Disney Dollars (DD) provide a great way to keep your kids on a souvenir budget while visiting the Disneyland Resort theme parks in California. DD are Disney currency that spend like real money. They are dollar for dollar cash equivalents. They come in denominations of $1, $5 and $10. You can only use them at the Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World in Florida. You can’t use them on Disney Cruise Line or at any of the international Disney theme parks.

To help your kids save money for their special trip to the Disney theme parks, you can give them their allowance in Disney Dollars. You, or other family members, can also give DD as presents, or as a special reward. Since your kids can only spend Disney currency at the theme parks, they have a built-in method for saving for their trip. Kids love to have their own money, and will learn how to budget their money while in the theme parks, while hopefully relieving you from being viewed as an ATM machine!

Currently, there are only two ways to buy Disney Dollars directly from Disney in advance. You can order them through the mail or you can order them by phone from Disney. You cannot order them on-line or from a Disney Store.

To order Disney Dollars by phone call (407)566-4985. You can only order up to $50 on one credit card per transaction, plus $15 for shipping and handling. However, you can use up to three different credit cards to order a total of $150 in Disney currency per transaction, and will still just be charged $15 for shipping and handling. Your order will arrive by Fed Ex in approximately 7-10 days after you place your phone order. Delivery will require an adult signature.

If you need to order more than $150 in Disney Dollars, or want to pay by check or money order (payable in U.S. funds only), you can order by mail. You can actually order up to $650 in Disney currency by mail. You cannot use a credit card when ordering this way. When ordering by mail, include your name, address and a daytime phone number with your order. Specify your denomination requirements-i.e.-how many $1’s, how many $5’s and how many $10’s you need. Send a check or money order payable in U.S. funds for this total amount, plus $15 for shipping and handling, made payable to “Disney Destination Ticketing”. Send this order to:

Disney Destination Ticketing
PO Box 10140
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Your order will be shipped via Fed Ex in approximately 7-10 days after Disney receives your order. Again, delivery will require an adult signature. If you want to speed this process up a bit, you can call Disney World Ticketing at (407) 566-4985 and give them your order requirements. They will set up your order and assign you an order number which you will need to include on your check or money order before mailing.

If you run out of time to order Disney Dollars before your trip, you can buy them at various locations around the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. After making a purchase with Disney currency at the theme parks, your change will be given in U.S. currency. Unused Disney Dollars can usually be exchanged for U.S. currency at one of the locations in the Disney theme parks that sell them.

Rebecca L James is the author of two books, “Disneyland Resort Insider Tips Revealed; How to Maximize Your Day at the Disney Theme Parks” ( http://www.DLtips.com/ ) and “Petsitting Basics 101: How to Start a Successful Petsitting Business” ( http://www.petsittingbasics.com/ ). She is a business owner, married mother of two children, and frequent visitor to the Disneyland, California theme parks.