Hi Tom, welcome back to planDisney!
I am a big believer in using Disney Gift Cards for my Walt Disney World vacations! I like to purchase Disney Gift Cards at retailers that offer them at a discount. This provides an instant discount on my vacation spending!
It's your personal preference as to whether you wish to use a plastic Disney Gift Card rather than an electronic Disney Gift Card. Personally, I prefer to use a plastic Disney Gift Card. I recommend starting off by
purchasing a Disney Gift Card with a fun design to use as your main card for your vacation. Then, register all Disney Gift Cards (including electronic Disney Gift Cards) at
DisneyGiftCard.com. From there, you can combine them up to the $1,000.00 limit, as you mentioned.
One of the benefits of registering your Disney Gift Cards at DisneyGiftCard.com is you have the flexibility to transfer amounts from card to card quickly and as needed. It can be risky to carry a physical gift card with you because if you lose it, the balance could disappear quickly if it falls into the wrong hands. That is why I keep a smaller amount on the gift card I carry with me and replenish it as needed. And, if I ever lose my physical Disney Gift Card, my plan is to immediately go to the Disney Gift Card website and transfer my money off that card onto another card I have registered in my account.
You can also easily add electronic Disney Gift Cards to Apple Wallet or Google Pay if you prefer. Simply follow the instructions included in the email received when purchasing an electronic Disney Gift Card.
Tom, I hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if there is anything further we can assist you with. Have a magical vacation!
Diane