This may be an obvious question about Disney gift cards but I gotta make sure

[sgerto]

Can they be used ANYWHERE in Disneyland? Like table service restaurants? I was going to get a bunch of Disney GC from Target with Red Card so I'll save 5% and combine them into one large one to take with on our trip. I just want to make sure when we go to Blue Bayou, Plaza Inn, etc. they'll take it as payment. I don't want to be stuck with a large Disney gift card that I won't be able to use and still have to pay for stuff out of pocket.

 

[DharmaLou]

yes

 

[Malcon10t]

You can use them at Disney restaurants. You can't use them in DTD at non-Disney restaurants. Also, you won't be able to use them at Ghiradellis in DCA.

 

[sgerto]

Thanks everyone. I was positive but my wife started to seed doubt into my mind.

 

[midnight star]

You can't use them to pay for maxpass or mobile ordering. So if you are going to do those, budget that with your own money.

 

[sgerto]

You can't use them to pay for maxpass or mobile ordering. So if you are going to do those, budget that with your own money.

I have to go to ticket booth when we get there to add on hopper and MaxPass. Didn't think of mobile ordering, great to know.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I have to go to ticket booth when we get there to add on hopper and MaxPass. Didn't think of mobile ordering, great to know.

Not all restaurants have it.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

And in CA, Disney gift cards don't expire. So if you have any left over at the end of your trip, save them as seed for your next trip to DLR!

 

[midnight star]

I have to go to ticket booth when we get there to add on hopper and MaxPass. Didn't think of mobile ordering, great to know.

Not all restaurants have it.

Adding more clarification. Only select counter service restaurants have mobile ordering. If you use mobile ordering you have to use a debit/credit card because gift cards are not an accepted form of payment in the DL app

 

[sgerto]

And in CA, Disney gift cards don't expire. So if you have any left over at the end of your trip, save them as seed for your next trip to DLR!

Oh I'm sure my wife and kids will find things to buy so I won't have any left over.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Oh I'm sure my wife and kids will find things to buy so I won't have any left over.

Too true! But don't feel like the gift cards are "use or lose." Some people end up wasting their gift cards (worst case: actually throwing them out with money left on them!) because they think they won't be any good after their trip. In case you do have a balance on your cards after your trip, see it as a sign that you are destined to return!

 

[LittleFlounder]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but last time I tried to buy one, balloons sellers only took cash.

 

[figment_jii]

Along with the balloon sellers, I haven't been able to use gift cards for pressed coins or locker rental. Some of the walk-around vendors are also cash only.

Also, if you think you might need to return something you bought with a gift card, hold onto the gift card until you know you won't need to return it. For whatever reason, the return has gone smoother when I've had the original gift card in hand and the funds could be returned to that card.

 

[ParkHopper1]

And in CA, Disney gift cards don't expire. So if you have any left over at the end of your trip, save them as seed for your next trip to DLR!

Clarification on that...in CA gift cards can indeed expire if you do not pay full price. If you get a discount, rebate, or receive any promo product gift cards then they can indeed expire.

That is why many now will give a freebee with a gift card so they can put an expiration date on them. Check the fine print

 

[NorthernCalMom]

So far the Disney gift cards I bought with my Target red card never had an expiration date on them, so I do second the recommendation in previous posts to use possible leftovers to encourage a future trip.

I also usually bring several smaller amount gift cards as opposed to a single large one. I know from experience how much we tend to use each day, so I take only that & leave the other cards in our hotel safe.

I usually wrap the receipt of my most recent purchase around the card, so I can keep track of my card’s balance. I love using the gift cards, not just be because of Target’s Red Card discount but also because of the convenience when using it and because they do help me stick to my budget (since my being about to overspend is a bit more obvious with them than when I use my credit card & won’t see that statement until long after my trip...).

 

[Satchmo128]

So far the Disney gift cards I bought with my Target red card never had an expiration date on them, so I do second the recommendation in previous posts to use possible leftovers to encourage a future trip.

I also usually bring several smaller amount gift cards as opposed to a single large one. I know from experience how much we tend to use each day, so I take only that & leave the other cards in our hotel safe.

I usually wrap the receipt of my most recent purchase around the card, so I can keep track of my card’s balance. I love using the gift cards, not just be because of Target’s Red Card discount but also because of the convenience when using it and because they do help me stick to my budget (since my being about to overspend is a bit more obvious with them than when I use my credit card & won’t see that statement until long after my trip...).

We do the same thing (wrap the most recent receipt around the GC being used so that I know the balance). Disney GCs are how we budget food and souvenirs for our Disney trips!

 

[edhmom]

We do the same thing (wrap the most recent receipt around the GC being used so that I know the balance). Disney GCs are how we budget food and souvenirs for our Disney trips!

I write the balance on the front with Sharpie. That way I don't have to worry about losing the receipt. As I use the gift card, I keep crossing out and updating the balance on the front.

 

[tink89]

You can also manage your gift cards and balance online at disneygiftcard.com

TSome people end up wasting their gift cards (worst case: actually throwing them out with money left on them!)

I actually threw out a gift card but by mistake. When we got to the hotel I could not find a gift card I thought I had left it at home. When i got home i checked and nothing and I remembered throwing out GC with no value so it must have gotten mixed up. I contacted Disney a month or two after and they said if I sent them a receipt when i purchased they would look in to it. Thanks to Receipt hog I had a picture of my receipt sent it and they said the card still had the $50 and they sent me a new one.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

The gift cards are also a great way to keep your Disney Visa Rewards Points from expiring. Redeem your points onto your rewards card, then use the card to purchase a Disney gift card. We do this whenever we have a decent amount of points so that we don't have to worry about rolling expiration dates. After a friend lost all her rewards points right before her dream trip to WDW (and could not get them restored back into her account), we learned to be diligent (and paranoid) about redeeming for gift cards!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Clarification on that...in CA gift cards can indeed expire if you do not pay full price. If you get a discount, rebate, or receive any promo product gift cards then they can indeed expire.

That is why many now will give a freebee with a gift card so they can put an expiration date on them. Check the fine print

Good to know! Question: if you transfer the smaller "freebie" amounts onto one larger gift card, does that get around the expiration date?