How do you store your GCs

[jsrowdon]

How does everyone store all their Disney gift cards while waiting for their trip? Do you keep them all, combine them into 1 large GC, use a vacation account and get it back before you go? Maybe some other idea? Just trying to figure out the safest method.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

How does everyone store all their Disney gift cards while waiting for their trip? Do you keep them all, combine them into 1 large GC, use a vacation account and get it back before you go? Maybe some other idea? Just trying to figure out the safest method.

I don't have a big stash right now, but I combine my cards on disneygiftcard.com and keep them stored in our safe when not in use. I also keep a box with all of my used gift cards (not just Disney, everything) just in case I need them later. When you are combining hundreds of gift cards, sometimes things get a little crazy.

 

[suebeelin]

I put them all on Disney gift card.com. I put the max balance on each card.

If I lose one, I keep a spare gift card with no balance so I can transfer it all to that empty card.

Luckily I haven't lost one yet, knock on wood.

 

[Disneywishes2018]

I just started buying gift cards a few months ago for my trip in 2018. I don't plan on combining them until right before we leave. I'm not using them to pay off my trip or anything like that just for suvinors. I don't buy them in high dollar amounts either. They are stored in a safe place only I know about.

 

[pens4821]

Last couple trips I've paid everything with them, so I've had thousands of dollars worth saved up over time (luckily I buy $500 ones for fuel perks and not the lower denomination ones so it isn't quite as bad). I keep them in my home safe. I didn't know until recently that you can combine up to $1000. Now I combine them and safe them, and still keep the old ones in the safe just in case there is an issue. Once our trip is over, I throw out all the ones they've been used up.

Anyone have a Disney vacation savings account (is that what it's called?). I've read the Disney vacation accounts you can use gift cards and you gain some money for every I think $1000 you have in here. Haven't looked too much into it but that may be a good idea. I know they are making money of your money sitting there, but so am I and I'm not making anything with them in my home safe.

 

[ellie05]

I combine them. Then I keep them in my desk. Then they go in my wallet to the room safe where they stay until the last day of our trip when I go pay off the balance.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I put them all on Disney gift card.com. I put the max balance on each card.

If I lose one, I keep a spare gift card with no balance so I can transfer it all to that empty card.

Luckily I haven't lost one yet, knock on wood.

Ditto to this!
Also...
I combine them right away because 1) I don't want to loose them & 2) I ALWAYS check the balances within a couple days of purchase & since I've input all the data into the website to do so I don't want to have to do it again (I have seen instances where GCs didn't activate properly & I don't want to be that person!)
I don't use DVA because a few stories of "technical difficulties" are a few too many for me.

 

[here757]

In the safe

 

[loves to dive]

I keep them in a dresser drawer until a couple of days before the trip then I combine them on gift cards.com. After I have combined them I just stick them in a wallet in my luggage then in the room safe until after the trip then shred them.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I keep them in my home safe and then when I have time, closer to the trip, I combine them. I don't use them to pay off the trip. It's used for our spending and food while down there.

 

[tinker&belle]

I wait until the balance is almost due on my trip and the go purchase the cards. I then come home, verify the card has the proper amount and pay it toward my trip.

Due to a problem I had a few trips ago I take a sharpie and number the cards in the order I pay for the trip. I then keep all the cards until the travel is over.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I buy a Disney card every week at the grocery and about once a month I combine them. I just keep them in my dresser drawer at home and in my wallet or the safe on our trips.

 

[Disney Addicted]

I'm in Canada and have been saving gift cards for about 3 years. When people I know are crossing the border I bug them to bring me back a gift card. I'm on one survey site that actually offers US Disney gift cards so I order them when I hit $100. So my gift cards were all $25, $50, and $100 ones. Oh, and a couple of $10 for some reason.

It was only last week I heard about Disneygiftcard.com. Until then I stored them in a separate wallet I kept hidden in the house, but always had the numbers & security code saved on an Excel spreadsheet with their balances. I'm so glad I found the thread about combining cards! I was worried about paying for the WOC dessert party, meals and especially my park tickets on multiple gift cards!!

So now I have them combined into 5 gift cards. I could have put more $ on and ended up with less cards, but my husband suggested spreading them out more just in case I lose a card while in California. I'll still take photos of the card numbers as I understand Disney will cancel a lost/stolen card and give me a new one, but this feels safer to me.

 

[tink1970]

I guess I'm in the minority...I combine them on my disney vacation account, mark them with a sharpie, and keep them in a desk drawer until the trip is completed. I didn't realize how much I had used my DVA until I got an email with my most recent gift card allowance arriving next week---I've maxed it out after the most recent utilization! I've never had any technical issues with it (knock on wood), just occasionally have had to speak to multiple reps until I got one on the phone who was familiar with the program. The maximum amount per household is $500 so for merely imputing and calling I've received $500 over the past 4 years for trips. Not going to sneeze at that

 

[mustinjourney]

I'm in Canada and have been saving gift cards for about 3 years. When people I know are crossing the border I bug them to bring me back a gift card. I'm on one survey site that actually offers US Disney gift cards so I order them when I hit $100. So my gift cards were all $25, $50, and $100 ones. Oh, and a couple of $10 for some reason.

It was only last week I heard about Disneygiftcard.com. Until then I stored them in a separate wallet I kept hidden in the house, but always had the numbers & security code saved on an Excel spreadsheet with their balances. I'm so glad I found the thread about combining cards! I was worried about paying for the WOC dessert party, meals and especially my park tickets on multiple gift cards!!

So now I have them combined into 5 gift cards. I could have put more $ on and ended up with less cards, but my husband suggested spreading them out more just in case I lose a card while in California. I'll still take photos of the card numbers as I understand Disney will cancel a lost/stolen card and give me a new one, but this feels safer to me.

FYI -- if you lose a gift card -- you can just go online and transfer the balance to one of your other credit cards.

 

[calypso726]

I guess I'm in the minority...I combine them on my disney vacation account, mark them with a sharpie, and keep them in a desk drawer until the trip is completed. I didn't realize how much I had used my DVA until I got an email with my most recent gift card allowance arriving next week---I've maxed it out after the most recent utilization! I've never had any technical issues with it (knock on wood), just occasionally have had to speak to multiple reps until I got one on the phone who was familiar with the program. The maximum amount per household is $500 so for merely imputing and calling I've received $500 over the past 4 years for trips. Not going to sneeze at that

We do the same thing. I buy them discounted and then load to the DVA. I label each one with a sharpie including the amount and date that I loaded it. I keep them in the desk drawer until the trip is completed. No technical issues with us either and have had to help a rep or two apply it correctly. I will happily take the $500 for using the DVA.

 

[Thedave2235]

I just started buying gift cards a few months ago for my trip in 2018. I don't plan on combining them until right before we leave. I'm not using them to pay off my trip or anything like that just for suvinors. I don't buy them in high dollar amounts either. They are stored in a safe place only I know about.

I would consider combining them now, JUST IN CASE.. if you happen to loose them all you can then transfer all your money to a new card.