Disney Gift Cards versus Cash

[Melissakay1q]

I've been saving cash for my trip for food and other expenses. I'm beginning to have second thoughts on carrying around too much loose cash and considered purchasing Disney gift cards through Target instead. I could get the 5% off, which is great but not vital.

My plan is to use my Magic Band for most purchases anyway and pay the balance every few days at my resort.

How do you manage YOUR spending money? Am I just overthinking this?

Thanks!

 

[siren0119]

We took advantage of the Target redcard discount and put all of our spending cash on Disney gift cards. We used the gift card to pay the balance on our MB charges every night at the hotel.

I had the money spread out over a few cards, so that if we lost one we could just go online and transfer the balance to another card. I would be a nervous wreck carrying cash around when traveling!

 

[Shughart]

I will be using a CC to reap the rewards, and will have the money to pay it off following the trip. We chose between discounted gift cards and the mobile ordering on the app and the small savings from Sam's club was not as good as the convenience of mobile ordering.

 

[Patches Lee]

It depends on what I'm paying for. Use the Disney debit card for merchandise for 10% discount when spending over $50, or if a TS restaurant qualifies. Buy the Disney GCs from Sam's Club because I don't have Target CC, pay with my rewards CC for 2% cash back, so GC use saves me 3%, then use that to pay for room and tickets. I keep a blank GC on hand and make sure I have the GC with money on it registered on the GC website in case it gets lost I can transfer the money to the blank card.

 

[Jimsig]

Last year at Disneyland I used DIS GC's I got from Target, no MB's a DL of course. Paid for everything in the parks with it, snacks, souvenirs, QS and table service meals. Made it seem less painful money wise. Any time you can save even 5% is a good thing.

 

[Malyficent]

I like to think of it in terms of 5% I can spend on something else - so it's worth it to me to get the giftcards (I try to get the BJ's cards when they have their 8-9% sales). I do the same as Patches and keep a blank GC and then use the GC website.

That said, I don't like seeing the expenses on my MB. It took me out of vacation mode last time and gave me anxiety about several large, necessary (and budgeted) expenses at the beginning of our trip. I would have been more relaxed simply using a GC outright or using my debit card for them. I didn't adequately account for the psychological impact of seeing $900 on our room bill.

 

[billlaurie]

I have both Sam's and BJ's. Right now I think the best deal on the GC is at Sams for the $150 (3 $50 cards), 142.98, about 4.7%. using the Disney Visa to buy them puts the savings over 5% when you factor in the rewards. When does BJs have the 8-9 % sale? That would be fabulous?
The problem is that now I have so many $50 GC! I am going to try the Disney website where you can combine the cards. Has anyone used that?

 

[roflclaw]

I like having tangible evidence of my savings. we could simply take money out of paychecks and move things around electronically but that cash savings doesn't feel the same for me. so between grabbing a gc every couple trips to the store or taking advantage of sam's w/ dosh and rmn money back offers (oh that $5 back? that's a churro!) I'm able to gather up a handful of gcs and transfer them over to one physical card.

 

[Patches Lee]

I have both Sam's and BJ's. Right now I think the best deal on the GC is at Sams for the $150 (3 $50 cards), 142.98, about 4.7%. using the Disney Visa to buy them puts the savings over 5% when you factor in the rewards. When does BJs have the 8-9 % sale? That would be fabulous?
The problem is that now I have so many $50 GC! I am going to try the Disney website where you can combine the cards. Has anyone used that?

I might have used it a bit..... takes maybe 15 minutes to combine 15 cards. You can only store 5 at a time so I usually name the ones I plan to empty as A,B,C,D. Transfer the funds to the Main one, then delete the blanks. Just remember to write on the one you are transferring the funds to. Now who has creative ideas for blanks?

 

[amcnj]

I really only carry a little cash for places that require it, and use the credit card attached to the magic band for most everything. If I have discounted gift cards, I use them to pay down the charged balance at the front desk at least the day before checkout.

