bought Disney Store gift cards to use at WDW

[gerald72]

I bought $400 worth of Disney gift cards at the Disney Store to use at WDW because I didn't want to carry around cash or credit cards.
They promised me I could use them anywhere at WDW where there was a credit card reader.
The first night we went to Downtown Disney and I tried to buy pretzels at Wetzel's Pretzels. You guessed it, couldn't use them.
Later on in the stay, I found out you couldn't use them at any of the arcades. But the CM at the Pop Century arcade, Steve, gave my son a few free credits so he wouldn't be upset.
After a few days, we weren't sure exactly how much was on the cards. Who does math on vacation? We walked up to a pin stand and asked if they could tell us how much was on the cards. You guessed it, no.
So we tried to buy a $6 pin. We only had $2.50 on the card. So we couldn't get the pin, and we couldn't get our $2.50 put back on the card. So we had to walk to guest relations to get our $2.50 back.
Small hassles all week. I don't recommend anyone get Disney Store Gift cards.

[DizneyRox]

Disney Store Gift Cards or Disney Gift Cards?

Disney Store Gift Cards used to be only good at Disney Store locations, which there are none at WDW. DIsney Gift Cards are antoher thing, and yeah, I don't find them useful. We had all sorts of trouble using gift cards at restaurants, etc. They weren't Disney Gift Cards, they were Visa Gift Cards. I would recommend people just use your credit cards (or cash).

[CleveRocks]

Not every business in Downtown Disney accepts Disney gift cards or Disney resort room charge cards. Not all of the businesses there are Disney-owned, and not all of the independent businesses have an arrangement with Disney to accept their charges.

Disney gift cards can be used wherever a Disney room charge can be used in the resorts and parks ... restaurants, shops, snack stands, and so on.

[gerald72]

Not every business in Downtown Disney accepts Disney gift cards or Disney resort room charge cards. Not all of the businesses there are Disney-owned, and not all of the independent businesses have an arrangement with Disney to accept their charges.

Disney gift cards can be used wherever a Disney room charge can be used in the resorts and parks ... restaurants, shops, snack stands, and so on.

True, but that's not what they tell you when you buy the cards at the Disney Store.

The gift cards couldn't be used at arcades, and room charge cards can be.

[jnfr2424]

I am so glad you are reporting this
DH & I decided to give our nieces and nephews Disney Gift cards as a holiday gift while they are in the World during Thanksgiving.
Did you have problems with the cards in any of the parks or was it just limited to certain DTD shops (could they be used at WOD??)?

Please repond back before we invest $$$$ into something that is not worth it!

[KylesMom]

Did you have problems with the cards in any of the parks or was it just limited to certain DTD shops (could they be used at WOD??)?
World of Disney accepts the Disney Gift Cards, as do a good many of the merchandise shops. However, it may be more fun for your nieces & nephews to have Disney Dollars instead of the gift cards. You also don't have to worry about them trying to figure out what balance they have left on the cards . . . :mickey:

[LoriSan]

do they still issue DIsney Dollars? I thought they were replaced by the gift cards

[momofdisneyprincess]

They still do issue Disney Dollars. At least, my store in MA does. My DD loves getting them.

[jnfr2424]

do they still issue DIsney Dollars? I thought they were replaced by the gift cards

I thought they got rid of Disney Dollars as well! I will definately look into this instead of the gift cards!

[tinksmom02]

I thought they got rid of Disney Dollars as well! I will definately look into this instead of the gift cards!

They still have/sell them--my MIL just gave my daughter $50 worth for her birthday!

[Dsnygirl]

We've used Disney Gift Cards for every trip, and have never had a problem.

I pre-load them at the Disney store for all our meals and souveneirs, and have never had them turned down at any store, vendor or restaurant we've been to at WDW.

That being said, we never tried the arcades, or any of the smaller stores at DTD.

My DD's love getting Disney dollars, too... so if kids are involved, I'd definitely go that route -- they're fun!

[Mousemates]

I agree with several of the previous posters...the disney dollars are way more fun for kids than the cards.

[gerald72]

Yes, they have both Disney Dollars and Gift Cards.
I didn't want to deal with change, so I didn't get the Disney Dollars.

The only problems I had in the parks with the cards were that some small carts weren't able to tell the balance on the cards.
But after you buy something it says the balance on the receipt.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We love the Disney gift card and have used them on our previous 4 trips to the world!

It helps keep our spending in line, and we can put a small amount on one, give it to DD as reload it as required.

We have had very, very few issues with them. Once in a while we'll find a small cart that is cash only, but this is rare. Almost all of the stores and almost all of the carts are able to take them without issues.

[Woozle]

We bought Disney Gift cards on the DLR website to use at WDW and even added funds at the Disney Store (at our local Mall) and had no issues with them. We thought they were great to control the kids spending BUT we were using them for merchandise only. We had cash, DDP, or visa for everything else.

Thanks for the heads up about the other locals.

[disneymom15]

We've used them several times as well and only had one problem. It was at Planet Hollywood in DHS, the store had been experiencing electrical problems and couldn't take the card.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I prefer the Disney Dollars too. And my local store still sells them because I just bought my sis some for her birthday last week.