Arr-Cade and charging privileges

[OKW Lover]

Is there a way to prevent a child from really running up a bill using the Arr-Cade? The description here on the DIS says:

Arr-cade features a cashless system. First, purchase a play card filled with game credits using your Key to the World card at a kiosk located inside the arcade or at Guest Services on Deck 3. Then, simply enter the card into a videogame to access your game credits and begin playing.

Since adults aren't around all the time, how do you keep a child (9YO) from simply buying more credits?

[ImDMous]

You have to charge the game card from your Key to the World card. If their Key does not have charging privileges, they won't be able to put any extra on it, only you will. If you have given them charging privileges with their Key to the World, it doesn't seem like there would be anything to stop them.

[Valencia Joe]

Simple enough... just don't give your 9 year old charging priveleges!

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for the quick answers. I don't recall when I did the online registration if I did put charging privileges on his card. I'm sure I'll be able to check and change if necessary at the port, but would there be any other things where he would need charging privileges? I expect he will be in the kids clubs most of the time and when he's not he will be with us.

[ImDMous]

Personally, I can't think of anything a 9 year old would need to buy. Gift shops, spa, coffees and bars are pretty much the only things I remember charging. You have to pay for smoothies I think, but I believe the kid's club goes there as a group one day and they are free for that.

[jel0511]

The answer to that question is no. I gave DS charging privileges on out last cruise, with a specific limit he was allowed to charge for the entire cruise, some which he had provided by Disney Gift Cards he had received as gifts. Anyway, in ONE afternoon, he charged over $100 at the arcade on the Fantasy. GS called our room to verify his charges and shut his card down just to make sure we knew. We approved these charges and had to go back go GS to turn his card back on as he was still below his limit. So, GS does keep track of arcade purchases on kids and shuts the card down if they charge more than $100 in the arcade in one day based on my experience. The easiest away around this is to buy him a card on your card and reload as necessary or as you see fit......

[Valencia Joe]

Not including the arcade, other than the gift shop and the snack bar at the theaters, there is really nothing that a 9 year old would want to charge at. I don't know if it applies to 9 year olds, but I know when I pre-registered online for our upcoming cruise, my 12 year old defaulted to allowing charging, but my 8 year old's default was no charging priveleges. So it sounds as if unless you made a change, then your 9 year old should have had no charging priveleges by default.

[DisSarahK]

I'm not planning on giving my children charging privileges--plus my 8 year old won't be getting in/out privileges at the club so she won't be wandering the ship without us anyhow.

[kcashner]

There is NOTHING a 9 year old needs charging for. All activities done in the programming are totally free (even those that would have a charge if done at other times). For instance, if the Edge group does "Invade the Arr-cade," the machines are all set to free play for that hour. If they do a smoothie party, everyone present gets a free smoothie.

You can purchase the Arr-cade card for your child and load it with whatever amount you feel is appropriate. If he wants a re-load, he can come to you for it.

There are horror stories of older kids "tricking" younger ones into reloading their arcade cards--and GS won't waive the charges if this happens.

[gkrykewy]

Originally Posted by jel0511

The answer to that question is no. I gave DS charging privileges on out last cruise, with a specific limit he was allowed to charge for the entire cruise, some which he had provided by Disney Gift Cards he had received as gifts. Anyway, in ONE afternoon, he charged over $100 at the arcade on the Fantasy. GS called our room to verify his charges and shut his card down just to make sure we knew. We approved these charges and had to go back go GS to turn his card back on as he was still below his limit. So, GS does keep track of arcade purchases on kids and shuts the card down if they charge more than $100 in the arcade in one day based on my experience. The easiest away around this is to buy him a card on your card and reload as necessary or as you see fit......

That must have been some afternoon!

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for all the very helpful answers! Exactly what I've come to appreciate the DIS for.

One other question; if I do pre-load an arcade card for him can I get a refund in the unlikely event that he doesn't use all the credits by the end of the cruise?

[jel0511]

Originally Posted by OKW Lover

Thanks for all the very helpful answers! Exactly what I've come to appreciate the DIS for.

One other question; if I do pre-load an arcade card for him can I get a refund in the unlikely event that he doesn't use all the credits by the end of the cruise?

I don't believe so. You can load the card in increments of $10. Of course the more you load at a time, the more credits you get. IE 100 credits for a $10 purchase, but you get 220 for a $20 purchase, and it goes up from there. Not exact amounts, but you get the idea.... $10 IMO doesn't last too long for the kids, they can go through that in 15 min. Trust me there won't be anything left on the card........

[lmhall2000]

Just be very careful, our 10 year old son was very naive...a boy came up to him and asked if he could play...we had downloaded $50 on his card...my son is a very generous soul...the kid told my son that he did not need the card that it was on his room card, that the one in the arrcade was just temporary...my son not knowing any better left without it...the thug stole his card! We went to guest services..no cameras to identify the boy...my son pointed him out later and the kid had the nerve to smirk at me! I could have gone to his parents, but I think my evil mother stare got to him..we just knocked it up to a very tough lesson for ds...we will never use arcade again.

[lbgraves]

You will need to give everyone in the room charging privs to be able to print out your online checkin forms, but you can go back and change them or they can change that when you checkin at the terminal.

[maggs1035]

Originally Posted by OKW Lover

Is there a way to prevent a child from really running up a bill using the Arr-Cade? The description here on the DIS says:


Since adults aren't around all the time, how do you keep a child (9YO) from simply buying more credits?

I believe that you can give charging privilege but also attach a limit to it? So if you say to him, "you have $20 in spending money on the ship" then he can use his kttw card, and when it's gone, that's it!