Dear Chelsey,
Thank you so much for reaching out to us here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your excellent question about
Disney gift cards, my favorite way to pay for my family's Walt Disney World Resort vacation!
I use Disney gift cards to pay for almost every aspect of my
Walt Disney World Resort vacation, so I understand your question well. You are correct, if you use your Disney gift cards to pay for your trip and then you have to cancel, the money would be returned to the gift cards that you used to pay for it in the first place. That is why a travel agent or a Disney Cast Member booking your reservation will remind you to always hold onto your gift cards until after your trip is complete, just in case!
Of course, any refund would be subject to whatever cancellation penalties apply based on your particular reservations.
Hope that helps! Have a magical vacation!
- Jan K.