Can I pay front desk in advance?

[dominiondad]

We arrive at AKL next week and I have about a dozen Disney Gift Cards to help pay for meals/expenses. Can I have the cards entered as a credit when I check in, or do I have to wait until there are charges? I'd rather get them in the system right away so I don't have to worry about losing them.

 

[HM]

I don't know the answer to your question. But, I was thinking you could save them in the safe until you are ready to pay on actual charges you've made.

 

[dansdad]

There has been mixed results with this issue/question. Disney's official policy is no, they won't apply GC's ahead of time to use as room credit. The reason being they ran into trouble with people tossing the GC's once they applied them to use as credit and if there is $$ left over the system is only setup to put the left over $$ onto the original GC.

Having said that, there have been people here on the DIS that have been able to do so. I personally have tried 3 times and was told no for the above reason every time. What we do now is go to the front desk or the concierge desk every couple of days and use GCs to pay off what we have charged so far.

In short maybe, maybe not.

 

[dominiondad]

The safe is definately plan B. My fear is that our charges will hit the magic number ($500 or whatever it is), and Disney will charge my credit card while the cards sit in the safe.

 

[HM]

The safe is definately plan B. My fear is that our charges will hit the magic number ($500 or whatever it is), and Disney will charge my credit card while the cards sit in the safe.

You'll probably have a pretty good idea of how much you are spending each day. When you think you're getting close, go get those cards and pay off the bill up to that point. Then you start at zero on your account again.

Some people pay off their charges each night after returning from the parks.

 

[Tigger's ally]

You'll probably have a pretty good idea of how much you are spending each day. When you think you're getting close, go get those cards and pay off the bill up to that point. Then you start at zero on your account again.

Some people pay off their charges each night after returning from the parks.

yep, the front desk will give you a daily update if you ask for one. I never have gift cards (nobody likes me I guess ) but we always just charge back to the room. Every night on our way in, I stop and get a daily bill. It actually saved me a charge once that wasn't mine. Other times it was just to reassure the mind, and to keep better track and most of all to avoid the if I had no clue until the end of the trip.

 

[dansdad]

The safe is definately plan B. My fear is that our charges will hit the magic number ($500 or whatever it is), and Disney will charge my credit card while the cards sit in the safe.

At AKL, the limit is $1500.

 

[wdwislife]

The safe is definately plan B. My fear is that our charges will hit the magic number ($500 or whatever it is), and Disney will charge my credit card while the cards sit in the safe.

When you reach your charging limit (at AKL it's $1500) the cast member ringing you up will receive the error message "Credit Limit Reached" on their register. From there they should ask you if you would like them to call your front desk to raise the limit, or if you would just like to use another form of payment. It happens all the time.

 

[dominiondad]

Excellent. Thanks all!

 

[GoofyTraci]

Ok sorry I have a ? If we charge to our room and are staying at akl kidani villas our room charge limit is 1500. So once you reach that amount they charge your card left? But not an amount before than? Thanks.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Add me to the list of people who asked and I've always been told no. First we have to start room charging stuff and then we can go back to the desk and apply the gift cards. I still think it's easier to do that than to try and use the cards themselves and keep track of how much money is left on each one.

As for the $1500, yes that is what has happened to us, once we reach $1500 they run it on the card on file. So if you have gift cards to use make sure you apply them before you reach that much room charging.

 

[Hedobaby]

I am in a similar situation and I am going to pay daily on the way to the room from the park.

 

[goofy4tink]

I wanted to do this on a stay at BWV. I was told that no, I wouldn't be able to put all my gift cards down at the beginning. Again, it was the 'credit remaining at the end but unable to get it back' issue. So, I just went down every other night and handed over a few gift cards to pay for those charges.

 

[pachelbel9]

We stayed at BLT in Feb. There were 3 families in a 2br - my parents, my brother's family, and my family. My parents linked their room keys to their credit card, my husband and I linked our room keys to our credit card, and my brother linked his cards to a $200 gift card (did not give them a credit card). I was surprised they could do that kind of split when we were all in the same room, but it worked great. We all got charged correctly, and my brother was able to charge against his gift card. When he hit his gc limit they cut him off.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

We stayed at BLT in Feb. There were 3 families in a 2br - my parents, my brother's family, and my family. My parents linked their room keys to their credit card, my husband and I linked our room keys to our credit card, and my brother linked his cards to a $200 gift card (did not give them a credit card). I was surprised they could do that kind of split when we were all in the same room, but it worked great. We all got charged correctly, and my brother was able to charge against his gift card. When he hit his gc limit they cut him off.

Was it a Disney gift card or a Visa/MC type gift card?

 

[pachelbel9]

It was a Disney gift card. He got it for Christmas.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

It was a Disney gift card. He got it for Christmas.

Maybe it was different because it was a DVC resort? Were you guys staying on points or cash?

 

[pachelbel9]

Not sure if it's because it was DVC. We were staying on points. My parents are members.

 

[pachelbel9]

Now you've got me wondering if this was a fluke. I was planning to stock up on Disney gift cards if Target has their 20% off deal again this December. Now I might have to rethink that plan.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Now you've got me wondering if this was a fluke. I was planning to stock up on Disney gift cards if Target has their 20% off deal again this December. Now I might have to rethink that plan.

This is what I didPurchased them with my Target Debit card for the 5% off ..went to AKL with about $600 worth of cards..I was told I couldn't put them on the room until I had charges..so I went down one morning after having a few days of charges and paid it down..the remainder of my bill went on my Disney Visa