Is this a change to paying dues with gift cards?

[VGCgroupie]

This is the first year I ever prepaid before the bill posted and I was also surprised how the payment posted. My intention was to put everything on the largest contract, so I specified the BLT.0 contract when I was prepaying. When I checked the dues statement today, they applied the payment across the 7 subcontracts. I have no idea as to what formula they were using for the allocation, but the total checks out.

Some of mine have negative balances it seems. I will call them tomorrow and hopefully I can get it straightened out.

 

[RuntheMouse]

That shows up every year for me when dues load. I have never actually read it until this year!! Hahaha

Haha! I usually don’t read that stuff either!

 

[Judique]

okay ya'll I prepaid when this info was released just in case I couldn't use more than 1 GC. This is my 1st year paying dues. I am looking at my 7 contracts and I am SO confused. I think part of the messiness is some of my contracts are subsidized and that shows up as an adjustment. Needless to say when I logged in some have a much larger balance than it should have so its possible like @Sandisw eluded to, things might be messed up and didnt allocate they way I intended it to.

The one year I prepaid the allocations did not happen the way I entered them. That is why I slowed down on collecting small amounts far in advance or just spent them on an earlier trip. In the end, the amounts deducted were correct but it did not push out my next payment as far as I was comfy with to account for checking account debits. Previously I had never bothered to keep enough debit cash to cover any monthly amounts because I was always about 3 months ahead and had plenty of time to make adjustments.

In other words I haven't written a check in forever and the Disney dues autopay was the 'only' possible one. Everything else flowing to checking is controlled by bill pay with me dumping in the amount needed for bill pay during my manual review of what needed to be paid, and since I was always ahead of the autopay no probs. Lucky for me I noted it in time.

 

[Judique]

My total dues were more than the initially reported amounts. It can be less or more depending on the year due to tax overage or under.

The unofficial reports we get on here when people collect the info as the papers get sent out is nice as it's a close estimate but it's still just an estimate, but overall very helpful to get an idea before mid December arrives. This year my disclosure notices arrived well after those helpful reports and then I was actually at Disney before I got home to read them.

 

[Judique]

You can definitely pay with gift cards until February even if not pay in full.

You just can’t have autopay enabled. When you go to pay on a contract, you have to know choose new card to get the gift cards option to show up.

Then it will allow the partial payment. I did it last night as a test with a $50 card.

Since I do autopay, I just canceled it, paid the $50 and then re-enrolled.

Posting from the notifications before my comment.

Notifications​

Return to Dashboard

• 
  2025 Autopay Guidelines
  While you are enrolled in Auto-Pay for Annual Dues, Disney Gift Cards and Disney Rewards Redemption Cards are not acceptable forms of payment per our terms and conditions. To make a payment with a Gift Card or Rewards card, please first un-enroll by selecting My Annual Dues > Manage Auto-Pay > Cancel Autopay. After making your payment, please re-enroll in Autopay by February 14 for any remaining balance due. If you are not re-enrolled in Autopay by February 14, any outstanding Annual Dues balance will be considered past due on February 15, subject to late fees and interest, and due in full. If you removed Autopay to pay in full , please remember to re-enroll if you want to continue with automatic payments for future years.
  Mark As Read
• 
  Annual Dues Deadline
  Your 2025 Annual Dues Statement will be posted online on or after December 17, 2024. The due date to make your Annual Dues payment in full is January 15, 2025. You may pay online or register for autopay now.
  Note: Annual Dues payments via the website will be unavailable December 15 to December 17, 2024, while we process annual billing statements. Other tools, such as Loan payments and the Member Online Booking tool, will remain available during this time.
  Pay Dues Via Auto-Pay
  Disney Vacation Club offers 2 options for Auto-Pay: a yearly payment on January 15 with a credit card or monthly payments with a US bank account. By registering for Dues Auto-Pay, you can enjoy the magic of Membership without the worry of missing a payment. The annual deadline to register for Auto-Pay is January 15. If your account is actively enrolled in Auto-Pay, please review your payment information for accuracy.
  Pay Dues Online or by Mail
  If you are paying by check or using online Bill Pay through your bank, please make the payment payable to "DVCM Association Manager" (US funds only).
  Mailed payments will only be accepted at:
  DVC Dues
  28397 Network Place
  Chicago, IL 60673-1283
  Late Fees and Interest
  To avoid late fees and interest assessments, Annual Dues payments must be posted to your account by February 14, 2025. Late fees and interest occur on February 15, 2025, and each month thereafter on any past due balance.
  Mark As Readi

There seems to be some confusion in the notifications. At least it confuses me especially when they start yammering on about penalties.

