Happy holidays in advance, Karen, and welcome to planDisney! I love
Walt Disney World Resort visits during the most wonderful time of the year, so I hope you're getting excited about your trip this December. And as much as I look forward to the season, my bank account is usually pretty depleted by the new year! Let's look at some ways to ease your holiday budget.
The
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are the best way to ensure a good seat for this moving holiday show. My husband and I were at
EPCOT on Christmas Day two years ago, so we booked the dining package and were on the second row for our show that evening. I treasure my magical photos of that performance!
We will know all the details once the dining packages are released on October 17, but I spoke to a holly-jolly Cast Member who said they probably won't need to be pre-paid. You'll make your reservation online and can only hold it with a credit card. You won't be able to make the reservation using any type of gift card or reward dollars because that card will be charged in the event of a no-show for the reservation.
The good news is that most restaurants at EPCOT will accept Disney Gift Cards as payment, so after you've enjoyed your meal, you should be able to pay with a gift card.
I have a
Disney Visa Card, and once I've accumulated some reward dollars, I request those dollars be added to a Disney Reward Redemption Card I can use at most restaurants and shops throughout Walt Disney World as I would any Disney Gift Card.
If the restaurant you choose for your dining package doesn't accept gift cards, you'll need to use an alternative payment and save your gift card for shopping or another dining experience.
My final tip is that you can redeem your Disney Visa reward dollars after arriving at Walt Disney World. I recently picked up a card packet at
Guest Relations in City Hall at Frontierland in
Magic Kingdom Park. You can see all the locations and
ways to redeem those rewards on the Disney Rewards website.
Karen, I'm sprinkling pixie dust and Christmas snow so your upcoming visit will be festive and bright. Please
stop by planDisney anytime!
Magic awaits,
Elaine