Using gift cards at food/beverage kiosks?

[hart6066]

Was thinking of getting DS a gift card (maybe Disney or just general) to use on trip for "fun" snacks and beverages. It's been awhile and we always have magic bands--how easy is it to use a gift card at a kiosk? And can they be used for adult beverages as well (DS is of age)? Thank you!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Super easy to use, like swiping a credit card or sometimes they scan it. And yes, it’s good on alcohol. Anywhere you can use a MB you can use a gc.

 

[mouserrificmom]

Super easy - I did this last week and a nice bonus is that it shows you your balance remaining after each swipe!

 

[loves to dive]

As others have said, super easy. I buy the Disney ones that have the wrist bands so I just hold up my wrist and they scan them.

Beware, I have been to more than one festival with the registers can't accept the gift cards. I've had them only be able to take cash, I've had them be able to take anything that can swipe but not the ones that can be scanned. The wrist ones can't be swiped, just scanned. Most of the time I've had this happen after a storm. Last April, it lasted for two days. The first day one CM knew you could type in the card number, others did not know this until I told them and they had to look up how to do it in their book. On day two, all knew how to do it. I rarely carry more cash than a $20 and while I have my CC with me, I don't want those little $4 and $5 charges on it, which is why I buy the ones Disney sells specifically for the festivals. The first day of the not being able to scan them and having to politely instruct CM's how to do their job (some resisted and insisted it couldn't be done) I was a little angry (don't worry, I kept it to myself and did not take it out on the CMs). I usually put about $300 on a card and having to use cash or my CC wasn't ideal. That was the only trip the scanning issue happened and it was a pretty bad storm. I don't think I've had a single trip where at least part of one day some of the booths couldn't take cards of any kind, so carry some cash. (this can also happen in some of the stores).

 

[DavidNYC]

I much prefer getting a gift card especially for festivals were I'm making tons of small charges so I don't come home to a 10 page credit card bill from all the kiosk purchases.

 

[georgina]

Just did this the last few days. Swiped my gift card everywhere (except for mobile ordering of course where I had to copy and paste). Festival kiosks, alcohol stands, accepted everywhere. That was a change from previous trips where some places scanned it. (My GCs have a magnetic stripe like a credit card)

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Just came back from the World and we used both gift cards and redemption cards without any issues. Only thing you may run into, especially with kiosks (holiday food sales at EPCOT) were that some were cash only. Otherwise, only thing I had to do was tell them I was using a gift card to speed up the process.

 

[ttintagel]

Using a gift card is how I make sure I'm not absentmindedly overindulging in alcohol on a Disney trip. I decide how many drinks I want per day (usually one), estimate the total cost, and pay for all alcohol with a gift card set to approximately that amount.

 

[hart6066]

Thank you! Feeling good about this stocking gift!

 

[georgina]

Just came back from the World and we used both gift cards and redemption cards without any issues. Only thing you may run into, especially with kiosks (holiday food sales at EPCOT) were that some were cash only. Otherwise, only thing I had to do was tell them I was using a gift card to speed up the process.

Do you remember which ones were cash only? Might be helpful for future guests. I did not come upon any at all.

 

[subtchr]

Just came back from the World and we used both gift cards and redemption cards without any issues. Only thing you may run into, especially with kiosks (holiday food sales at EPCOT) were that some were cash only. Otherwise, only thing I had to do was tell them I was using a gift card to speed up the process.

I've never seen an Epcot kiosk that was cash only. Was that a system issue that day?

 

[sponica]

Do you remember which ones were cash only? Might be helpful for future guests. I did not come upon any at all.

I remember having to use cash at an ice cream cart, because their reader wasn't working.

 

[loves to dive]

Do you remember which ones were cash only? Might be helpful for future guests. I did not come upon any at all.

It can randomly happen, usually after a storm but I've seen it at other times and rarely even in the stores.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Do you remember which ones were cash only? Might be helpful for future guests. I did not come upon any at all.

Sorry, poorly worded. There were lines for multiple registers, but if you wanted to pay cash, only certain registers took cash. I didn't see any kiosk that only took cash, just certain register set ups. Sorry for the confusion. I was at one of the Canada kiosks, wanted to pay cash, and they redirected me to a different register.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Just a tip for anyone using gift cards. Best buy online is currently selling $50 electronic Disney Gift Cards for $45. They limit it to one per customer, but you can buy a new one each day. (I've already bought 4). You can combine them online and load them to an existing physical gift card. Turns into an effective 10 percent discount at the parks.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Credit cards are much more secure and what I would recommend.

I remember having to use cash at an ice cream cart, because their reader wasn't working.

Last week there was one day all credit card machines were down all morning. No magic bands, no gift cards, no redemption cards, no credit cards....cash only.

I always make sure I have at least two credit cards (never EVER debit cards) and some cash.

Credit cards are the most secure method of payment and offer the most protection plus you keep your money rather than just giving it to disney on the front end in the form of a GC. I have yet to see a GC promotion or discount close to worth what is given up by not using credit cards (points, protection from theft, loss, etc)

 

[georgina]

Credit cards are much more secure and what I would recommend.



Last week there was one day all credit card machines were down all morning. No magic bands, no gift cards, no redemption cards, no credit cards....cash only.

I always make sure I have at least two credit cards (never EVER debit cards) and some cash.

Credit cards are the most secure method of payment and offer the most protection plus you keep your money rather than just giving it to disney on the front end in the form of a GC. I have yet to see a GC promotion or discount close to worth what is given up by not using credit cards (points, protection from theft, loss, etc)

Of course, if you buy your Disney GC with a credit card promo from for example, Best Buy, when the credit card promo is 20% cash back, that's a heck of a lot better than straight credit card rewards. I always keep a Disney GC with $0 on it so I can transfer the funds to it online if I lose a GC, which I have never done because I am very good about not losing cards.

 

[rdaky]

Credit cards are much more secure and what I would recommend.



Last week there was one day all credit card machines were down all morning. No magic bands, no gift cards, no redemption cards, no credit cards....cash only.

I always make sure I have at least two credit cards (never EVER debit cards) and some cash.

I was there the morning when everything went down. It lasted maybe less than 2 hours. People were FREAKING OUT. Like freaking out because they couldn't buy a coke. I agree with you that it's good to have cash as a backup. Even for every day and not Disney. You just never know when systems will be go down even in your local grocery store.

 

[LSUfan4444]

People were FREAKING OUT. Like freaking out because they couldn't buy a coke

People were freaking out because they had no idea how long the outage would last not because it was down for two hours.