sanapunk said:
Well technically, when you get back, or before you leave, you can have them re-exchanged into "real" money.
Sure you can! (If you DO!)
I was commenting on "keeping $$$ worth" as a way of "NOT SPURGING."
I was (mostly) just making a JOKE (about "thinking different") originally.
But now that you seem to WANT to take it seriously...
The odd thing that REALLY happens is folks buy these "printed papers" and SAVE a BUNCH of them as souvenirs (without a doubt, the EASIEST-to-produce, nothing-for-your-money "souvenir" ever made!)
If it was "only a dollar" its one thing... but with the higher denominations, it can get somewhat EXPENSIVE!
I think they're CUTE, but for what they COST to use as a means of "saving"... well, SOMEBODY is getting a good value for YOUR money!!
The argument is that "you can always exchange them for cash" and that's fine... but a dollar that just SITS on the shelf is constantly losing value. So any money that you are "squirreling away" (as Disney Dollars or otherwise) is not GAINING you any interest (a great alternative is to open a "vacation fund" at the bank so that any extra funds you "drop in" for Disney will build and compound.)
Consider this: By the MILLIONS, guests have spent their REAL dollars for (and many will never "exchange") the skimpiest kind of "souvenirs" ever.
Its OK with me if you can use them for "saving".
Just understand what is really HAPPENING to your money, AND/OR your "vacation fund" if you choose to "invest" in any real QUANTITY of "Disney paper."
(The arguement of "collector's value" is a separate discussion... who can ever predict how THAT market will go?)
BTW, I'm not immune to the draw of these little "papers." I have a set... just ONE of each.
So let me see... If there are 1,000,000 or so guests just like me... Disney has, oh, a gazillion of our "real" dollars invested in THEIR "vacation fund". (I hope they spend it on something more fun than just printing more Disney Dollars!)
But that's just me... I "think different", too!