Prebuying Disney giftcards for meals?

[kiramay]

Are Disney giftcards good for meals at WDW? I've done numerous spreadsheets comparing DDP to OOP, and for us we'd have to eat a full QS and TS buffet each day to break even. Last trip we packed so many snacks that we only bought 3 QS meals in 6 days (and 5 buffets), paid OOP. And the snacks are pointless for us- we'd rather buy alcoholic beverages at dinner and throughout Epcot. I'll obviously get it if its free, but the main reason I was considering it for the next trip was so the meals were all prepaid. Dh had big sticker shock our first buffet bill! Lol

So I was thinking, if I could pick up a giftcard every month with my grocery shopping, our OOP meals would be "prepaid" when we go.

Thoughts? Thank you!!

 

[isaboo]

We did this for our August trip. I used my Target redcard plus the pharmacy discount and saved almost 10% off all of our dining! If you're staying on property, it's easiest to bill everything to your room then pay the room charges with your gift cards. I think when you get to $500 that's when they bill it to your credit card. I just went to guest services every other day and applied a few gift cards to our room charges.

 

[tzeitel]

With kids the DDP is a great deal if you plan on doing buffets/family style meals. If you will be booking a package through Disney and they offer FD I would grab it unless they offer a great room only discount that works better for you. From your ticker I see you stay at POR - this past RO discount for POR was only 5%.

How many character/family style meals are you planning? For kids each buffet is about $16-25, the DDP is $17.16 per day, so you (basically) pay for one meal and get a CS and snack for free.

We are not doing the DDP this time around only because DD is now a Disney adult and we will be cutting down on fixed price meals since she does not eat enough to be worth it (and we will not be going during FD) . I have been buying Disney cards with our Target card - 5% off is better than nothing

 

[kiramay]

We did this for our August trip. I used my Target redcard plus the pharmacy discount and saved almost 10% off all of our dining! If you're staying on property, it's easiest to bill everything to your room then pay the room charges with your gift cards. I think when you get to $500 that's when they bill it to your credit card. I just went to guest services every other day and applied a few gift cards to our room charges.

Great idea! I have a redcard and a pharmacy discount card right now! I may have to start now. Even if we do get free dining, I can use it for beer.

 

[kiramay]

How many character/family style meals are you planning? For kids each buffet is about $16-25, the DDP is $17.16 per day, so you (basically) pay for one meal and get a CS and snack for free.

5-6 of them. One a day. It's good for the kids, but paying $55/day DDP for a $35 buffet doesn't make sense for the adults.

 

[spears2008]

Great idea! I have a redcard and a pharmacy discount card right now! I may have to start now. Even if we do get free dining, I can use it for beer.

you can use your gift cards to pay for your room too! save about 10% off everything.

 

[kristenrice]

Are Disney giftcards good for meals at WDW? I've done numerous spreadsheets comparing DDP to OOP, and for us we'd have to eat a full QS and TS buffet each day to break even. Last trip we packed so many snacks that we only bought 3 QS meals in 6 days (and 5 buffets), paid OOP. And the snacks are pointless for us- we'd rather buy alcoholic beverages at dinner and throughout Epcot. I'll obviously get it if its free, but the main reason I was considering it for the next trip was so the meals were all prepaid. Dh had big sticker shock our first buffet bill! Lol

So I was thinking, if I could pick up a giftcard every month with my grocery shopping, our OOP meals would be "prepaid" when we go.

Thoughts? Thank you!!

We have used the DDP a few times (and the DxDDP a few times too) and now that our oldest is an "adult" (don't tell her that...she's 10!), I decided that we will only do 1-2 buffets per trip. I make a liberal food budget (usually about $200/day for the 4 of us) and accumulate gift cards to cover it. Then, at the end of the trip, the kids can spend any excess funds in the gift shop. We have the TIW card which saves us 20% at that TS meals. I often share meals with the kids. One of our favorites is "Mom's Sampler" at the 50's Prime Time Cafe...meatloaf, pot roast and fried chicken. We get an order of onion rings as an appetizer and then the girls and I share the sampler. If we have room, we share a dessert. With the DP, we always looked at the prices. Now, we look at the food and we order what we want to eat, not what is the best bang for the buck. It's still pre-paid but we can order what we want without limitations.

 

[kt_mom]

We did this for our August trip. I used my Target redcard plus the pharmacy discount and saved almost 10% off all of our dining! If you're staying on property, it's easiest to bill everything to your room then pay the room charges with your gift cards. I think when you get to $500 that's when they bill it to your credit card. I just went to guest services every other day and applied a few gift cards to our room charges.

I was just sitting here thinking I might get a few cards over the next couple months for our December trip with my red card. But then I wondered how I would keep up with how much is left on them and stuff. This sounds like a great way to do it. Thanks!

 

[dhardawa]

We're on free dining with two adults and one child. There for 8 days. We have 7 buffets and one non-buffet scheduled. I just did the math and the dining plan would cost me $153 more than paying out of pocket. Plus, if I was paying out of pocket, we'd do less sit downs because it really is too much food for us, so I'd actually save more.

