using gift cards to pay oop

[Lisa F]

I am doing a split stay that is partial ddp/partial oop. I have money on Disney gift cards for my oop expenses... tips, some meals and snacks and incidentals (souvenirs etc.) When people do the gift card thing, do they carry their gift card with them and present it as payment or do they room charge and tie the room charge to the gift card? is it possible to do it that way or do you have to do a real credit card and then catch them to apply payment to the gift card before they charge your credit card at the front desk? what is the least hassle?

thanks!

 

[horselover]

You can't tie the gift cards to the room if you want to charge. You have to put down a credit card. I've done it both ways. For me I find it easier to bring the gift cards & charge directly to them. Others prefer to charge everything to the room then pay it off with the gift cards every day or two. That just adds one more step for me & I have had them charge my credit card before I had a chance to pay with the gift cards. So for me the easiest is bring the gift cards with you but you may find varying opinions.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I always charge directly to the gift card. I think it's easier.

 

[Lisa F]

yeah I am not going to make a daily trip to the front desk. will definitely carry the card thanks!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I tend to put a lot of money on each gift card so I prefer not to carry them around. I tend to go down and pay off my balance every other day which I don't find bothersome at all.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with PP. I have a lot on my gift card and I don't want to carry it around. I charge everything with my Magic Band to my room and pay it off with the gift card every few days. I do not find this process burdensome at all.

 

[georgina]

I think it also depends on how you eat. I tend to eat small meals and snacks frequently, so it is easier for me to charge to the room and pay it off the night before checkout. I don't usually spend enough to have to worry about it getting charged off to my credit card.

 

[Lisa F]

does anyone know how much is charged to the room before they charge it off to the gift card? I honestly don't have a whole lot that will be charged to the room besides tips for the first 4 nights and then the next part of the stay is all OOP for 3 nights but there is not a whole lot to be charged there either. We are talking south of a $1000 with the smaller amount being charged to the room during the 4 night part of the split stay.

 

[OThopeful35]

On our last trip, we charged it to the room and just went down every other day to pay off the balance. We had 3 $500 GC and I did not want to lose them.

 

[Hopefully]

does anyone know how much is charged to the room before they charge it off to the gift card? I honestly don't have a whole lot that will be charged to the room besides tips for the first 4 nights and then the next part of the stay is all OOP for 3 nights but there is not a whole lot to be charged there either. We are talking south of a $1000 with the smaller amount being charged to the room during the 4 night part of the split stay.

It used to be $1500 Deluxe. $1000 Moderate, & $500 Value but the limits have been increased. I believe Deluxe is now $2000. I don' know the others anymore.

 

[melana]

I just charge with my MB and then stop by the front desk on my way back to the room in the afternoon/evening and pay down whatever balance I have with my gift cards.

 

[Lisa F]

I just charge with my MB and then stop by the front desk on my way back to the room in the afternoon/evening and pay down whatever balance I have with my gift cards.

if you are carrying your gift card with you so that you can pay down your balance on the way back, doesn't that defeat the purpose of charging to the MB in the first place? I would have to make a separate trip at the end of the day and drag my exhausted kid with me - single mom.

 

[Lisa F]

It used to be $1500 Deluxe. $1000 Moderate, & $500 Value but the limits have been increased. I believe Deluxe is now $2000. I don' know the others anymore.

DVC is Deluxe I think (BWV and Poly Villas)? it's been a while. I THINK last time I went I charged a bit under $1500 and it was all charged once at the end.

 

[Hopefully]

DVC is Deluxe I think (BWV and Poly Villas)? it's been a while. I THINK last time I went I charged a bit under $1500 and it was all charged once at the end.

Yes. BWV & Poly Villas are both Deluxe.
I just stop by the Concierge Desk every few days. It really is easy. The important time is the night before checkout. They run the credit card charges around 2 AM , checkout morning. So you want to settle your charges the night before.

 

[Lisa F]

Yes. BWV & Poly Villas are both Deluxe.
I just stop by the Concierge Desk every few days. It really is easy. The important time is the night before checkout. They run the credit card charges around 2 AM , checkout morning. So you want to settle your charges the night before.

thanks, I should be good doing that - first half has the expensive dining and is paid for on DDP so just tips and whatever souvenirs. Will go to DTD during that part and prob bring the gift card there and leave it back in the safe. Maybe will carry it for the second half of the trip as it should only have a few hundred on it then.

 

[melana]

if you are carrying your gift card with you so that you can pay down your balance on the way back, doesn't that defeat the purpose of charging to the MB in the first place? I would have to make a separate trip at the end of the day and drag my exhausted kid with me - single mom.

I just find charging with the magic band easier..that way I don't have to dig through my bag to get to my gift card when making a purchase and if I have lost track of how much I have spent using the card..I don't have to make the transaction longer by paying with a second method if what I am buying is more than my balance on my card. My bag usually has a million things in it and fishing out my gift card/s can make purchasing things problematic. Also..I usually have 2 or 3 cards with me and I only carry one with me at a time. But I do a stop daily at the front desk to pay off my balances. I know many people do it every few days, but that is just what I do.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Interesting considerations put forth by all here, thank you.
I wonder if charges at all register on the CC? I have a Disney Visa, so I am wondering if it the charges will count toward earning me rewards while I pay down the balance with my gift cards and reward cards. But I guess the issue would be that once it goes to the CC, I can't use GCs to pay down the CC balance.
I guess for me, a person who likes to travel light and already will have too much to carry, the appeal of using the MB I need to wear anyway will outweigh the inconvenience of going to the front desk to pay down my balance.

 

[Shellyb84]

Interesting considerations put forth by all here, thank you.
I wonder if charges at all register on the CC? I have a Disney Visa, so I am wondering if it the charges will count toward earning me rewards while I pay down the balance with my gift cards and reward cards. But I guess the issue would be that once it goes to the CC, I can't use GCs to pay down the CC balance.
I guess for me, a person who likes to travel light and already will have too much to carry, the appeal of using the MB I need to wear anyway will outweigh the inconvenience of going to the front desk to pay down my balance.

Room charges aren't processed until you reach the limit, or on your check out day, so no, it wouldn't go towards your rewards.

We charge everything to our room using our Magic Bands, and stop by the front desk on the night before we leave to pay the balance. I'm not sure exactly what time the charges will hit the credit card on file, but we make sure to go before midnight.

 

[Lisa F]

Room charges aren't processed until you reach the limit, or on your check out day, so no, it wouldn't go towards your rewards.

We charge everything to our room using our Magic Bands, and stop by the front desk on the night before we leave to pay the balance. I'm not sure exactly what time the charges will hit the credit card on file, but we make sure to go before midnight.

awesome, I will probably end up doing this! I don't think I will hit the limit as my total budget for both parts of my stay are less than the limit at either resort Someone above mentioned 2am, with an 8 year old kiddo it would be much before that.

 

[aretha30]

We always buy the GC in smaller increments, usually $50. This way we take what we need for the day and leave the rest in the safe. We can keep track of what we're spending because we know what we took and the receipt shows us the balance of the GC.