Hiya, Joe! Welcome to planDisney and thanks for stopping by with such a great question!
You sound like someone after my own Disney-planning heart. Collecting
Disney Gift Cards (sometimes at a discounted price from my local retailer) to use on my
Walt Disney World vacations is my favorite strategy to help me stay on budget. Buying a few gift cards here and there as my vacation approaches adds up to big magic and makes my dining and shopping budget feel pre-paid by the time my family and I embark on our adventure. I always joke with my wife that pre-paid money is the same as free money, but she says that's just my Disney girl math at work.
I'm thrilled that you have some
Disney Gift Cards to use on your pixie-dusted vacation, and I think you'll be happy to hear that
they are accepted at almost all dining and shopping locations, including gift shops and snack kiosks, around Walt Disney World Resort. This means in the parks, at the Disney Resort Hotels and around Disney Springs. There is the rare exception where Disney Gift Cards are not accepted by non-Disney-owned and operated retailers, but most of these are found in Disney Springs.
The good gift card news keeps on coming, Joe! You can even use Disney Gift Cards to pay for your
Mobile Food and Beverage Orders and
Merchandise Mobile Checkout on your My Disney Experience app during your vacation. When you get to the payment screen, just scroll down to the bottom, tap "Use a Different Payment Method," tap "Add a Card," select "Disney Gift Card," and enter your gift card number. I like to keep my gift card numbers listed on the notes section of my phone so that I can easily and quickly copy and paste the number. Saving time entering the number means more time for fun!
I hope this helps, Joe, and I hope you have the most magical and memorable summer vacation. Please feel free to stop by any time with any planning questions you may have along the way. You've got a friend in planDisney.
See ya real soon,
Mandy