Help with Disney Vacation Account, Visa, Gift Cards for Cruise Payment

[kalishea]

Hi! I am pretty new to most of this so I was hoping someone could help me out. We just returned from a Disney Cruise and rebooked our next one for next year. I want to open up a Disney Vacation Account to start saving but have a few questions/clarifications.
-So if I open a DVA and contribute monthly with my Disney Visa, will I be earning from both the DVA and Visa? Then load the gift cards I earn from the Visa (as well as any discounted target purchased gift cards) onto my DVA? Plus, for every $1000 on the DVA, I will get another $20 gift card?
-Then how to I pay for my cruise with the account once I have enough saved? Call DVA customer service or DCL customer service?
-Can I use DVA for onboard credits? Or cash out for a gift card to use for onboard credits?
-Can I use DVA for Disneyland park hoppers or meals? Or would it be better to just save Disney gift cards for that?

Thanks for any help!

 

[nalajms]

- Yes, you'd get Visa points if you fund the DVA with your Visa.
- Every $1000 spent through DVA gets you $20 gc
- Call the cruise line and give them the 16 digit number, like paying with a GCs
- Someone had mentioned being able to preload. Not sure if it's true or still working.
- You can buy tickets with the DVA, or prepaid meals like a dining plan.

 

[kalishea]

Okay, thank you for clarifiying nalajms. I am starting to get on the right track (I think).
So, let's say our cruise is $5000. I put money in the DVA and then pay the cruise off. Would I then get the $20 gift cards after? (5 of them?)
How do you buy Disneyland Park Hopper tickets with the DVA? Again, just call customer service and give them your account number?
I guess some of these questions will become clear after I start using it.

Thanks!

 

[kalishea]

Does anyone have any other DVA, Disney Visa, etc. tips or tricks to share?

 

[lanejudy]

... So if I open a DVA and contribute monthly with my Disney Visa, will I be earning from both the DVA and Visa? Then load the gift cards I earn from the Visa (as well as any discounted target purchased gift cards) onto my DVA? ...

Just want to point out that you don't directly earn gift cards from your Disney Visa. You get reward points, that must be transferred to a Rewards Redemption Card. However, you can then purchase Disney gift cards from The Disney Store by paying with the Redemption Card. I wanted to make sure you are aware of the extra step involved.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[kalishea]

Just want to point out that you don't directly earn gift cards from your Disney Visa. You get reward points, that must be transferred to a Rewards Redemption Card. However, you can then purchase Disney gift cards from The Disney Store by paying with the Redemption Card. I wanted to make sure you are aware of the extra step involved.

Enjoy your cruise!

Thank you for clarifying! I was aware that you get Rewards Redemption Cards and knew there was a way to get Disney Gift Cards with those but was unsure on the actual process. Since the Visa is in the mail and I haven't started using it yet I figured I would figure it out after I got the card. So getting them through the Disney Store is the easiest way to do that? Is that online or in person?

 

[fanoftigger]

Thank you for clarifying! I was aware that you get Rewards Redemption Cards and knew there was a way to get Disney Gift Cards with those but was unsure on the actual process. Since the Visa is in the mail and I haven't started using it yet I figured I would figure it out after I got the card. So getting them through the Disney Store is the easiest way to do that? Is that online or in person?

I ordered mine online because of the variety of gift card options. They have so many characters/movies to choose from! I do believe you can use your Disney Visa Reward Redemption card at the Disney Store as well to buy the actual gift cards.