 

[Shughart]

It depends on what I'm paying for. Use the Disney debit card for merchandise for 10% discount when spending over $50, or if a TS restaurant qualifies. Buy the Disney GCs from Sam's Club because I don't have Target CC, pay with my rewards CC for 2% cash back, so GC use saves me 3%, then use that to pay for room and tickets. I keep a blank GC on hand and make sure I have the GC with money on it registered on the GC website in case it gets lost I can transfer the money to the blank card.

I considered this in case of lost GCs. Is the transfer that quick when done online?

 

[Melissakay1q]

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll get some gift cards for the bulk and keep a little cash on hand.

 

[cmwade77]

If staying onsite and I have gift cards, I just put the gift cards on the room at check in and whatever is left over gets refunded to either them or my credit card on file (I have had both happen). Just make sure you add the gift cards online and combine them first at DinseyGiftCard.com that way if any get lost you can transfer the balance to another card.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I have both Sam's and BJ's. Right now I think the best deal on the GC is at Sams for the $150 (3 $50 cards), 142.98, about 4.7%. using the Disney Visa to buy them puts the savings over 5% when you factor in the rewards. When does BJs have the 8-9 % sale? That would be fabulous?
The problem is that now I have so many $50 GC! I am going to try the Disney website where you can combine the cards. Has anyone used that?

I use the https://www.disneygiftcard.com/ constantly. Great for consolidating the small sums into $1000 GCs. It's not an e-bank or e-card: you must have the plastic card in your hand to purchase things. I shop at Sam's (4.7%) plus DOSH (2%) on the Arrival + MC (2X points). Use the cards to pay member dues for DVC and set up OBC on the cruise. No BJs or DOSH 8% lately.

 

[AlohaNow]

The problem is that now I have so many $50 GC! I am going to try the Disney website where you can combine the cards. Has anyone used that?

Yes, the gift card site for combining is fabulous. I am on there at least once a month adding in my haul. I have quite the spreadsheet that keeps track of card numbers and dates that the amounts were transferred to other cards. Probably not entirely necessary, but I like keeping track of things. Especially my savings! That is the most important formula in my spreadsheet. I utilized the tip I read here on the Budget Board of removing a card once it hits or nears $1,000. That way in case the Disney Gift Card website is hacked, the person would not have access to your 'full' cards. You of course still have the value on the card, you are just no longer tracking it on their site. That is what the massive spreadsheet is for!

oh that $5 back? that's a churro!

Clearly, you are good people.

 

[Patches Lee]

I considered this in case of lost GCs. Is the transfer that quick when done online?

If you already have the cards registered you just have to select transfer funds. It's immediate so maybe 5 minutes to complete.

 

[wed100105]

I use the gift card site. It’s awesome for my kids’ Disney gift cards. They can play with the old gift cards, and I hold onto the one with the balance on it.

I play the gift card game. This year our room and dining plan was $3000. I saved over $150 simply by a few extra steps buying gift cards.

I pay it off toward the room, and I’ll take another $500 or so on a gift card to pay for the tips and souvenirs.

 

[Melissakay1q]

If staying onsite and I have gift cards, I just put the gift cards on the room at check in and whatever is left over gets refunded to either them or my credit card on file (I have had both happen). Just make sure you add the gift cards online and combine them first at DinseyGiftCard.com that way if any get lost you can transfer the balance to another card.

Wait, you can do that??! Put the gift cards on the room?

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Wait, you can do that??! Put the gift cards on the room?

Yes, room and anything you charge to the room (food, gifts, bar, etc.). Also works on the DCL for anything you charge to the stateroom.

 

[911x2]

Hmmmmm. If I’ve read correctly you can link a different credit card to different magic bands in your group right?? Can you do the same with gift cards ?? As an example. Could I apply a $50 gift card to my daughters magic band for her to use as she pleases?? Or can you just apply them to your charge account for the room only ??