Prepaying hotel

[Mogs30]

I know I had discussion before but can't find the post for it, so will type new one. About prepaying before get to hotel.

If I mail to WDW reservation office/ Make check to: Park-resort and put hotel confirmation on it is this ok. I will ask for printed receipt to be mailed to my home too!!! I called and this is what they told me to do.

Am I safe doing this??? I have money saved up now and would like to mail check to them so I have that expense out of way. We do not go till Feb, 2003, so a ways out yet.

Also if a discount code comes up, can I still use it???? will I get a refund, or can I use it against charges to my room????. I am quoted right now for $109 a night, and that is what I will pay bill for, but should be "Off-season" rate, and should NOT be that much so am hoping for a refund-or something. Any help on this would be great!!!! thanks. We are planning on giving cc out to room, so we can charge our room for most everything at WDW.

 

[allykat]

I thought you made the check payable to WDW Parks or something like that but yes, you can go ahead and mail in your check now. I think I waited a week or so and then I called to verify that the amount I sent was received and credited properly and they did send me a new confirmation reflecting my payment. If a code becomes available, just call and request the changes. You can keep the excess on your account to use for hotel charges once you arrive. I've done this several times (paid extra to have it there for me) and it has always worked out fine!

 

[DawnCt]

I know that some people love to pre pay their hotel bills but for the life of me, I can't understand it. It is the same to me as overpaying your income taxes so you can get a refund. Some packages require prepayment within 30 days, but a simple hotel room does not. Why not save that money in your own account and allow it to work for you rather than Disney?

 

[Mogs30]

because even though I know I need that money for our trip, if it is there, we will spend it--so better to get it paid for now and not worry about it. For what I will be getting % wise in checking/saving not a whole lot of money, and my piece of mind knowing that it already paid for-is worth it. I don't want to over-shoot paying, but am hoping we WILL overshoot, and get lower rates, then that money will just be extra for us.

Now another question. IF--and I hope there will be. IF there is a code that comes out that we can use for cheaper rates, do I need to call and cancel my old reservation and book new one--and if soo- do they just transfere my already paid account towards that one. Also when new rates come out for next year, do I need to call and get those rates, or will they just adjust them accordingly--do I need to call and ask for that rate since they already quoted me one at $109??. Thanks again. And yep we do need to write check to Park-resort--just letter address goes to WDW reservation office. 1st timmer going, actually 1st BIG trip ever for our family. Haven't even flown yet, so lots of first for us Minnesotan's.

 

[jlambrig]

I agree that it can be difficult to understand why to prepay but it isomething we do from time to time. Right now, the interest rates on savings accounts are so low that the peace of mind of knowing our vacation is paid exceeds the $2 in interest we could earn.

Never had a problem with Disney and prepayment. They have always recorded it and confirmed it with us.

 

[SuzyQue]

We are usually all paid up by the time we arrive, I understand DawnCt's logic but it just seems that 150.00 a month (for 12 or so months) out of my DH's paycheck hurts a whole lot less than taking the grand total sum out of savings when it's due.

Mogs30... It will depend on who you booked through and what kind of discount code it is (DC, AAA etc) as to how you will handle it. Sometimes you have to cancel, get refunded & make a new ressie, sometimes they can just apply what's been paid to the new ressie. You don't need to call for the new rates, they will send you notice of the adjusted rate (by all means call though if you know the new rates are out & you haven't heard from them). ~~

 

[Mogs30]

That is what I will do then. I will be mailing them a check, and paying it up front. When new rates come out for 2003, I will double-check them and call if haven't heard from them. Thanks for input everyone.

 

[dtuleya]

If I still have a credit on my room balance at checkout (and I have paid off my balance with a check), how will they refund my money? Will they present me with cash at checkout?

 

[Humpbacks1962]

DawnCt, if the prepay amount is not that high you may only be getting pennies on the interest for holding it until check in. The question then is, do I get them before check in or is prepaying worth their "loss"?

