Pros/Cons of a DVA using Giftcards?

[CodeGoddess]

Here's our scenario.

• Room only reservation (138 day away)
• Using GCs we bought to pay for our room, food, in-park purchases and memory maker.
• Would like to pay for room before check-in (not possible with GCs)

After reading some different threads, I am flip-flopping on if DVA is a good choice in our scenario. I read there were some issues this past spring with accounts and that the customer service was poor. Are they so poor you would want to steer clear of them?

Also if you place money into a DVA, how/when is it debited from your account? We are going to be billing our in-park purchases and food to our room so I'm curious if it will just debit from the DVA account for those charges.

 

[davper]

Being so close, DVA may not be a good choice. It is still possible if you really want that 20 per 1000 bonus. I wouldn't put your daily spending money on it.
You can pay for your room with GCs before you get there. I would combine them first to make it easier.

 

[CodeGoddess]

You can pay for your room with GCs before you get there. I would combine them first to make it easier.

Is there a special way to do this? I was told that since these were GCs that they would only take them once you got there because it's hard to refund money to a giftcard.

 

[Marionnette]

Here's our scenario.

• Room only reservation (138 day away)
• Using GCs we bought to pay for our room, food, in-park purchases and memory maker.
• Would like to pay for room before check-in (not possible with GCs)

After reading some different threads, I am flip-flopping on if DVA is a good choice in our scenario. I read there were some issues this past spring with accounts and that the customer service was poor. Are they so poor you would want to steer clear of them?

Also if you place money into a DVA, how/when is it debited from your account? We are going to be billing our in-park purchases and food to our room so I'm curious if it will just debit from the DVA account for those charges.

You cannot use the DVA to pay for in-park purchases nor for charges made to the room after your arrival. so, dining charges, souvenirs and anything else you might purchase while on your vacation cannot be paid for with this method.

The DVA is basically good for paying for your package, tickets bought online, some tours or special event reservations. If you have a room-only reservation, you cannot make online payments toward your balance and if you do online check-in, your balance will be charged to the CC you place on file. You might be able to pay your balance by calling Disney and paying with the DVA that way, but I have never tried that. I have an upcoming reservation with a convention rate and I do know that they are not equipped to accept payments using the DVA when you call their department to make your deposit.

You CAN use your DVA to pay for your Memory Maker when purchasing online. Just enter it like a GC (or you can just pay with a GC).

Personally, I am not impressed with the DVA. Although I did not get burned by the SNAFU they had in the spring, it was irritating to watch the lack of communication on Disney's part and the poor customer service that followed. While I still have a DVA, I don't add any funds to it.

 

[CodeGoddess]

if you do online check-in, your balance will be charged to the CC you place on file.

Thank you. That's part of what I was wondering. I read on another thread that you are not charged until the end of your stay so you can go to the registration desk 2-3 days before the end of your trip and pay using your giftcards.

 

[momto4obkids]

You can pay for your room only reservation ahead of time with your DVA or gift cards. You just have to call in to do it. I paid for our two rooms at CBR this way in June and I am doing the same thing for our trip in December.

I just kept my gift cards I was going to use for our room charges and went to the concierge desk every other day and paid our balance down.

 

[CodeGoddess]

You can pay for your room only reservation ahead of time with your DVA or gift cards. You just have to call in to do it. I paid for our two rooms at CBR this way in June and I am doing the same thing for our trip in December.

I just kept my gift cards I was going to use for our room charges and went to the concierge desk every other day and paid our balance down.

thank you! If I can pay with gift cards that's probably what I'm going to do.

 

[Marionnette]

Thank you. That's part of what I was wondering. I read on another thread that you are not charged until the end of your stay so you can go to the registration desk 2-3 days before the end of your trip and pay using your giftcards.

I think that you're confusing paying for your room charges with GCs vs. paying off your room reservation with GCs. You will be charged for your actual room reservation on arrival at the resort (either via online check-in or in person). You will want to pay off your room charges with GCs during your stay to avoid having them charged to the CC you leave on file. There is a threshold for charging at your resort and if you meet that threshold before your last day, your CC will be charged and your room balance due will go back to $0 so that you can continue charging to your Magic Band.