How does online check-in for room only offer work?

[Aidensmommy22]

Our trip is in 9 days. I started to do online check-in today & noticed when I add my credit card info it says "the amount charged to this credit card will be the balance due, after any other payment methods are applied". Does this mean they will go ahead & charge my card for the remaining balance now? I like the idea of my remaining balance not being due until the day of arrival. That way, in the case of any unforeseen circumstances, I would only be out my deposit. Does anyone know how it works if I go ahead & check-in? I know we are so close at this point, I shouldn't worry about anything happening but I do.

 

[MADnNOLA]

From the way I understand it, yes, they will charge your card for the full amount due.

Normally, room only reservations are to be paid in full 30 days prior to arrival, and package reservations (room, tickets, and/or dining) are to paid in full 45 days prior to your arrival.

 

[The Wise One]

Every time we've gone we always have room only (we get our tickets through the military base) and we always put the deposit down when we register and then Disney never charges the rest of our room until we leave. I always thought this was odd, as people like pp always mention needing to pay off the remainder before you get to the resort, which I would have no issue doing, but Disney never does it this way with us for some reason.

 

[Aidensmommy22]

Every time we've gone we always have room only (we get our tickets through the military base) and we always put the deposit down when we register and then Disney never charges the rest of our room until we leave. I always thought this was odd, as people like pp always mention needing to pay off the remainder before you get to the resort, which I would have no issue doing, but Disney never does it this way with us for some reason.

This is our situation too. We have military tickets so we did the room only offer. It said when I made reservations, the remainder will be due at arrival. That's why I'm wondering if they will charge me now or when we check-in if I do online check-in.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

when I did online check in (only once) - my credit card was put through when I did the online check in for my room only room.

When I waited and did check in when I arrived - my credit card was charged then for my room only. I prefer to do it when I arrive.

I'm wondering how this will work when they allow online check in at 60 days. Hopefully nothing will change if I prefer to wait to check in.

Room only reservations can be cancelled 6 days in advance of your arrival. I love room only reservations because of this. I wish you had until 24 hours prior like most other hotels.

The whole 45 day prior nonsense annoys me to no end which is why I prefer room only reservations.
No other hotels require full payment that far in advance but Disney can get away with that.

 

[bookgirl]

I did online check in and they went ahead and put my information in (it was already there on my paperwork on check in day) but on my statement there is not charge until my actual stay. Most rooms have to have an actual card attatched for incidentals with the total being billed on your check out day. By putting that card on the online checkin you're just authorizing that particular card as the one that WILL BE charged any remaining balance.

 

[bumbershoot]

Normally, room only reservations are to be paid in full 30 days prior to arrival, and package reservations (room, tickets, and/or dining) are to paid in full 45 days prior to your arrival.

That's not true for normal room-only reservations. I recently read that for military promotions it can work that way, if I'm remembering correctly, but not under normal circumstances.

Does anyone know how it works if I go ahead & check-in? I

Honestly I'm not sure anyone does know. I have never seen that wording before, and we've had normal-room, room-only stays before. EVERYTHING is changing and in flux right now, and honestly I don't trust a word they say on their website because so much has been shown to be in error. I would just assume it's all still the same as it was before.

 

[fla4fun]

Our trip is in 9 days. I started to do online check-in today & noticed when I add my credit card info it says "the amount charged to this credit card will be the balance due, after any other payment methods are applied". Does this mean they will go ahead & charge my card for the remaining balance now? I like the idea of my remaining balance not being due until the day of arrival. That way, in the case of any unforeseen circumstances, I would only be out my deposit. Does anyone know how it works if I go ahead & check-in? I know we are so close at this point, I shouldn't worry about anything happening but I do.

I have done RO reservations forever, and done online check in since it's been offered, and my card has never been charged in advance. It's only been charged when I arrive.

When I read that wording, I take it to mean that the card you are entering will be used to pay for anything you haven't paid for through another method. For example, if you apply gift cards, but they don't cover the entire amount, or you charge items back to the room on your last day, but the charges don't hit until after you've settled your folio with cash and departed. Or if you have booked through a third party, such as Expedia, who collects the entire room amount in advance, but then you charge items back to the room. Those items would be paid for using the cc you put on file during online check in. It doesn't say your card is being charged now.

 

[Aidensmommy22]

I have done RO reservations forever, and done online check in since it's been offered, and my card has never been charged in advance. It's only been charged when I arrive.

When I read that wording, I take it to mean that the card you are entering will be used to pay for anything you haven't paid for through another method. For example, if you apply gift cards, but they don't cover the entire amount, or you charge items back to the room on your last day, but the charges don't hit until after you've settled your folio with cash and departed. Or if you have booked through a third party, such as Expedia, who collects the entire room amount in advance, but then you charge items back to the room. Those items would be paid for using the cc you put on file during online check in. It doesn't say your card is being charged now.

Ok, thanks for clarifying. It was a little confusing to me. I wasn't sure if it meant I will be charged the balance due now or on the day of arrival. I understand having a cc on file for charging things to the room & such. Does anyone know if I am able to charge all of my meals to my room & pay it all at once at the end? I'm guessing it would all go on my KTTW card but I'm not sure. I just feel better doing that than giving my cc at every place we go. Seems much easier.