The first one says you have to re-enroll by February 14.

Then later it says the Deadline for registering is January 15.

Something tells me I want to do all my cards and be paid in full by January 15, at least this year while Member Accounting is still figuring it out......

And hopefully some of the push back occurring from members will return the system to how it was. I don't believe the line about 'how it was intended'. Perhaps an adjustment to the terms being no one enters multiple amounts of $5 at a time and make it a minimum payment with a single combined gift card throughout the year.

 

[HHISand]

Thanks for all the advice and the info that the last four digits becoming stars is normal (I was fixated on that). I was able to apply my other gift cards and the only thing I did differently was to type in the numbers instead of copying and pasting. Not sure why that made a difference but it did. I just kept trying until something worked. Maybe it has something to do with the three use years I have.

 

[sethschroeder]

Unless you get a discount on the rest of the required GC’ why not just use a CC?

Unless you don't live in the US there is no reason you shouldnt be getting discounted Gift Cards. Target you can buy Disney GC online for a 5% discount at any time. The Target card you need can be a debit card (so not a credit card) with no annual fee.

Then there are other promos on Disney GC throughout the year.

You should at minimum be getting a 5% discount on everything you buy on your Disney trip. We essentially charge everything to the room and then I just buy from Target.com during our stay the GC needed.

 

[sethschroeder]

Ouch possibly for California resort owners:
"California fees are $10.00 or 10% of outstanding dues per contract, whichever is greater"

 

[Mommb]

There seems to be some confusion in the notifications. At least it confuses me especially when they start yammering on about penalties.

The first one says you have to re-enroll by February 14.

Then later it says the Deadline for registering is January 15.

Something tells me I want to do all my cards and be paid in full by January 15, at least this year while Member Accounting is still figuring it out......

The due date for annual payments is January 15, but as in past years, penalties are not assessed until February 15.

If you do not make a full payment before January 15, you can enroll for Auto-Pay by January 15 and have money taken from your bank account each month. If you have not paid in full but are enrolled in Auto-Pay, you will not be assessed penalties. You can't enroll in Auto-Pay for the first time in 2025 after January 15.

If you want to make a partial payment using a gift card between January 15 and February 15, you can disconnect from Auto-Pay, make the payment, and re-enroll in Auto-Pay.

If you are not enrolled in Auto-Pay and you have not made a full payment by February 15, your account is considered delinquent and penalties will be assessed.

Everything is consistent with previous years, except that you can no longer make partial payments with a gift card while taking advantage of Auto-Pay -- you must either pay in full by February 14, or let the money come out of your bank account each month (or until you pay off your account in full in a single transaction).

 

[Cyberc1978]

posted in wrong thread.

 

[Lorana]

Just saw this on my account, not sure if it has been posted already. I see no mention of GCs being an option for payment.View attachment 921354

Yeah, I saw that too and came here to post on it, because I wonder if this means they are intending to get rid of GCs as a payment method for dues entirely.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Just as an FYI, I sent an email to Bill Diercksen, SVP of DVC and just received a call back about this change.

The phone call was basically just to acknowledge they had received my email and they said that they couldn't make any changes. However, they encouraged me to ask other members to reach out an email about this change to paying via gift cards.

They said the issue was raised up to management at Member Accounting and that they were surprised that the change was being made without at least a year of notice and when I said we were just notified a few weeks ago and that dues must be paid in full by 2/15/24 the CM I spoke with said that is very short notice.

If anyone is not happy about this change, I would recommend emailing william.c.diercksen@disney.com and Members@DisneyVacationClub.com to voice your unhappiness.

I'd recommend leaving a phone number in your email if you want a call back.

Here is the email I sent if you'd like to use it or send something similar:

Done.

This is a 16 page thread…. they should be getting at least 16 emails today or we are “all hat and no cattle”.

