Hello Danita!
Welcome to planDisney!
Disney Gift Cards are one of my favorite things in the world. I love getting them as gifts and saving them for my upcoming trips to Walt Disney World Resort. They can be used to pay for so much on my trip including my Resort room, tickets, dining, and merchandise!
Unfortunately, you cannot link a Disney Gift Card to your
MagicBand+. Guests who are staying at a
Walt Disney World Resort Hotel have to put a credit card down for incidental charges and it is that card that is linked up to your band. You use the band to essentially "charge to your room." Disney Gift Cards can be used to pay that room balance down though. I like to visit the Front Desk nearer to the end of my trip to just finish up my gift cards to cover all of the charges I made with my MagicBand+. This helps prevent that surprise bill that shows up in my email when I check out with all of the evidence of my shopping. Disney math is like girl math and it doesn't count if I don't see it so I like to have the balances paid down with gift cards to make my return to reality less traumatic.
If you are not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel you will not be able to make any charges to your room and therefore cannot use the band for purchases. However, it can still be used to enter the Parks, and Lightning Lane entrances and interact with shows and attractions. I love how it glows red on
Pirates of the Caribbean. If you use the bands every day I suggest charging them daily to keep the fun light and vibration features. However, the tapping into entrances feature will continue to work if the lights fail. If you find it is not working as it should look for the Guest Experience Team staff under the blue umbrellas throughout the Parks. They will be able to help you out!
I hope this helps and you have a fabulous time!
Happy Planning!
-Nimmy