using gift cards.. help needed!

[hsmamato2]

These aren't disney specific, but related b/c I thought I would be able to pay off my package using these...but was told NO by a couple of different CM's....
I have visa gift card,and 2 Amex gift cards. I had thought I could pay the package, but I guess only Disney cards allowed?
so I used my regular cc to pay it off
not a big deal but HOW do I use these GC/debit cards? I tried at a place or 2,and the systm didn't take it, then I used it for something at CVS,and it worked, if I hit the 'credit' button on the machine, is this the ONLY option to use them? (ugh)
Does it have to be on a self-swipe machine only? WHat am I missing here? I thought it was going to be simple to use these.....any help appreciated!

 

[Fire14]

I've used them in past to pay on disney trips. What I'd personally suggest just to make life easier is Find out exact amounts on your visa cards and go buy Disney gift cards that you can name amount on. Other idea is use to buy grocery store GC or something to use up.
I know from personal experience that if you try to charge over amount on card it will be declined a lot of times.

 

[fofinia]

Are they small dollar amounts on the cards? At most places you have to have enough on the card to cover the whole purchase amount. So if it's a $10 GC then your order has to be less than $10 for it to swipe without issue. Then if you get left with a few dollar balance the only place I've had success is CVS to use it as a partial payment.

Or - You must know the amount on the card. Then you tell the cashier at checkout. I have $10 on this GC. And they can key it in as a partial payment. And you can the balance any which way after that.

Lastly, you can get your own credit card processor. I have Square. It attaches to your smartphone. It is free to get the adaptor. Then you can swipe the card to yourself. It does charge over 2% fee. So you lose some of the money. But I had a GC with a couple dollars left that i couldn't seem to spend. So I just paid myself and lost the few cents. Note: I have this card processor becasue I need it for work. But it is really easy to set up for yourself. you don't have to be self employed to get it. And it links directly to your checking. Just an option!

HTH!

 

[clm10308]

I know from experience that the Amex gift card are harder to use. Many stores do not take Amex, but you should be able use them at any store that takes that type of credit card.

 

[minushka72]

Are they small dollar amounts on the cards? At most places you have to have enough on the card to cover the whole purchase amount. So if it's a $10 GC then your order has to be less than $10 for it to swipe without issue. Then if you get left with a few dollar balance the only place I've had success is CVS to use it as a partial payment.

Or - You must know the amount on the card. Then you tell the cashier at checkout. I have $10 on this GC. And they can key it in as a partial payment. And you can the balance any which way after that.

Lastly, you can get your own credit card processor. I have Square. It attaches to your smartphone. It is free to get the adaptor. Then you can swipe the card to yourself. It does charge over 2% fee. So you lose some of the money. But I had a GC with a couple dollars left that i couldn't seem to spend. So I just paid myself and lost the few cents. Note: I have this card processor becasue I need it for work. But it is really easy to set up for yourself. you don't have to be self employed to get it. And it links directly to your checking. Just an option!

HTH!

It may also work at Target as their card swipe machines ask if you want the total sale on that card.

 

[goofyredraider]

Buy Disney gift cards with them! That way you don't have to worry about odd amounts, etc. on the cards. I've done it in the past. Worksgreat!

 

[kkwis2]

What a great idea! I use Square for my small business as well but had never thought about being able to process my own prepaid GC. Thanks for the great idea!

Lastly, you can get your own credit card processor. I have Square. It attaches to your smartphone.

HTH!

 

[wishing4PA]

I hate those cards! JMHO. The first time I got one I thought I could just use it like a store gift card and it would keep track. I used it once, and the next day wanted to use the balance toward some groceries. It surprised me that I was supposed to know what the balance was. I did a quick subtraction, based on my faulty memory, and wound up using some tiny amount (maybe a dollar?) over the actual value of the card. When I realized this, I called the card company (since in the small print brochure, it said I would be liable for overcharges.)
I asked them what to do, and how to pay up, and basically the lady on the other end of the line told me she took care of it, I didn't need to send them the dollar, and don't worry about it at all. I'm sure the processing expense wouldn't have been worth it for them and it was cheaper for them to eat the dollar.
But that when I learned how different these cards are from store cards. I no longer buy them as gifts, and hope never to receive one - except when necessary, such as the rebate card I should get soon. Why couldn't they just have sent me a check?

Anyhow, I do want to keep this thread subbed, in case I should run into the same issue. I haven't figured what I'll use that rebate gift card for.

 

[robinb]

Did you originally book your package under a Disney Visa promotion? If so, maybe they don't allow other forms of payment.

 

[Fire14]

the more I thought about it. I had issues using a prepaid card to pay on disney ressie too, and I knew amount. Cm told me I could just use to pay when I got there, I just went and bought Disney GC and used that but there must be something with disney's card system that can't do prepaid cc over phone.
I've had people use prepaid at kohls and it took whatever was on card without issue so that maybe another place.

 

[hsmamato2]

Did you originally book your package under a Disney Visa promotion? If so, maybe they don't allow other forms of payment.

that might be it! I did book under that promo!
I know the amounts,and they're large, like 150.00 per card.....sigh, I shop at Aldis,so I can't use them there....maybe at gas stations,can I swipe them there? I can bring them on our trip,and pay for stuff along the way with them (hopefully) can I leave tips using an Amex GC,like a cc?
(I have to purchase a ticket still I'll try that)

 

[aaarcher86]

that might be it! I did book under that promo!
I know the amounts,and they're large, like 150.00 per card.....sigh, I shop at Aldis,so I can't use them there....maybe at gas stations,can I swipe them there? I can bring them on our trip,and pay for stuff along the way with them (hopefully) can I leave tips using an Amex GC,like a cc?
(I have to purchase a ticket still I'll try that)

You don't have to pay everything on the Disney Visa, even if you booked under the promo.

GC like that (especially American Express) hold a certain amount back.... I think it's 20%. If you had a $100 gift card, they'd only be able to charge $80. It's not Disney, it's the card and I have no idea why they do it.

But you can use whatever form of payment you'd like. I like the idea of buying Disney gift cards for them, or just call Disney and have them run the card for the bal less 20% - you'd have a bunch of small amounts left to use up on them though.

 

[hsmamato2]

I used my regular cc,didn't know ahead of time..... it's not a huge deal except I want to USE these cards up..... I think I'll try using them for gas the next couple of months,and at WDW for anything extra

 

[Sheaboys]

We used our Visa Gift Cards, to pay for tips at places we ate at in Disney. I would check the balance. But you don't have to. They swiped it like any other card, if there was a balance due after the visa was used, we paid that with our bank debit card.
So if our tip was $45 and we only had $35 on the visa gift card, we paid the $10 balance.

Make sense?

 

[hsmamato2]

thanks,good to know!

 

[TinkTock]

I've also found when using these cards that even though they say "Debit" on the card, I have to run it as a credit card.