Is this a change to paying dues with gift cards?

[Sandisw]

Can you still make monthly payments on the credit card if you do it the way gift cards used to let you?

Monthly payments by CC were never an option with autopay unless you wanted to pay the balance in full.

That will still work. It’s just it no longer seems to be allowing the entering of a GC for payment when enrolled in auto pay.

 

[Sandisw]

Maybe some of us were cutting it too close to the 15th (I paid by the 10th), and they were having troubles stopping/starting the drafts from the banks? No, paying with a CC would be the same, wouldn’t it, so that’s probably not the reason. Has to be something about GCs vs. CC.

But with CC you had to pay off the contract in full…essentially ending the installment plan. You couldn’t just add funds.

With the GC you were paying the monthly payment that way…

What seems to have changed is that as long as autopay is enabled, you can not use the GC as there was no option for me to enter it.

 

[Dobermanns]

Auto pay needs to be set up by 1/15. Is the first payment withdrawn in Jan or by 2/15? If by 2/15 then I can enroll by 1/15 without any payment, un-enroll and pay off with GC before 2/15, thereby earning an extra month’s interest in my account?

 

[Lorana]

Disney probably views the interest free period as being made available in return for having security that it will receive payments from the bank

You still had to enroll in monthly payments with auto debit from your bank account, so Disney still had that security. If you didn’t prepay by the 15th, your account was debited for the payment.

 

[RuntheMouse]

Yes, that statement made me wonder whether you could unenroll, pay with GC, re-enroll, and repeat each time you wanted to make a payment with a GC. Seems like a lot of work, but if they’d let us, I’d do it in order to pay with discounted GCs!

We’ve decided to pay our 2025 dues in full with the GCs we have and also buy more to use on our January visit. And if we don’t have enough GCs to cover trip expenses, we’ll pay with our Disney Visa and get reward points!

I hope someone is willing to risk a late fee to try! I just have a feeling this change was to prevent thr partial payments once auto pay was selected.

I made a 2025 payment using gift cards yesterday after this notice posted. I had to unenroll, make the payment and then re-enroll. It did allow me to do it all, but 3 steps for what used to be a simple process is a pain! So I now have a credit for my 2025 dues and am still enrolled in autopay.

 

[Sandisw]

I made a 2025 payment using gift cards yesterday after this notice posted. I had to unenroll, make the payment and then re-enroll. It did allow me to do it all, but 3 steps for what used to be a simple process is a pain! So I now have a credit for my 2025 dues and am still enrolled in autopay.

So now the big question becomes after Feb 15th when late penalties kick in....if someone tries this after that date, will it automatically add a late penalty when autopay is stopped so GC can be entered? Or, will they no longer even allow you to re enroll in autopay after Feb 15th?

But, you are right, even if they allow the three step process, its not going to be as easy as before.....they definitely have decided they don't want people to take advantage of monthly option and gift card payements at the same time.

 

[ehh]

I think they just don’t want people taking advantage of interest free payments over the 12 months, but then paying by gift cards in any event. Disney probably views the interest free period as being made available in return for having security that it will receive payments from the bank.

I don't think it's the security of receiving payments from the bank as much as it's the financial return of it. If you're going to pay over time, they want as much of the money as possible with minimal processing losses.

ACH, what they very likely use for bank withdrawals, has processing fees in the ballpark of 1%.

Gift cards are sold by merchants to stores at a discount, typically around $85-90 for a $100 card. The store then sells it for close to $100 (or, sometimes, with discounts as many here target).

But this means Disney only ends up getting 85-90 cents on the dollar (or however much they sell their cards to retail stores) for this money. If you're turning around and spending it on dues, that's essentially a processing fee of 10-15% for Disney to absorb into maintenance fees somehow.

For reference, credit card transaction fees are closer to 3%.

In light of the processing/transaction losses of gift cards, I'm surprised they let dues be paid by gift cards at all.

 

[Sandisw]

I don't think it's the security of receiving payments from the bank as much as it's the financial return of it. If you're going to pay over time, they want as much of the money as possible with minimal processing losses.

ACH, what they very likely use for bank withdrawals, has processing fees in the ballpark of 1%.

Gift cards are sold by merchants to stores at a discount, typically around $85-90 for a $100 card. The store then sells it for close to $100 (or, sometimes, with discounts as many here target).

But this means Disney only ends up getting 85-90 cents on the dollar (or however much they sell their cards to retail stores) for this money. If you're turning around and spending it on dues, that's essentially a processing fee of 10-15% for Disney to absorb into maintenance fees somehow.

For reference, credit card transaction fees are closer to 3%.

In light of the processing/transaction losses of gift cards, I'm surprised they let dues be paid by gift cards at all.

Honestly, I think this is it. If you want the monthly option, then you can’t use GC.

