Did you know that you can use Disney gift cards to pay for just about anything Disney-related? That includes park tickets, dining, souvenirs, and even your deposit for a vacation package at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and Adventures by Disney!
Over the years, I’ve become pretty strategic about how I use my gift cards to make the most of my vacation and save money! So read on to learn a few of my tips and tricks.
Buy DISCOUNTED Disney Gift Cards From Select Merchants, Including Target and Sam’s Club
Target
If you are a Target Red Card holder, you get 5% off all purchases, and that includes Disney gift cards! So, a $500 Disney gift card will only cost $475. For a full hotel and ticket package at Walt Disney World, those savings can really add up!
Sam’s Club
If you are a member of Sam’s Club, you can also purchase discounted gift cards. At the time of writing this post, a $500 Disney Gift Card is $484.98. Not as good as Target, but I’ve seen this price fluctuate, and not too long ago they had even deeper discounts, so make sure to check regularly.
BJ’s Wholesale
In certain parts of the US, discounted Disney Gift Cards are also available at BJ’s Wholesale. Check your local store for more details.
Ask Family for Disney Gift Cards for Birthdays and Holidays
If the grandparents or other loved ones can’t join you on your next Disney vacation, they may still want to be a part of the magic. One way to do this is by gifting each child (or adult) a Disney Gift Card for the trip.
Some may choose to use these for souvenirs or Mickey-shaped snacks. Others may use them for a special event ticket, such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. But my personal favorite is to use the gift cards for a special character meal at Topolino’s or Chef Mickey.
However you choose to spend these gift cards, be sure to send the gift-giver lots of photos or videos so they can feel a part of the experience!
Purchase Unique Disney Gift Cards for Each Family Member on ShopDisney
Disney gift cards are not discounted, but they are definitely cuter and have a huge selection of options. I like to purchase a different gift card for each family member so we know whose is whose. This is great for tweens and teens, especially because their gift card can become their own spending money and they can choose how to budget it for the trip (parents, this means no constant asking for souvenirs every 5 minutes!).
Use www.disneygiftcard.com to Manage Your Cards, Check Balances, and Merge Funds
You can create an online account where you can register your gift cards and move funds around from card to card. You can have up to six different cards with a balance of up to $1000 per card at one time, and this also allows you to move funds from e-gift cards onto a physical one (like the cute character ones mentioned before).
Use Your Cards to Pay for your Disney Vacation Before and During your Trip
Remember when I mentioned that you can get 5% off Disney Gift Cards from Target? Well, on a $4,000 vacation, that’s a saving of $200!
So, whether you are making the deposit on your vacation package, using it as spending money in the parks, or paying your room charges and incidentals, using those gift cards can really pay off!
Save your Gift Cards Until After your Trip
This is an important tip I tell all my guests who make their vacation package deposit with a gift card. If for some reason you must cancel your trip, your deposit will be refunded to your original form of payment. That means that if you paid with a gift card, it goes back to that exact gift card.
This is another reason why I like to merge mine and always pay with the same gift card (I kind of treat it like a debit card and reload that same one every time). I never throw it away!
So with all this information, are you ready to use Disney Gift Cards to help pay for your vacation?
Contact your Magical Vacation Planner and start planning your trip today!