 

[Liquidice]

Done.

This is a 16 page thread…. they should be getting at least 16 emails today or we are “all hat and no cattle”.

I noticed after I got the phone call from Member Services who said they forwarded my concern to Member Accounting, I got some lame form letter email from Member Accounting that most people have been getting in response to this change. The jist of it is, this is what the Terms of Service say for Member Auto-Pay and we're just fixing the loophole.

I still think it is worthwhile to continue emailing them about this - as Disney needs to at least know that they shouldn't make changes without at least some amount of notice.

Welcome Home,

Thank you for being a Disney Vacation Club® Member.

Thank you for your email regarding the changes to DVC annual dues payment options for 2025. We appreciate your feedback and understand your concerns.

According to our Annual Dues Payment Authorization Terms and Conditions, members enrolled in Auto-Pay cannot use Disney Gift Cards or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. This policy is not new, but we acknowledge that the enforcement of this rule may have changed.

To continue using gift cards, you have the following options:

• Un-enroll from Auto-Pay, apply any previously purchased gift cards, and then re-enroll in Auto-Pay for any remaining balance due before February 15th to avoid any late fees or interest. Alternately, you can pay any remaining balance due in full with a credit card.?????
• Use the monthly interest-free payment option through Auto-Pay, which allows for direct debits from a U.S.-based bank account.

We understand this change may impact your preferred payment method. However, we still offer multiple payment options to accommodate our members' needs, including paying in full with gift cards, or credit cards by the due date, or monthly autopay from a US bank account.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your continued membership with Disney Vacation Club. Your feedback is valuable, and we will ensure it is passed along to the appropriate teams for review.

 

[Phatscott25]

I noticed after I got the phone call from Member Services who said they forwarded my concern to Member Accounting, I got some lame form letter email from Member Accounting that most people have been getting in response to this change. The jist of it is, this is what the Terms of Service say for Member Auto-Pay and we're just fixing the loophole.

I still think it is worthwhile to continue emailing them about this - as Disney needs to at least know that they shouldn't make changes without at least some amount of notice.

Yeah I got the same one after emailing. Then the next day got one from accounting clarifying that I can "turn off" autopay to use any gift cards I may have accumulated before January 15. Still seemed like a canned response.

 

[AstroBlasters]

“
Thank you for being a Disney Vacation Club® Member.

Thank you for your email regarding the changes to DVC annual dues payment options. We appreciate your feedback and understand your concerns.

According to our Annual Dues Payment Authorization Terms and Conditions, members enrolled in Auto-Pay cannot use Disney Gift Cards or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. This policy is not new, but we acknowledge the enforcement has changed.

If you are enrolled in Autopay and previously purchased Gift Cards, they can be applied as follows:

• Un-enroll from Dues Auto-Pay, apply your gift cards, and then re-enroll in Auto-Pay for any remaining balance due before February 15thto avoid late fees and interest. Please note you will not owe a payment until the gift card is consumed against your standard monthly payment.
  • To illustrate, if your annual dues are $1,200 and you made a payment of $600 with a gift card, your next monthly payment of $100 will be due in July.
• If you did not pay in full, please re-enroll in autopay by February 14th to avoid the entire balance becoming due in full.
• If you re-enrolled in Annual autopay, the remaining balance due will be debited from your credit card between January 15th and February 15th.

*To pay if full using a gift card, you do not need to un-enroll in Autopay

If you are not enrolled in Autopay, you can continue to pay with a Gift Card as follows:

• Apply your gift cards by selecting pay by contract and input the amount of the gift card. The total balance is due before February 15th to avoid late fees and interest.

We understand this change may impact your preferred payment method, however, we still offer multiple payment options to accommodate our members' needs.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your continued membership with Disney Vacation Club. Your feedback is valuable, and we will ensure it is passed along to the appropriate teams for review.

Thank you,
Member Accounting
Disney Vacation Club”

 

[Phatscott25]

That's the first one I got, then the next day (without my replying to the first one) I got this:

Thank you for being a Disney Vacation Club® Member.



