Smartest way to use GCs and Disney Visa Rewards Card while at WDW?

[Angeliki19]

Hi! I am traveling down with about $500 in gift cards (will consolidate to one) and about $600 on my Disney Visa Rewards Card. I am trying to figure out my strategy given that:

1. I really like using my MagicBand to charge things to my room.
2. When buying merchandise, would like to get the 10% off using my Disney Visa
3. The idea of having to re-enter my gift card number every time I mobile order doesn't sound appealing.

I know that you can charge everything back to the room but then you have to go every few days and pay it off... is that the best move?

Thanks!

 

[Marionnette]

Hi! I am traveling down with about $500 in gift cards (will consolidate to one) and about $600 on my Disney Visa Rewards Card. I am trying to figure out my strategy given that:

1. I really like using my MagicBand to charge things to my room.
2. When buying merchandise, would like to get the 10% off using my Disney Visa
3. The idea of having to re-enter my gift card number every time I mobile order doesn't sound appealing.

I know that you can charge everything back to the room but then you have to go every few days and pay it off... is that the best move?

Thanks!

Mobile ordering charges either a credit card or gift card. It doesn't charge to your room account. So for that purpose you are either going to have to input your GC each time or else just pay with a CC and save the GCs for other in-person purchases.

The Disney Visa merchandise discount has a minimum purchase of $50 and you must pay with either the rewards card or the actual Disney Visa. The discount does not apply if you charge back to your room.

For convenience, I would not combine all of the GCs onto one GC. I would have one GC dedicated to use for mobile ordering and I would store that GC's info in my phone's notes. You can then easily c/p it into the MDE app when you mobile order.

I would carry the rewards card with me for shopping and pay at the point of sale with it instead of charging back to the room.

Use actual GCs for small merchandise purchases and food purchases at kiosks and carts or charge those back to the room and pay your folio balance down with the GCs.

 

[Angeliki19]

Mobile ordering charges either a credit card or gift card. It doesn't charge to your room account. So for that purpose you are either going to have to input your GC each time or else just pay with a CC and save the GCs for other in-person purchases.

The Disney Visa merchandise discount has a minimum purchase of $50 and you must pay with either the rewards card or the actual Disney Visa. The discount does not apply if you charge back to your room.

For convenience, I would not combine all of the GCs onto one GC. I would have one GC dedicated to use for mobile ordering and I would store that GC's info in my phone's notes. You can then easily c/p it into the MDE app when you mobile order.

I would carry the rewards card with me for shopping and pay at the point of sale with it instead of charging back to the room.

Use actual GCs for small merchandise purchases and food purchases at kiosks and carts or charge those back to the room and pay your folio balance down with the GCs.

Thank you so much! Do you know if Savi's or Droid Depot count as merchandise with respect to the Disney Visa?

 

[lanejudy]

Thank you so much! Do you know if Savi's or Droid Depot count as merchandise with respect to the Disney Visa?

Both are listed as exclusions in the fine print (#10):

Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, and Droid Depot packages​

 

[CherylCT]

Great information!

 

[Angeliki19]

Both are listed as exclusions in the fine print (#10):

Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, and Droid Depot packages​

Should have known!

 

[karen4546]

I would not charge back to the room. They are going to put a hold for a $$$ amount anyway on your card if you do want those privileges. You will have to take the time to pay it everyday.

Your rewards visa will get you the same discounts as the actual visa card.

type in the GC number in your notes section and that way you can copy and paste it each time you mobile order. I just send myself a text with the number and copy that and paste it but the "notes" section works also.

You won't get discounts at the most of the "carts" that sell merchandise, but you do in the actual shops. Like a bubble wand at a cart won't get a discount, but one in the resort or park gift shop will.

idk about the Visa discount at Droid Depot but I don't think a Visa discount, but we did get an AP discount.

Keep an empty gc on your disneygiftcard account and in your possession so that if you happen to lose your main card, you can transfer the funds to empty card.

 

[kristenrice]

I have a "large" amount on a single gift card and I bring a few empty cards with me too. I keep the gift card locked in the hotel safe and then I charge all of my purchases to the room. I use it solely for dining (I have DVC so I only need to show my DVC card for the discounts) and I pay down the balance each night when we return to our room. Since I leave the gift card locked in the safe, I don't worry too much about losing it, but I also have the numbers saved on my phone, just in case something happens to it. I can always transfer the balance to a spare card, or buy a new one and transfer the balance to that one if necessary.