ROOM ONLY: Final payment due on arrival?

[dimndgal1]

Really? It is pretty much standard practice when I stay in hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Hampton, etc.) unless I've booked a special pre-pay rate.

You cannot "forgot" to stop by the desk - you don't have to stop by the desk. They swipe your credit card at check in, but don't charge it until you leave.

Generally, I check the invoice (often under my door the last morning, though the Sheraton tends to email it to me) and, if all is well, leave the key in the room and never hit the front desk. My credit card is charged that day.

This is the same thing Disney does for Room only - they take the first night as the deposit (usually within whatever window cancellation was), and they will have you pay cash up front or put a credit card down. If you put a CC, they may 'ping' the card to ensure enough open credit, but they do not charge until you check out (save for the occasional fluke).

I have stayed Room only at Disney and at Hiltons, Marriots, and Motel 6s and they all have done the same style. Esp when there is a one night deposit required. None have charged me until checkout, including Disney, save for that initial night stay. I have made the mistake of using a debit card as my CC, which can often 'tie up' the money, but the charge itself won't go through until checkout.

 

[wishing4PA]

This is the same thing Disney does for Room only - they take the first night as the deposit (usually within whatever window cancellation was), and they will have you pay cash up front or put a credit card down. If you put a CC, they may 'ping' the card to ensure enough open credit, but they do not charge until you check out (save for the occasional fluke).

I have stayed Room only at Disney and at Hiltons, Marriots, and Motel 6s and they all have done the same style. Esp when there is a one night deposit required. None have charged me until checkout, including Disney, save for that initial night stay.

Yay! I am hoping it works this way for me. So far I have paid 4 nights of our 6 (1 night deposit, and 3 nights in advance to spread out between different accounts and cycles.) I'll be paying a bit more with gift cards, but I might just apply those while at the resort since I'll be charging back to the room more food than the card values. Anything remaining has to go on a credit card that happens to switch cycles during our trip. Since my wonderful car just decided to cost me a $900 repair, I'd rather the rest of my trip makes it into the cycle that starts during our resort stay. So it can make a difference just when they decide to charge those last 2 days.

 

[labfan]

We did a room only reservation at POFQ. Paid one night's rate as a deposit on my credit card when I booked and I paid the balance in full upon check in with Disney gift cards.
I'd rather pay upon check-in - that way I don't have to set aside a certain amount and hope I don't spend it.

 

[dimndgal1]

... she has said her experience is that Disney sometimes charges her room only at a certain point during her stay (she stays 10-12 days on her trip). She has never really paid attention to when it was (she just gets an itemized list under her door), but she just assumed it was at a certain point of expenditure.

I have only done room only on 4 night or less trips, so I guess I have never hit that point, but the three we have done at WDW and DL all posted upon check-out. The only way I'm positive of this is that at DL, we ended up being credited back the cost for an upgrade do to some issues we had (nothing major and they really didn't have to do it). If they had charged through the 4 nights when we checked in, I would've seen a posted charge and then a credit on my CC statement. When the charge showed up after checkout, there was only one posted charge and the math worked out to where the credit was taken out of the nightly room rate.

 

[dimndgal1]

Yay! I am hoping it works this way for me. So far I have paid 4 nights of our 6 (1 night deposit, and 3 nights in advance to spread out between different accounts and cycles.) I'll be paying a bit more with gift cards, but I might just apply those while at the resort since I'll be charging back to the room more food than the card values. Anything remaining has to go on a credit card that happens to switch cycles during our trip. Since my wonderful car just decided to cost me a $900 repair, I'd rather the rest of my trip makes it into the cycle that starts during our resort stay. So it can make a difference just when they decide to charge those last 2 days.

It shouldn't be an issue from what I have seen, but I do know they will 'ping' your card. I learned the hard way not to do debit because we had a hotel (not Disney) ping my card for a 'bit' more (think $750 v $75) than anticipated and my bank 'held' that money for 48 hours - it wasn't withdrawn, but it showed it tied up and unable to be accessed. It was a bit of a hassle and I learned then and there I'd rather put it on a CC and make a payment right away than play that game again. Live and learn!!!

