Welcome to planDisney, Tara!
I am such a fan of using
Disney Gift Cards when visiting Walt Disney World--so glad you asked where to use them!
Tara, you
can use your Disney Gift Cards to purchase
Lightning Lane Passes--it's so easy to do so! Just go into your My Disney Experience app and select Purchase Lightning Lane Passes. Once you've made your selections and head to Checkout, you'll see your payment option. Click on the arrow to the right, then select Add a Payment Method. There, select Disney Gift Card. Easy peasy!
Both
The BOATHOUSE and
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' accept Disney Gift Cards as forms of payment, too. In fact, many shops and restaurants throughout
Disney Springs do so as well. We've used ours at
The LEGO Store at Disney Springs as well as when placing a Mobile Order from
D-Luxe Burger. I've found that the exception to this can be with some privately owned venues and kiosks, so if you aren't sure, it's best to ask prior to starting your order.
Tara, I've even used my Disney Gift Cards to pay down the current room balance while staying at a
Disney Resort hotel. I'll use my
MagicBand+ for the ease of charging to my room account while touring the parks, then pay down those charges with a stop at the Front Desk a few days into my stay. It's a great way to simplify your touring while also keeping that hotel credit card charge a bit lower. Even better? The savings we enjoy when I've gotten those Disney Gift Cards through a merchant's discount program. Yes, please!
You can even use your Disney Gift Card for last-minute purchases at Disney owned and operated locations at Orlando International Airport, Tara. Forgot an extra gift for the grandpa who fed the cats while you were away? Done. Meant to pick up lollipops for that coworker who is planning to surprise her kids with a visit to WDW? All good! Disney-themed snacks, shirts, blankets, and mugs are here for the win!
Tara, here's one more tip in case you didn't know about it. You can transfer the balance of multiple Disney Gift Cards onto just one--up to $1,000--by storing them in your online Disney Gift Card account. When I get one or two as gifts, I'll add them to that online account, then transfer as much as possible to just one card. And while you can add that digital card to your My Disney Wallet in the
My Disney Experience app, I like to keep the physical cards on hand--even if they have a zero balance--for future reloading. It's perfect for last-minute gift-giving.
As you plan your practically perfect in every way Disney days, Tara, be sure to send additional questions our way. We love to help!
Andrea H