Ahoy, Victoria!
Congratulations on your inaugural voyage aboard Disney Cruise Line! I think you've made an excellent itinerary choice since you'll be visiting both Disney's private island, Castaway Cay and the Walt Disney World Resort! What a pixie-dusted sailing!
Your Key to the World card will be your charge card, ship identification, Shutters photo card and room key while onboard. And you are also correct that Disney Gift Cards can be added to your shipboard account. When you are visiting Castaway Cay, it will work just as if you were on the ship. You can use it to purchase specialty beverages, beach essentials and Castaway Cay merchandise found in the two gift shops located on the island. When you stop at the Walt Disney World Resort, you will need to use another form of payment such as cash, major credit cards like Visa, JCB, Diner's Club, Discover, MasterCard and American Express. Most dining and merchandise locations accept Disney Gift Cards so you may want to save those for your time in the parks. You can load up to $1000.00 per card on the
Disney Gift Card website, so I would use your Disney Gift Card in the parks and then apply the remaining balance to your shipboard account. I like to purchase one each week leading up to our Disney vacation at my local grocery store as a way to budget for all the fun extras. It really adds up quickly!
Victoria, everything you need to know about your day at the Walt Disney World Resort will be communicated to you once you are aboard. You'll receive information in your stateroom about disembarkation and embarkation procedures as well as transportation information to and from Port Canaveral and the Walt Disney World Resort. My family experienced this exact itinerary a few years ago and really thought the process was smooth and seamless.
We hope you'll keep us in the loop with any other questions you may have about your voyage!
Nancy