 

[crashbb]

This is the same thing Disney does for Room only - they take the first night as the deposit (usually within whatever window cancellation was), and they will have you pay cash up front or put a credit card down. If you put a CC, they may 'ping' the card to ensure enough open credit, but they do not charge until you check out (save for the occasional fluke).

Okay. That wasn't what it sounded like other people were saying, but that makes sense (and it what my experience at most hotels has been).

 

[dimndgal1]

Okay. That wasn't what it sounded like other people were saying, but that makes sense (and it what my experience at most hotels has been).

I thought there was some confusion as to how it was presented but that there was a similar thing being stated on both sides.

I also know that the way credit card companies and banks handle the 'ping' can cause some people to think they have been charged. My DH travels a lot and one of this business travel cards treated 'pings' as actual charges... when he'd go to fill up at a gas station, the station would process the card before purchase (to ensure open credit) and his card would show $50 or $75 'pending', even if he only put $35 in (my card only does $1). Once the charge actually went through, the $50 or $75 'hold' would disappear and all that would actually show on the statement was the amount spent, but it did frustrate him because the first time or two he thought he was overcharged.

Also, I know some hotels will process charges the day or night before checkout - which makes disputing in the morning always a joy! - so there might be a whole bunch of different interpretations on how places process cards or how people perceive the charges and none are necessarily wrong.

 

[snykymom]

I've never heard of a hotel that you didn't pay until check out. I can only imagine the number of people who would "forget" to stop by the desk on the way out.

Really? It is pretty much standard practice when I stay in hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Hampton, etc.) unless I've booked a special pre-pay rate.

You cannot "forgot" to stop by the desk - you don't have to stop by the desk. They swipe your credit card at check in, but don't charge it until you leave.

Generally, I check the invoice (often under my door the last morning, though the Sheraton tends to email it to me) and, if all is well, leave the key in the room and never hit the front desk. My credit card is charged that day.

I agree. I always get the invoice, with the charge, at the end of my stay, and I usually do express checkout - the credit card is charged in the very early morning hours.

not true in my experience (sorry to contradict you). We always do online check in and if you haven't paid your whole amount it will make you enter a CC number BUT they don't charge it. We've arrived and paid in cash with no problems. We arrive - they ask how we'd like to pay the balance and we go from there.

When we went in January, 2013, I had done on-line check in. When I arrived, I went to give them my credit card. They said, no need, we've charged your stay to your card. They asked if I wanted to use the same card for charging to the room; I said yes and that was that.

Every other time that I've checked in for room only, they ran my card and had me sign the slip for the balance of the stay at check in. It was never "pinged." It was fully charged. (And I only do room only; I've never booked a package.)

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I agree. I always get the invoice, with the charge, at the end of my stay, and I usually do express checkout - the credit card is charged in the very early morning hours.



When we went in January, 2013, I had done on-line check in. When I arrived, I went to give them my credit card. They said, no need, we've charged your stay to your card. They asked if I wanted to use the same card for charging to the room; I said yes and that was that.

Every other time that I've checked in for room only, they ran my card and had me sign the slip for the balance of the stay at check in. It was never "pinged." It was fully charged. (And I only do room only; I've never booked a package.)

how odd - when we went in January of this year (it was early January 5th - 15th) - we arrived and paid cash with no problem. Our card (did do online check in) was not charged. Maybe we went earlier than you did and they've changed the system since then? I have to admit it would annoy me (not tragically but a bit) if they assumed I'd be charging it when I wanted to pay cash.

 

[dimndgal1]

I agree. I always get the invoice, with the charge, at the end of my stay, and I usually do express checkout - the credit card is charged in the very early morning hours.

When we went in January, 2013, I had done on-line check in. When I arrived, I went to give them my credit card. They said, no need, we've charged your stay to your card. They asked if I wanted to use the same card for charging to the room; I said yes and that was that.