 

[angierae]

I am planning on doing this for our food, and only billing food back to the room. We won't save a ton, but it will make it easier for me to have our food budget separate from the rest of our money.

 

[LJSquishy]

Yes, you can do that, just keep in mind that if you end up spending less on food than you expect...you're stuck with a useless Disney gift card.

I prefer to just budget for food, and spend as I go. If you figure out how much you plan to spend on food before you go, it won't be a shock to just pay for each meal. Prepaying for food isn't any easier than using your debit/credit card. You still have to hand the waitstaff a card to swipe.

Also, if there are any discrepancies on your bill (whether it be tip, the total, etc), they will refund it on your Disney gift card...so again, you could be left with useless Disney "money" that you can't spend anywhere else.

 

[kristenrice]

I was just sitting here thinking I might get a few cards over the next couple months for our December trip with my red card. But then I wondered how I would keep up with how much is left on them and stuff. This sounds like a great way to do it. Thanks!

There is an iPhone app (maybe available for Android too) that keeps track of your Disney gift cards. I have (had) 9 $50 GC's from Target. I lettered them A-I with a black Sharpie and so when I loaded them into the app, I named them by their respective letter. This way, I would know exactly which card has what amount of funds left on it. I have since used all of them to buy park passes so I deleted them from my app and started over.

 

[angierae]

Yes, you can do that, just keep in mind that if you end up spending less on food than you expect...you're stuck with a useless Disney gift card.

I prefer to just budget for food, and spend as I go. If you figure out how much you plan to spend on food before you go, it won't be a shock to just pay for each meal. Prepaying for food isn't any easier than using your debit/credit card. You still have to hand the waitstaff a card to swipe.

Also, if there are any discrepancies on your bill (whether it be tip, the total, etc), they will refund it on your Disney gift card...so again, you could be left with useless Disney "money" that you can't spend anywhere else.

I would have no problem spending any "leftover" Disney money in the gift shop before returning home

 

[LJSquishy]

I would have no problem spending any "leftover" Disney money in the gift shop before returning home

I know some people like Disney merchandise and wouldn't have a problem spending extra gift card money, but I'm not a souvenir person & don't like Disney themed items (or lots of snacks to bring home) so I thought I'd just throw it out there.

 

[isaboo]

Yes, you can do that, just keep in mind that if you end up spending less on food than you expect...you're stuck with a useless Disney gift card.

I prefer to just budget for food, and spend as I go. If you figure out how much you plan to spend on food before you go, it won't be a shock to just pay for each meal. Prepaying for food isn't any easier than using your debit/credit card. You still have to hand the waitstaff a card to swipe.

Also, if there are any discrepancies on your bill (whether it be tip, the total, etc), they will refund it on your Disney gift card...so again, you could be left with useless Disney "money" that you can't spend anywhere else.

It's pretty easy to estimate before you go by looking at menus. I wish we had some "useless" gift cards left! My estimate was within $100 of what we actually spent (over)......mostly due to souvenirs and not food.

 

[gatorgirl2179]

Thanks for this helpful information!

 

[taaren]

Just in case you fall into a Florida resident, DVC or AP category, OP ... have you looked into the Tables in Wonderland card? If you're doing a lot of buffets and can get one, it might be worth it. Might not (you'd have to spend $500 on TS to be worthwhile), but its 20% off all your TS.

 

[chimilady]

Just in case you fall into a Florida resident, DVC or AP category, OP ... have you looked into the Tables in Wonderland card? If you're doing a lot of buffets and can get one, it might be worth it. Might not (you'd have to spend $500 on TS to be worthwhile), but its 20% off all your TS.

You have 13 months to spend that $500.

 

[pigletto]

Yes, you can do that, just keep in mind that if you end up spending less on food than you expect...you're stuck with a useless Disney gift card.

I prefer to just budget for food, and spend as I go. If you figure out how much you plan to spend on food before you go, it won't be a shock to just pay for each meal. Prepaying for food isn't any easier than using your debit/credit card. You still have to hand the waitstaff a card to swipe.

Also, if there are any discrepancies on your bill (whether it be tip, the total, etc), they will refund it on your Disney gift card...so again, you could be left with useless Disney "money" that you can't spend anywhere else.

This is my concern as well. I've budgeted about $2000 for food for the 10 days. If we go through it all, that's fine. But if we don't, I don't want the money left on a gift card until the next trip. If I qualified to get the Target discount I might feel differently but we're Canadian so we don't.

I think our plan is an envelope system. Just put the $200 a day into an envelope. If we have any leftover we'll have cash at the end. But then I'm looking at bringing $2000 in cash and leaving it in the safe which doesn't sound much better does it?

I don't want to put it on my credit card because the exchange and foreign currency fees are awful.
Not sure what I'll do yet.

 

[KalamityJane]

Why not put half on gift cards and half in cash?