If you want to use gift cards, then you pay in full by Feb 15th…

 

[Dobermanns]

Honestly, I think this is it. If you want the monthly option, then you can’t use GC.

If you want to use gift cards, then you pay in full by Feb 15th…

Oh this answers my earlier question. Due date is 2/15, not 1/15. Since I always paid in full by 1/15 (the date to set up auto pay), I thought that was the actual due date

 

[Sandisw]

Oh this answers my earlier question. Due date is 2/15, not 1/15. Since I always paid in full by 1/15 (the date to set up auto pay), I thought that was the actual due date

It technically is, but DVC doesn’t apply a late penalty until Feb 15th….so if you pay within January 15 to Feb 14th, no late fee will apply.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I don't think it's the security of receiving payments from the bank as much as it's the financial return of it. If you're going to pay over time, they want as much of the money as possible with minimal processing losses.

ACH, what they very likely use for bank withdrawals, has processing fees in the ballpark of 1%.

Gift cards are sold by merchants to stores at a discount, typically around $85-90 for a $100 card. The store then sells it for close to $100 (or, sometimes, with discounts as many here target).

But this means Disney only ends up getting 85-90 cents on the dollar (or however much they sell their cards to retail stores) for this money. If you're turning around and spending it on dues, that's essentially a processing fee of 10-15% for Disney to absorb into maintenance fees somehow.

For reference, credit card transaction fees are closer to 3%.

In light of the processing/transaction losses of gift cards, I'm surprised they let dues be paid by gift cards at all.

I hope they do not get rid of the option. If I cant pay dues by GC the value of DVC goes down about 15% for me. If paying dues with GC wasn't an option it's a strong possibility I wouldn't have looked further into buying.

 

[Bo1203]

This is a bummer. I liked being able throughout the year use deals on gift cards and Disney CC redemptions towards dues randomly.

Pennywise and pound foolish. They make money on people forgetting or losing gift cards for sure. Yeah, devalue your gift cards, brilliant.

 

[VGCgroupie]

DVCNEWS
https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...nnual-dues-payment-option-eliminated-for-2025

Posted before I fully read. Seems to be the same info already covered here. I will just pay in full this year and see how it plays out for next year, I dont want to risk any late fees.

 

[Sandisw]

I hope they do not get rid of the option. If I cant pay dues by GC the value of DVC goes down about 15% for me. If paying dues with GC wasn't an option it's a strong possibility I wouldn't have looked further into buying.

The website has definitely been changed. You can not pay with a GC as long as auto pay is activated

It wouldn’t even let me do it for pay the last payment for December on my one contract left.

So, people will need to drop the monthly payment option in order for the option to pay with a GC to show.

Just have to wait to see if they block people from simply dropping and then adding back in every month.

 

[VGCgroupie]

The website has definitely been changed. You can not pay with a GC as long as auto pay is activated

It wouldn’t even let me do it for pay the last payment for December on my one contract left.

So, people will need to drop the monthly payment option in order for the option to pay with a GC to show.

Just have to wait to see if they block people from simply dropping and then adding back in every month.

I should have clarified, I mean getting rid of accepting GC at all for dues in order to increase Disneys bottom line on fees. I would rather pay monthly but Im okay with paying all at once if that keeps the GC as a payment option.

 

[Bo1203]

I guess will just have to save them up throughout the year and use them every January. So convenient, set your calendar reminders!

Turn auto pay off - use the gift cards/cc redemptions - turn auto pay back on.

 

[Sandisw]

I should have clarified, I mean getting rid of accepting GC at all for dues in order to increase Disneys bottom line on fees. I would rather pay monthly but Im okay with paying all at once if that keeps the GC as a payment option.

You can definitely still use Disney GC to pay your dues in January. The notice explains how to do that…

But, once monthly payments is enabled, that is no longer an option. You can only use a CC to pay that contracts balance in full.

So, no more going in every month and just making the monthly payments with a GC instead of letting it deduct from bank account.

 

[Sandisw]

I just read the last line again, and it does seem to imply to me that if you cancel your monthly payment after Feb 15th, need to pay in full and that you’d be able to set it up again for the following year.

 

[JamieW]

I just stockpile gift cards throughout the year and then use them to pay the full amount in February.

 

[eticketplease]

I think they just don’t want people taking advantage of interest free payments over the 12 months, but then paying by gift cards in any event. Disney probably views the interest free period as being made available in return for having security that it will receive payments from the bank. I don’t see any terms and conditions which specifically prevent early payment by GC, although the language in the home resort rules and regs does say
“The monthly payment option
is only available on a direct debit basis from a U.S. bank account”
Overall, seems a little spiteful by DVC!

Yes it does but that was updated on 1/2024 and it worked for several people on their 2024 dues.

https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...g/Home-Resort-Rules-Regulations-010524-EN.pdf

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