Any problemd using Disney Gift Cards in Disneyland???

[jmarsh]

I've been stocking up but it's been difficult as the Target Debit card doesn't allow you to just do any amount. You have to build up over time. I assume that the next time I go I will be able to spend $300-$350. Next week I am going to try and buy that amount and for higher the next day since I'll be staying overnight near a Target.

Really, I bought $900 at one time with no problem. I wonder if different states have limits?

 

[dnamertz]

Gift Card Word of Warning... Last October my mom scratched off what she thought was a pincode area on the back of a $200 Disney gift card. She actually scratched off the magnetic strip. We hadn't noticed until my husband tried to use it to pay for our meal. They declined it since the magnetic strip was mostly scratched off. My husband asked them if they could enter the card manually and they said no. I went to City Hall to try to get things straightened out. I spent an hour with what they called their top computer guy, who was unable to figure out a way for me to use the card. Why they just couldn't cancel it and issue me a new one was beyond me. They could tell the balance was still $200. For that matter, I didn't understand why they couldn't just enter it manually. So here we sit...10 months later with an unused $200 gift card because they couldn't do anything about it. I did get a fast pass good for 6 for my inconvenience, though.

Can I use this gift card to order a park ticket online?

Yes, you should be able to use the card to purchase tickets or Disney merchandise online. When I used my gift card to buy tickets online you just read them the number on the card, so the magnetic strip shouldn't matter.

 

[Aundreya]

Yeah, I bought $1,000 at once and had only used my card a few times previously. I was worried about it because I've heard some people were declined but I had no problems at all.

 

[jmarsh]

If you are staying at a DL resort hotel, I found it much easier to charge all items/food to your room and use the gift cards to pay your bill at the end. Last year I took a bunch of Disney gift cards from Target to WDW and I found it hard to track...the cards all looked identical and if I didn't spend the entire amount at once then I had a card with a balance etc. Bring a sharpie so you can mark which ones are partially used.

It also is a good idea to take a picture of all the cards with the serial number to track them.

Also if you are a Disney Visa Holder, you may want to charge purchases over $50 to your visa as you get 10% off at many stores.

Also if you are pre-ordering Photopass + you can use the gift card to pay for that as well.

For my trip in May I wrapped the receipt around the card to keep track of what was left on the cards

 

[deejdigsdis]

Because you don't need the magnetic strip to purchase online you should be able to use it anywhere on the website that accepts Disney GCs.

Thank you. I guess I should have emphasized the part about wondering if gift cards in general were OK in purchasing park tickets online. I figured I could use the gift card to make a purchase online since the magnetic strip wouldn't need to be used...but I didn't know if tickets were an acceptable gift card purchase online.

I'm confused, on my cards there's only one place to scratch off and the magnetic strip is black and not scratchable?

Yes. When I told my mom it wasn't the kind of card that you scratch off to get a pin, she said, "No wonder it took me so long to do it!" She said she spent a good 30 minutes scratching it off. If you knew my mother, though, something like this is par for the course.

Yes, you should be able to use the card to purchase tickets or Disney merchandise online. When I used my gift card to buy tickets online you just read them the number on the card, so the magnetic strip shouldn't matter.

Thank you. I was looking for a confirmation that you could buy tickets online with a gift card. Good thing they don't expire since I don't have a trip in the works right now.

 

[jmarsh]

Anyone know if I can make my initial payment for my AP's using gift cards or do I have to use the CC that I'm using for the monthly payments? I'm hoping I can use GC for the initial payment but now I'm second guessing it.

 

[monkeymers]

Anyone know if I can make my initial payment for my AP's using gift cards or do I have to use the CC that I'm using for the monthly payments? I'm hoping I can use GC for the initial payment but now I'm second guessing it.

You can make your down payment with a gift card, and then use a credit card for payment. BUT the transaction has to be done at a ticket booth. You cannot do it online. I did this in January when I purchased my AP.

 

[jmarsh]

You can make your down payment with a gift card, and then use a credit card for payment. BUT the transaction has to be done at a ticket booth. You cannot do it online. I did this in January when I purchased my AP.

Thank you for the response

 

[heather_sue_98]

How do you get a coupon in the mail for the extra 5% off to make it a total of 15%? I've never heard of that before...

 

[cats mom]

How do you get a coupon in the mail for the extra 5% off to make it a total of 15%? I've never heard of that before...

The post about the sale on gift cards and the one about the triple stack deal were both made in 2012.

A quick google search shows that a mailer with a 5% off coupon was sent out about that time. It was probably a targeted marketing thing even back then, and I didn't see any other mention of it since, so unless Target decides to bring it back we're probably tough out of luck now.

It's always interesting when long buried threads receive an unexpected bump.

 

[Stareyes72]

I am looking to use Disney gift cards during my next trip to Disneyland. I was going to ask the front desk to add the gift card balance to my room so I could use the key to the world card to pay for my meals and gift shop purchases. This way, no charges will be applied to my credit card. Does anyone know if this is acceptable?

 

[atmail35]

I am looking to use Disney gift cards during my next trip to Disneyland. I was going to ask the front desk to add the gift card balance to my room so I could use the key to the world card to pay for my meals and gift shop purchases. This way, no charges will be applied to my credit card. Does anyone know if this is acceptable?

I charge what I can to the room and I've always applied the gift cards to my account at checkout. I never asked if I could load the cards to my hotel room at check in.

I number my cards with a sharpie because they look the same and the serial numbers are not always sequential (I write 1/10, 2/10 etc). It helps me keep track of them somewhat. It can take the front desk a bit of time to run all the gift cards and apply to your account, so just keep that in mind when you are allowing time for check out etc.

And I noticed Target now has $100 cards which I like better than the $50 cards.

 

[LisaT91403]

Just be sure to apply the cards before 11:00am (checkout time). If you haven't done it by then, they automatically bill the credit card on file.