Confusion about making reservations online and room keys

[EmuZombie]

This will be our first trip to Disney World. My wife and I have never gone, not even as kids. We are planning on making reservations online (at disneyworld.com) along with the ticket purchase. How does the payment process work exactly? Will the full balance of the tickets plus the resort be charged when we place our order or when we check in/out? Or will just the tickets be charged?

I've read and heard about how your room key has your ticket information on it as well as being able to have purchases charged and delivered to your room. I can't seem to find much detailed information about this.
Is there a charge for this service?
Is there a charge for delivery?
When they deliver do they put it right in the room or at a central location in the resort?
Is there a way to have them bill my visa once it reaches a certain amount?
Is there a way to check to see how much we have spent so far without adding all our recepts up?
Is the room key accepted as payment everywhere? For example, could we go and bring a minimal amount of cash?
Any other common issuie with this I should know?

And finally, Is there a deposit required on the room when we check in? If so, is it cash only or is visa acceptable?

Anyother useful information for a first time visitor is greatly appriciated.

 

[safetymom]

For room only one night's room charge is the deposit, the rest is due when you check in. If you are booking a package you pay $200 when you make the reservation and the rest 45 days before arrival.

For room only you pay when you check in at the resort. There is free package delivery. It is delivered to the gift shop at your resort unless you are staying concierge.

It depends on what level of resort you are staying at when they charge your charge card. For values it is $500, moderates is $1000, deluxe $1500. You can always stop by the desk and have them give you a copy of your bill.

There are some free standing carts that may not take your room key for charging but pretty much every place takes the card.

 

[safetymom]

Welcome to the DIS.

 

[disnut8]

For package delivery, it's quite simple. Whenever you buy anything in a Disney park, just tell the Cast Member cashier that you want to have the package sent ack to your resort. You'll fill out a slip of paper with your name, resort and room number on it. That will be stapled to the bag or bags (REALLY stapled to it). All you need to do the next day is go to your resort's gift shop and get the package. Have your receipt and photo ID just in case they ask for it (some do, some don't). The service is free as well as the delivery. Just a perk for staying onsite. The only time this doesn't work is the day before you check out. Then they don't have the 24 hour time frame for delivery. So do your shopping before that last full day.

You can check your bill at any time you want. It's recommended that if you are doing a lot of charging on it, you might want to do that frequently to ensure all the charges are correct. It also helps if you check it the night before you check out so you can take advantage of express check out and not have to go to the front desk before you depart. You keep the room keys as a souviner.

The room key is accepted in practically all places. But you might want to carry around some cash (we usually do about $100 split between the two of us) for smaller purchases where you don't want the hassles of signing the charge slip.

 

[klofan]

Welcome to the DIS! Just don't stay off-site, pool hop, or sneak people in your room and everyone should like you around here just fine...haha!

 

[harvardx]

Our first time was 10/21 to 10/27/07. I attached my credit card to the room key(s) and thus charged everything to the room - no fee for this service. In my opinion, it's somewhat safer than using a credit card. However, we never left Disney World and paid cash for taxis and tips.

Also Downtown Disney has stores, restaurants and clubs that may not accept Disney Resort room keys for charging, I just don't know.

We were at Animal Kingdom Lodge and it took 1 & 1/2 days for my package to be delivered. After that, I did not shop until the end of the day and lugged my packages back to the hotel.

I made ADRs (advanced dining reservations) 5 months in advance - if you want table service meals. Table service can be slow if you are from NYC or Chicago. We planned 2 hours plus for sit down meals (table service). You can always cancel your ADRs but they are difficult to get.

There was an ATM in our hotel lobby. There was a fee for Internet service at our hotel.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

. Table service can be slow if you are from NYC or Chicago. We planned 2 hours plus for sit down meals (table service). You can always cancel your ADRs but they are difficult to get.

I don't know what this means are you saying they wait on us longer? are you saying that our steaks are cooked quicker in Chicago that are can be cooked in WDW? I just don't get what you are saying, or the point of it either.