Deposit Due Date (Steam coming from ears)

[erinch]

Is this typical??

On May 9 I made an AP ressie for AKL for August through CRO.

Today, May 19, the reservation materials show up in the mail, dated May 9, but postmarked May 17. Along with a notice that the deposit is due by May 23 or the reservation will cancel.
The mail has gone for the day, which means the earliest it can be mailed is May 20, 3 days before the cancellation date.

That is about the poorest example of turn-around time I've ever seen. And will take a long-distance call, on my nickel, to try to get them to take the credit card # over the phone or otherwise deal with it.

ARRRRGGGGHHH!

 

[HM]

This is why I always pay the deposit over the phone at the time of making the reservation. Sorry this happened to you . -HM

 

[erinch]

the CM I was talking to said they couldn't take a credit card over the phone until I had received the materials. I questioned, but she insisted.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by erinch
the CM I was talking to said they couldn't take a credit card over the phone until I had received the materials. I questioned, but she insisted.

The CM was wrong. I always pay my deposit over the phone upon making my initial reservation. I did it last week and they took it with no problem.

 

[H&Hmommy]

I always pay mine over the phone when I make my ressies

 

[BillSears]

I always pay mine with a Credit Card over the phone too. If I were you I'd get on the phone to CRO today and ask if you can pay your deposit now via a credit card. I'm pretty sure they should be able to take care of it.

 

[inaminute]

You can fax your credit card information as well. That's what we do when they won't take it over the phone (it's weird--sometimes they will, other times they won't). They always tell us the date the deposit is due and make sure we know that if it's not the reservation will cancel. I never depend on documents through the mail--too many things can happen to cause delays.

 

[erinch]

I think my point would be there are people out there who pay by check, don't have a fax and are expecting to mail their deposit in. Why wouldn't Disney set their system for a 2 week turnaround rather than 6 days? It makes no sense.

 

[floridafam]

Just call and ask them to extend your deposit due date by a few days. They usually will do this with no problem. You can send the check before you receive the info. Just write the reservation number they gave you when you booked on the check.

 

[dahess]

Isn't there a 1-8-- number you can call?

 

[gumdrop]

I see your point here and it is terrible turn-over time. And they even screw up over the phone deposits--on my confirmation from last year it indicated that no deposit was ever given when I had done so over the phone. But definetly call and explain the situation--they will more than likely extend your due date. Take care!

 

[Bimmy56]

I had exactly the same problem - With a legal holiday occuring while waiting for my paperwork - I had 3 days to get it back in. The next time I tried it I just gave my card # right over the phone. I wonder if people have actually lost their room because of this, or if Disney really holds the room for longer than they say.

 

[erinch]

No 800 #.

Since I have to call anyhow, I'll give the card # they wouldn't take the first time.

It still puts the burden on the "customer" to basically overnight them the deposit; or to pay for another long distance phone call, or to initiate the paperwork to pay for the reservation deposit before the paperwork arrives.

On their end, they took the ressie on 9 May, and didn't get the confirmation in the mail till 17 May, which is more than twice as long as they give to respond to them.

I intend to email Disney Customer Relations about the turn-around time.
Provided it doesn't bounce-back, I'll let you all know what they say...

 

[lmhall2000]

I understand your frustration- but I bet you it's due to the FT package- can you imagine how many packages they had to mail out?? They were probably swamped....
But I did get a neat "personally tailored" planning kit- they had a brochure saying...."We are so happy to welcome the "XXX" family to the Polynesian in September.... then it had pictures of the Poly and suggestions for not to miss rides- it also included a bifold to write all our PS confirmation numbers and other miscellaneous planning ideas- very cute and got me in the Disney mood!
Also...okay here comes the nagging- maybe I'm assuming you have a cell phone- but most phones give unlimited after 7 calling- just call on your cell phone while you're doing an errand one night this week and the phone call won't cost you anything...if you don't have a cell phone- still wait until after 9pm- we are just charged .07 cents a minute and I called in my deposit within a 3 minute call- for a quarter that's not bad. So on the bright side- be thrilled you got a great package and enjoy the trip!!!
Tara

 

[inaminute]

I think the burden is meant to be on the customer to make sure their deposit is in before the due date--whether you have the paperwork or not. You are given the confirmation number and the date the deposit is due during your original telephone call, which is all you really need.

 

[w8ting4pooh]

45 days is 5/21 which is when my deposit is due. I still haven't received my confirmation in the mail. I guess it will cancel and hopefully, I can rebook and pay the whole thing then. Expedia and Disney are still showing lots of avail for my week/room choice.

 

[simba2]

At one time CRO would only take Am. Express over the phone for payment. If you wanted to use Visa, you had to fax in an authorization with your credit card #. I know Disney and Am. Express have parted ways. I don't have the new Disney Visa card. Are they taking any Visa cards over the phone, or only theirs?

 

[DVC-Don]

Mastercard, Visa & Discover are now taken over the phone. Yes, I remember the days of faxing authorization to pay a deposit.

 

[manhattan]

OP- you are right, they should have a way to get you your documents and be able to return the deposit without us having to pay for overnight service. I always pay by check and would prefer to have some kind of paperwork to confirm that the reservation is correct. Hard Rock Hotel seemed to have the same problem when they opened- but they seemed to have found a solution- they sent me an email within 24 hours of my making my reservation! I just printed it and sent it off. I know that not everyone may have email, but if you do, what a great way to solve this issue.

 

[erinch]

Again, my point would be, not all the other ways one can pay the deposit for a reservation,
but that in the confirmation which comes in the mail from Disney, the payment instruction is (in large bold type):

TO ENSURE PROPER CREDIT TO YOUR RESERVATION PLEASE REMIT CHECK PAYMENT IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

But in point of fact, some other method of remission must be used because they have not left enough time to send the check they are requesting.

It's a Disney-side operations and customer relations issue.

It's good to know all the other ways one can get a deposit to them, but that doesn't solve their systems issue. Thanks for the help in clarifying my thinking before I contact them.