Using gift cards to pay for meals

[Claire&TheBoys]

I read here on the DIS about buying gift cards to use for your meals so that you can pre-pay, so to speak. (We're staying at SoG, so can't do the DDP.)

My question is, has anyone bought gift cards from disneyshopping.com and used them for this purpose? I looked at the website FAQ's on the gift cards and it says, they can be used at "selected" places at WDW Resort. Before I buy $500 worth of gift cards, I want to be sure I can use them at all the t/s and c/s restaurants in the World.

Thanks!

 

[amcjeep4life]

If the gift cards don't work, you could try Disney Dollars. Although it is treated like cash, it is only good at Disney. My IPO guy told me they are accepted pretty much everywhere ($ and cards). You could also just put charging privileges on your KTTW card (if you're staying on-property) and then charge the meals to your card. Then you can use the card to pay the bill on check out! Whatever you decide, have an awesome trip!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Thanks for the ideas! Shades of Green isn't an actual Disney resort, so we won't have charging privileges in the parks, unfortunately. I guess if I can't be 100% sure that the Disney gift cards I can buy online are usable in all the restaurants, I'll just get traveler's checks or prepaid Visa cards or something. I want to have everything paid for ahead of time except our room.

Anyone else know? Thanks!

 

[MomofKatie]

We used the Disney gift card for all our meals in January. It was nice- on the receipt, it would list our remaining balance, so I could keep track of our spending.

There are a few places that didn't take the card- a Mickey bar cart in the MK and a popcorn cart at MGM weren't equipped to swipe cards. We also couldn't use it at the pretzel/slushie stand in Epcot- but that was because the CM didn't know how to scan the card.

The Disney site lists the following food/entertainment places as the only ones not taking the card:

McDonalds at DTD
Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk
Rainforest Cafe (I'm assuming both locations)
Richard Petty Driving Experience

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Thank you, Jen! I'm so glad to hear that! Where did you get your Disney gift cards? We don't have a Disney Store here but we do have a Character Warehouse outlet but I don't know if they sell gift cards. Thanks again!

 

[MomofKatie]

No problem- glad to pass along the info.

We got our card at our local Disney Store, but you can order them online at the DisneyShopping site. the link is www.disney.go.com/disneygiftcard/index.html . It has all the information about the card, and how to order online.

Have a great trip!! We already have our GCs for ours in October.

 

[mika911]

You do have more protection if you use a CC.

Like your order is completely wrong and they refuse to fix it or something, the CC company would help you get your money back.

 

[pumba]

last year we received a gift card from Disney, and we used it at one of our sit down restaurants and for Mothers Day I received another gift card and it says able to use at any Disney restuarant in DisneyWorld and stores ........it is nice to have these as gifts too

 

[mika911]

Yeah I think any restaurant owned by Disney that takes credit card will take the gift card.

 

[WillCAD]

I read here on the DIS about buying gift cards to use for your meals so that you can pre-pay, so to speak. (We're staying at SoG, so can't do the DDP.)

My question is, has anyone bought gift cards from disneyshopping.com and used them for this purpose? I looked at the website FAQ's on the gift cards and it says, they can be used at "selected" places at WDW Resort. Before I buy $500 worth of gift cards, I want to be sure I can use them at all the t/s and c/s restaurants in the World.

Thanks!

Absotively! Those gift cards are good at any Disney-owned venue that has a credit card reader, including shops, stores, carts, eateries, restaurants, and even the resort front desks.

There are a few small carts and roving vendors who don't have credit card readers and can't take the cards, and of course, any place that is not owned by Disney (such as McDonalds, a few shops at Downtown Disney, and any place in teh Swan & Dolphin or the DTD hotels) cannot take the gift cards.

If the gift cards don't work, you could try Disney Dollars. Although it is treated like cash, it is only good at Disney. My IPO guy told me they are accepted pretty much everywhere ($ and cards). You could also just put charging privileges on your KTTW card (if you're staying on-property) and then charge the meals to your card. Then you can use the card to pay the bill on check out! Whatever you decide, have an awesome trip!

Disney Dollars are also accepted at any Disney-owned venue, including the carts and vendors that don't have credit card readers.

But Disney Dollars are like cash - you lose them, they're lost, end of story. The Disney Gift Cards can be cancelled and replaced if lost or stolen, just like a lost credit card. All you need is the original purchase reciept (keep this in your hotel safe!)

You do have more protection if you use a CC.

Like your order is completely wrong and they refuse to fix it or something, the CC company would help you get your money back.

Holy Cowsills, I've never had that much trouble at a restaurant, especially a WDW restaurant. I've certainly had things go wrong or bad service, but I've never had a manager refuse to make it right with at least a discount if not a comped meal.

 

[mika911]

Holy Cowsills, I've never had that much trouble at a restaurant, especially a WDW restaurant. I've certainly had things go wrong or bad service, but I've never had a manager refuse to make it right with at least a discount if not a comped meal.

I've never had it happen at Disney either, but I have benefited greatly from using credit cards for every purchase I make.

 

[PrincessMinnie28]

I agree, we had 2 gift cards and were able to use them at every restaurant (Disney-owned) that we went to throughout our trip. We also used them for souveniers (sp?), etc. The only place we saw that didn't take them was one of the stands in TL and it was clearly stated right on the sign. I'm sure there are more places than that one stand that you can't use them, but for the restaurants, I would say that you'd be fine.

The other thing you could do if you are concerned about theft, fraud, etc., VISA offers a Travel Money card that has a lot of privileges of a credit card, but it is a card that you load money on in advance and is reloadable from anywhere. I am thinking about getting one for an upcoming trip (not to WDW ).

http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/visa_travel_money.html

Whatever you choose, have a wonderful trip!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Thanks everyone! Since I posted this last night, I found another thread that helped me out a lot! Now, instead of staying at Shades of Green, we're staying at Coronado Springs and getting Free Dining! I didn't realize I could sub a 1-day base ticket for the length-of-stay ticket.

Love this board!

 

[MomofKatie]

Thanks everyone! Since I posted this last night, I found another thread that helped me out a lot! Now, instead of staying at Shades of Green, we're staying at Coronado Springs and getting Free Dining! I didn't realize I could sub a 1-day base ticket for the length-of-stay ticket.

Love this board!

Yay for you!!

You'll love CSR- we stayed there in 2002, and it is beautiful (but very large and spread out). The Dig Site pool/playground area is fabulous.

Call ASAP for your ADRs- I've heard that it is getting tight for Free Dining time.

Have a GREAT trip!!!