Hey there, Brittany! Welcome to planDisney. I am so glad you sped by on your way to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
I always take advantage of
direct-to-room services. Checking in on the
My Disney Experience app before we arrive is so easy. And then, when that magical "Your room is ready!" text comes through, it's time to let it go and let vacation mode take over. When you check in, you do have to add a credit or debit card to your account to cover the remaining balance on your resort reservation and any purchases you make and charge to your room.
But you can still use your
Disney Gift Card to cover these charges. You just need to stop by the Front Desk and ask them to add the gift card to your account. I advise doing this at least 24 hours before you check out of your resort. This helps make sure the balance is updated before your credit or debit card on file is charged.
You can also use a Disney Gift Card for purchases made on the My Disney Experience app, like
mobile food ordering and
merchandise mobile checkout. Unfortunately, you cannot store a gift card in the app, but you can use it as a form of payment when you make a purchase. Using a Disney Gift Card to pay for snacks makes them even sweeter!
As you finish packing, I hope you enjoy seeing the days in your countdown get closer to zero. While looking at your resort reservation, know you can check in to receive that awesome text signaling your vacation is about to begin.
If you have any other questions, please come back by
planDisney. You've got a friend in us!
See 'Ya Real Soon!
Jana