Disney Gift Cards

[bamillerpa]

We are currently planning our Sept 2010 trip to Disney and I have a question about the Disney Gift Cards. We are planning on getting my daughter a Disney gift card but on the back it's states "good for only select participating locations only". Does anyone know where all they can be used at or where they can't?

 

[Master Yoda]

It can be used at any Disney owned store. The only independently owned store that comes to mind that is inside one of the parks is the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Japan.

 

[bamillerpa]

Thank You!!

 

[MissM]

The shops in China, Japan and Morocco are all not owned by Disney. Also the Arribis glass shop and hair-braiding locations are not owned by Disney.

There's a few places in DtD which are more obvious - Harley Davidson, Basin, etc. - but those are the ones I can think of in-park you might not realize.

 

[bamillerpa]

I think she will mostly want to buy Disney themed stuff which I'm guessing will be in the Disney owned shops so I guess she's good. Thanks for the info!!

 

[Tinkrbell]

I'm not sure, but I don't think the Planet Hollywood store at Hollywood Studios is owned by Disney.

 

[nankeldisney821]

Just an idea for everyone about the gift cards. It is a GREAT way to save money for your trip....whenever I have money, I either put it aside until I have a lot or take maybe $100 or $200 and put it on a Disney gift card so I won't spend it before I go. The most you can load on a card is $1500. Just a thought....:wave:


28 more days and we will be on our way to AK Kidani Village!! :sohappy:

 

[Rob562]

Two more things about the gift cards...

First, there are many more designs available online than are available in your local Disney Store. Go to www.disneygiftcard.com
Sometimes the Disneyland website will have park-related card designs, not sure about the WDW site, though.

Second, I don't know for sure but if you want to use the card at a vendor that doesn't accept the gift card, ask if they can put it on your Room Charge account. If so, you can then use the giftcard to pay down your Room Charge balance when you get back to your hotel.

-Rob

 

[bamillerpa]

I actually have been purchasing these at our grocery store without telling my husband. I currently only work occasionally part time from home and when I go grocery shopping my husband just puts the money into our account. I've been trying to cut back on our grocery bill as much as possible and instead purchasing a $50 or $25 Disney Gift Card. Every few weeks I take these cards to AAA and pay down our balance. You can do this with any travel agent as long as they pay Disney directly like my AAA office does. My husband hasn't noticed because I'm roughly spending the same amount every week at the grocery store and I want to surprise him and have as much as possible paid off on our trip before he needs to pay it off in full. I do the Disney Gift Cards instead of the traditional credit cards because the Disney cards have no fees.

 

[Missymoe4]

Just an idea for everyone about the gift cards. It is a GREAT way to save money for your trip....whenever I have money, I either put it aside until I have a lot or take maybe $100 or $200 and put it on a Disney gift card so I won't spend it before I go. The most you can load on a card is $1500. Just a thought....:wave:

:sohappy:

I think I'm gonna try this so I have souvenir money already saved for.

Thank you!

Oh, and I bought three teens gift cards this past week for their Disney trip--I sure hope they'll be able to use them on what they really want. I wasn't thinking about independently owned places.

 

[Missymoe4]

Two more things about the gift cards...

First, there are many more designs available online than are available in your local Disney Store. Go to www.disneygiftcard.com
Sometimes the Disneyland website will have park-related card designs, not sure about the WDW site, though.

Second, I don't know for sure but if you want to use the card at a vendor that doesn't accept the gift card, ask if they can put it on your Room Charge account. If so, you can then use the giftcard to pay down your Room Charge balance when you get back to your hotel.

-Rob

You've done this before? Terrific idea!!! This will be my plan--even better than carrying around the gift card.

 

[wylde75]

Ive been doing this for several months now. I buy a gift card here and there when I have the cash. You cant spend it anywhere really exept for Disney, so its like a savings account for the trip. I collect pins so I am using my gift cards for my pin obsession:ROFLOL:. I already have over four hundred dollars and hope to have closer to five hundred by the time we leave. I figure what I have left on the cards, I can use on the bill at the end of the trip. Also, the Disney store online has two different spots for giftcards. One charges shipping one doesnt.

 

[Flip83]

That store in Japan may not be Disney Owned, but I always go to Disney every year with a few hundred on a Gift Card, and I just used it at the Japan store the last 2 visits.

 

[Rob562]

You've done this before? Terrific idea!!! This will be my plan--even better than carrying around the gift card.

I've used a gift card to pay down the room charge account, yes. (Also to pay toward a vacation package online and over the phone, plus paying off the balance of a room-only reservation when I check into the hotel).

What I don't have any direct knowledge of is whether there are places that accept a room charge but not a disney gift card...

-Rob