Paying Dues with Gift Cards

[Nikki G]

I have my gift cards listed in my Disney Gift Card "account". One of them is named "DVC Dues", another is labeled "Family Trips" and another is labeled "Solo Trips". When ever I add a gift card, I transfer it to the appropriate card, depending on what it will be used for. Last year, our dues were just over $1K so I just had a separate card on hand, but eventually, I will add a "DVC Dues #2" card to the account. This is my "dining plan"...everything is pre-paid and if there are leftovers, they simply roll over to the next trip or I can transfer them to another card.

This is a great idea. I do love giving things nice little organized labels. This is exactly what I will do. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Matty B13]

What is the limit that you can load onto a Disney Gift Card?

 

[DebbieB]

What is the limit that you can load onto a Disney Gift Card?

$1,000

 

[Matty B13]

$1,000

Thank you

 

[kristenrice]

This is a great idea. I do love giving things nice little organized labels. This is exactly what I will do. Thanks for the tip.

I forgot to add that the physical cards are labeled with a Sharpie and locked in my safe. That way, I know which one to bring with me on vacation and I don't have to worry about losing them before I leave.

 

[Nikki G]

I forgot to add that the physical cards are labeled with a Sharpie and locked in my safe. That way, I know which one to bring with me on vacation and I don't have to worry about losing them before I leave.

I made my account, now before I start loading up gift cards I just want to make sure I'm understanding this. I'm taking multiple gift cards and combining them onto one single gift card (up to $1000 each card), which I would label with their purpose (DVC, dining plan, etc.). I then will label the gift cards identified as the main cards with sharpie marker and lock them in my safe (which is something I would do anyway!). I will use the one for DVC to pay for my dues directly online. I will use the one labeled dining plan to pay for the dining plan online (or via phone) prior to departure. I will bring any other gift card for things like souvenirs or other random items with me on the trip. Does that pretty much sum it all up?

 

[kristenrice]

I made my account, now before I start loading up gift cards I just want to make sure I'm understanding this. I'm taking multiple gift cards and combining them onto one single gift card (up to $1000 each card), which I would label with their purpose (DVC, dining plan, etc.). I then will label the gift cards identified as the main cards with sharpie marker and lock them in my safe (which is something I would do anyway!). I will use the one for DVC to pay for my dues directly online. I will use the one labeled dining plan to pay for the dining plan online (or via phone) prior to departure. I will bring any other gift card for things like souvenirs or other random items with me on the trip. Does that pretty much sum it all up?

Yes...but here's a step-by-step for entering them into the website...

Step #1: Take the PHYSICAL cards that you have labeled and enter them into the website, naming them with their corresponding labels.
Step #2: When you get a new card that you want to "load" onto another card, enter it into the website and name it something like "new", or whatever. Then, hit "transfer funds". **BE CAREFUL! If you have more than one card in your account, it will AUTOMATICALLY transfer the funds to your "primary card" unless you select "choose a different card". You can always re-assign a primary card.
Step #3: Once you have transferred the funds from your "new" card, you can delete it from your account. The funds are now secured on the card you transferred them to so there is no reason to keep it.

A few tidbits...

You can only transfer the ENTIRE balance of a gift card. If you have $100 and you want to put $50 into your dining card and $50 into your DVC card, you MUST have 2 $50 gift cards. For this reason, I actually prefer to accumulate the $25 and $50 cards unless I know I need $100 in a particular account.

I like to make my primary card the card that I will be using soonest. For example, I have a solo trip coming up this October so I have my "Solo Trip" card listed as my primary card. All of my SwagBucks earnings go to this card. I have a family trip planned for next year and that card gets all of my Target FWP cards and BB rewards. After I take my solo trip, then I will move my "Family Trip" card to the primary spot.

 

[Nikki G]

Yes...but here's a step-by-step for entering them into the website...

Step #1: Take the PHYSICAL cards that you have labeled and enter them into the website, naming them with their corresponding labels.
Step #2: When you get a new card that you want to "load" onto another card, enter it into the website and name it something like "new", or whatever. Then, hit "transfer funds". **BE CAREFUL! If you have more than one card in your account, it will AUTOMATICALLY transfer the funds to your "primary card" unless you select "choose a different card". You can always re-assign a primary card.
Step #3: Once you have transferred the funds from your "new" card, you can delete it from your account. The funds are now secured on the card you transferred them to so there is no reason to keep it.

A few tidbits...

You can only transfer the ENTIRE balance of a gift card. If you have $100 and you want to put $50 into your dining card and $50 into your DVC card, you MUST have 2 $50 gift cards. For this reason, I actually prefer to accumulate the $25 and $50 cards unless I know I need $100 in a particular account.

