Early Check In - Can Still Pay With Gift Card?

canopy

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
34
I know that you can pay off charges sent to your room by using a Disney Gift Card before you leave. I was wondering if this is applicable if you go with early check in? The reason I ask is because when you go to check in early it asks for a credit card and one of the reasons it lists is room charges. If I put my credit card in will I still be able to pay with a gift card upon check out for any room charges or would it be better if I just wait until I can check in at the desk and avoid early check in?
 
Adding a CC during mobile check-in will still allow you to pay off your guest folio charges with a Disney GC. The option doesn't exist within the MDE app so you still need to go to the front desk. In the past I would pay my balance off daily with a Disney GC if the line wasn't too long. If you do find that a payment went through on your CC you can always have the front desk reverse it and take the payment from your Disney GC. I have had this happen with some MB charges while switching resorts.
 
As others have said, you have to put a credit card on file regardless but then go to the front desk to pay with a gift card.

Once, I realized on Magical Express that I had forgotten to do this, googled for the actual front desk number, and someone was able to take my gift card over the phone. She was very kind but said it was a good thing I called because, if you realize any time after the last day of your stay, it's a much bigger problem to get the charges changed.

So, even if you're scatterbrained, you can still get it done. Just remember at some point before you're on the plane home! :-)
 

Yes. I just did this this week. They would only accept gift card payment for current charges so I had to do it once a few days into our trip and again on the last day. The credit card on file will only be charged for any unpaid balance at the end of your checkout day.
 
I know that you can pay off charges sent to your room by using a Disney Gift Card before you leave. I was wondering if this is applicable if you go with early check in? The reason I ask is because when you go to check in early it asks for a credit card and one of the reasons it lists is room charges. If I put my credit card in will I still be able to pay with a gift card upon check out for any room charges or would it be better if I just wait until I can check in at the desk and avoid early check in?
I have done so far paying for room by gift card by calling them also. You can pre-pay your account total but still require a cc on checkin.
 
They will do it any time before you check out. They don't bill your CC until you check out. And yes you have to have a credit card just to call and talk to them LOL. We have a Disney CC and pay with points we earn. Last time I don't think I got around to going to the front desk until day three when we were at the pool bar and my wife said you should really go to the front desk and tell them we are using our points. 3 Minute conversation and done. They are very good about making these kind of changes.
 
I have not used room charge for some time. I just use the giftcard directly when paying for almost anything. For mobile orders it is a little bit of a pain, but so is going to front desk.

One option I found to make it easier is to buy electronic gift cards in larger amounts. They come directly to your email account. When placing a mobile order...it you want to buy $50 worth of food, you have to have $50 left on the giftcard. Otherwise, overage will get charged to the credit card. I don't mind for small amounts.

We also try use two phones now. One to call up the giftcard, the other for the WDW food order.

As for the hotels, on the last night, I think the hotels still charge your card like...I'm going to say overnight. I always try to pay parking fees on last night before going to bed.

Another giftcard trick I have used that really helps is to carry a mini sharpie for the plastic giftcards ( A regular one also works, but the mini ones are shorter and easier to carry.) If I use a gfit card in the parks, I either wrap the most recent receipt around the card, or I write the balance on it with the sharpie. When all used up, I put an big X on the card. The sharpie also comes in handy if I use giftcards to pay for hotel. If you cancel hotel, the funds go back to gift card, so don't throw them away. I write and X on them, but also something like, "All Star deposit 8/5/22."

One tiny advice on the e-gift cards, if you let autofill fill in your email, it sometimes says not a valid email. You have to move the cursor over one space to open the egift card. Otherwise, they are very easy to use.
 







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