Discovering DVC timandlesley style-A PTR, 19 days TRIP REPORT LINK PG.119!!!!!

[wigdoutdismom]

Lauren looked very cute last year even without BBB! Didn't Tim do her hair? I'm sure she will love the extra pampering on this trip. Are you going to try to get Luke spiffed up for 1900 Park Fare too? I'm sure you guys will have a blast at that dinner. We sure did!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Lesley, I use the credit card I'm going to give them for room charges, then put the cash on the card to cover my DDP and budget for the trip. Then it's all in one place. You can check in online 10 days before your trip now - slick. And I got my room request, so I think it assigns you to a room when you check in. They get your cc then, and when you get to the lodge, you just get in the online checkin line, show them your ID and you get your "welcome home" package and your room key! They charged my card for the DDP at check in without me giving them the card again.

 

[DreaGirl]

Lesley, I use the credit card I'm going to give them for room charges, then put the cash on the card to cover my DDP and budget for the trip. Then it's all in one place. You can check in online 10 days before your trip now - slick. And I got my room request, so I think it assigns you to a room when you check in. They get your cc then, and when you get to the lodge, you just get in the online checkin line, show them your ID and you get your "welcome home" package and your room key! They charged my card for the DDP at check in without me giving them the card again.

This is what I was going to suggest. Put the money in savings/checking. Put the dining on a credit card and then pay it off when you get home.

I didn't know you could check-in online! Is that only for DVC or everyone?

 

[Happydog]

If you don't want to use a credit card, then maybe traveler's checks are the way to go. Or maybe call your bank and tell them what you are doing? So they can "waive" that daily charge limit ? Worth checking, maybe? The BBB sounds so much fun -- They have the prices for the Pirate league posted on the link on the Dis board news... I don't know how they compare to BBB, but it sounds like they are scheduled to open when you are there!

 

[dddisrunner]

Hi guys, boy was it an AWESOME WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was in the mid-80's and sunny here without the humidity, it was WONDERFUL! We got tons of stuff done in the yard, got new sprinklers and outdoor stuff so the kids could have fun outside. Kids had soccer and baseball games and we got lots of sun.
Now if I could just get a nap................ so sleepy!
Anyway... 56 days until Disney
I have all of the money in an envelope downstairs to pay for our Disney Dining when we check in. This not being allowed to pay for dining until you get there has me confused. I don't want to carry it in cash. I don't want to put it in our checking account because I think there is a limit on how much can be charged each day on our bank card and don't want to be denied at check in without a backup plan. I'm contemplating getting travelers checks for our dining money. I don't know what to do.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Now that they have the Pirate experience HOPEFULLY coming out for our trip I wanted to book BBB for Lauren. I figure, she'll only be young enough to enjoy this experience a few more years and we didn't do it last year so what the heck. BOY was it hard to find a ressie. I wanted it to be on a day/night where we had a dining with princess meal. So I got her in at 1 o'clock at the Magic Kingdom botique on the night we have 1900 Park Fare. Now I guess I have to get her a Cinderella dress to wear too huh, shoot this is getting pricey. Thing that stinks about that ressie is we're at HS that day, so I guess after lunch at Hollywood Studios Lauren and I will have to head over there and the boys can meet us at the hotel before dinner. I guess it will all work out.
I need to type up our dining ressies, start working on tipping money, etc. Get packing lists together, figure out souvenier money, overall budget, etc. I guess I will focus on all of that as soon as school gets out (only 26 more school days!).
Well, I hope each of you had a great weekend!
Lesley
Lesley

What about buying a Disney Gift Card for your dining payment? We plan on using our Disney Rewards Card. That way the money is spoken for and you could buy 2 seperate ones for each of your stays (SSR & AKV) I am not sure what the highest amount is you can get a gift card for but maybe that would work! I am also going to buy a gift card ahead of time to cover our tips, I am going to figure out a rough estimate ahead of time from allears. That way I don't have to worry about carrying cash with me and I can just charge our tips to the room and then pay it off with the gift card. I can't believe you only have 26 more days of school! We don't get out until 6/18 because we over extended on our stinkin snow days!! How great would that be if you could work it out for both kids to be all "decked" out for 1900 Park Fare!! I am a little disappointed, Matthew doesn't seem into the Pirate makeover too much! Eric is excited about it though!

Diane

 

[MAGICFOR2]

This is what I was going to suggest. Put the money in savings/checking. Put the dining on a credit card and then pay it off when you get home.

I didn't know you could check-in online! Is that only for DVC or everyone?

Everyone can check in online! It is a new feature. I think I found it under "my vacation" before we left in March.

If you don't want to use a credit card, then maybe traveler's checks are the way to go. Or maybe call your bank and tell them what you are doing? So they can "waive" that daily charge limit ? Worth checking, maybe? The BBB sounds so much fun -- They have the prices for the Pirate league posted on the link on the Dis board news... I don't know how they compare to BBB, but it sounds like they are scheduled to open when you are there!

What about buying a Disney Gift Card for your dining payment? We plan on using our Disney Rewards Card. That way the money is spoken for and you could buy 2 seperate ones for each of your stays (SSR & AKV) I am not sure what the highest amount is you can get a gift card for but maybe that would work! I am also going to buy a gift card ahead of time to cover our tips, I am going to figure out a rough estimate ahead of time from allears. That way I don't have to worry about carrying cash with me and I can just charge our tips to the room and then pay it off with the gift card. I can't believe you only have 26 more days of school! We don't get out until 6/18 because we over extended on our stinkin snow days!! How great would that be if you could work it out for both kids to be all "decked" out for 1900 Park Fare!! I am a little disappointed, Matthew doesn't seem into the Pirate makeover too much! Eric is excited about it though!