In some cases, if you pay with a credit card offering good perks, you may win more than you thought. For example, if you prepay early enough and use a card that give you air miles or gas rewards you may end up ahead when your points are credited. Even LLBean's card could give you points to purchase items you'd need on your vacation.

I prepay for the convenience. It is nice to arrive at a vacation spot knowing all you have is the expenses of the stay and everything else is paid for. It is nicer yet to return knowing you don't have to deal with all those bills. I hate enjoying a vacation and paying for it months later. I'd rather do it the opposite way.


Wanda

 

[Disneybelle66]

I thought I was a minority! Guess I'm not the ONLY one who would rather have that peace of mind knowing our resort is paid for! We always pre-pay and then buy our park hoppers w/ income tax return. SO, then, all we have to save for is food in parks, gas down there, and spending!!

 

[adisneynut]

We did this on our last stay at CBR. When we checked out the CM had to ask for help from the Manager, because she had never had a person leave with a credit balance. They mailed us a check and gave us a receipt for our record. Hope this helps,

 

[Poohbear123]

I would always leave one night to pay when I got there, but the last 3 trips I have PAID IN FULL before I arrived. Its a LOT quicker when you check in, plus I stay there So often, I do not have to hear the "speil" about Parking, Hours etc.! It cuts WAY down on time, I suggest pre-pay to everyone!

 

[Belle5]

Disney Travel just told me that I could call in each month and pay an amount on my credit card right over the phone--no mailing! I sure hope that's true. That would really simplify things.

 

[tikibirds]

Heads up on this,

I have been told twice now by Disney that I cannot pay off the balance of my reservation, made via the Internet, until 5 days before we arrive. This makes NO sense to me whatsoever!

 

[Tinkbell]

Tikibirds, did you book at the Disney website?

I booked online also and I was told by WDTC that you can call in a credit card payment at anytime. I called 407-939-7429. Try again. I can't believe they would not want your money!

 

[atruesag]

You can always pre-pay for your reservation via check, money order or credit card. As of right now, if you pay for your reservation via check or money order and the reservation is booked in CRO and needs to be booked in WDTC (including Disney Club) or visa versa, the agent can send a request for the money to be transferred. As of right now this cannot be done if payment is by credit card.

If a code becomes available for the time frame of your vacation - the modify of the reservation to the code is in your hands. If you do modify using a code and your reservation is booked via WDTC then a credit will be issued to you. If in CRO a credit may be issued to you or it may show up as a credit on your room when you check in (if you want the money back ahead of time - make sure the to ask the agent to send a note requesting the refund).

The rates for 2003 have not been finalized yet and yes the correct room rate should show on your reservation once the rates are finalized, but it sure would not hurt to check later in the Summer as to the status of your reservations room rate.

 

[kimmar067]

...I NEVER prepay, although I certainly understand how you would want peace-of-mind by doing so. I also don't wind up paying it off months later. Instead, I start "banking money away" in a separate account (that I use ONLY for vacations). I pay my hotel bill with a credit card (you get points, there is cutomer protection priviledges, etc.) When I get home and get the next month's bill from the credit card co, I write out a check to them in the ENTIRE amount (I withdraw it from my vaca acct) and don't pay any extra interest fees because it's paid within the month. I also know exactly how my dollar is spent and pay AFTERWARDS (would you go to a restaurant, pay, let's say $85 + tip, and HOPE that you will get a good meal with attentive, courteous service??)

 

[tikibirds]

Tinkbell,

I have tried twice now to pay it off.

The first time I was on the phone for 45 minutes, and after asking to speak with a supervisor was told the only time I could pay it off was 5 days prior, when the ressie is downloading to the hotel.
When asked if I could have a paper confirmation of the ressie (I just have an email generated from the website), I was told "no."

I tried again yesterday. They took the payment and told me I would receive a receipt. I received a phone call 5 minutes later telling me that since it was an online reservation, they could not accept the payment, and had cancelled the payment.

 

[kimmar067]

...DIDN'T want your money??????

 

[tikibirds]

Unbelievable as it sounds, that is the case!

They said it has something to do with how the online ressies are set up - there is no way to enter anything but the first night's deposit.