Possible to avoid incidental hold??

[andy_dangg]

Hi all,

We’ll be checking into Sapphire Falls in a little over two weeks and could not be more excited. I’m wondering if it is possible to avoid the incidental hold hotels place on your credit card—seems to be $100 per night at Universal properties? We never charge to our room and I’ve seen reports of people avoiding the hold by saying they want to disable charging things to your room at check in. Is this still true? My credit card has a low limit (I’m a college student and it’s my first card) and $100 per night would be a significant amount to have in limbo for something we won’t use.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I don’t think that it is USD100 per night. I think that it’s one USD100 hold, which only renews if you charge that much to your room.

 

[sparky68]

Hi all,

We’ll be checking into Sapphire Falls in a little over two weeks and could not be more excited. I’m wondering if it is possible to avoid the incidental hold hotels place on your credit card—seems to be $100 per night at Universal properties? We never charge to our room and I’ve seen reports of people avoiding the hold by saying they want to disable charging things to your room at check in. Is this still true? My credit card has a low limit (I’m a college student and it’s my first card) and $100 per night would be a significant amount to have in limbo for something we won’t use.

I think, iirc you can pay daily any charges you might make in the park, or citywalk. Being able to charge and send things back to your room is a great amenity.

 

[sparky68]

Hi all,

We’ll be checking into Sapphire Falls in a little over two weeks and could not be more excited. I’m wondering if it is possible to avoid the incidental hold hotels place on your credit card—seems to be $100 per night at Universal properties? We never charge to our room and I’ve seen reports of people avoiding the hold by saying they want to disable charging things to your room at check in. Is this still true? My credit card has a low limit (I’m a college student and it’s my first card) and $100 per night would be a significant amount to have in limbo for something we won’t use.

I forgot to mention. If no one told you this before. Do not use your debit card to hold the room or for charging around the park. Use your credit card when possible. At the end of your vacation transfer the money from checking to pay the charges off before interest kicks in.
If someone gets your card number they can only do a little temp damage to your credit card. If they get your debit card number they can wipe you out in minutes. You will get the money back from fraudulent charges, but you will be without your money while it is investigated by the bank.

 

[schumigirl]

Hi all,

We’ll be checking into Sapphire Falls in a little over two weeks and could not be more excited. I’m wondering if it is possible to avoid the incidental hold hotels place on your credit card—seems to be $100 per night at Universal properties? We never charge to our room and I’ve seen reports of people avoiding the hold by saying they want to disable charging things to your room at check in. Is this still true? My credit card has a low limit (I’m a college student and it’s my first card) and $100 per night would be a significant amount to have in limbo for something we won’t use.

Yes, If you aren`t going to charge to your room, then I believe people let them know at check in and the nightly hold shouldn`t be put on your card.

 

[bumbershoot]

Being able to charge and send things back to your room is a great amenity.

You don't have to charge to the room in order to have them send things back to the room.

Charging to the room and charging on my card accomplish the same thing. But the latter does it withOUT the incidental hold. I haven't done a hold in a long time but when we did they did in fact do a hold for EVERY day. It was brutal on our low-limit credit card.

At the end of your vacation transfer the money from checking to pay the charges off before interest kicks in.

You have until the due date after the statement is generated until interest kicks in. No need to pay the charges so fast.

 

[mamapenguin]

I don’t think that it is USD100 per night. I think that it’s one USD100 hold, which only renews if you charge that much to your room.

It is per night. Ours was $500 ( 5 nights) I don’t charge back to the room and we did mobile check in for Sapphire Falls. The hold doesn’t bother me though- I don’t carry balances on my cards- I’m allergic to paying interest…

 

[andy_dangg]

I forgot to mention. If no one told you this before. Do not use your debit card to hold the room or for charging around the park. Use your credit card when possible. At the end of your vacation transfer the money from checking to pay the charges off before interest kicks in.
If someone gets your card number they can only do a little temp damage to your credit card. If they get your debit card number they can wipe you out in minutes. You will get the money back from fraudulent charges, but you will be without your money while it is investigated by the bank.

