Canadian Disney Gift Cards

That's the biggest benefit for most people. Some are also using the method of using either PC Optimum points or Cash Airmiles to "buy" the gift cards. Neither programme will allow you to straight up exchange points/miles for gift cards but if you add it to a grocery order and then use the points/miles to pay for that part of the order the gift card then becomes "free" -- make sense??

Can you explain this to me? How does one go about this? I’ve got something like 300000 optimum points! I’d love to be able to use it on gift cards lol
 


Can you explain this to me? How does one go about this? I’ve got something like 300000 optimum points! I’d love to be able to use it on gift cards lol

Really you are using points to pay for your groceries and paying for the gift card out-of-pocket. You could do it in two separate transactions and it would be just the same. Some people just prefer to think of it as paying for the groceries (that they would buy anyway) and getting the gift card for free.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know that I used my Canadian gift cards successfully all last week at the parks, restaurants and stores in disney world. The only time I had a problem was using it to pay my room charges. Found out the hard way that they don’t work for that so I had to spend another $167 to use them all up. Lol
We used our gift cards to pay off our room charges with no issues when we were there in March. That’s how we paid off all of our room charges.
 


Wait. You can't use gift cards to pay off room charges?

So if I buy a bunch of things at magic kingdom and charge them to my magic band, I cannot then go to the front desk and use my gift card to pay it off?
Yes you can. We used our gift cards to pay off all of our room charges.
 
I apologize for asking this so late (after 24 pages of replies), but what is the advantage of using gift cards over other payment methods? Is it simply to save the 2.5% foreign exchange fee in Cdn credit cards? Are there any other benefits to using gift cards?

I like to save them up, so buy them a bit at a time to help with trip expenses.

As well, you can register them on the website and report them lost if something happens, so I feel more comfortable carrying them around (and giving them to the kids to carry) instead of a credit card.
 
Here now, and wondering if there’s anyway to buy e-gift cards in Canadian dollars. We have a Canadian card if that makes any difference. Would just love to avoid that foreign ex fee...
 
Yes you can. We used our gift cards to pay off all of our room charges.
I tried to use 3 different Canadian gift cards to pay room charges at Beach Club on Sunday night. My American card went through no problem, but none of my Canadian ones would work at all. I transferred balances to other gift cards to see if there was a problem with one but not one of them worked. Maybe it was an isolated incident, but maybe not. I wasn’t sure if anyone had tried to do it since they stopped allowing the transfer of Canadian to American gift cards. I had no issues in any restaurant or store just the front desk at Beach Club.
 
I tried to use 3 different Canadian gift cards to pay room charges at Beach Club on Sunday night. My American card went through no problem, but none of my Canadian ones would work at all. I transferred balances to other gift cards to see if there was a problem with one but not one of them worked. Maybe it was an isolated incident, but maybe not. I wasn’t sure if anyone had tried to do it since they stopped allowing the transfer of Canadian to American gift cards. I had no issues in any restaurant or store just the front desk at Beach Club.

I appreciate you sharing this info. It doesn't make sense for me to stock up on those Canadian gift cards if they can't be used for for room charges. Hopefully others can also share their experience and that yours was just an isolated incident.
 
I tried to use 3 different Canadian gift cards to pay room charges at Beach Club on Sunday night. My American card went through no problem, but none of my Canadian ones would work at all. I transferred balances to other gift cards to see if there was a problem with one but not one of them worked. Maybe it was an isolated incident, but maybe not. I wasn’t sure if anyone had tried to do it since they stopped allowing the transfer of Canadian to American gift cards. I had no issues in any restaurant or store just the front desk at Beach Club.
So strange. We tried to use a prepaid visa and that gave us grief but the Canadian Disney cards worked great. We were at Pop Century. That was in the spring so maybe they changed it since then? Too bad if they did. I’m planning a trip to Disneyland in November so I hope I don’t run into issues with the cards there. I’m not staying onsite though just planning to use them at the restaurants.
 
