Paying gratuities with Disney gift card

[Dawnlight]

Is it possible to pay gratuities with a Disney gift card? We'll be using the dining plan for meals, but I would rather pay the tips with a GC instead of having things charged either to our rooms or with the credit card on file.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't recommend it. The one trip I wanted to do that, twice the wait staff were really confused. One even ran the card for the whole meal, instead of using a dining plan credit. And they cannot credit those gift cards right away, so I ended up having another table service meal to use the dining plan credit up.

I've gone to putting a credit card on file for the room, and then going down before it is run and applying the Disney gift cards to the room. It is very easy.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with Maxiesmom that is what we do too.
I put a credit card on the room account and charge to the room. Then I pay the room charge with my Disney Visa Rewards points.
As long as you pay the balance the night before check out you are all set.
They do run the charges on the credit card in the Early AM hours of check out day.
Good Luck

 

[csmith1004]

I was coming here to ask the same thing except we do not have the dining plan. I already plan on using gift cards to pay for the meal but I wanted to make sure adding the tip to the gift card wouldn't be an issue.

 

[nkereina]

In addition to what's already been mentioned, IMO, I find it a little bit awkward to do this if you're on the dining plan. For the plan, they will scan your band to deduct the credit, and then you will need to fill in the amount for the tip, wait for them to run your gift card for the tip, and then bring it back to you. If you're a mediocre tipper or tip based on service, I think it's just an awkward exchange. I'd prefer to sign my slip or throw cash down for the tip and leave.

 

[CWdreamer]

Last year we had the dining plan and then charged the gratuities to our room. Then every few days, I went to the front desk to pay off the balance with my gift cards. It worked like a dream!

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for the replies so far.

We're a group of 9, so the 18% gratuity will automatically be added, so there won't be an awkward situation where we're looking cheap. I do have an issue with tips being added on automatically, as there are cases where poor service doesn't justify it, but we'll just have to make do.

I guess I'll plan on having it charged to the room/s and settle it with gift cards at check out.

An alternative would be for each family to bring a certain amount of small bills in cash and just tip in cash. We're only two people and bring about $200 in cash, but in small denominations solely to use for tipping. It allows us to throw down cash and head out of the restaurant quickly, and we can more easily tip bellmen and DME drivers. Worst case if you run out, you can always charge to the room.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Is it possible to pay gratuities with a Disney gift card? We'll be using the dining plan for meals, but I would rather pay the tips with a GC instead of having things charged either to our rooms or with the credit card on file.

We've done this on our past two trips and had no issues. They take the gift card just like they would a credit card. The folks we dealt with are definitely used to this as lot's of people are on the dining plan and either need to tip with a Gift Card or Credit Card.

 

[lauradis]

Its easier to charge to room and pay room charges with gift card.

just stop by the front desk and ask them to apply your room charges to gift card.

They will ask for credit/ debit card to allow room charges, but they don't run it or hold anything till last night before you leave.

 

[QueenQueso]

I didn't read all of the replies thoroughly, so this could've been covered. I wanted to use gift cards too, I bought them throughout the year as a savings plan for our trip, and I don't even have a credit card. I only have a debit card that has the MC logo on it. That's what we gave at check in, and obviously I don't want a million things charged to my bank account. But I find it so much easier to just charge everything to the room instead of carrying cash or gift cards in the park.

My solution was to add the gift cards to my account at check in. If you add the gift cards on in advance, the room charges deduct from the GC balance. It only touches your credit card if the GC balance runs out. We put on a $500 GC and just kept an eye on what we'd charged. When we knew we were getting to the $100 mark, we went and got a copy of the charges and made the decision to add another GC.

I think any remaining balance is put back on the GC though, so don't throw them away. I'm not positive on that, we ran ours out and ended up having like $1 something charged on my debit card.

 

[MegaSilver]

What am I missing? What's with the high use of gift cards? Are you getting discounted gift cards?

 

[Mikie]

What am I missing? What's with the high use of gift cards? Are you getting discounted gift cards?

We use them for 3 reasons:
1) knowing a trip was coming, throughout the year the kids or I received some as gifts
2) I picked them up at the store periodically as a way of setting aside funds a little at a time (if I just set aside the cash, I can and do raid the stash for other stuff and defeat the purpose!)
3) I buy mine at target using my red card, which results in a 5% discount. . . Not a windfall, but "every little bit. . . "

I'll put them on my room at check in, soil still have the cashless magic band convenience without a credit card bill to pay at the end

 

[maxiesmom]

I'll put them on my room at check in, soil still have the cashless magic band convenience without a credit card bill to pay at the end

From what I have read here, it is a huge struggle to get your gift cards added to your room at check in. Sounds like there are very few CMs who know how to do it. If you can't get them added, just head down to the desk every day or two and pay off your room balance with them. You just have to pay before you hit the amount your resort has set. That way your credit card is never charged, and you still only spend the amount you have on your gift cards.

 

[Pumbaa_]

There is a sticky thread at the top of the board for all tipping questions (please note, personal tipping habits is not a topic for the boards