Using Disney Gift Cards to Help Cover Spa Massage Onboard and Using Disney Visa for the Discount

[rab1974]

I've never used the Spa services before onboard. Please help me ensure I have this understood correctly: I have scheduled a massage for my GF on our upcoming September cruise on the Fantasy. Was told I could use Disney gift cards to help cover our onboard account charges. Thought it would be a good idea to begin to buy Disney gift cards in advance to help me spread out the costs. Also read on the Disney Visa site that card holders can get a % discount off massages at the Spa.

How I think I understand it: The massage + gratuities gets charged to our onboard account, hopefully with the discount applied from the Disney Visa card on file for my onboard account. Then I can use the Disney gift cards to help pay for the onboard account of the Spa charges. Is this correct or is there something I'm missing with these transactions? Confirmation is appreciated plus any other tips/tricks/cautions I need to know of. Thank you!

 

[Mle8308]

I've never used the Spa services before onboard. Please help me ensure I have this understood correctly: I have scheduled a massage for my GF on our upcoming September cruise on the Fantasy. Was told I could use Disney gift cards to help cover our onboard account charges. Thought it would be a good idea to begin to buy Disney gift cards in advance to help me spread out the costs. Also read on the Disney Visa site that card holders can get a % discount off massages at the Spa.

How I think I understand it: The massage + gratuities gets charged to our onboard account, hopefully with the discount applied from the Disney Visa card on file for my onboard account. Then I can use the Disney gift cards to help pay for the onboard account of the Spa charges. Is this correct or is there something I'm missing with these transactions? Confirmation is appreciated plus any other tips/tricks/cautions I need to know of. Thank you!

Not sure in this situation, but most times at Disney, to get the Disney Visa discount, you have to pay with that Disney Visa.

 

[lanejudy]

How I think I understand it: The massage + gratuities gets charged to our onboard account, hopefully with the discount applied from the Disney Visa card on file for my onboard account. Then I can use the Disney gift cards to help pay for the onboard account of the Spa charges.

This is correct. All onboard charges go directly against the stateroom account, so set-up your stateroom account with the Disney Visa and your KTTW card will reflect that. You can then go to Guest Services and apply your gift cards to any charges on the stateroom account.

As to spa discounts -- I believe that is only certain spa services and only on port days. This might help:

Spa Savings Onboard Disney Cruise Line​

20% off select spa treatments and services. Offer and offer elements are subject to availability, capacity limitations, cruise cancellations, and additional restrictions, may change or be canceled without notice, and are not guaranteed. Valid for non-discounted massages or facial treatments on port days only. In order to receive special Disney Cruise Line perks, valid Disney Visa Card must be designated for all onboard purchases at time of purchase for sailings through 12/31/24. Reservations may be required. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts including Cast Member, Castaway Club, and Disney Vacation Club® offers or discounts, and is for personal use only. Ships’ Registry: The Bahamas. Chase is not responsible or liable for fulfillment of this offer.​

 

[Mommb]

Yes, having the Disney Visa as the card on file should be enough to qualify you for the discount, though you should also mention the discount when making purchases.

You can go to Guest Services at any time and apply your gift cards to your onboard account. You will be asked how much to apply, so you will need to know the amount on each card. When your account gets to a certain amount (maybe $500 or $800?) the credit card on file will be charged, so it’s best to apply the gift cards as soon as you have charged at least the amount that is on them.

 

[csatterfield]

Go to guest services they will put a sticker on your KTTW card that indicates you have the Disney Visa on file and the cast members will apply the discount at check out.

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

Everything you’re thinking is correct. We had the same scenario, I just didn’t book spa services. Bought plenty of merch with the discount, though, and just applied a gift card to our room folio at guest services.

I had saved our Disney Visa for our room account before boarding the ship and our card already had the Disney visa designation for discounts on the corner when we went to our stateroom. I didn’t need to make a special trip to ask for a sticker.

 

[Love4Eeyore]

We did this exact thing on the Fantasy last month. Booked the couple's villa massage on embarkation day. Our key card showed we have the Disney Visa. Embarkation day is considered a port day, so we received the 20% off on our massage. That evening we applied a few gift cards* to our account at GS. DH's Visa was never charged.

*Note - We didn’t know the exact amount on all the gift cards. We were able to scan them at GS to find out. Only took a couple seconds.

 

[rab1974]

Thank you everyone for the replies and great information!! Much appreciated. I do have a follow-up question: I have the Disney Visa card but GF does not. Will I be able to use my Key to the World card to "pay/cover" her massage or should I just use my Disney Visa to cover all our charges for the cruise to be safe? Right now we had planned separate accounts.

 

[sponica]

Thank you everyone for the replies and great information!! Much appreciated. I do have a follow-up question: I have the Disney Visa card but GF does not. Will I be able to use my Key to the World card to "pay/cover" her massage or should I just use my Disney Visa to cover all our charges for the cruise to be safe? Right now we had planned separate accounts.

I would just use the one card to cover everything.

 

[auntlynne]

If you are going to get the spa discount, you would need the Visa card on file. Simply designate the cardholder as being responsible for both.

That said, she could go to guest services and pay off her charges. You will see (every day) charges broken down by guest in your phone app and stateroom TV.

My routine suggestion regarding gift cards is to give yourself an onboard credit with your gift cards. Any charges you incur will come off that before going on the credit card. Saves a trip to the Guest Services desk, too.

 

[auntlynne]

…and unused gift card funds are not lost - they go back to the card.

 

[71 Truck]

…and unused gift card funds are not lost - they go back to the card.

Yes and don't loose or throw away the gift cards you use till you confirm weather or not money has been put back on them after the cruise. I have heard it can take 7 to 10 days or more for the credit to show up.

 

[rab1974]

Great! Thanks again for all the help. Learning so much! Another follow up: What are everyone's thoughts on combining all the gift cards into one? (I have like 6 six so far). Is there a risk of loss of funds doing the transfer? (I believe I can do the transfer online.) Any lessons learned and pros/cons would be very much appreciated.

 

[lanejudy]

Great! Thanks again for all the help. Learning so much! Another follow up: What are everyone's thoughts on combining all the gift cards into one? (I have like 6 six so far). Is there a risk of loss of funds doing the transfer? (I believe I can do the transfer online.) Any lessons learned and pros/cons would be very much appreciated.

Just don't leave any of the gift cards on the Disney gift card site. Make your transfers, up to $1000 max per card, and then delete the cards. Keep notes of what you did, balances of each card.

 

[auntlynne]

Follow ^^ advice. I do consolidate my cards. Never had an issue. I also keep all the numbers, just in case. And don’t get rid of any of them until after my trip. Over cautious, perhaps?