I apologize for asking this so late (after 24 pages of replies), but what is the advantage of using gift cards over other payment methods? Is it simply to save the 2.5% foreign exchange fee in Cdn credit cards? Are there any other benefits to using gift cards?
For me in addition to saving the 2.5%, it's an easy way for me to save for vacation expenses. Buy $100 every now and then and register them on the gift card website and it's less painful than charging and then having a big c.c. bill to pay off at once. I buy them with my mastercard so I still get the points for using it. Last year (well January this year) I paid off a part of my DVC maintenance with it, this year I'm paying for my dining plan. I didn't have enough to pay for my ticket though, but this was the first year I heard of it, so next year I'll be more organized.
 
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I tried to use 3 different Canadian gift cards to pay room charges at Beach Club on Sunday night. My American card went through no problem, but none of my Canadian ones would work at all. I transferred balances to other gift cards to see if there was a problem with one but not one of them worked. Maybe it was an isolated incident, but maybe not. I wasn’t sure if anyone had tried to do it since they stopped allowing the transfer of Canadian to American gift cards. I had no issues in any restaurant or store just the front desk at Beach Club.

I used Canadian gift cards end of August at Bay Lake Tower for room charges. At Bay Lake Tower, it didn't go through to which the cast member replied "Oh this is in Canadian dollars". She excused herself to find a manager as she knew there was a different process for it. Two minutes later, it went through fine. I mentioned to her I hadn't had a problem in the parks and she replied that the resorts are set up to handle gift cards differently. I didn't ask for more details.
 
I used Canadian gift cards end of August at Bay Lake Tower for room charges. At Bay Lake Tower, it didn't go through to which the cast member replied "Oh this is in Canadian dollars". She excused herself to find a manager as she knew there was a different process for it. Two minutes later, it went through fine. I mentioned to her I hadn't had a problem in the parks and she replied that the resorts are set up to handle gift cards differently. I didn't ask for more details.
Thanks for letting me know! It seems like typical Disney with cast members who don’t know all the procedures. I’ll have to go during the day next time when there are more managers around. Otherwise it was great!
 
I tried buying Disney Gift Cards at Shoppers yesterday, and the number on the register screen didn't match the card so she couldn't sell it to me. She tried 5 different Disney cards, same thing. What gives? Does the number have to match??? I'm not sure anyone has ever checked before...
 
I tried buying Disney Gift Cards at Shoppers yesterday, and the number on the register screen didn't match the card so she couldn't sell it to me. She tried 5 different Disney cards, same thing. What gives? Does the number have to match??? I'm not sure anyone has ever checked before...

Hmmm. Was this a cashier making this decision or the system stopping it? If it was the system, then perhaps Shoppers has entered something incorrectly in that batch or was experiencing a system issue. If it was the cashier, well I assume they don't know what they are doing lol.

So FWIW, the actual card number and security code is hidden from the cashier. You could get the first twelve numbers by flipping up some of the cardboard but there is security tape over the last 4 digits and the security code. I wouldn't purchase any that look even the slightest bent, I actually first ask if they have any behind the counter.
 
For anyone in the West searching for additional options to gain points for “free” GC’s, London Drugs LD Extra’s program is great. A minimum $10 purchase is required, and after 10 visits they award you a $5 voucher. You can accrue your vouchers until you wish to use them, and they are stored electronically via your phone number so no having to carry vouchers in your purse or wallet. They have an app as well to help you track your Extra dollars earned.
The important thing to note about purchases (visits) is that it’s once per day. You cannot make 10 individual purchases on one day and receive your voucher. So, for example, I visit my local London Drugs every day for 10 days making a $10 purchase each time I then receive a $5 voucher.
You do not have to purchase anything before you can redeem your Extra dollars. If I have $100 worth of Extra dollars accrued, I simply grab a gift card worth $100 (or 2 for $50) and go to the register. I tell the cashier I want to use my Extra dollars and they redeem the amount I choose. No added out of pocket expense like with PC points or Airmiles!
 
The Walmart near me is selling $50 Disney Gift cards. Can we reload these or add money to them or do I have to buy multiples?
(Tried searching for the answer but nothing came up)
 

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