If you're carrying Disney gift cards for your trip, check where you plan to spend them: they no longer work everywhere at Disney Springs.
As reported August 11, Disney Gift Cards are no longer accepted at Vera Bradley and Zara at Disney Springs, and reportedly at some other third-party retailers there as well. Sephora and Under Armour Brand House, by contrast, are confirmed to still take them.
The pattern matters: the stores dropping the cards are third-party tenants - brands that rent space at Disney Springs rather than Disney-operated shops. The change is reportedly tied to contract terms between Disney and those retailers, not to any broader shift in how gift cards work.
Everywhere Disney itself runs the register, nothing changes. Disney Gift Cards remain valid at Disney-owned stores, restaurants, and hotels, for park tickets, and across Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line.
The practical takeaway for planners: treat third-party stores at Disney Springs as normal mall stores - bring a regular payment method - and save the gift cards for Disney-operated locations, where they're as good as cash. If you're unsure whether a specific store is Disney-owned, ask before you shop; the cast member at the register will know.
Sources
MickeyVisit, Aug 11, 2026 - mickeyvisit.com/disney-gift-cards-no-longer-accepted-select-disney-world-stores-august-11-2026/
KennyThePirate, Aug 11, 2026 - kennythepirate.com/2026/08/11/major-change-to-using-disney-gift-cards-at-disney-world/
Cover photo: EMLphotography - CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.