Best way to pay while in parks

[DisneyJade]

Leaving in a couple days and still deciding whether to use our magic bands for charging. I've been going back and forth.

We just got about a dozen Disney gift cards for Christmas, which is great, but I don't know whether it's better to use them up front for meals and purchases or save them to pay off the magic band charges at the end.

Anyone have any reason why one would be better than the other?

Thanks in advance!

 

[shell8558]

I like to just use my magic bands. Less to carry around and worry about. Then, I payoff things the day before we checkout. (I like to check my bill the day before to make sure I can correct any errors- IF there are any.) I also have an itemized account of everything we have spent on our trip. I have looked back on different trips, to see how much spending money we would need, etc.

 

[FantasmicMike]

I'd love to hear thoughts on this as well! Also leaving in a few days and have a bunch of gift cards.

 

[minniemous]

I agree Disney Gift cards! First of all everyone takes them that I know of at Disney World except for perhaps the balloon sales. I pre-purchase at Target so I get automatic 5% savings with my purchases.

We also do not have that shock at the end of the vacation that we used to get when it came to settling our bill. We pay as we go which is much easier to keep track of.

Sometimes for speed sake we purchased with Magic bands but then every 3 days or so I would go to the front desk and zero out our balance with our Disney Gift cards! Love the Disney gift cards with the savings.

 

[DisneyJade]

Sometimes for speed sake we purchased with Magic bands but then every 3 days or so I would go to the front desk and zero out our balance with our Disney Gift cards!

Great idea to pay as you go!

I thought of another, related, question.
How do you make purchases after resort checkout?

We plan to spend the day in the parks the day we check out. From what I understand, our magic bands will still get us in the parks and in line for our FP+ reservations, but I assume we won't be able to charge on them anymore, so maybe set aside a gift card or two for that last day?

 

[ZoZo]

Be aware that the resorts automatically charge the credit card on file at certain dollar limits. I think the limits are $500 for value resorts, $1,000 for moderates, and $1,500 for deluxe resorts. Can anyone confirm these amounts?

So once you hit these limits for charging to the room, they will automatically charge your credit card, taking you down to zero. I think you might be able to put your gift cards onto your room early on, though, if you don't want to keep having to go to the front desk to pay down your balance.

 

[kataEbi]

Magic Bands all the way. Don't hassle yourself with carrying a dozen cards with you. I've gotten to the point where I don't even bring my wallet into the parks at all, there's just no need.

If you need to keep a quick running total or something, use a note-like program on your phone and you'll know where you're at each day.

 

[Barbanellie]

I loved just using the magic bands!!

Just want to say, Zozo's info about the card being automatically charged might not always be the case. I know for us, they just stopped allowing purchases when we reached the limit ($1000, staying at POR). I had no idea there was a charging limit, and I freaked out, thought there was a problem with my credit card, called the company, made sure everything was OK. Then went to the front desk, and a very nice CM explained the charge limit, and asked if I wanted my cc charged with the amount right now. We were lucky my dad (who was on a different reservation) was on hand to pay for my tiny keyring at the time the charges stopped working on my MB!

If I wanted to use the MB but keep an eye on our expenses, I'd just get the account balance regularly from front desk, and pay when I felt like it/with whichever method I like. It was SO nice not carrying wallets into the parks!

 

[Farps]

as long as you can keep yourself in check with spending, Magic bands all the way. They make charging to the room so easy.

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know whether it's better to use them up front for meals and purchases or save them to pay off the magic band charges at the end.

It's six of one, really. If you know and are comfortable with the amount you expect to spend---either through experience or planning---then just paying with the band and settling up later is probably fine. But, if you want to track expenses a bit more carefully, paying as you go will help you realize how fast the money goes!

 

[Bamagirl43]

We loved using the Magic Bands too. It was so convenient. Our family could split up to eat and shop and we didn't have to worry about who was carrying the cash. DD15 loved being able to shop on her own without worrying about keeping up with a wallet. At places like Sunshine Seasons, everyone could choose what they wanted to eat and check out at their own pace. They are like poker chips though, so you don't really notice how much your spending. We paid the bill at the front desk every few days.

