New Credit Card Authorization Holds

[Kingdome8]

Ideally it would be nice if they asked you at the time of check in (online or in person) what amount you expect for MB purchases during your trip and do the authorization for that initial amount --- plus any balance due on room only ressies. When you check in at the desk they should be able to add gift cards/cash to apply to the account.

The $100 limit seems way too low for WDW and maybe they should be asking the guest what amount they want to do a pre-authorization for instead.

What I dont get is are we thinking if you spend 1000 on band u will technically have 2000 on hold.(1000 spent , 1000 of holds. Or 1100?

 

[Farro]

What I dont get is are we thinking if you spend 1000 on band u will technically have 2000 on hold.(1000 spent , 1000 of holds. Or 1100?

$2000 - they put a new $100 hold each time you reach the limit on your first $100 hold. That's how that email reads:

• An authorization hold for the remainder of any balance due on the reservation and an additional $100 for estimated incidental expenses will be placed on the card on the scheduled arrival date. Additional authorization holds will be placed on the card, through and until the end of check-out day, as incidental expenditures exceed the amount previously authorized on the card

 

[Kingdome8]

$2000 - they put a new $100 hold each time you reach the limit on your first $100 hold. That's how that email reads:

• An authorization hold for the remainder of any balance due on the reservation and an additional $100 for estimated incidental expenses will be placed on the card on the scheduled arrival date. Additional authorization holds will be placed on the card, through and until the end of check-out day, as incidental expenditures exceed the amount previously authorized on the card

Idk I still don’t think it could be that. We will see from people who go.

 

[Farro]

Idk I still don’t think it could be that. We will see from people who go.

How do you interpret it?

I won't have a room balance, so my initial authorization will be $100, I'll reach that first day. Email says that additional authorizations will be placed as you exceed the amount of the original authorization. Another $100, which I'll spend the second day. Now that's $400 off available balance ($200 holds, $200 spent). So now they will put another $100 hold on and so on, and so on...

If they are only putting one hold of a $100, how would that stop anyone from spending more than they have?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What do they mean when they say "amount previously authorized on the card"?

 

[Farro]

What do they mean when they say "amount previously authorized on the card"?

Any balance on the room reservation itself (before you checked in) and the first $100 hold.

So if you don't have a room balance when you check in, then it just means the first $100 hold that was authorized.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't understand the issue. The hold is replaced with the charge. The maximum excess hold, to be released shortly, would be $99.99.

 

[Farro]

I don't understand the issue. The hold is replaced with the charge. The maximum excess hold, to be released shortly, would be $99.99.

The issue has been expressed numerous times throughout this thread. In a lot of cases, holds can take up to a week to fall off, so you can have quite a large sum of money in holds not for use from your available balance.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Any balance on the room reservation itself (before you checked in) and the first $100 hold.

So if you don't have a room balance when you check in, then it just means the first $100 hold that was authorized.

Well that's what I thought.

I can actually see the wording interpreted that way. So let's say your room balance is $2,000 when you check in. It could be interpreted that once your balance reaches $2,000 again through room charges an additional hold of $100 is placed. And so on and so on.

I can also see it interpreted the way several people are.

I'd like to think that Disney is truly meaning the way I was interpreting it as that is much more guest friendly but these days you just never know.

 

[Farro]

Well that's what I thought.

I can actually see the wording interpreted that way. So let's say your room balance is $2,000 when you check in. It could be interpreted that once your balance reaches $2,000 again through room charges an additional hold of $100 is placed. And so on and so on.

I can also see it interpreted the way several people are.

I'd like to think that Disney is truly meaning the way I was interpreting it as that is much more guest friendly but these days you just never know.

That would be nice and we will see, but I don't think it will work that way.

Like my room balance is always zero when we check in (package) - they would need to put the $100 on right away, and then I'd meet it, add another, meet it, add another, you get it. Then I've got all these holds!

But who knows, I'll read up on here and see how it goes. As I said earlier, if I think it's going to cause a problem, I can just use my credit card to pay instead of charging to room.

I realize it's not a concern for a lot of people. But say I wanted to use a credit card that only had a $5000 limit. If I spent $2500 and they have another $2500 in holds that hadn't fallen off yet, any further charges would start to be denied.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That would be nice and we will see, but I don't think it will work that way.

Like my room balance is always zero when we check in (package) - they would need to put the $100 on right away, and then I'd meet it, add another, meet it, add another, you get it. Then I've got all these holds!

But who knows, I'll read up on here and see how it goes. As I said earlier, if I think it's going to cause a problem, I can just use my credit card to pay instead of charging to room.

Yeah it's up in the air.

