What would you do with Disney Visa Points?

[TravelingJen24]

We have acquired over 3000 disney dollars over the last few years. I know it is a lot, but we bought and remodeled a house amongst some other really large investments.
The problem, if that is what you want to call it, is that we don't know what to do with them now. I want to use them for something we wouldn't typically do, but our kids are young and can't go to any countries, etc. right now. I was just wondering what my DVC buddies would do with the points? We have used our DVC points for many things, but there are still so many disney adventures we want to try. Thanks

 

[keishashadow]

that is a whole bunch of points

would book a cruise on DCL of course

fyi, i called & ordered ours; wasn't aware the card is valild thru Dec. of the following year

 

[Starr W.]

You could use them for a DCL cruise, weren't you looking at one of those? Better deal than using your DVC points.

Hey do you think that you could use them to pay for a VR(you were over at the wedding board the other day). Don't know if the wedding people will take Visa Points. Doesn't hurt to ask.

I have had about 700 in the last year and I have used them to pay for meals mostly.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We just booked a 3 night DCL cruise as a gift for DS's family of 5. The cost is about $3,500, in 2 inside cabins. The way we all are carrying on, everyone going back and forth anticipating this May '09 whole family cruise, it's really nuts! There's just something about us all being together on the ship that is making us very happy! So, that's what I would do...book your family on a DCL cruise. Make it a year or more out if you think your family is too young. Our DGC will be 4, 5 and 6 next May.

Bobbi

 

[lisareniff]

I just used about 400 of them to pay part of our MF.

Another 125 I used for a solo trip in Dec (dinners, gifts for my girls, etc.)

 

[TravelingJen24]

I would love to use them for a cruise, but then I have to pay 2000 bucks to get my family over there. I would have loved to do the mexico trip this summer, but I just can't stomach the price tag.
The vowel renewal is a great idea, but I think our rewards will start to expire by then.
I'm happy everyone else is able to find great ideas to use for their points. I've actually thought about buying some nice art. It's amazing how fast I could eat these points up in so many different ways.

 

[Starr W.]

When in doubt use them to pay your MF's. Treat yourself at one of the spas. Park the kids in one of the kiddie jails(my eldest's son name for the babysitting clubs, my 6yr old loved it so don't get the wrong idea) and go to V&A.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Isn't there going to be a tax return...hey, there's the airfare

Have fun planning to spend the money, and when you think of just the right thing you'll know it!!

Bobbi

 

[magicmama]

I think it would be great to have that problem!

doesn't one of the disney ships go to the west coast???

And your points would pay for your annual passes for a family.

Have fun!

 

[LisaS]

Rather than letting the reward dollars accumulate over a few years, I would have used them to pay my annual dues each year. It would bother me to pay out of pocket for dues while the rewards dollars piled up in my account.

Also in case you don't already know this, do not transfer the reward dollars to your rewards card until you are ready to use them. The reward cards expire and any unused dollars transferred to the card will be lost.

 

[TravelingJen24]

The reason we don't use them for our dues is because we feel that the points we accumulate should be used for something special, something we wouldn't normally do. I have to pay my dues, but a special trip is even more special when it's free. I would love to go on the west coast cruise, but 5,000 bucks is outrageous. I know part of it would be paid for, but then we would still have to come out of pocket a lot. That would just be painful.

 

[DVC Mike]

We use our's to pay for most of our dining each trip. We tend to eat at the "signature" dining and it's nice to go there and get "free" meals.

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

With 3000 rewards dollars... Heck, I'd buy and add-on. LOL! You can never have too many points.

 

[Cricket2]

With 3000 rewards dollars... Heck, I'd buy and add-on. LOL! You can never have too many points.

Yup, no question, a small add-on to a resort I don't already own at.

 

[robinb]

We have acquired over 3000 disney dollars over the last few years. I know it is a lot, but we bought and remodeled a house amongst some other really large investments.
The problem, if that is what you want to call it, is that we don't know what to do with them now. I want to use them for something we wouldn't typically do, but our kids are young and can't go to any countries, etc. right now. I was just wondering what my DVC buddies would do with the points? We have used our DVC points for many things, but there are still so many disney adventures we want to try. Thanks

FWIW, my DD traveled extensively from a very young age. We went to London when she was only 3 months old and now that she's 9 she has been to London, France (Lyon, Paris), Japan (twice), Canada, Hong Kong, China and countless US cities including 3 trips to Hawaii. Just because your kids are young doesn't mean that can't travel !

Now, back on-topic. We use our Disney Dollars for park passes. Last year's dollars paid for about 60% of our APs in Decmber. Be aware of the restrictions when you move your dollars onto the card. Once they are on the card they can expire and you might lose them!

 

[Maribel]

Here are some ideas:

* Buy some stuff you like at disneystore.com. Buy birthday and christmas presents for the kids in advance. Buy also presents for your kid's friends' birthdays.
* Buy those movies you want (or your kids want) to see over and over again at the disneymovieclub.com
* Of course, save some money for your next disney trip to cover tickets, meals and souveniers

 

[KevGuy]

I got about 500 points for my upcoming trip. We plan to use them to pay for a few meals, all the tips, and some trinkets and pins for the kids.

 

[TravelingJen24]

I don't mean that my kids can't travel, it's just that my husband wouldn't be comfortable on a plane for 8 or 9 hours with my 4 and 2 year old. He tends to get a little anxious. I would love to take the kids to Japan and visit their Disneyland. Fourteen hours on a plane is just too much for us a this time. I haven't moved the points to a card yet because I don't know what we will use them on. I would buy an add-on, but we are waiting for GCV and I think it is going to cost quite a bit more.

 

[LocustPoint]

My DH use ours for dining at WDW. Currently have 340 on a card that we will use at the end of February!

 

[LisaS]

The reason we don't use them for our dues is because we feel that the points we accumulate should be used for something special, something we wouldn't normally do. I have to pay my dues, but a special trip is even more special when it's free.

I definitely understand the desire to use them for something special. But I also don't trust that these reward programs won't change their terms on short notice and make it difficult to use up such a large number of points.

If I wanted to use the reward dollars for something special, I would still use them for things I have to pay (like dues) but then put the equivalent amount of cash into a special account (money market, short-term CD, etc). With the compounded interest, I would then have even more money to spend on whatever I wanted and wouldn't be restricted to using the money only for something Disney related. For example, I could buy my DH the big screen TV he's been dreaming about for several years!