Disney Gift Card OBB Question

[triciambe]

I am planning to apply gift cards that I purchased at a discount to my onboard account for our upcoming cruise. I did this the last time we cruised and it worked well to cover all of our expenses, tips, etc.

This time around, we are planning to purchase a placeholder for an upcoming cruise. Can I use gift cards—or more specifically, the gift cards in my onboard account—to do so?

Thanks!

 

[dtrain]

There are conflicting reports about this. We were denied using our Gift Card to book a placeholder this past October on The Wonder, and could only use a credit card. Reading other threads about this, I've seen statements that some have been able to use their Gift Cards.

So...I really don't know for sure and am sorry to be totally unhelpful. Have a great cruise!

 

[triciambe]

There are conflicting reports about this. We were denied using our Gift Card to book a placeholder this past October on The Wonder, and could only use a credit card. Reading other threads about this, I've seen statements that some have been able to use their Gift Cards.

So...I really don't know for sure and am sorry to be totally unhelpful. Have a great cruise!

Thank you for your insight... I'm trying to decide if I should get some extra gift cards now for the OBB. Hmmm. I wonder if we can just direct them to use our onboard account, regardless of whether or not it was funded via gift card or CC.

 

[kuhltiffany]

We weren't able to in March, they said it had to go on a credit card...

 

[triciambe]

We weren't able to in March, they said it had to go on a credit card...

Did you try to give them a gift card number or have it charged to your onboard account?

 

[Dug720]

In my experience, gift card yes. Onboard account, no.

 

[mama&me]

i combined all my gift cards into two cards on the Disney gift card site. We were on the Fantasy in Feb and used 1 card for the onboard account and the other for a placeholder.

 

[clten]

They will not charge your deposit for an upcoming booking to your onboard account. A lot of times they will simply ask if you want to use the same card as you have for onboard account charges but it is billed separately. Now if they will accept a GC for deposit directly, I think that is hit or miss depending on the res agent but if you have one gift card that covers the amount you need for deposit, there should be no reason they don't take it. (I can see them turning away multiple GC's as later in the cruise, the line can be quite lengthy!)

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

I've done both: used a credit card and handed over gift cards. The gift cards were last fall on Magic. Unsure as to why they'd refuse a GC, though; it's money after all.

Now, if they were unable to process a GC due to technical difficulties, that's another kettle of fish.

 

[Ravenne]

The last time I booked a placeholder was in 2016, and had no problems using a gc for it. Disney is consistently inconsistent.

 

[Sytrace]

I am planning to apply gift cards that I purchased at a discount to my onboard account for our upcoming cruise. I did this the last time we cruised and it worked well to cover all of our expenses, tips, etc.

This time around, we are planning to purchase a placeholder for an upcoming cruise. Can I use gift cards—or more specifically, the gift cards in my onboard account—to do so?

Thanks!

You are not actually using your On board acct to book a placeholder, you are using the credit card on file to do so OR another form of payment. Including a Disney gift card so, yes, you should be able to take a 250.00 Gift card and give it to the CM at the booking desk to buy the placeholder. However, please hang on to that gift card in case you decide to cancel or it runs out of time to use the placeholder. It will go back to original form of payment.

 

[Sytrace]

Thank you for your insight... I'm trying to decide if I should get some extra gift cards now for the OBB. Hmmm. I wonder if we can just direct them to use our onboard account, regardless of whether or not it was funded via gift card or CC.

They will not charge a placeholder or ANY on board booking to your on board acct. They will charge the credit card on file or another CC you want to use, Or a Disney Gift card. This is mainly for accounting purposes as they close out your OBA by the morning of the debarkation day. You could not prove purchase if it were on your OBA and they would not be able to refund it in case you changed your mind about the placeholder or it did not get used in 24 months.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Less than 2 weeks ago, on March 30, 2018 I used 4 gift cards ($100, and 3 $50’s) onboard the Wonder to purchase a place holder.

In July 2016 Disney offered to charge my placeholder on my MasterCard the ship had on file. Two days after my 2016 Alaska cruise ended, I received a call from an disgruntled Disney employee that said my credit card was denied and they were going to make an exception to allow me to still purchase that placeholder.

I checked and had not been denied by the credit card company. MC said Disney never even requested a payment. (Disney tried to put my placeholder on one of the a gift cards I used to pay for our adventures.) Disney gave me the last 4 numbers of the account that had been denied but they were not even close to one I have ever owned. I have one credit card, one debit card, the number they gave was neither.

I did go earlier in the week of my cruise to purchase these placeholders. Perhaps some of the discrepancy regarding GC’s might come in with paperwork and longer lines at the end of the cruise. I always heard they get very busy so I’ve never gone last minute.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

Interesting thread - I've been told multiple times (on four different sailings, I believe) that I CANNOT book a placeholder with a GC and have always been forced to use a credit card. I've never understood why. Now I'm wondering if I should press the point a bit if I'm told that again next week since it sounds like others have had different experiences.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Interesting thread - I've been told multiple times (on four different sailings, I believe) that I CANNOT book a placeholder with a GC and have always been forced to use a credit card. I've never understood why. Now I'm wondering if I should press the point a bit if I'm told that again next week since it sounds like others have had different experiences.

Tag me when you get back please.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

With our first cruise we had a ton of gift cards left on our account that I had preloaded it with (cancelled excursion). They wouldn't let me use what was preloaded on my account, however, the lady told me to go to the shop and buy a gift card for the amount of the deposit with what was in my account. Worked like a charm.

 

[Snowwhyt]

With our first cruise we had a ton of gift cards left on our account that I had preloaded it with (cancelled excursion). They wouldn't let me use what was preloaded on my account, however, the lady told me to go to the shop and buy a gift card for the amount of the deposit with what was in my account. Worked like a charm.

Now that’s some good thinking! And another example of GC’s able to be used for Placeholders.