18 year old making reservation at resorts; Credit card question

[wdwiala]

My 18 year old is hoping to go to Disney with a friend. She has an ATM card with a Visa logo. Is this sufficient to make a reservation, or has anyone had problems checking in without a true credit card? I don't want to send them across the country and have them refused check-in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DisCatGirl]

According to the Moms, she will fine. They aren't always right, but I think they are on this one:

https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney...red-rent-room-within-walt-disneyworld-240638/

 

[Minniesgal]

I thought you had to be 21 to check in? That's certainly what my daughter was told when she was asking about doing a trip without us at 19

 

[wdwiala]

I thought you had to be 21 to check in? That's certainly what my daughter was told when she was asking about doing a trip without us at 19

This makes me nervous. I fear that the website will say one thing and then they might find out a different story upon arrival.

 

[Minniesgal]

This makes me nervous. I fear that the website will say one thing and then they might find out a different story upon arrival.

I know my daughter phoned the Contemporary last year and she was told she would have to vibe 21 to check in or with someone over 21.

 

[DisCatGirl]

Call. That's the best way to find out. Then let us know.

 

[wdwiala]

Ok, I called! Not sure why I didn't just call before. I called one of the value resorts directly and they said 18 was old enough to rent a room (as the website says). They also said that, once they check-in, anyone's credit card can be linked to the reservation. So, at check-in, I could have my own credit card added to the reservation. That makes me feel better.

 

[HopperFan]

Disney is 18 to check in. I would think if you pay the deposit with your CC, don't do online check in and when they arrive they pay their room in cash with no charging to MB, it will work. I know years ago I used to show up and pay the balance in cash.

 

[DebbieB]

My 18 year old is hoping to go to Disney with a friend. She has an ATM card with a Visa logo. Is this sufficient to make a reservation, or has anyone had problems checking in without a true credit card? I don't want to send them across the country and have them refused check-in.

Thanks in advance.

You don't have to have a credit card to check-in. I've not used a credit card a few times when traveling with friends, no room charging.

 

[siskaren]

I know my daughter phoned the Contemporary last year and she was told she would have to vibe 21 to check in or with someone over 21.

Call. That's the best way to find out. Then let us know.

Ok, I called! Not sure why I didn't just call before. I called one of the value resorts directly and they said 18 was old enough to rent a room (as the website says). They also said that, once they check-in, anyone's credit card can be linked to the reservation. So, at check-in, I could have my own credit card added to the reservation. That makes me feel better.

FYI, when you call a resort's phone number, you don't speak to someone at the hotel - you actually get someone at a call center.

 

[Lynne M]

FYI, when you call a resort's phone number, you don't speak to someone at the hotel - you actually get someone at a call center.

True, and you also get a lot of variation in answers, as shown above.

18 is the minimum age to check into a Disney resort.

 

[mar7967]

Ignoring the age question, which has been answered, I think the real question was can you use a debit card, not a credit card, to check in.

I'm not entirely sure what Disney's policies are, but a lot of hotels will actually charge debit cards in advance for incidentals, making the money unavailable during the trip, whereas with a credit card it would just be a hold and the money is still "available" to you. Anything extra that is charged to a debit card is refunded after checkout.

I did a quick search, and Mom's Panel last year said Disney doesn't put a hold on credit cards, but she also mentions credit cards, so I'm not entirely sure? https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney...put-hold-credit-card-room-incidentals-282987/

May be worth another phone call to ask for sure.

 

[mommyrosa2]

As long as she isn't going to charge anything to the room, she does not need a credit card to check-in.

 

[Dismom820]

i have never used a credit card...i use my debit to book, and they link that one to my room and my magicbands...no "real" credit card needed. and they didn't charge me in advance for incidentals, i didn't even go to the check-in place when i got to the hotel, so they never asked me for a card upon check-in, we went straight to our room. they just want a card hooked up with the account and a debit is fine.

 

[chocolateavocado]

We used only a debit card when we went in Nov. 2013. We stayed at the Poly for 5 nights - paid the trip online with our Visa debit card. We did not link the magicband to our debit card- just paid cash / used debit card on our own. We also bought our airline tickets on expedia with our debit card as well.
If you have any concerns, call wdw back. When we were planning our 1st trip, we called in and we also did the online pop-up chat on wdw's site.

 

[Kevin355]

I will give you a LEO's perspective. Get her a Disney Credit Card, not debit card. If someone finds her debit card if she loses it, then she is responsible for all of the loss incurred. You can get the bank to reimburse you later, but it takes time. With a credit card, you are only responsible up to $500. Also, make it PIN activated. Some banks allow you to use a debit card as a credit card without using your PIN. I investigate this for a living...the amount of loss with debit cards is outrageous.

 

[SharonZ]

I would put her as an authorized user on your credit card and have them send a card with her name on it, just in case. If something happens and she would lose her debit card, or it somehow becomes compromised, she would be stuck with no access to money.

 

[Pkltm]

I thought you had to be 21 to check in? That's certainly what my daughter was told when she was asking about doing a trip without us at 19

Just to confirm we stayed in 2014, my son had his own reservation, he was 19, no problems

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

I don't have a credit card and have booked Disney hotels with my debit card, it was no problem

 

[unrequited23]

I second the concerns about using a debit card. I always use credit (except at Aldi), but have known people to have holds placed on their accounts for up to two weeks for something as small as a tank of gas. I would remind your daughter about holds that can be placed on accounts especially if she has any automatic payments set up on her account.