three 2-park day trips (with hoppers) for only $75/day/person. A significant discount over what I would have paid if I bought the tickets shortly before the trips.

 

[randumb0]

they won't let you! I tried and then I called Disney to find out why! I'm currently on hold with them..(small world playing!)they are asking supervisors..now they are telling me to call disney vacation account again! So, they told me to print out the information, delete the e-mail and go with a paper copy....What? if you are a Klutz like me, it will get wet or torn and that will be that!

Perhaps try again? I just moved an e gift card onto a physical using the gift card website and it worked

 

[DeterminedOne]

Within the hour of learning it was canceled I contacted WDW reservations and asked to apply my vacation balance to my package balance and was told their system was down. I called right away because I had a problem with the vacation account from the initial set-up. The first deduction from my checking account showed up on the bank's end, but not in the Disney vacation system. Long story short, it took nearly two weeks and several phone calls with a Manager to correct the issue.

Today when I learned today they were canceling the service, I immediately became nervous having $2500 wrapped up in their system. I called about an hour ago. The reservation system is up and running, but the Vacation Account system is down for "maintenance." They wanted to know the balance I wanted to apply, but I couldn't give them the exact amount because the system is down. When I explained it was around $2500, the rep provided me the exact figure and said it was applied to my reservation. I waited for a confirmation email ... and waited ... Finally, I received an email that read as if I had just booked the reservation. No mention of the $2500 funds applied. Oh, boy!

If you have a substantial amount wrapped up in the vacation account I suggest you deal with it now instead of later. Their system is wonky, to say the least ...

 

[cmwade77]

What? Target is phasing them out?
I guess word got out that it was a sweet deal with the Red Card. Not sure what sort of "kick back" stores get for carrying other stores gift cards (since a purchase of one gains the store nothing in theory), but it may not be worth for the amounts that people buy them up.

Just to be clear you will still be able to buy them online, just not in the stores, but online comes with limits.

That being said, there is still BJ'S, which usually has a better discount than Target anyway, for us Californians though that means we have to wait for them to be shipped. Also watch for their sale on Disney gift cards that happens with BJ's about twice a year, it can end up near a 10% discount. Also if you are willing to wait for shipping you can use a cash back site with BJ's when it comes to buying Disney Gift cards (other gift cards don't qualify though) and there is no extra charge for nonmembers when buying Disney Gift Cards, so there still are savings options, they just aren't necessarily as convienent.

ETA: I JUST, as in I am in the Target parking lot, went to another Target and they just got a new shipment in and it sounds like the managers were told that the current Disney Gift Cards were being discontinued in store and the managers took that to mean all Disney Gift Cards were being discontinued in store, but really it turns out it may have just been that SKU or design.......so now I am totally confused. But still BJ's can save you more, just watch which denominations have the best discount, as it does vary.

 

[JohnneeO]

Within the hour of learning it was canceled I contacted WDW reservations and asked to apply my vacation balance to my package balance and was told their system was down. I called right away because I had a problem with the vacation account from the initial set-up. The first deduction from my checking account showed up on the bank's end, but not in the Disney vacation system. Long story short, it took nearly two weeks and several phone calls with a Manager to correct the issue.

Today when I learned today they were canceling the service, I immediately became nervous having $2500 wrapped up in their system. I called about an hour ago. The reservation system is up and running, but the Vacation Account system is down for "maintenance." They wanted to know the balance I wanted to apply, but I couldn't give them the exact amount because the system is down. When I explained it was around $2500, the rep provided me the exact figure and said it was applied to my reservation. I waited for a confirmation email ... and waited ... Finally, I received an email that read as if I had just booked the reservation. No mention of the $2500 funds applied. Oh, boy!

If you have a substantial amount wrapped up in the vacation account I suggest you deal with it now instead of later. Their system is wonky, to say the least ...

So it sounds like you selected Option #2....SMH.

Did you consider option # 1? That would have converted your $2,500 DVA balance into a $2,625 Disney Gift Card, which you then could have used to pay off your vacation balance. By selecting Option #2, you have forfeited the 5% premium that Disney is trying to give you. Hopefully, you still be able to claim the 2% gift cards ($40) for at least $2,000.

I understand your anxiety considering your previous issue. However, I have not heard of anyone ever actually losing money through the DVA.

It may be too late for your situation, but anyone reading this that has funds in their DVA that are going to be used to pay off an upcoming vacation, please consider your options. Option #1 will almost always be the better choice.

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

I never used it but it always seemed like a good option to have. Sad to see it go as my brother was going to use it for his trip next year

 

[DeterminedOne]

So it sounds like you selected Option #2....SMH.

Did you consider option # 1? That would have converted your $2,500 DVA balance into a $2,625 Disney Gift Card, which you then could have used to pay off your vacation balance. By selecting Option #2, you have forfeited the 5% premium that Disney is trying to give you. Hopefully, you still be able to claim the 2% gift cards ($40) for at least $2,000.

I understand your anxiety considering your previous issue. However, I have not heard of anyone ever actually losing money through the DVA.

It may be too late for your situation, but anyone reading this that has funds in their DVA that are going to be used to pay off an upcoming vacation, please consider your options. Option #1 will almost always be the better choice.

Makes sense - I just didn't trust the process. Especially after the website was down shortly after making the announcement. If you only knew some of the excuses the CM's gave for not being able to find my initial deposit ... I just didn't want anymore problems. $125 was not worth the headache.

 

[tarak]

Perhaps try again? I just moved an e gift card onto a physical using the gift card website and it worked

I was able to transfer the balance, as well. I had a $10 gift card that I registered with the Disney gift card site. I registered my e-gift card, then transferred that balance to the $10 card.

 

[BrownHP800]

I was able to transfer the balance, as well. I had a $10 gift card that I registered with the Disney gift card site. I registered my e-gift card, then transferred that balance to the $10 card.

I was also able to transfer the balance to a physical gift card that I have here. The bar code on the e-gift card has the full account number and pin so it is not an issue as long as you have a physical card to transfer to. Also max of $1000 per gift card.

 

[bemery76]

My husband and I have used the vacation account for several years. We each contributed on a weekly or bi-weekly basis (I contributed $38/week, and my husband $25/every two weeks), and we had enough saved up to use it to pay for a trip to Disney World every year. We were in the process of saving up for a trip to Aulani in 2019. Guess we'll have to transfer our deductions to my credit union account now, so we will have the money for our Hawaii trip. This is so sad in my opinion - it was a great feature, wish more people knew of it and used it.