Your credit card is not 'charged' until the time of the event. Disney has the number, and you can let it stand or pay cash when you get there. If on the DDP, they take your card number, but when you check in, they use your credits. If you noshow, they will charge your card.
Yes, we've done both HDDR and CRT within the last year. Both times my card was charged immediately.
There are sometihings where they take a card # only to hold a spot, but don't actually charge until you are there or if you don't cancel within a particular time period. This is what they did when we reserved spots for BBB. If you are on the DDP, I think they just take the # to save your spot, but don't charge as it is included in your meal plan.