I like to make my primary card the card that I will be using soonest. For example, I have a solo trip coming up this October so I have my "Solo Trip" card listed as my primary card. All of my SwagBucks earnings go to this card. I have a family trip planned for next year and that card gets all of my Target FWP cards and BB rewards. After I take my solo trip, then I will move my "Family Trip" card to the primary spot.

kristenrice, you are a gem. So I have loaded all my gift cards with success. I have a final question...at least for now! I have my main card which I've labeled "Dining Plan". Then I have the other smaller cards that were loaded up onto it. Must I still keep those smaller cards which are no longer the main cards? Or can I dispose of them. Or just label them as transferred, rubber band them together and stuff them in the safe?

After this, apparently I need to start a thread to learn about all these tricks you know about getting discounted gift cards! The Target one I knew. The swagbucks I hadn't come across. It's been years since I looked at my swagbucks page. So much to learn...

 

[kristenrice]

kristenrice, you are a gem. So I have loaded all my gift cards with success. I have a final question...at least for now! I have my main card which I've labeled "Dining Plan". Then I have the other smaller cards that were loaded up onto it. Must I still keep those smaller cards which are no longer the main cards? Or can I dispose of them. Or just label them as transferred, rubber band them together and stuff them in the safe?

After this, apparently I need to start a thread to learn about all these tricks you know about getting discounted gift cards! The Target one I knew. The swagbucks I hadn't come across. It's been years since I looked at my swagbucks page. So much to learn...

Nope...you can toss them (or find a place that will recycle them). Here's another tidbit of advice...when you go on your trip, take a "blank" (empty) card with you. If you happen to lose one of your cards, you can simply log into the website, enter in your empty card, and transfer the funds over from your lost card.

 

[LionKingCPA]

I make a run to a bunch of local targets when they announce the 10% sale in December. I also use a couple family members logins/emails to purchase more online. I'm not quite needing $5k worth yet but getting closer. My targets have always been really easy with it, sometimes letting me go through separate lines at the same Store to get more than $300. They also are easy when I trade target cards for Disney. Hope that holds this year.

 

[Nikki G]

I make a run to a bunch of local targets when they announce the 10% sale in December. I also use a couple family members logins/emails to purchase more online. I'm not quite needing $5k worth yet but getting closer. My targets have always been really easy with it, sometimes letting me go through separate lines at the same Store to get more than $300. They also are easy when I trade target cards for Disney. Hope that holds this year.

I have read that it's getting almost impossible to use the target gift cards to buy the disney gift cards. I figure I'll give it a whirl this year. We shop at Target all the time so they will still be used regardless, but it would be great if I could get Disney Gift Cards with them. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how you make it work?

 

[Marionnette]

I have read that it's getting almost impossible to use the target gift cards to buy the disney gift cards. I figure I'll give it a whirl this year. We shop at Target all the time so they will still be used regardless, but it would be great if I could get Disney Gift Cards with them. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how you make it work?

I don't have any problems buying Disney GCs with a Target GC. People may run into difficulty with a manager who limits quantities (which is their prerogative) or a cashier who doesn't understand that this is a possibility, but I use the self checkout and as long as I have a physical Target GC, I've never encountered a problem.

 

[LionKingCPA]

I have read that it's getting almost impossible to use the target gift cards to buy the disney gift cards. I figure I'll give it a whirl this year. We shop at Target all the time so they will still be used regardless, but it would be great if I could get Disney Gift Cards with them. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how you make it work?

I have seen that on other forums before as well. All I can say is from my own experience I've never had problems - three years now. I do use self checkout where available but have never been turned away at a regular checkout.

 

[Nikki G]

I don't have any problems buying Disney GCs with a Target GC. People may run into difficulty with a manager who limits quantities (which is their prerogative) or a cashier who doesn't understand that this is a possibility, but I use the self checkout and as long as I have a physical Target GC, I've never encountered a problem.

I have seen that on other forums before as well. All I can say is from my own experience I've never had problems - three years now. I do use self checkout where available but have never been turned away at a regular checkout.

Self checkout definitely seems to help. My Target is horrible and doesn't have self check out, unfortunately, but I will give it all a try regardless!

 

[CarolMN]

I've not had a problem using target gift cards to purchase Disney gift cards. I have seen reports that this is not possible to do ONLINE (due to all the cases of theft and fraud), but AFAIK, it hasn't been a problem in the physical stores.

 

[MooseBucks]

I have seen that on other forums before as well. All I can say is from my own experience I've never had problems - three years now. I do use self checkout where available but have never been turned away at a regular checkout.

I need to try that out this year. Hopefully my target lets me buy giftcards.