Diane

It was my understanding that we had to give them a card in advance in order to charge to the room. They even told us our limit, and if we went over they would run the card again.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Hmmmm, don't banks have credit cards you can add money to like an AMEX or something? Either that or traveler's checks would be good. I'd have the same reservations about it as you do. I wouldn't want to carry cash like that and would also be concerned about using our checking card.

Wow...your trip is coming so quickly! So many firsts! Very exciting!

I have all of the money in an envelope downstairs to pay for our Disney Dining when we check in. This not being allowed to pay for dining until you get there has me confused. I don't want to carry it in cash. I don't want to put it in our checking account because I think there is a limit on how much can be charged each day on our bank card and don't want to be denied at check in without a backup plan. I'm contemplating getting travelers checks for our dining money. I don't know what to do.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

 

[tinkgurl]

Lesley, our trips are coming up fast! I can't wait to start typing up final plans and everything! I have this week and next week of classes, then the week after that is finals and I'm DONE! When we both type up our final stuff, we'll have to compare days and see who's going to be where! So then I can imagine wherever you guys are when I'm somewhere else.

 

[lmillercrew]

I would go with a prepaid bank card or travelers cheques. At least the cheques' are insured.

 

[stacikristine]

First of all, I'm so glad yall had such a great weekend!!

As far as the dining goes, we're having to deal with the same thing since we're renting DVC points for our Sept trip. We ordered a Mac on our bank card this past month, and we just had to call the bank and they upped our limit. I told her how many days we'd like it upped for, and they were so great about it. She gave us a couple of extra days and then the limit went back down. My husband and I are going to have the money in our bank account, and use a Disney Visa Card so we can build our credit (we just got married this past year) and then we'll pay it off when we get home since we'll have the money in the bank. And since we're anti-credit cards, we'll cancel after that I don't know if this helps any, but I know it can be a headache thinking about carrying all that cash with you!!

YAY for only having 20-something days of school left!! My parents are both in education, and they're counting down too!

Good luck figuring everthing out!

 

[disneyfan61]

What is this about not paying for dining until you get there??? Is this just DVC members?

 

[Eventer98]

I second the idea of paying with a Disney gift card. I use the Rewards gfit cards twds. my DDP on check-in (like the PP mentioned) I have also had to break up the amount due onto two credit cards..they don't care! Could you pay a cc in advance and then use that?

 

[Eventer98]

What is this about not paying for dining until you get there??? Is this just DVC members?

Yep..it's a DVC thing since you aren't buying a package that includes tickets, and have no money due on the room, the DDP is the only amount due at check-in.

 

[troobabiee7]

I would also use a gift card. I've been doing surveys for extra Disney cash, and I'm going to the World of Disney on 5th Ave in July to get some gift cards with the money for a few restaurants. It's nice knowing you have all the money without having to carry around cash!

Congrats on being in the 50's!

 

[PittypatBR]

Why don't you get a Disney Visa and just use it for the trip? You get some perks with that card, like the special free photos and advance notice of some specials, and you get cash back for Disney. It is a win win situation if you don't abuse it! In many ways the credit cards are safer than debit cards, too - no access to your bank acount. We have one that we mainly just use for trips. You can put it away in between trips if you don't want to use a credit card otherwise.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Why don't you get a Disney Visa and just use it for the trip? You get some perks with that card, like the special free photos and advance notice of some specials, and you get cash back for Disney. It is a win win situation if you don't abuse it! In many ways the credit cards are safer than debit cards, too - no access to your bank acount. We have one that we mainly just use for trips. You can put it away in between trips if you don't want to use a credit card otherwise.

I'd agree! We got one and it ended up saving us a bundle b/c they offered free dining in November and December ONLY to card members. We also got a private meet and greet with the characters in Epcot and a free 5x7 PP pic. Plus you earn 1% cash back on all purchases that you can cash in for a Disney gift card. You would earn $10 if your dining plan was $1000, just for charging it. I always make major purchases like that on my cc to earn cash back. I make sure I have the money first to pay it off as soon as the bill comes. I've really earned a lot of money with the cash back program. I had earned more than enough cash back to buy MMVCP tickets for the three of us, BBB for my DD, and tips for the entire trip. When we signed up we also got a $50 gift card for applying. Best of all, you get a really cool looking credit card!!

 

[Nicole786]

I'm surprised you can't pay it off ahead of time. Even with room-only reservations where the amount is due at check in you could pay it off ahead of time.

I agree with the gift card thing (i didn't realize you could pay disney with a gift card!) Or if you wanna be on the safe side, get a gift card from your bank or online, a visa gift card works the same as a regular gift card!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Another perk to the cc is that you are protected if it is lost or stolen. I don't think you are with the gift card, but someone will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[timandlesley]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the helpful ideas/tips. I should have prefaced it with Tim and I have paid off our credit cards and are trying REALLY hard not to get any new ones, so although Disney Visa is tempting I don't want to go there : )
After a lot of thought and research I think I'm gonna stick to the travelers checks, I HATE to do that, but that way they will be insured if they get lost or stolen. I SO wish there was a way to pay for the dining plan before we arrived like everyone else, Disney would have nothing to loose in this deal, they are getting our money, just doesn't make sense.
Kidani waitlist hasn't gone through, I'm obsessed and check all of the time.
I hope each of you are having a good week, busy and stressful day for me at work today so I'm gonna go grab a glass of wine and relax
Lesley

 

[tinkgurl]

Lesley, I just HAD to come tell you this. B/F and I were at the grocery store and this worker walked by and I had to do a double look because he looked just like Tim!