Could be though for packages (and non-packages paid off before arrival) the previously authorized amount is your prior balance before being paid off. The wording is just interesting as they are using "previously authorized amount".

IDK Disney is all about being industry standard now lol but I don't have any experience personally of a place where you everytime you reach $100 another $100 hold is put on your account. I do have experience with places putting holds on accounts just not in the way it's being interpreted in that way.

Of course it's the wait and see now

 

[Farro]

Yeah it's up in the air.

Could be though for packages (and non-packages paid off before arrival) the previously authorized amount is your prior balance before being paid off. The wording is just interesting as they are using "previously authorized amount".

IDK Disney is all about being industry standard now lol but I don't have any experience personally of a place where you everytime you reach $100 another $100 hold is put on your account. I do have experience with places putting holds on accounts just not in the way it's being interpreted in that way.

Yeah, Disney is the only hotel we incur room charges. We never charge back to room anywhere else. Visiting WDW is an entirely different animal in every trip planning aspect than anywhere else we go!

 

[Kingdome8]

How do you interpret it?

I won't have a room balance, so my initial authorization will be $100, I'll reach that first day. Email says that additional authorizations will be placed as you exceed the amount of the original authorization. Another $100, which I'll spend the second day. Now that's $400 off available balance ($200 holds, $200 spent). So now they will put another $100 hold on and so on, and so on...

If they are only putting one hold of a $100, how would that stop anyone from spending more than they have?

lm thinking they put hold on for a 100 at check in. Once u spend that hundred another hundred goes on. So in theory the first hundred I spent goes towards that first auth. So u never have more then 100 on hold.
The way the keep people from spending more is if the new auth isn’t approved it declines your spending on the spot.

 

[Farro]

lm thinking they put hold on for a 100 at check in. Once u spend that hundred another hundred goes on. So in theory the first hundred I spent goes towards that first auth. So u never have more then 100 on hold.
The way the keep people from spending more is if the new auth isn’t approved it declines your spending on the spot.

That's right, but the issue is how long it can take for all those holds to fall off (the hold is still there even when the charge is put through), I've had holds stay on my account for over a week.

Oh my god, i sound like a giant weirdo, I keep talking about this. I promise you all, this isn't keeping me up at night.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I’m reading this as there will always be $100 more than your balance as a hold on your card. $100 hold turns into a $100 charge. New $100 hold is put in place which turns into a charge and so on. Sounds like a call to your CC before the trip to ensure a hold can change to a charge without delay and that the remaining hold won’t stick forever is necessary.

Crazy to think enough people were living on MB credit and skating on the final bill to make a difference in policy.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

They are taking any unpaid room balance immediately plus $100 for incidental costs and it seems even if you only charge $3 they will take $3 again to always keep you at a $100 limit.

Really the only change IMO is that they are going to make sure they have $100 more of your money, because they have always authorized upon check in any unpaid room costs.

 

[Madame]

Back to the Apple Pay idea...does everywhere in WDW take it?

Looks like it’s been accepted for quite a while. Details are here. This is how I’ll be paying now.

My CC is Canadian and the fraud alert system is hyper sensitive. I don’t have the patience to be calling constantly to get a freeze lifted (the issuer won’t allow you to add a travel note to your file anymore, apparently unnecessary- yeah that’s why I had to call the 800 number from Italy AND France AND the UK this summer ).

https://www.disboards.com/threads/apple-pay-in-the-parks.3596924/

 

[Farro]

I’m reading this as there will always be $100 more than your balance as a hold on your card. $100 hold turns into a $100 charge. New $100 hold is put in place which turns into a charge and so on. Sounds like a call to your CC before the trip to ensure a hold can change to a charge without delay and that the remaining hold won’t stick forever is necessary.

Crazy to think enough people were living on MB credit and skating on the final bill to make a difference in policy.

In my experience holds don't change to charges. The charge goes through and the hold falls off eventually. Uber does (or did) this. They put a hold for $20 (or whatever ride will cost) on your card as soon as you order an Uber. End of ride your card is charged $20. So in my bank account, I have two charges for $20 from Uber - one which falls off eventually, but at least 5 days.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

The biggest thing to worry about is that they say if for any reason you’re card is not accepted that you will need to provide a different one, so remember to make those travel notifications!!!

 

[hereforthechurros]

In my experience holds don't change to charges. The charge goes through and the hold falls off eventually. Uber does (or did) this. They put a hold for $20 (or whatever ride will cost) on your card as soon as you order an Uber. End of ride your card is charged $20. So in my bank account, I have two charges for $20 from Uber - one which falls off eventually, but at least 5 days.

Right which is why I’m curious as to what my card company could guarantee as far as how this will work on their end. WDW doesn’t care about that part, it’s between us and our CC company at that point.