That was the plan

Yes, If you aren`t going to charge to your room, then I believe people let them know at check in and the nightly hold shouldn`t be put on your card.

Thank you!

 

[DL1WDW2]

I forgot to mention. If no one told you this before. Do not use your debit card to hold the room or for charging around the park. Use your credit card when possible. At the end of your vacation transfer the money from checking to pay the charges off before interest kicks in.
If someone gets your card number they can only do a little temp damage to your credit card. If they get your debit card number they can wipe you out in minutes. You will get the money back from fraudulent charges, but you will be without your money while it is investigated by the bank.

Apple Pay and Google Pay were recently recommended as being more secure. The card number is changed for every transaction and can only be used once… I would appreciate more information ( not very trusting of anything on internet ) What would be first step.
Recently I needed to update on Chase.com and asked for my social security number and account number because Chase uses CreditJourney to monitor your credit score... I decided to call on my landline phone instead…

What about those Holds placed on card at the gasoline stations?

 

[Gentry2004]

I don’t think that it is USD100 per night. I think that it’s one USD100 hold, which only renews if you charge that much to your room.

At Hard Rock it was per night. Ie: if you checkin for 6 nights they put a $600 hold on your card. I didn't ask if they would waive it so I don't know. Because of food and souvenir charges we spent it and more.

 

[Bethany10]

You don't have to charge to the room in order to have them send things back to the room.

I don't charge to the room and have sent things back before. The two aren't connected.

OP, been there, done that spent a lot of time having to be very, very careful especially on vacation. What we do is pre-pay the hotel before we get there. Then at check in ask for room charges to be turned off. I've stood there and asked point blank, no charges on my card correct? They nod and tell me no charges and there aren't any. It's very easy.

 

[nkereina]

I think, iirc you can pay daily any charges you might make in the park, or citywalk. Being able to charge and send things back to your room is a great amenity.

They still impose a hold if you have a card attached to your room for charging purposes.

OP, you can request to have charging privileges turned off and remove a card. You used to be able to put cash down on the room as an alternative if you wanted to charge back, but didn't have a card or didn't want to leave one. Not sure if that's still an option.

 

[BVarn]

Hi all,

We’ll be checking into Sapphire Falls in a little over two weeks and could not be more excited. I’m wondering if it is possible to avoid the incidental hold hotels place on your credit card—seems to be $100 per night at Universal properties? We never charge to our room and I’ve seen reports of people avoiding the hold by saying they want to disable charging things to your room at check in. Is this still true? My credit card has a low limit (I’m a college student and it’s my first card) and $100 per night would be a significant amount to have in limbo for something we won’t use.

We were at Royal Pacific last week and they asked if I wanted to put a hold of $200 to charge to room. So it wasn’t mandatory for us. We stayed three nights so the amount seemed arbitrary to me.

 

[starousse]

Last week at Portofino, I was told that a $200 hold would be put on my credit card (2 night stay). She said that the only way to avoid that was to pay off room balance with debit card. Nothing further was charged to my card.

 

[tony67]

Yeah Ive always been asked at check-in if I want to be able to charge to the card and if so how much.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Apple Pay and Google Pay were recently recommended as being more secure. The card number is changed for every transaction and can only be used once… I would appreciate more information ( not very trusting of anything on internet ) What would be first step.
Recently I needed to update on Chase.com and asked for my social security number and account number because Chase uses CreditJourney to monitor your credit score... I decided to call on my landline phone instead…

I was also alarmed with this new Credit Journey asking for Social and account number….Seriously? I already hate Citibank now I have to refuse to use my Chase accounts. American Express seems to be a little more secure…
What about these new credit cards for children. Are they connected to a debit account or credit cards that parents renew their child’s available funds from or their weekly allowance? Or is this Apple Pay ?

 

[Lewisc]

You have until the due date after the statement is generated until interest kicks in. No need to pay the charges so fast.

I'm not 100% sure, may be different for different banks, cards YMMV....
Making a payment may restore that much to your available credit limit. I've read credit agencies look at what % of your credit limit is being used. Making a payment before your statement closes will improve your credit. Balance reported will be net of payments made prior to statement closing date