Every other time that I've checked in for room only, they ran my card and had me sign the slip for the balance of the stay at check in. It was never "pinged." It was fully charged. (And I only do room only; I've never booked a package.)

how odd - when we went in January of this year (it was early January 5th - 15th) - we arrived and paid cash with no problem. Our card (did do online check in) was not charged. Maybe we went earlier than you did and they've changed the system since then? I have to admit it would annoy me (not tragically but a bit) if they assumed I'd be charging it when I wanted to pay cash.

Now I am intrigued by how the system ACTUALLY works. It seems like there is no consistency or some difference in how things are handled. I have been charged at check out, my friend has received multiple invoices over a prolonged period, and it sounds like even at check-in there are differences.

I would call and ask someone, but I know that I'll probably receive as many different answers from Disney as the different scenarios we've seen in this thread.

 

[wishing4PA]

When we went in January, 2013, I had done on-line check in. When I arrived, I went to give them my credit card. They said, no need, we've charged your stay to your card. They asked if I wanted to use the same card for charging to the room; I said yes and that was that.

Wait a moment... so when did your statement show the charge occurring? At online check in, arrival, or departure?

Honestly, if the desk clerk used that wording with me, and I hadn't read this thread first, I would hear "we've charged your stay" and assume the clerk meant "we have all your credit card info, so your stay will be charged to that card" (at the end of your stay.)

I should work on my listening skills, perhaps...

 

[glammadiva]

We have paid in cash on arrival several times as well. However there have been several anecdotal reports recently of guests arriving and finding out that their card has already been charged with the outstanding balance. Apparently it doesn't happen all the time, but it DOES happen. One of the reasons why we don't do online check in.

Room only reservations require a deposit equal to one night's stay, due at the time of booking. Since your stay is only for one night, you have to pay the entire amount up front.

We did online check in for a stay a few weeks ago. We could not do online check in without providing a credit card. The card was charged before we got to the resort. We were told this is to speed up the check in process. We contacted Disney and recommended this info be posted on the website when you.do online check in.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

not true in my experience (sorry to contradict you). We always do online check in and if you haven't paid your whole amount it will make you enter a CC number BUT they don't charge it. We've arrived and paid in cash with no problems. We arrive - they ask how we'd like to pay the balance and we go from there.

Guess you were lucky then.

 

[mommycrawford]

Thank you for all the replies!

 

[gillenkl]

Room-only balance is not due until check-in HOWEVER, if you utilize on-line check in & proved a cc number, they will charge your balance to that card prior to your physical arrival when they process your info.

So, if you want to pay in cash, do yourself a favor & wait to add a cc to your portfolio once you arrive.

This happened to me also. I did online checkin and provided my CC. When I arrived at POR I wanted to pay with a Disney Rewards Card but they had already charged my stay to the CC I provided during the online checkin process.

 

[snykymom]

Wait a moment... so when did your statement show the charge occurring? At online check in, arrival, or departure?

Honestly, if the desk clerk used that wording with me, and I hadn't read this thread first, I would hear "we've charged your stay" and assume the clerk meant "we have all your credit card info, so your stay will be charged to that card" (at the end of your stay.)

I should work on my listening skills, perhaps...

You know, since I had it all budgeted, and I believed that I would be charged at check in, I never even looked! It didn't matter.

 

[teentoddlermom]

Here I am again. I just think that paying for room only reservations at Disney is odd. The way they use a hand held calculator to present you with the balance is strange. I think they should just ask for a credit card upon check in to guarantee your stay and other charges, and detail the charge for you when you check out. I've never checked my credit card during my stay to see if they have charged me the entire balance on check in, or if they charge the room charge every day during the stay. I suspect they have something in the fine print whereby they have a right to charge you for unused nights if you have an emergency and need to leave before the originally booked end of stay. All other hotel chains I've stayed would allow me to cancel with no penalty before 6pm, since I never use a priceline or internet rate. I've never had to leave before my end of vacation in Disney. I guess I just don't like the check in at Disney. It seems haven't been helped by an outstanding cast member upon arrival (except my BWI stay in 2005) who starts the magic off well. I know this is hard to believe for most of you but it is true. And I am a very cheerful person, especially when starting a Disney stay!