Resort Balance Payment

[2102raven]

Quick question: is the balance required to be paid upon check in or can it be made within two-three days of your stay? I'll be using a combination of gift cards and CC

 

[wilkeliza]

Quick question: is the balance required to be paid upon check in or can it be made within two-three days of your stay? I'll be using a combination of gift cards and CC

I'm confused if you mean 2-3 days before your trip yes you can pay it then. You can pay the full balance any time before check in. If you mean 2-3 days into your trip no room is due at check in.

Also it depends if you are doing a package or room only reservation. Packages are due 45 days in advance or they get cancelled. Room only is due at check in.

 

[bluetenshi55]

You can pay before your stay, otherwise it has to be paid at check in.

I used their automated system on the phone and it was a breeze.

 

[2102raven]

I'm confused if you mean 2-3 days before your trip yes you can pay it then. You can pay the full balance any time before check in. If you mean 2-3 days into your trip no room is due at check in.

Also it depends if you are doing a package or room only reservation. Packages are due 45 days in advance or they get cancelled. Room only is due at check in.

I meant few days into the trip. I have a room only reservation

 

[maxiesmom]

I meant few days into the trip. I have a room only reservation

Nope. You have to pay at check in.

 

[wilkeliza]

I meant few days into the trip. I have a room only reservation

There is no way they will let that happen. Amount is due at check in or no room will be given.

 

[mb187143]

There is no way they will let that happen. Amount is due at check in or no room will be given.

Added to this, a word of caution - I had plans to put our room balance on a specific card upon arrival, however when I got to the resort I found they had charged my balance to the card that was linked to my MDE account prior to my arrival.

 

[2102raven]

Added to this, a word of caution - I had plans to put our room balance on a specific card upon arrival, however when I got to the resort I found they had charged my balance to the card that was linked to my MDE account prior to my arrival.

Were you able to have the charges transferred onto the requested cards? As that is what I intend on doing - to charge the balance onto separate cards.

 

[wilkeliza]

Were you able to have the charges transferred onto the requested cards? As that is what I intend on doing - to charge the balance onto separate cards.

Just don't do online check in and they won't charge anything to the card on your MDE.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We just returned from WDW today and they charged my credit card while I was riding the Magical Express on the way to the resort. I hadn't even gotten there yet and received an email alert that my card had been charged.

 

[2102raven]

We just returned from WDW today and they charged my credit card while I was riding the Magical Express on the way to the resort. I hadn't even gotten there yet and received an email alert that my card had been charged.

Did you attempt to change the charges onto a different one? If so was it a hassle?

 

[wilkeliza]

We just returned from WDW today and they charged my credit card while I was riding the Magical Express on the way to the resort. I hadn't even gotten there yet and received an email alert that my card had been charged.

Just wondering what resort are you at? I know some are testing the expedited check in where they charge your card and text you your room number.

 

[2102raven]

We just returned from WDW today and they charged my credit card while I was riding the Magical Express on the way to the resort. I hadn't even gotten there yet and received an email alert that my card had been charged.

Did you attempt to change the charges onto a different one? If so was it a hassle?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Just wondering what resort are you at? I know some are testing the expedited check in where they charge your card and text you your room number.

We were at the Yacht Club and had received the message that we had Streamlined Check in (expedited check in). But when we got to the resort it was the exact same check in procedure that they do when you do online check in. The CM met us at the door, we sat on the couch in the lobby while she got our paperwork, gave us the room number, and we were done in five minutes. We did not receive a text since the room was ready when we arrived around 11:30am.

Did you attempt to change the charges onto a different one? If so was it a hassle?

No, we didn't try to change the credit card charges but I have read that it was no problem at all to have them do that for you.

 

[maxiesmom]

We just returned from WDW today and they charged my credit card while I was riding the Magical Express on the way to the resort. I hadn't even gotten there yet and received an email alert that my card had been charged.

Oh boy, that will cause me a huge problem if they do that to me! I plan on paying with gift cards I have been hoarding. In fact, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough room on the card that I used to cover my week at the resort. What will they do if that card is declined?

Should I call and ask them to not expedite my check in?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Oh boy, that will cause me a huge problem if they do that to me! I plan on paying with gift cards I have been hoarding. In fact, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough room on the card that I used to cover my week at the resort. What will they do if that card is declined?

Should I call and ask them to not expedite my check in?

When I wanted to pay for part of my trip with gift cards, I just called resort reservations a few days before my trip and read them off to the CM one by one. They are very patient taking all these gift cards. They do it all the time. You just have to carefully rub the coating off that is over the number on the back of the card and read the code number to the CM.

 

[Sandi]

Oh boy, that will cause me a huge problem if they do that to me! I plan on paying with gift cards I have been hoarding. In fact, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough room on the card that I used to cover my week at the resort. What will they do if that card is declined?

Should I call and ask them to not expedite my check in?

I did on-line check in for our trip in July. As another poster experienced, I got an e-message while on the Magical Express bus that $XXXX had been charged to my credit card (it was a message from Discover, not Disney). I had nearly $1,000 in gift cards that I wanted to use. I explained that to the CM at check-in and he had no problem reversing the charge to my credit card, applying my gift cards, and then charging my credit card for the remaining balance due. It took a little while, but that was mostly because I had a bunch of $50 gift cards (purchased at Target for the 5% savings). DD was able to go up to our room and get settled in while I waited for the GCs to go through.

For our November trip, I have called to apply our GCs in advance. I just didn't have time to do that in July. If you have time to call and have the GCs applied in advance, that is my recommendation. Otherwise, they can reverse the charges. You can undo your on-line check in, but then you'll have to do the credit card and PIN at check in and make the determination about who all gets charging privileges at that time. I liked having all that done in advance.

That was my experience. YMMV.