 

[FLkid]

I like knowing exactly how much I've spent as I budget my trips.

Gift cards are my choice as I can get a certain amount and each time I spend I know exactly how much I have left in my budget (by checking the balance on the receipts)

I went the MB route back in February and it drove me crazy because I couldn't remember how much I had spent until I checked at the front desk

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Great idea to pay as you go!

I thought of another, related, question.
How do you make purchases after resort checkout?

We plan to spend the day in the parks the day we check out. From what I understand, our magic bands will still get us in the parks and in line for our FP+ reservations, but I assume we won't be able to charge on them anymore, so maybe set aside a gift card or two for that last day?

You can continue charging on your magic bands until midnight on your checkout day. Disney likes to make it very easy to continue taking your money.

 

[Artax]

Last two trips we used strictly magic bands but also carried credit cards and disney visa for discounts. Good thing too, both trips we had at least one meal that the magicbands wouldnt work for and had to use a credit card. So even if you decide to use magicbands bring a backup just in case. Also you also have to show and pay with the disney visa to get those discounts even if it is the card tied to your room charges.

 

[DisneyJade]

Thanks Everyone! This was very helpful!

 

[avic77]

Can you put say $500 gift cards onto your hotel account and use Magic Bands to pay in the park?
I plan to pre-purchase about that in GC's for paying for dining.
I also hope to give the kids 50 to 100 each for spending money as well.

 

[4myprincesses]

Be aware that the resorts automatically charge the credit card on file at certain dollar limits. I think the limits are $500 for value resorts, $1,000 for moderates, and $1,500 for deluxe resorts. Can anyone confirm these amounts?

So once you hit these limits for charging to the room, they will automatically charge your credit card, taking you down to zero. I think you might be able to put your gift cards onto your room early on, though, if you don't want to keep having to go to the front desk to pay down your balance.

Unless things have changed since our last visit (2011) once you hit the resort limit (numbers are correct) you need to go to the front desk and authorize payment. If they automatically charged your card when reaching the limit there would be no need to have a limit.

 

[minniemous]

Great idea to pay as you go!

I thought of another, related, question.
How do you make purchases after resort checkout?

We plan to spend the day in the parks the day we check out. From what I understand, our magic bands will still get us in the parks and in line for our FP+ reservations, but I assume we won't be able to charge on them anymore, so maybe set aside a gift card or two for that last day?

Yes, we always have extra gift cards after check out. We plan for extra. The money never expires so we usually have enough left over to put away and use it towards our next booking. Or you can always use it on Disneystore.com or disney stores. I prefer to keep it so that when we look to book our next trip we have some money if not all towards the $200 booking reservation.

 

[minniemous]

Can you put say $500 gift cards onto your hotel account and use Magic Bands to pay in the park?
I plan to pre-purchase about that in GC's for paying for dining.
I also hope to give the kids 50 to 100 each for spending money as well.

Not sure about this...fairly sure you can not. As I recall I asked them when zeroing out my balance one day and they said they could not...but not 100% certain.

When I would walk through the lobby and saw that there was no line for the guest services I would just tell my husband and daughter I would meet them in a few minutes and take care of it.

It took no time at all and really helps with peace mind and also lets you budget your trip if budget is an issue. One year a long time ago we used our card to pay for everything and we did not have free dining and when we checked out boy was I in for a surprise. I like being able to see how many gift cards I have left and then budget.

Do not forget if you are going back the following year to check out the bounce back offer in your room brochure. You can always cancel if you decide not to go.

 

[YouGotaFriendInMe]

When we had a spare minute we took all our giftcards down from the wedding and applied them a few days before we checked out... so when we got the bill in the end it was only like 20 dollars we were also super worried about the price shock in the end... however you can set limits and if someone can charge or not from their magicbands. also we just kept like a running total in our head (this would of never worked if we didnt have the dining plan)... however we did charge all our dining tips to the room!