All the Disneyland Locations that Accept Disney Gift Cards

Where can I use Disney gift cards at Disneyland? I’ve got all the Disneyland locations that accept Disney gift cards including where to get discount Disney gift cards for your vacation.

Consider this your official list of who accepts Disney gift cards at Disneyland Resort including:

• Quick service dining when you order through the regular line 
• Quick service when you order via mobile order on the Disneyland App
• Sit down dining when paying your server
• Character dining, including Minnie & Friends
• Upgrades like Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane
• Food carts including popcorn, churros, ice cream, fruit, etc.
• Most souvenir shops (see list below for things not included)
• Merchandise in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Balloon vendors throughout the resort 

Now that you know a handful of places that accept Disney gift cards, let’s get into where to buy them, how to save and more. 

Where to Buy Discount Disney Gift Cards

I love buying Disney gift cards to use on Disney vacations and Disney destinations throughout the U.S. Plus you can even use them at shopDisney, at Disney Aulani and aboard Disney Cruise Line. Buying Disney gift cards also make stashing a little vacation money away super simple. 

Here’s where you can buy Disney Gift Cards at a Discount:

• Target where I get 5% off when I pay using my Target Red Card, it’s currently classified as an entertainment card so not all gift cards get this deal, just don’t forget to use that Target redcard.
• Grocery stores where you earn valuable fuel points and gas discounts when you buy gift cards
• Costco, Sam’s Club or other wholesale club might offer discounts on Disney gift cards on occasion
• Remember to purchase using your favorite rewards credit card to stack those discounts and get credit card points too

Disney Vacations Using Disney Gift Cards

There are so many ways to spend your Disney gift cards while on a Disney vacation. But you also want to make sure you’re using them to get the best deals possible. 

Let’s start with where NOT to spend your Disney Gift Card on vacation, including places that don’t accept them and places where you won’t get the full value of savings.

Don’t spend your discounted Disney Gift Card here:

• Theme park tickets, that’s right it’s better to get the discount tickets you deserve by purchasing through my partners at Get Away Today. The savings is automatic, so you can use your Disney gift card elsewhere. 
• At any non-Disney owned properties at Downtown Disney or Disney Springs like Ballast Point, Black Tap Burgers, Curl Surf, Jamba, Jazz Kitchen, LEGO store, Naples, Salt & Straw, Sephora, Splitsville Luxury Lanes or Starbucks.

The best places and ways stack your huge discounts on vacation:

• Use Disney gift cards by purchasing souvenirs in advance from shopDisney and put them out as a surprise each night before bed time or each morning before heading to the parks. You’ll often save more because sales happen on shopDisney but not at the Resort, even for the same items!
• If you have any additional discounts like as a Magic Key Holder or Disney Vacation Club member, you can use those discounts in addition to the savings you already got from buying discount gift cards. I often use discount Disney gift cards to pay for food and receive a Magic Key discount, making it an easy way to reduce the final price of my meal. 

Locations that Accept Disney Gift Cards

You can use Disney gift cards to buy and pay for most things at Disneyland Park, California Adventure Park and even at Disney Resorts and hotels. The best part for me is popcorn carts are also included in this list—it’s my favorite snack to have on a Disney vacation! The smell gets me every time. 

 

• Quick service dining when you order through the regular line 
• Quick service when you order via mobile order on the Disneyland App
• Sit down dining when paying your check through your server
• Character dining, including Minnie & Friends
• Upgrades like Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane
• Food carts including popcorn, churros, ice cream, fruit, etc.
• Souvenir shops (most of them, see list below for things not included)
• Merchandise in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Balloon vendors throughout the resort 

There are however, a few places that do not accept Disney gift cards inside the parks because they’re operated by a third party. 

These locations do NOT accept Disney Gift Cards:

• Baby Care Center
• Caricature artists throughout the resort
• Carnival style games on Pixar Pier
• Crystal Arts on Main Street, U.S.A.
• Disneyland Lockers
• Fuel Rod vending kiosks
• Ghirardelli in California Adventure Park
• Pandora. Jewelry

Using Disney Gift Cards at Downtown Disney

You can use Disney gift cards at any Downtown Disney locations that are owned by Disney. So what’s owned by Disney?  Check the current offerings here  and view our list below.

• The Disney Dress Shop
• Disney’s Pin Traders
• Marceline’s Confectionary
• Star Wars Trading Post
• WonderGround Gallery
• World of Disney

Where can I NOT use Disney gift cards at Downtown Disney?

• Ballast Point 
• Black Tap Burgers and CrazyShakes
• Curl Surf
• Earl of Sandwich
• Food Trucks
• Jamba 
• Jazz Kitchen
• LEGO store
• Naples
• Salt & Straw
• Sephora
• Splitsville Luxury Lanes in Downtown Disney
• Starbucks in Downtown Disney District
• Tortilla Jo’s
• Wetzels
• Other small vendor carts

Managing Your Disney Gift Card 

Many of us like to buy a Disney gift card for $20 here and there and save those babies until it’s time to cash them in for all things Disney! That might mean you have tons of Disney gift cards to take on your trip and keeping track of balances can be a huge chore. 

That’s where Disney Gift Card Services comes in! When you have several gift cards or even just one, there are so many ways Disney Gift Card Services can help:

• Check your Disney Gift Card balance here by typing in the 16 digit account number found on the back of your card, along with the 4 or 8 digit security code
• Keep track of all of your gift cards, all in one place. You can easily access and manage up to 6 cards in your Disney account along with checking balances, viewing transaction history and transfering funds between cards.
• Remember, if you add your Disney Gift Card to your account it does NOT act as a mobile wallet. You will still need to keep your physical and digital Disney Gift Cards with you as they will be required to make any purchases.

More Disney Gift Card FAQs

Can I add funds to my Disney Gift Card? Yes, you can reload them for any amount between $5 – $1,000 as long as the total gift card balance does not exceed $1,000. A Disney Gift Card can be reloaded at any Disney location that sells Disney Gift Cards. Online reloads are not available at this time.

Do Disney Gift Cards expire? No, Disney Gift Cards do not expire. 

What happens if I lose one of my Disney Gift Cards? It’s smart to have each of your Disney gift cards loaded to your account for this exact reason. If you lose one, most Disney Gift Cards allow funds to be transferred to another Disney Gift Card by logging into  and visiting “My Cards”. You will need the 16-digit account number, and 4- or 8-digit EAN (or Security Code) from each Disney Gift Card to add to My Cards. Select the card you wish to transfer the other cards’ funds to, select ‘Transfer Funds to This Card’ and follow the on-screen prompts.

What if I have a return for an item I bought using a Disney gift card at Disneyland? This happened to me. If you return an item purchased with a gift card, you will receive a merchandise credit valid for merchandise (not food!) at Disneyland Resort.

Why should I buy Disney gift cards for Disneyland vacation? I use them to help me budget for my vacation spending. It’s also a great way to let kids keep track of their own souvenir spending.

Do you use Disney gift cards at Disneyland Resort–how have they helped you save and spend?