 

[Sandi]

Ok, thanks for clarifying. It was a little confusing to me. I wasn't sure if it meant I will be charged the balance due now or on the day of arrival. I understand having a cc on file for charging things to the room & such. Does anyone know if I am able to charge all of my meals to my room & pay it all at once at the end? I'm guessing it would all go on my KTTW card but I'm not sure. I just feel better doing that than giving my cc at every place we go. Seems much easier.

You can charge just about any purchase -- food, souveniers, etc. -- that Disney sells on Disney property. You're going to have a charging limit depending on the resort level at which you are staying. So, if you reach that limit, you won't be able to charge anymore and you'll have to have your cc charged at that time so you can start over. I believe the limits are $500, $1,000, and $1,500 for value, moderate, and deluxe resorts, respectively.

So, for example, if you're staying at Pop and you charge $200 in souveniers and $300 in food over the course of 3 days, your cc will be charged at the $500 even if you have 6 more days at the resort. So, it's not technically charged "at the end." I usually make a point to get a list of my room charges every 2 or 3 days (especially since others in my room have charging privileges) to see where things stand. If I'm nearing the limit, I ask that they go ahead and let the charge go through so we start over again. You can get to the limit fast with certain dining and experience purchases.

 

[Ro Z]

We always do room only because of AP discounts. In Dec I did online check in and my card was not charged until we checked in. I also did online check in for our Feb trip about 2 weeks ago and my credit card has not been charged. So I think the wording you are wondering about means it is the CC on file and all charges including the balance on your room will be charged to this card. In Dec I don't even remember showing them my card, although I might have! It just makes it easier when you check in!

 

[lsenquiz]

My aunt and uncle go every year on a room only reservation. They always do online check in and their card is always charged before they arrive. I am not sure if it is the day they do the check in or the morning of their arrival but it is charged before they get to the resort.

I know this because it became a bit of an issue with their last stay. Their plan was to pay for the room when they got there with a Disney gift card(they wanted to take advantage of the fuel points we get from buying Disney gift cards here). When they got to the front desk to give them the gift card they were informed that the room charge had already been put through to their CC. It took about 30 minutes to reverse the charge and use the gift cards.

 

[Sandi]

My aunt and uncle go every year on a room only reservation. They always do online check in and their card is always charged before they arrive. I am not sure if it is the day they do the check in or the morning of their arrival but it is charged before they get to the resort.

I know this because it became a bit of an issue with their last stay. Their plan was to pay for the room when they got there with a Disney gift card(they wanted to take advantage of the fuel points we get from buying Disney gift cards here). When they got to the front desk to give them the gift card they were informed that the room charge had already been put through to their room. It took about 30 minutes to reverse the charge and use the gift cards.

That isn't how it is supposed to work with a room only. I pay with GCs all the time because I buy them at Target to get the 5% discount. If the line isn't horrible when I check in, I apply them to my room only reservation when we check in at the resort (even though I nearly always do on-line check in) and it's never been an issue. If the line is long or we're in a hurry, I will go back to the front desk a few days into our trip at about 6:00 in the morning to give them all my GCs. (Incidentally, you can also call in advance to have GCs applied to a room only reservation.)

 

[msjprincess]

From the way I understand it, yes, they will charge your card for the full amount due.

Normally, room only reservations are to be paid in full 30 days prior to arrival, and package reservations (room, tickets, and/or dining) are to paid in full 45 days prior to your arrival.

Has that changed recently? I've always paid for room only reservations at check-in.

 

[stargazertechie]

From the way I understand it, yes, they will charge your card for the full amount due.

Normally, room only reservations are to be paid in full 30 days prior to arrival.

Not true at all. I've NEVER PIF 30 days prior to arrival for room only. They charge up front when you check in at the hotel (vs. when you check out like any other hotel in the world) but not 30 days in advance.

 

[lsenquiz]

(Incidentally, you can also call in advance to have GCs applied to a room only reservation.)

This is what I told them to do in the future. They bought the gift cards way before their trip so it would have been easier just to pay before they went. They only had two gift cards because they bought the ones that you can put up to $500 on.

 

[Aidensmommy22]

Thanks for the reponses! I guess my main concern is if I go ahead & check in online, what will happen if one of us gets the flu or something before we leave? Will we only be out the deposit or will we be out the entire amount? Praying nothing happens between now & then but with little ones in school, you never know what they will pick up.

 

[stargazertechie]

Thanks for the reponses! I guess my main concern is if I go ahead & check in online, what will happen if one of us gets the flu or something before we leave? Will we only be out the deposit or will we be out the entire amount? Praying nothing happens between now & then but with little ones in school, you never know what they will pick up.

The entire reservation will be refunded if you cancel at least 5 days prior to arrival. Within that window I think the "penalty" is the deposit equal to the first night's stay.

 

[lsenquiz]

The entire reservation will be refunded if you cancel at least 5 days prior to arrival. Within that window I think the "penalty" is the deposit equal to the first night's stay.

That is correct.