Disney Gift Card for meal/gratuity payment instead of Magic Band

[Kimrlav]

Does anyone have experience using a Disney gift card to pay for table service meals and the gratuity? With the new authorization holds policy, I would like to use gift cards at table service instead of charging back to the room with the magic band. I am on a solo trip and did not get the dining plan for the first time, and now with this new policy would like to use gift cards. I know that I can go to the concierge with the gift cards, but want to save myself "extra" steps. Any information or advice would be helpful.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Does anyone have experience using a Disney gift card to pay for table service meals and the gratuity? With the new authorization holds policy, I would like to use gift cards at table service instead of charging back to the room with the magic band. I am on a solo trip and did not get the dining plan for the first time, and now with this new policy would like to use gift cards. I know that I can go to the concierge with the gift cards, but want to save myself "extra" steps. Any information or advice would be helpful.

When the server brings the check, hand him/her the gift card instead of holding up your arm to have your ban scanned.

 

[DIS_MERI]

I do it all the time. Sometimes if I have dining plan I use the band for that and then a gift card for the tip. Sometimes I pay it all on a gift card. If you think about it, there are a lot of guests who don't stay onsite and they don't have the opportunity to use magicbands. Servers are very accustomed to it.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

When the server brings the check, hand him/her the gift card instead of holding up your arm to have your ban scanned.

But I don't think it's that easy, is it? I remember a few years ago having problems. That's when I started charging to the room. If you hand them the GC to pay, they run it for the amount without the tip. Can they run it again for the tip? That's where I think the problem comes in.

 

[nllmncsu]

When not on the dining plan, I always use a gift card to pay for my meals. Once card is rang up for the food, I just leave a cash tip.

 

[DisneyHardin]

But I don't think it's that easy, is it? I remember a few years ago having problems. That's when I started charging to the room. If you hand them the GC to pay, they run it for the amount without the tip. Can they run it again for the tip? That's where I think the problem comes in.

I believe it works like a credit card - they run it to make sure it is a good card, but then they don't close the ticket and post it until you have filled out the tip portion. It's no different than using a gift card at Applebees or somewhere like that.

 

[glocon]

I believe it works like a credit card - they run it to make sure it is a good card, but then they don't close the ticket and post it until you have filled out the tip portion. It's no different than using a gift card at Applebees or somewhere like that.

That’s exactly right. We did this on our last trip. Worked great.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I believe it works like a credit card - they run it to make sure it is a good card, but then they don't close the ticket and post it until you have filled out the tip portion. It's no different than using a gift card at Applebees or somewhere like that.

That’s exactly right. We did this on our last trip. Worked great.

This is good to know.

 

[DanieB]

Just confirming we had the same experience. Worked just like a credit card. The server would bring back the slip to sign and we added the tip then.

 

[Kimrlav]

Thanks to everyone for the information and sharing your experiences on using the gift card for table service meals.

 

[LaidBackDad]

I believe it works like a credit card - they run it to make sure it is a good card, but then they don't close the ticket and post it until you have filled out the tip portion. It's no different than using a gift card at Applebees or somewhere like that.

It was a few years ago but with some of the non-Disney restaurants on property it might be a little different at least for the servers. We tried using a Disney gift card at Ghiradelli and the girl at the register had to pull out an entirely different card reader which she seemed unfamiliar with and had difficulty using. They still accepted the gift card but it wasn’t the same process as using a credit card or magic band.