When did this happen?

[TEK224]

I went to the Disney store at the mall today to get Disney Dollars for my January trip (and also for my niece as part of her Christmas present). Store staff told me they don't sell Disney Dollars anymore They have gift cards. I don't remember hearing about this before. I was bummed. I liked getting the Disney Dollars and seeing which character was on which denomination (weird, I know).

So, does anyone know if the gc can be used the same as disney dollars? I wanted to use them to pay for my annual pass, so can I do that with the gc?
Sometimes I hate when things change.

Terri

 

[syko]

It changed a couple of months ago. There has been lots of chatter about it on other sections of Dis.

 

[tiberius]

I was disappointed in that too. I always got ready for a trip by purchasing Disney Dollars periodically. This year I have not done the same with gift cards, so in the end I think Disney will end up with less of my money on the January trip than they otherwise would have. Plus, I now go to the Disney store less than before, losing a big reason to go. This year I would have bougth a couple hundred extra Disney Dollars as gifts, but now those gifts were Disney pins and lanyards bought off eBay.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

So sad.

 

[FireDancer]

I used to like the Disney dollars for their artwork and their uniqueness. Most companies have gone from the dollars to cards for the cost savings and that part of it makes sense but I do think they will sell less without the dollars. There were people who collected them which meant that they definitely sold more than were used.

That sounds good but it also creates an accounting nightmare as all of those outstanding dollars are on the books as liabilities.

 

[swim-mom]

OMG!! Having four children I had no clue that this stopped!!! We have planned a short trip in January and I was going to get disney dollars and wrap them up --- ok, I need to come up with a plan B now.......

 

[mousemgr2]

My best friend, Cathy, works at the Disney Store. She said the reasoning behind this is the amount of internal theft. Apparently there were many managers/cast members helping themselves to the dollars. Gift Cards are easier to track because they have to be activated by a register transaction. The gift cards will work the same as Disney Dollars when it comes to purchasing park passes.

It is a bummer. I always thought they would be a good way for parents to teach their kids about money.

 

[CALIFLADY]

I was at the NYC "World of Disney" on Fifth Avenue this week and asked to purchase some Disney Dollars. They said they don't sell them, but they do accept them.

I asked where the nearest Disney Store was that sold them. They started directing me to a Disney Store somewhere in NYC, but about 30 minutes from Manhattan, so I passed and just bought the cash card. Interesting that they didn't tell me (or know) that they were no longer sold anywhere. Not nearly as much fun as Disney Dollars in the Christmas stocking. Snif.