Checking in w/o credit card

[jmartinez1895]

Hi all, I hope that one of you may be able to help me out here. I was not sure where to post this I thought I'd try it here first. We no longer have any credit cards and pay cash ( or debit card) everywhere. We booked our vacation with AAA and used disney gift cards to pay our deposit. I know that I can pay the rest using our debit card, but when we check in will they require a credit card or will they just swipe the debit card? Also if they take the debit card will they pt a hold on funds or only charge what we buy when we buy it? This is our first credit card free trip.

[ccgirl]

Originally Posted by jmartinez1895

Hi all, I hope that one of you may be able to help me out here. I was not sure where to post this I thought I'd try it here first. We no longer have any credit cards and pay cash ( or debit card) everywhere. We booked our vacation with AAA and used disney gift cards to pay our deposit. I know that I can pay the rest using our debit card, but when we check in will they require a credit card or will they just swipe the debit card? Also if they take the debit card will they pt a hold on funds or only charge what we buy when we buy it? This is our first credit card free trip.

I believe they will put a hold on funds but I'm not sure of how much it is. If you are renting a car; I believe they do the same thing.

[Missytara]

Limits are set for each level of resort; $500.00 for values, $1,000.00 for mods, and $1,500.00 for deluxes.

There is no hold on funds.

They will credit your (debit or credit) card when you reach your limit each time, if more than once.

For instance, if you are staying at a moderate level, and you spend $1,234.55, then you will see two charges - one for say for example $1,034.55 and the next one for $200.00. It is set to do so when you go over the limit on that particular charge.

[nkereina]

We have credit cards but rarely use them. We do not put anything down at check-in, no credit card or debit card. We lose the ability to charge things to the room, but we are ok with that. You are not required to hand over a card like a "normal" hotel would require for incidentals.

[cglaura]

If you don't want a hold on your debit card, you can also put a gift card. Keep the card though, any unused money will be refunded to that card (at least that is what they did with us).

You could also get a traveler's check and cash it at the front desk and put cash on the room.

I have not been since 2010, but a combo of the above things are what we always did. I don't recall any policy changes posted on the dis, but I don't read every single thread either

[jmartinez1895]

Thanks all, you have put my mind at ease. Normally when we go we do not add charging to the room ( my hubby is paranoid) and we pay for things that we buy at the parks with our debit card. I just had a fear of flying down and trying to check in and then them ask for a credit card like many other hotels seem to do. I recall a few years ago checking into a hotel in TN ( which I had already paid in full before we got there) and they not only required a credit card at check in, they put a hold on 500 dollars untill we checked out.

[Lorien728]

I don't recall that happening to us either but if you are still worried--call the resort directly.

[minnie mum]

Originally Posted by Lorien728

I don't recall that happening to us either but if you are still worried--call the resort directly.

You can't call a resort directly- you only get a call center. And we all know how well informed the CMs there are about less commonly known questions.

[danceintherain]

Disney NEVER requires a credit card.
You can set up your room charge with credit card, debit card, gift card, or cash. (ETA: Some of the front desk CMs don't know how to set up the different ways, so they may tell you no originally, but it is possible)

If you put down any form of "plastic" they do tend to "ding" your account to make sure it works, but they don't put a hold on things like normal hotels.

It's one of the reasons I LOVE going to Disney.
For my wedding night, we had to have my Dad go over to the hotel to give them permission to use his credit card for incidentals, because neither one of us had a credit card. I think our total charge was like $150 and we had prepaid.
However, our $1500 hotel stay at Disney didn't require a credit card at all.

[wdw4rfam]

Like I said on another board, we have NEVER given a cc at checin , and we pay with all Disney gift cards for our package, so I know they are not just keeping that. Now I did run into an issue this time, online check in would not let me proceed until I linked one, but I found a way around that later.

[SplashMtnCrew]

Originally Posted by wdw4rfam

Like I said on another board, we have NEVER given a cc at checin , and we pay with all Disney gift cards for our package, so I know they are not just keeping that. Now I did run into an issue this time, online check in would not let me proceed until I linked one, but I found a way around that later.

Would love to know what the way around this was. I did online check-in yesterday and had to include a cc. It does say that you can have the cc info removed from the KTTWC upon check-in at the resort, which is what we will do. We do not allow charging with our KTTWC, ever.

[Missytara]

Originally Posted by SplashMtnCrew

Would love to know what the way around this was. I did online check-in yesterday and had to include a cc. It does say that you can have the cc info removed from the KTTWC upon check-in at the resort, which is what we will do. We do not allow charging with our KTTWC, ever.

The new online check-in requires a credit card to do so; however, you can have it removed from your account when you physically get in. It now requires a 4 digit pin number to be set up even to use the CC. function on the new system.

[nkereina]

Originally Posted by jmartinez1895

Thanks all, you have put my mind at ease. Normally when we go we do not add charging to the room ( my hubby is paranoid) and we pay for things that we buy at the parks with our debit card. I just had a fear of flying down and trying to check in and then them ask for a credit card like many other hotels seem to do. I recall a few years ago checking into a hotel in TN ( which I had already paid in full before we got there) and they not only required a credit card at check in, they put a hold on 500 dollars untill we checked out.

Yes, Disney resorts are of the few that do not require a credit card at check in. Hotels do this in case you order a ton of movies, make a ton of long distance calls, and then hit the road. They have your info, so they just charge your card. And they hold an amount on your card, or at least authorize your card, so they aren't stuck with a fake card or maxed out card. I'm not sure what Disney's protection is against this though since they don' require it