To clarify, if you are enrolled in Autopay and previously purchased Gift Cards, they can be applied as follows:

• Un-enroll from Dues Auto-Pay, apply your gift cards, and then re-enroll in Auto-Pay for any remaining balance due before February 15th to avoid late fees and interest. Please note you will not owe a payment until the gift card is consumed against your standard monthly payment. To illustrate, if your annual dues are $1,200 and you made a payment of $600 with a gift card, your next monthly payment of $100 will be due in July.
• If you did not pay in full, please re-enroll in autopay by February 14th to avoid the entire balance becoming due in full.
• If you re-enrolled in Annual autopay, the remaining balance due will be debited from your credit card between January 15th and February 15th.

*To pay if full using a gift card, you do not need to un-enroll from Autopay.

If you are not enrolled in Autopay, you can continue to pay with a Gift Card as follows:

• Apply your gift cards by selecting pay by contract and input the amount of the gift card. The total balance is
• due before February 15th to avoid late fees and interest.

Thank you,

Member Accounting
Disney Vacation Club

 

[Sandisw]

These responses match what they stated at the meetings. They were not going to enforce the terms and conditions as written.

At least it is consistent.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

“
Thank you for being a Disney Vacation Club® Member.

Thank you for your email regarding the changes to DVC annual dues payment options. We appreciate your feedback and understand your concerns.

According to our Annual Dues Payment Authorization Terms and Conditions, members enrolled in Auto-Pay cannot use Disney Gift Cards or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. This policy is not new, but we acknowledge the enforcement has changed.

If you are enrolled in Autopay and previously purchased Gift Cards, they can be applied as follows:

• Un-enroll from Dues Auto-Pay, apply your gift cards, and then re-enroll in Auto-Pay for any remaining balance due before February 15thto avoid late fees and interest. Please note you will not owe a payment until the gift card is consumed against your standard monthly payment.
  • To illustrate, if your annual dues are $1,200 and you made a payment of $600 with a gift card, your next monthly payment of $100 will be due in July.
• If you did not pay in full, please re-enroll in autopay by February 14th to avoid the entire balance becoming due in full.
• If you re-enrolled in Annual autopay, the remaining balance due will be debited from your credit card between January 15th and February 15th.

*To pay if full using a gift card, you do not need to un-enroll in Autopay

If you are not enrolled in Autopay, you can continue to pay with a Gift Card as follows:

• Apply your gift cards by selecting pay by contract and input the amount of the gift card. The total balance is due before February 15th to avoid late fees and interest.

We understand this change may impact your preferred payment method, however, we still offer multiple payment options to accommodate our members' needs.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your continued membership with Disney Vacation Club. Your feedback is valuable, and we will ensure it is passed along to the appropriate teams for review.

Thank you,
Member Accounting
Disney Vacation Club”

I have 4 contracts (each in the 75-125 point range) and all are currently on auto-pay.
I had been buying gift cards monthly with my Red Card to get a 5% discount and paying monthly before the auto draft.


I do have some gift cards and I've been debating how to apply them. It sounds like my options are:

• Pay a contract or two in full and remove them from auto-pay. This will lower my monthly payment but have payments due for the entire year since only some of the contracts will be on auto-pay.
• Pay each contract down proportionally. Based on the email you received, it sounds like this will delay the monthly payments on auto-pay to whatever month the remaining balance falls into on the schedule.
• A mix of the two above options.

 

[Sandisw]

I have 4 contracts (each in the 75-125 point range) and all are currently on auto-pay.
I had been buying gift cards monthly with my Red Card to get a 5% discount and paying monthly before the auto draft.


I do have some gift cards and I've been debating how to apply them. It sounds like my options are:

• Pay a contract or two in full and remove them from auto-pay. This will lower my monthly payment but have payments due for the entire year since only some of the contracts will be on auto-pay.
• Pay each contract down proportionally. Based on the email you received, it sounds like this will delay the monthly payments on auto-pay to whatever month the remaining balance falls into on the schedule.
• A mix of the two above options.

For me, I like to clear contracts one at a time and that is what I always do with extra.

So, I’d opt for the first option!!

 

[AstroBlasters]

For me, I like to clear contracts one at a time and that is what I always do with extra.

So, I’d opt for the first option!!

I think it depends on your cash flow. March, June, and December are larger cash flow mo the based on bonus and stock vestings…. so pushing out payments on all contracts can be beneficial.