Barclaycard: How are charges coded in the park?

[jessiesgurl]

I have signed up for the Barclaycard with intentions for using the points from paying bills, normal use, etc to pay for our hotel, Plane and park tickets.

I have searched, but can't find any info about how charges are coded for purchases inside the park- does anyone know?

I will be staying off-site, so I can't charge to my room.

On the barclaycard site it says that tourist attractions count as travel for redemption points- but I am wondering if this includes food/merchandise purchases from inside the park? Any info is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!! If interested, we will be staying at SOG.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

For tickets mine says...
Description: WDW DISNEY TICKETS
Merchant Location:* LAKE BUENA VI FL
Merchant Category: AMUSEMENT PARKS, CIRCUSES, CARNIVALS, FORTUNE TELLERS

For a package mine says...
Description: DISNEY RESORT-WDTC
Merchant Location:* 04078285630 FL
Merchant Category: DISNEYLAND RESORT HOTEL/DISNEYLAND PACIFIC

None of which helps you lol. Just figured it may be useful info to someone at some point. Unfortunately I used my other credit card for the in park purchases.

I don't know which card you have but I didn't get double points from any WDW transactions, just regular points. I get double for grocery store and gas station purchases.

 

[jessiesgurl]

Thank you, I'm sure someone else will find that info useful.

I have the Barclaycard, and so far it is awesome! 2x points on EVERYTHING, the points never expire, and no blackouts because you use it just like a regular credit card except when the travel charge shows up on your account, you apply your points to the payment instead of making a $$ payment! I got this card mainly because my family may need to travel frequently in the future, and plane tickets are pretty high...I figured may as well start using it for our flight to Disney as well! A bonus is when you redeem your points for travel, you get 2.2 back

 

[Richard M Nixon]

I'm planning to get the same card before my trip.

The thing you're interested in is called the MCC - merchant category code. It's something the merchant chooses when setting up their payment system and determines certain rules and restrictions placed upon them. Barclay's rewards apply to a certain subset of the codes (I don't have the list handy) but both the above categories mentioned will apply.

All the disney restaurants and shops should all show up as amusement parks / tourist attractions, thought I'd wonder about the third-party stores. If you want to be safe, I'd charge everything to your room so that every single purchase you make is classed under hotels, which will make it all eligible for point bonuses.

The barclaycard really does look awesome for vacation planning, though the annual fee will press you to make sure you use it often to accrue points.

 

[jessiesgurl]

Where did you find the list of codes? I know the barclay site lists examples, but I didn't see the codes.

I did see someone post that they charged everything to the room, but I won't be able to do that as I am staying offsite.

Does WDW have 3rd parties selling food/merchandise in the parks? I wouldn't think so?

Thanks for your info!

 

[jessiesgurl]

I found this link:

visa dot com / supplier locator / index dot jsp



but it lists Disney as charitable?

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[wdwnomad]

A little off topic but I was recently surprised I did not get double points when I booked the Frozen Package on my Chase Saphire Preferred card. With that card I only got 1x the points. For travel and restaurant purchases I am supposed to get 2x points. I was wondering the same thing how it was coded. The charge came through as WDW Dining. I figured for sure it would have fallen under one of those categories.

 

[houstonmama]

I have the barclay card and the packages come up in the rewards section for redemption. If you buy tickets at GS it is coded as entertainment and so it won't show up for redemption. A lot of Disney is not coded as amusement/theme park like Six Flags and other places like that. I have no idea why. On my sapphire card the restaurants were coded as restaurants so again they will not show up to redeem as a travel benefit.

Like someone else mentioned, I would try and charge everything to the room.

Also, I'm guessing you know this but the best use of your rewards on the Barclay is for travel redemption. You only get half of your points value if used for a statement credit.

 

[klfrech]

I'm thinking of using my Barclay card to charge my D's college tuition. I know on the surface that doesn't make much sense, since the school charges a 2.75% fee for this service. However, we used the card for travel this summer (in addition to our daily expenses) and there's no way I'll have enough points to use this card to its maximum.

Opinions?

