Visa gift cards in the parks.

[Tiggerlover91]

Mods, please move if I don't have the correct forum.

I'm wanting to purchase a Visa gift card for our trip and would like to know if anyone has an experience using them in the parks. I don't want Disney gift cards as my son and I aren't spending that much money within the parks. The majority of our spending will be at Disney Springs and offsite for our dining. We'll have snacks here and there, a soda or two, and maybe one QS meal at one of the restaurants that serves kosher food. I also don't want to carry my bank debit card with me. I'm trying to keep the Disney money separate from our everyday money. Last time I used our magicband for charging, but since that's linked now to the $100 hold, I'd rather not "tie" up that money that way considering I've got it budgeted daily on what my son and I can spend.

I know I can chat with a CM and find out directly, but sometimes the BEST answer comes from those who have done it recently. Thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[AllieBoo]

I used a Visa gift card in the parks on my trip last week and had no issues.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I used a Visa gift card in the parks on my trip last week and had no issues.

Thank you for the information!

Did they charge you for only the amount? A travel agent friend of mine told me she noticed if a client was making a room payment for say $100, Disney would run it for $120 to make sure the amount was there.
I haven't used a Visa gift card in awhile, there's a number you can call to check balances, yes?

 

[AllieBoo]

I used it in the gift shops in the parks and at restaurants in the parks and it only charged me the amount I was purchasing. Yes, there should be a number on the back of the card that you can call to check the balance.

 

[Fangorn]

Visa gift cards can be tricky to use at WDW. Depending on where and how you're using it will determine if an additional "hold" is charged to the card or not. If you're buying merchandise, you're going to be fine. The card will only be charged the purchase amount. Restaurants will generally (but not always) put an additional "hold" to cover the tip when the card is initially run - so there will usually be a difference between that amount and what you want to give as a tip. It'll show back up in a day or two, but in the meantime, you won't have access to those funds. Hotel and other service charges are the worse. VISA (not Disney) will put a 10% hold on any hotel charge. Once had a $50 Visa gift card and tried to use it to pay my hotel charges (stuff billed back to the room). The card was declined until the CM ran it for only $45, because was taking their $5 off the top. CM suggested she cancel that transaction, and that we go over to the gift shop and use the Visa gift card to buy a Disney gift card. No problem doing that. Then took the Disney gift card to the front desk and used that pay down the hotel bill. That was the last time I'll use a Visa gift card for anything.

Steve

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Visa gift cards can be tricky to use at WDW. Depending on where and how you're using it will determine if an additional "hold" is charged to the card or not. If you're buying merchandise, you're going to be fine. The card will only be charged the purchase amount. Restaurants will generally (but not always) put an additional "hold" to cover the tip when the card is initially run - so there will usually be a difference between that amount and what you want to give as a tip. It'll show back up in a day or two, but in the meantime, you won't have access to those funds. Hotel and other service charges are the worse. VISA (not Disney) will put a 10% hold on any hotel charge. Once had a $50 Visa gift card and tried to use it to pay my hotel charges (stuff billed back to the room). The card was declined until the CM ran it for only $45, because was taking their $5 off the top. CM suggested she cancel that transaction, and that we go over to the gift shop and use the Visa gift card to buy a Disney gift card. No problem doing that. Then took the Disney gift card to the front desk and used that pay down the hotel bill. That was the last time I'll use a Visa gift card for anything.

Steve

I plan on paying for our room with my regular debit card. I only want to use the card for purchases outside the park and for snacks and QS meals inside the parks! Thanks for the information! I think just to be safe, I'll carry cash and maybe only do about $200 on the Visa card. The bank that I do business with has locations right there in central FL. I have no problems sliding by and hitting the ATM in the afternoons when we are taking a break from the parks.

 

[glocon]

I used a visa gc last summer in the parks to pay for food and in gift shops. Zero problems.

 

[diswis]

Yep!
Only did once, in 2014 but it worked completely fine for a sit down dinner (I paid for my mom's for her bday), quick service, and gifts.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I put my sons money on a green dot card ( dollar tree) so he wouldn't loose his money. It worked great they texted every purchase. Worked flawlessly

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I put my sons money on a green dot card ( dollar tree) so he wouldn't loose his money. It worked great they texted every purchase. Worked flawlessly

Green dot card?

 

[cj.scribbles]

Some VISA gift cards can do holds on different purchases though I've never seen it done in merchandise locations (which is where I work). If you rent anything or make a large purchase like a hotel room or a lot of merchandise/product at a store it might do that. Additionally I would call ahead and tell your bank you're going on a vacation and that you'll be making a lot of large purchases (for your room, etc) because many a time I've had cards declined because the bank thought someone was making fraudulent charges.

I can't say a lot on the process but I will say that Disney runs most if not all of its charges as Credit. There's no option for Debit so keep that in mind as well.

If you're just using it for little things like food and maybe an odd gift or two you should be fine. I see people using VISA gift cards all the time and its no big deal, just make sure you actually activate the card before you leave haha. Nothing is more awkward then trying to use a gift card and me having to tell the guest it just hasnt been activated yet. : o

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Green dot card?

Prepaid visa cards they are sold everywhere for about 4.95 but dollar tree has them for 1.00 .

Needs to be done before you go, they mail you a card with your name and registered to your zip code/address. The temporary card it comes just says customer