Using Disney gift cards at park...

[amyamya]

Hey all. I know a lot of you have used gift cards instead of cash or credit when purchasing stuff like souvies and food at DLR. Has this worked well for you? It says some places don't take the gift cards...anywhere you tried to use it and it wouldn't work? I love the idea of putting a couple of hundred of dollars on the gift card and just whipping it out when it's time to pay. Oh, can you get these cards at the Disney store??

TIA for all responses!!

 

[mom4princesses]

Yes you can get them at the Disney Store. Not sure exactly what places don't take them but I think its mostly the little carts that don't have the credit card machines. I got the Disney dollars for my girls and they are earning them before we go (they love it and have been helping out around the house more). So maybe get the card and also have some Disney dollars on hand for the few places that don't take the card.

 

[Cali_Sparrow]

I got one of these last Christmas and it's really hard to find vendors that will take them... just to let you know. C: I think I finally got them to use it at World of Disney in Downtown Disney, but I wouldn't count on that anymore either.

I would just have a regular credit card if I were you. That way you won't have to worry about who will and won't accept it.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

ok ive been told to buy things on disney cards and yes downtown disney world disney is supose to accept them..and whats disney dollers i was only thinking of the card

 

[avalon451]

We got a $150 one with our Costco package in March, and I sure liked having it. We stayed at GHC, and we used it in their gift shop and in Whitewater Snacks. We also used it all over the parks; all the counter service restaurants took it, World of Disney, all the the stores within the parks took it. Even some of the carts took it, but not all. So it was great for dining and souvenirs, both in the parks and in the Disney hotels.

 

[ballarinamom]

They take them everywhere except a few of the small carts because they are not set up with a credit card machine. We also grab a few hundred in Disney dollars for birthdays, Easter egg stuffers, stocng stuffers. They come in handy for te carts etc. plus the DL Bank will change them out if you have leftovers.

 

[kaoden39]

In March 2007 we did the gift cards. I really liked the ease of using them we got over $300 in gift cards because of our reservations. I plan on doing it again.

 

[mom4princesses]

whats disney dollers i was only thinking of the card

Its money (1's, 5's, 10's etc.) that you can use anywhere in DL and even at the Disney Store (I'm sure some of DTD takes them as well) but has Disney characters on them. Nice thing about them is like someone else mentioned you can trade any unused back in for real money (even at the Disney Store) unlike a gift card. I think they are more fun for the kids than just a card (mine are young).

 

[laui]

Unfortunately my experience with these was not so positive. My husband had purchased some for our girls and I for our trip a few years back. Every time I used one of the cards it took a painfully long time go thru after they swiped it and then they had to eventually just punch in all the numbers. Not sure what it was or if I did something to alter the cards but I won't use them again and risk wasting precious vacation time. Each CM told me that it sometimes happens.

 

[kaoden39]

That's awful. I figure the ones I get with vacation packages are good to use because you receive them and you have no choice. I have friends who buy them as a way of saving money for the trip. They go back to the store every payday or so to put money on them. I figure that I will mostly use my debit card. I have bought both Disney Dollars and the gift cards for my children to use in the past. They are teenagers now and the cards are actually better for them because they carry them.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Disney Gift cards can be used at any Disney Resort, any Disneyland or DCA location that can swipe cards, the World of Disney, Marcelene's and Pin Trading Cart in Downtown Disney. These are the same places that you can use your Disney Visa rewards card.

 

[pixiewings71]

We use gift cards and Disney dollars. They are easy to use and easy to keep you "in budget" or at least close. LOL You can get them at your local Disney Store or at World of Disney in DTD before entering the parks. You can also get them online at disneyshopping.com

 

[ballarinamom]

Unfortunately my experience with these was not so positive. My husband had purchased some for our girls and I for our trip a few years back. Every time I used one of the cards it took a painfully long time go thru after they swiped it and then they had to eventually just punch in all the numbers. Not sure what it was or if I did something to alter the cards but I won't use them again and risk wasting precious vacation time. Each CM told me that it sometimes happens.

I don't know if this is your situation, but make sure not to put them in the same compartment with other credit cards or room cards. Sometimes the magnetic backing will affect the cards. DH keeps them in the little pouches they come in just to be safe and our room cards in a lanyard

 

[avalon451]

Unfortunately my experience with these was not so positive. My husband had purchased some for our girls and I for our trip a few years back. Every time I used one of the cards it took a painfully long time go thru after they swiped it and then they had to eventually just punch in all the numbers. Not sure what it was or if I did something to alter the cards but I won't use them again and risk wasting precious vacation time. Each CM told me that it sometimes happens.

I'm sorry to hear that, what a drag!
We had no problem at all with ours in March, in fact that was one of the reasons I liked it so much. It was very fast, just swipe and go. They'd hand you your receipt that had the total left on it.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

what packages come with them? lol hay still checking things better deal comes along i could alter plans

 

[pixiewings71]

I don't know if this is your situation, but make sure not to put them in the same compartment with other credit cards or room cards. Sometimes the magnetic backing will affect the cards. DH keeps them in the little pouches they come in just to be safe and our room cards in a lanyard

I always keep them in my little wallet with my other cards, room key and ID. I've never had any problems. I don't carry them in a purse with a magnetic snap though, maybe that's part of the culprit as well?

 

[bumbershoot]

I got one of these last Christmas and it's really hard to find vendors that will take them... just to let you know. C: I think I finally got them to use it at World of Disney in Downtown Disney, but I wouldn't count on that anymore either.

That is pretty much the exact opposite of my experience with them in approximately 18 days spent at DLR since mid-September '07.

Every single restaurant, every counter service, every store we bought anything at. The semi-permanent cart to the left of the castle approaching Fantasyland also takes them, thankfully for my need for iced lattes and cookies.

Unfortunately my experience with these was not so positive. My husband had purchased some for our girls and I for our trip a few years back. Every time I used one of the cards it took a painfully long time go thru after they swiped it and then they had to eventually just punch in all the numbers. Not sure what it was or if I did something to alter the cards but I won't use them again and risk wasting precious vacation time. Each CM told me that it sometimes happens.

That happened with 2 of my gift cards. I have MANY. I redeem for disney giftcards on another site, and then I budget with them by either buying a semi-small one each day of my trip, or a bunch of money on one at the beginning of my trip. I think I have about 10-15 separate cards that I've used (you can re-fill them, but I also collect the different cute cards for scrapbooking purposes), and only 2 have been problematic. I just insist that they type the number in, and let them know that typing it in works, and they will be saving time by just going straight to typing it in. One lady had success by pulling a handy dandy small plastic gift bag out, putting the card in it, and running it through with the plastic over it. It's also a trick local-to-me grocery stores were using for awhile when wamu's debit cards were known for having floopy problems with the strips, and it amused me that the Disney CMs knew it too.

Anyway, I have 3 cents left on one of those cards, and the others are empty, so I'm very very glad of that, b/c the others have worked perfectly.



I absolutely LOVE using the giftcards. I do NOT like having umpteen million transactions on my debit card, and I don't like carrying bunches of cash (we have an emergency credit card, and Disney is NOT an emergency).

Plus, anything left over on the disney cards can be used in the future (no expiration), or on disneyshopping.com!


Good to check out disneygiftcard.com, specifically http://disney.go.com/disneygiftcard/use.html#dl_details for Disneyland Resort.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Disney is NOT an emergency).
lol oh wow really i never knew that.
guess ill have to remember that