Has anyone used a Visa gift card at the parks without a problem?

[HeatherPage]

I apologize if this isn't the right forum.

I wanted to load our spending/gas money onto a Visa gift card today before we leave for our trip tonight so we don't have to use our debit card and have to worry about writing everything down in the checkbook during our trip (as long as I have a way of checking the balance every now and then). Just didn't want to do it and run into to any snafu's while we were there and don't want to carry around that much cash.

If anyone has other tips or suggestions I would appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Visa gift cards are often troublesome. I purchase Disney gift cards and no problems.

 

[HeatherPage]

Visa gift cards are often troublesome.

How so?

We're not staying on site, so we won't always be eating at Disney places, etc. (in reference to the Disney gift cards).

Thanks again!

 

[Ericandus]

Using them for regular purchases we had no problems, but I have run into instances at restaurants where they tried to add on a tip amount for intial authorization before we actually sign for it. The amount they tried to run it through for was more than the value of the card, and it was declined even though it had been plenty to cover the cost of the meal... and we had planned to tip in cash. Hope it saves you the same frustration!! Maybe consider travelers checks??

 

[Brer Shay]

We've done this for other trips and it works fine everywhere except places that may want to add a tip - sit-down restaurants, hair salons, etc.. It's fine for fast food, general purchases, etc.. The other toss-up scenario was at gas stations. It always worked, but sometimes we had to go to the attendant and say we wanted $XX in gasoline and he would program it in. Most stations put a "hold" of a certain amount on the card and that could mess us up either at the pump or later when the station hadn't released the "hold" amount yet.

 

[Best Aunt]

I think problems occur when you want to pay for something which is more than the value on the card. There is $25 left on the card and you make a $30 purchase. You plan to use the card plus $5 cash. If you don't tell them before they ring it through, the purchase will be declined because there isn't enough money on the card to pay for it.

 

[Whistle]

I used a prepaid Visa this past June with no problem at all.

 

[Bitsmommy]

I use the Visa Travelers card with no problems. Mine was purchased at my bank. Hope this helps!

 

[cglaura]

The one and only time I used something other than a disney gc or traveler's check/cash for room charging was a Visa gc. At check out was told they couldn't process, insufficient funds

I called the number on the card and it had the funds, let the cm listen, she agreed, tried again, no luck. So I walked around the corner of the lobby and withdrew the cash from same Visa gc to use for check out.

All ok in the end, but what a time consuming mess.

I stick to traveler's checks now. Cash is there or not, nothing to invalidate. Just have to check out in person to get any cash back.

Plus the fees associated.

Traveler's checks are free at my bank (2 per month). And have replacement guarantees. This makes me feel a little better than disney gc, they are harder to replace, but I do use them on occassion.

 

[ZoZo]

The one and only time I used something other than a disney gc or traveler's check/cash for room charging was a Visa gc. At check out was told they couldn't process, insufficient funds

I called the number on the card and it had the funds, let the cm listen, she agreed, tried again, no luck. So I walked around the corner of the lobby and withdrew the cash from same Visa gc to use for check out.

All ok in the end, but what a time consuming mess.

I stick to traveler's checks now. Cash is there or not, nothing to invalidate. Just have to check out in person to get any cash back.

Plus the fees associated.

Traveler's checks are free at my bank (2 per month). And have replacement guarantees. This makes me feel a little better than disney gc, they are harder to replace, but I do use them on occassion.

Same for me. If you only have one Visa gift card you're using, and have problems with it, you're stuck. I stick with large-denomination ($50) travelers checks. Cash them as needed. [Also bring a credit card as a back-up.] Travelers checks also help me keep track of my spending much more closely than charging things to the room!

(PS - I work at a credit union that sells Visa gift cards, and there are some problems that can occur with them. I have one that someone gave me and I have a balance on it, but have had the card declined at merchants when trying to use it. Still haven't figured out what the problem is, but since the balance is only about $5, not too huge of a problem.)