Gift card questions

[jenseib]

I was thinking of buying a gift card for Disney and starting to add money to it each month, so it would accumulate for the next trip. We don't have one officially planned yet, but I would like to go sometime this year.
Can you get these at the Disney store? Do they work at both Disney and the Disney store? And once you put money on them, does it ever expire. I know some places start deducting a dollar or two after you haven't used it for a certain amount of time. Like our mall cards..if you don't use it in a year they deduct a dollar or 2 every month after the year mark. (we found this out the hard way when my son didn't use one when he was younger)

 

[jenseib]

Anyone?????

 

[bumbershoot]

They do not expire, and they do not charge anything over time. Here's a link with all sorts of info about them!

 

[angwill]

Disney store gift cards can be used at WDW or Disneyland or even at the disney shopping website. I bought one a couple years ago at the Disney store and used it at WDW. Last time I went in and asked if they could add to them if I wanted to put a little on them at a time and was told they couldn't do that. Personally, I think the CM was mistaken but have not gone back to ask anyone else since then. I have no clue about expiration fees, sorry.

The gift card is nice to have at WDW because then there is no need for cash and there is a running balance after each transaction on the bottom of each reciept. So no need to go to concierge at your hotel for a total of charges if you use the room charge.

Be careful however to watch the total each time you use it. The year we used a gift card we had Basin at DTD charge 3 times for one purchase and it was a real PITA to get it fixed. It took like 3 hours on the phone. The phone number for the Disney gift card CS couldn't help me so I had to discuss it with Basin after getting their home office and not realizing it was not the orlando store number on the receipt. I then had to wait for them to close so they could go over their reciepts and get back with me at 11pm.

HTH

 

[juligrl]

So do we know if you can add to them?

 

[bumbershoot]

So do we know if you can add to them?

From the site I posted:

Q: Where can I reload my Disney Gift Card?
A: Disney Gift Cards can be reloaded at locations that sell Disney Gift Cards. Online reloads are not available at this time.

Now...there "reload" and maybe "adding to them" are different to them, I don't know.

Oh, and since the above quote mentions 'at locations that sell" them...

Q: Where can I buy the Disney Gift Card?
A: Disney Gift Cards can be purchased at select locations at Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort, Disney Store in the U.S., and DisneyShopping.com.

That said, the other option would be to open a special savings account, if you can find one that doesn't need a big balance, and add to *that*, so there's the chance of earning interest. Transfer it or take it out when you're ready to buy. Then when you get to the parks, or to the store, you can just run in and buy a gift card with that money.

 

[jenseib]

Thanks for the info! I was told at Dsieny when I got a feee gift card that I could add to it anytime I wanted. But why would I while I was down there. LOL! But I don't even know if I still have that card. We used it pretty fast. I will ask next time at Disney Store then. But I am sure you can add to them at anytime once you get it. I was more worried if the Disney store was what you could use at Disney (I don't beleive the Disney store is owned by Disney anymore) and if there were any fees.

 

[FigmentsBiggestFan]

Yes, you can "reload" them. That's exactly what I am doing to put money aside for our WDW trip this Christmas. I'm not sure about the Disney Store as I don't really have one that close to me, but I add to my gift card every time we go to Disneyland. Just make sure to tell them that you are reloading or adding to the balance because the CMs will try to just activate it as a new card and the computer won't let them. Once they know exactly what you want, it's very simple. And, you'll get a little print out with the new balance on it.

 

[Dbook]

Can these be used for food, goodies, gifts, tickets, etc???

 

[mnasmom3]

I'd be leary of putting the money on a Disney specific card just in case something happens with your trip. I'd feel safer with the money on a something like a prepaid debit card so it could be used on anything should your trip end up falling through.

 

[jenseib]

I have no trip planned. But we will go in the future, so I thought I would start now.