Disney applied to my payment to a cancelled reservation

[trplnr]

My final payment was due today. I made the payment online yesterday and printed out my confirmation. It didn't change in my disney experience account so I gave it 24 hours to process. I called today and the online system still showed that I hadn't made a payment. After a long... Long wait I spoke with a CM who also didn't find any record of my payment. The confirmation that printed had a different number than my package reservation number. I was concerned that they would cancel my package since according to their records I hadn't paid even though I had. The CM was very nice and tried to figure it out. She went to guest services and they figured out that even though my room only reservation had been cancelled and "payments cannot be applied to cancelled reservations" somehow the system put my payment there. And of course because they are separate systems, the only thing they can do is credit the room only and I had to put the payment again on my card for the package. Grrrr-- I was very polite and tried to stay calm but I was annoyed. Now I have to carry a balance until their credit comes through - no fault of mine, their bad systems were at fault. I joked with the CM that I hoped I would get a little pixie dust and she said "you may ma'am, we have notes all over your account explaining what happened and how it was our fault,not yours." So the moral of the story is -don't make your payments online!

 

[thestevied]

So the moral of the story is -don't make your payments online!

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

 

[bumbershoot]

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

Paying it on the due date isn't leaving it to the last minute. There's paying early and there's paying when it's due.

I have read SO many problems with paying online for the last several months that even if I had had the option I wouldn't have done it.

 

[Marthasor]

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

I don't see how paying earlier would have made any difference? The OP could have made the payment online two weeks ago and the same thing could have happened leaving them in the same boat of having to carry a balance OR waiting desperately for the refund to go through before making the second payment. Either way, it's Disney's mistake and is financially extremely inconvenient for the OP and anyone else who finds themselves in this situation.

OP - I think you gave excellent advice. The website is in dire straights at the moment and Disney really needs to work it out. I haven't been in your exact situation, but I've had a few mishaps with dining reservations popping up on the website with the wrong times. Like you, I had my original confirmations and was able to rectify the situation. Lesson learned - if I do anything on the Disney site, I always save my confirmations and always double check on MDE to make sure everything is correct!

 

[tarak]

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

Are you honestly blaming the OP for this and not, say, the corporation that has the wherewithal to buy the rights to Star Wars but chooses to operate a less-than-functional IT department?

OP, I'm glad (hopeful) it's squared away.

 

[maxiesmom]

Are you honestly blaming the OP for this and not, say, the corporation that has the wherewithal to buy the rights to Star Wars but chooses to operate a less-than-functional IT department?

OP, I'm glad (hopeful) it's squared away.

I think they are saying that if you don't leave things to the last minute, then if something goes wrong, you are not put into such a panic. I know I would freak if I went to make a payment, and the system messed up!

 

[aaarcher86]

Paying it on the due date isn't leaving it to the last minute. There's paying early and there's paying when it's due.

I have read SO many problems with paying online for the last several months that even if I had had the option I wouldn't have done it.

Same. I wouldn't trust the website with anything of importance!

 

[trplnr]

It appears everything is ok - my package shows a zero balance and I just have to wait for the credit to show up. Even if I had paid it 2 weeks ago, it takes 1-2 billing cycles before a credit shows up. I don't know that many people pay off their trips 2 months ahead of schedule.

 

[CraftyMommy]

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

Your post was rude and judgmental!

 

[Sheilby]

It appears everything is ok - my package shows a zero balance and I just have to wait for the credit to show up. Even if I had paid it 2 weeks ago, it takes 1-2 billing cycles before a credit shows up. I don't know that many people pay off their trips 2 months ahead of schedule.

Just so you don't worry, you won't owe interest on that charge even if it takes a while for the credit to show up. If you are concerned, call your credit card company and they will but a hold on that charge. Also, it shouldn't take 1-2 billing cycles for the credit to show up.

 

[Sheilby]

Your post was rude and judgmental!

You should get a job at the 50's Primetime Cafe, you could play "mom".

 

[samnbilly]

I don't see any benefit to paying off your package way ahead of time. Why shouldn't the money be in our pocket than their pocket. Thx for the info-I'll be calling to make my payment

 

[bwifan]

Are you honestly blaming the OP for this and not, say, the corporation that has the wherewithal to buy the rights to Star Wars but chooses to operate a less-than-functional IT department?

OP, I'm glad (hopeful) it's squared away.

Well put.

 

[dissupermom]

I think it was only said as a friendly reminder... I like to learn from example, even if, unfortunately it's at someone else's example. I like doing things face to face, or over the phone where there is a live person. That way I can have my questions answered. Paying at the 60th day is not late. The OP was doing what was expected by paying the bill. It was WDW that messed up, so it is with great hope, a lot of pixies will be thrown your way upon check-in...
Happy Tranvels!!!

 

[Jadeey]

Or don't leave it till the last minute to make your final payment??

Financially it makes the most sense to pay on the day the final payment is due and not before. If you put the money you would pay into an interest bearing account until the final payment is due then you are earning interest on it yourself instead of letting Disney earn interest on it.

OP, my final payment date is fast approaching. I will remember your story and not trust their website!

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Just so you don't worry, you won't owe interest on that charge even if it takes a while for the credit to show up. If you are concerned, call your credit card company and they will but a hold on that charge. Also, it shouldn't take 1-2 billing cycles for the credit to show up.

Agreed. If Disney doesn't issue a credit after 15 days, your bank or credit card company can dispute the charge through Visa.

 

[tpimental]

This JUST happened to me to me too! I made payment online 8/31 (it was due 9/4) and got an email today saying it was overdue. I logged on and there it was, remaining balance due. I was so confused. Mistakenly,I went ahead and paid it again without looking at my statement first. I was so paniced about my trip being canceled! So I log onto my bank and there was the first charge and a pending charge which maxed out my card. Doh! I called and got to the bottom of it. They are refunding the second one and transfering the first payment to my package. The payment was applied to my canceled room only reservation. Grrrr.

 

[tpimental]

Also, in looking at my account further. It shows me that my Magic Bands are also connected to the old canceled room only reservation. Ugh, annoying.

 

[TJDisneymama]

AFAIK, they dont actually cancel until you hit 30 days (so 15 days after final payment date), so i dont think u need to panic about being a couple days late

 

[MightyDuck001]

If ever there was one thing I don't trust, it's a Disney website. Sure, they could make a robot Abe Lincoln but a freaking website that functions is somehow too technologically advanced for them.