How long for gift card balance to reflect gratuity?

CaptainAmerica

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
5,083
Question is in the title. When you pay at a TS dining location (or a normal, non-Disney restaurant) with your credit card, the initial hold is for the amount of your bill excluding gratuity. Then at some point, usually a day or two later, the charge is updated to reflect whatever amount you added for gratuity. How fast is this process when paying with Disney Gift Cards? How long after a TS meal can I be confident that my gift card balance is accurate?
 
We usually have dinner and it reflects by the next day. I buy a bunch of $500 GC's in anticipation and use a fresh card for an expensive ADR and then set it aside. I then have a pile of $100-200 cards and I work through them one by one. Left over goes to MF's LOL!

It works!
 
When paying with a Disney gift card, the remaining balance is shown on your receipt.
 

I may be remembering wrong, but I am almost sure we wrote the tip in before the card was processed so our balance on the receipt was always correct.
 
I did a lot of TS during my last trip this past week and paid with GCs, and the tips were all reflected very quickly, basically right away, I imagine the CMs enter them right away to avoid issues with people overspending on cards. I save my GC #s in the notes app on my phone so you can always check the charges on the card online when you are getting close to $0. The tips are a separate charge and always easy for me to spot since I round to the nearest $.
 
I may be remembering wrong, but I am almost sure we wrote the tip in before the card was processed so our balance on the receipt was always correct.

Maybe you got 2 receipts. They bring me the bill, I give them the gift card like I would a credit card. (The initial bill doesn’t even have a line for tips on it. It’s a bill, not a receipt.) They bring back the slip for me to sign & add the tip. My copy of that slip has the gift card balance without the tip deducted. I add the tip, sign the slip, take my copy & leave. That slip couldn’t possibly have the tip deducted because I haven’t even told them how much it will be yet. Maybe you wait & have them bring you another receipt?

*This doesn’t apply if you have a large party or are at CRT where gratuity is already added. We’re a party of 2 or 4, so no auto gratuity.
 
/
I did a lot of TS during my last trip this past week and paid with GCs, and the tips were all reflected very quickly, basically right away, I imagine the CMs enter them right away to avoid issues with people overspending on cards.
I agree. We often have table service meals for both lunch & dinner. The gift card balance is always right by the next meal.
 














Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!

Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE













DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest

Back
Top