 

[jessiesgurl]

A little off topic but I was recently surprised I did not get double points when I booked the Frozen Package on my Chase Saphire Preferred card. With that card I only got 1x the points. For travel and restaurant purchases I am supposed to get 2x points. I was wondering the same thing how it was coded. The charge came through as WDW Dining. I figured for sure it would have fallen under one of those categories.

I think we all are just trying to figure out the codes, so not off topic at all!

I know that each card has their own "rules" though.

 

[jessiesgurl]

I have the barclay card and the packages come up in the rewards section for redemption. If you buy tickets at GS it is coded as entertainment and so it won't show up for redemption. A lot of Disney is not coded as amusement/theme park like Six Flags and other places like that. I have no idea why. On my sapphire card the restaurants were coded as restaurants so again they will not show up to redeem as a travel benefit.

Like someone else mentioned, I would try and charge everything to the room.

Also, I'm guessing you know this but the best use of your rewards on the Barclay is for travel redemption. You only get half of your points value if used for a statement credit.

What is GS? (Gate Sales?) I plan on buying tickets through Shades of Green, where I will be staying so I can't charge to my room.

Yes, I know that travel is the best use for redemption w/ barclay which is why I was trying to figure out the WDW MCC in the park- as barclay recenlty added "tourist attractions", and I figure WDW is a definite tourist attraction!

 

[jessiesgurl]

I'm thinking of using my Barclay card to charge my D's college tuition. I know on the surface that doesn't make much sense, since the school charges a 2.75% fee for this service. However, we used the card for travel this summer (in addition to our daily expenses) and there's no way I'll have enough points to use this card to its maximum.

Opinions?

I personally think it's a good idea; that's why I signed up for the card. I know in the future my family will need to do lots of flying, and this is the best way to save up for points because we get 2x, and they don't expire. I'm using the card to pay for all of our bills & regular purchases.

 

[sarmat1]

All the disney restaurants and shops should all show up as amusement parks

Unless something has changed in the past year, that isn't true. Disney restaurants have historically all shown up as restaurants which is helpful if you have a credit card that has a 5% bonus category for restaurants. You are absolutely correct, however, that a way around this for Barclays would be to simply charge everything to your room at which point all charges will instead code as hotel from your one master hotel bill.

 

[platamama]

I'm thinking of using my Barclay card to charge my D's college tuition. I know on the surface that doesn't make much sense, since the school charges a 2.75% fee for this service. However, we used the card for travel this summer (in addition to our daily expenses) and there's no way I'll have enough points to use this card to its maximum.

Opinions?

I don't get why you would pay 2.75% in order to get back 2.2% (figuring in the bonus for travel redemptions). You are automatically losing 0.55% of the tuition payment. Money is money. The only way I could see this being somewhat reasonable would be if this is how you're trying to meet minimum spend for a bonus like a sign-up bonus. Even then the Barclay card bonus only comes to $440 (if used for travel). What's the math tell you?

 

[kjetjl]

So are amusement parks eligible for redemption using the Barclay Arrival Plus card?

I know it said tourist attractions. Is that a separate category?

Thanks.

 

[jessiesgurl]

So are amusement parks eligible for redemption using the Barclay Arrival Plus card?

I know it said tourist attractions. Is that a separate category?

Thanks.

I know that you can use your points for the tickets- but I wasn't sure about actual purchases inside the parks. Seems to be that they will be just "regular" purchases unless you can charge them to your on-site room.

Yes, I believe that tourist attraction is a separate category, because for example, I would consider the Kennedy Space Center a tourist attraction, not an amusement park.

If anyone has any actual experience w/ this, please update when you get the chance!

Thanks!

 

[houstonmama]

What is GS? (Gate Sales?) I plan on buying tickets through Shades of Green, where I will be staying so I can't charge to my room.

Yes, I know that travel is the best use for redemption w/ barclay which is why I was trying to figure out the WDW MCC in the park- as barclay recently added "tourist attractions", and I figure WDW is a definite tourist attraction!

Sorry, GS is Guest Service. I have no idea how Shades of Green tickets would be coded.