So excited!! Can earn $2000 Disney GC!

[hockeyprincess]

Hey all!!

I am SOOOO excited the company I am with has an incentive program where I can earn up to a $2000 Disney Gift Card to put towards a trip, tickets, a cruise, anything I want!! (There are other incentives besides this one, but hands down THIS is the one I'm choosing!! )

I have been toying around ideas in my head about how to use this gift card... and would like your opinions!!

It will be me, DH, DS 11 and DD 6 (7 in July). We have been to Disney several times and typically stay on DVC points. But not opposed to buying a package thru Disney, (CRO) but will not stay at a Value resort. Not that there is anything wrong with Value--it's just not for us. The beds being the first and main reason it will not work. I can not sleep in a double bed w/DH for a week straight! Just ain't happenin if you know what I mean..... With that said, here are my options, at least those that I can think of! Let me know what you would do in my position or if you think of something that I didn't!!

1: Purchase package with new Disney Visa offer, Kids stay & play & eat (I think?) free, using the Aug 16th or after date, but before school starts. This leaves us to cover the Room, 3 Adult Tickets, plus dining... this might work!

2: Purchase 10 day non expiring tickets for all 4 of us, and use remaining on Gift Card for Dining Plan, rent DVC points for our stay, paying out of pocket

3: Purchase same said tickets, but wait to go? I would purchase tickets before the "usual" ticket price increase in Aug.

4: Use the $2000 towards a Disney Cruise. I realize we will have to put up at least the same amount in cash to pay for this, for all 4 of us.

It seems like so much money but w/o staying in a Value resort, I don't know if I can swing the trip w/o some out of pocket expense? The only one POSSIBLY that could work is #1 above, with little to no OOP expense, except airline and souviners. And alot of that would depend on which resort we choose.

Any other ideas for me to consider, or input? Thanks guys!!

 

[leadfootlevi]

I don't think the promo includes kids eating free. I agree - $2000 won't be enough to cover the whole trip.

Have you looked into a YES program? You can save BIG $$$ on tickets.

 

[Marionnette]

Hey all!!

I am SOOOO excited the company I am with has an incentive program where I can earn up to a $2000 Disney Gift Card to put towards a trip, tickets, a cruise, anything I want!! (There are other incentives besides this one, but hands down THIS is the one I'm choosing!! )

I have been toying around ideas in my head about how to use this gift card... and would like your opinions!!

It will be me, DH, DS 11 and DD 6 (7 in July). We have been to Disney several times and typically stay on DVC points. But not opposed to buying a package thru Disney, (CRO) but will not stay at a Value resort. Not that there is anything wrong with Value--it's just not for us. The beds being the first and main reason it will not work. I can not sleep in a double bed w/DH for a week straight! Just ain't happenin if you know what I mean..... With that said, here are my options, at least those that I can think of! Let me know what you would do in my position or if you think of something that I didn't!!

1: Purchase package with new Disney Visa offer, Kids stay & play & eat (I think?) free, using the Aug 16th or after date, but before school starts. This leaves us to cover the Room, 3 Adult Tickets, plus dining... this might work!

2: Purchase 10 day non expiring tickets for all 4 of us, and use remaining on Gift Card for Dining Plan, rent DVC points for our stay, paying out of pocket

3: Purchase same said tickets, but wait to go? I would purchase tickets before the "usual" ticket price increase in Aug.

4: Use the $2000 towards a Disney Cruise. I realize we will have to put up at least the same amount in cash to pay for this, for all 4 of us.

It seems like so much money but w/o staying in a Value resort, I don't know if I can swing the trip w/o some out of pocket expense? The only one POSSIBLY that could work is #1 above, with little to no OOP expense, except airline and souviners. And alot of that would depend on which resort we choose.

Any other ideas for me to consider, or input? Thanks guys!!

Congratulations! I hope you meet your goal and get that incentive gift card. What a great motivator!

Something to keep in mind with the kids stay and play free deal...its for kids 3-9 so you would only be saving the cost of one child's ticket with this deal. Kids always stay for free so there is no savings on that end with this promotion. You might actually do better with a room only discount and then turning it into a package by "adding" tickets and dining plan. This would be especially true if you intend to stay at a deluxe resort (most moderates have double beds, too).

 

[clanmcculloch]

For most people, those non-expiring tickets just aren't the best financial decision. Some people do well with them but only if they'll be needing EXACTLY 10 park days over multiple trips and generally it's most worthwhile if you've also got the WP&M options because most people don't do nearly as many WP or DQ days each trip so those can still carry over to future trips. Really think hard about whether those are the best way to go or not.

I would think the suggestion for the YES tickets would probably be a better financial suggestion if you aren't going to be doing a package deal.

The short version of my answer is to look at a variation of #2 where you're either buying YES tickets or regular tickets from UT using a link from a Mousesavers newsletter.

 

[hockeyprincess]

I have heard of YES tickets but really don't know much at all about them. I will find the thread here and see what I can find out! Thanks for the suggestions. I would really like to take a Disney Cruise but they are just SO expensive, and the 7 day cruises are always during the school year, which is out for us, except maybe a holiday cruise which is mui $$$$.... wish that option was more affordable. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

[ilovepete]

Wow that is a great motivator they have for you!

 

[robsmom]

I agree with the poster who suggests not buying 10 day non-expiring passes. I did this a few years back and would not do it again. In recent years there have been a number of good promotions that i could not take advantage off. Free dining, 7 days for 4 etc. they are require ticket purchase but I already have tickets. Once i use of the days, i will not go this route again.

 

[MamaJessie]

I agree with the poster who suggests not buying 10 day non-expiring passes. I did this a few years back and would not do it again. In recent years there have been a number of good promotions that i could not take advantage off. Free dining, 7 days for 4 etc. they are require ticket purchase but I already have tickets. Once i use of the days, i will not go this route again.

Ditto!!!!!!!! At the time it seemed like SUCH a good idea.

 

[hockeyprincess]

That is interesting! Thank you for your input. I never considered that being an issue. So you all just typically purchase length of stay tickets then? And hope for a great PIN or code or sale? Definitely something to think about!

I will say I rarely, if ever, get a PIN. And of course, the times I have... I can't use it! Darn it!!

 

[mykidsand_i]

xxxxxxx

 

[connie1042]

I have a 10 day non-expiration. I have had it for about 5 years. When there is a promotion and we need tickets, we buy them Free Dinning. We are also Military, so have been getting great deals that way. But my ticket does not expire, so when I do need it, it is still good. I use it when I am only going to the parks for a couple of days. I will never have to add WPM to any ticket I buy in the future. I still have like 5 days of those left and we do not do Disney Quest. I think it was a good deal at the time. But if you don't like to go for just a short trip, it probably is not right for you.

 

[stsomewhere]

Put it towards the cruise!

 

[madelyn]

I actually like the 10 day non expiring tickets and have purchased them twice. They work great for those trips when we want to spend 3 or less days in the parks. We've been on a few other trips where we went to the parks more often so we bought new expiring tickets for those trips. But we still have our non-expiring tickets to use on future trips. Our next trip may be primarily Universal Studios and possibly a couple of day in Disney parks combined with the water parks. We probably have enough water park options to last a lifetime. So, if you don't mind spending the money upfront and know you can keep track of things and will be able to find the non-expiring tickets when needed, it can be a good option for some. I'd much rather use days off our non-expiring tickets rather than buy a single day, or two or three day hopper.