Linking Credit Card to Magic Band

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Apparently, there is also an option to link your credit card information to your Magic Band, so that you can just use that to pay for your purchases in the park, Has anyone actually done this? What was your general experience? I don't see how this would be the most secure of things to do, but then again, I may be paranoid. Thanks!
 

Tom

Beta Return
Yes, you'll want to do that. You set your master Credit Card in your My Disney Experience profile, where it's saved and secured.

Then, when you do Online Check-In for your resort stay, it will ask if you want to link a Credit Card. If so, you just select the saved one from your profile.

They'll have to confirm the card at actual check-in. I believe they either look at the last 4, or they'll actually swipe it through a reader.

Anytime you use your Magic Band to make a purchase, you also have to enter a 4-digit PIN (like at an ATM). So if you were to lose your band, someone else can't charge to your room or use Dining Plan credits, unless they also know your pin.

Also, when you realize you've lost a band, you can go into My Disney Experience and de-activate it. That way, if someone finds it, it's useless.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
And to make on extra point clear from the thorough information from @Tom in case the OP is thinking this way...

Charging using your Band is *only* available to Guests staying at a WDW resort. Even if you have a Band (from a previous trip or one that you've bought separately), it is not available if you are staying off-site.

-Rob
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
And to make on extra point clear from the thorough information from @Tom in case the OP is thinking this way...

Charging using your Band is *only* available to Guests staying at a WDW resort. Even if you have a Band (from a previous trip or one that you've bought separately), it is not available if you are staying off-site.

-Rob
Thanks to you both. I am staying onsite and am trying to decide how I feel about having my CC info linked to something I'll be wearing around my wrist.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Thanks to you both. I am staying onsite and am trying to decide how I feel about having my CC info linked to something I'll be wearing around my wrist.

It's not directly linked to your Band. Rather, the cash register system uses your Band serial number to look up "you" and find your *room charge* account. Anything you charge actually goes onto your room account and isn't charged to your card until the night before you check out (or mid-trip if you reach your charging limit). And the whole thing is secured with a PIN number that you choose.

-Rob
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It's not directly linked to your Band. Rather, the cash register system uses your Band serial number to look up "you" and find your *room charge* account. Anything you charge actually goes onto your room account and isn't charged to your card until the night before you check out (or mid-trip if you reach your charging limit). And the whole thing is secured with a PIN number that you choose.

-Rob
That makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification!
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
It's not directly linked to your Band. Rather, the cash register system uses your Band serial number to look up "you" and find your *room charge* account. Anything you charge actually goes onto your room account and isn't charged to your card until the night before you check out (or mid-trip if you reach your charging limit). And the whole thing is secured with a PIN number that you choose.

-Rob

Agree. It's a good thing your MB isn't directly linked to your credit card anyway but to your room. Ultimately, it all ends up on your card but this provides an extra layer of security.
 

Danno0209

Member
A little side question...are you able to monitor your spending on a daily basis? Something like how I can check the balance of my debit card through the mobile banking app and see transactions. Just wondering because I was planning on linking my debit card but need to monitor my spending to an extent.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
A little side question...are you able to monitor your spending on a daily basis? Something like how I can check the balance of my debit card through the mobile banking app and see transactions. Just wondering because I was planning on linking my debit card but need to monitor my spending to an extent.

You would have to visit the front desk and ask them for a printout of your charges.

-Rob
 

WillCAD

Member
A trick that a lot of people use is to pay the balance off before it gets charged to their credit card, using Disney Gift Cards.

Lots of people save for their trips by buying Disney Gift Cards. There are various reward programs and a few ways to get discounted DGCs, so some people will go to WDW with a stack of them and use them to pay off outstanding package balances, or for daily expenses.

But DGCs can't be linked to your room charging account any more (they used to, and it was great). So instead, the Guest will go to the front desk periodically and pay off any outstanding balance with the DGCs. This can be done because when you charge things using your MagicBand, your credit card is not charged until you reach a certain threshold, which varies depending on your resort level. At Value resorts the threshold is $500, at Moderates it's $1000, and at Deluxes it's $1500. If you pay off your charges before they hit the threshold, it resets, and your credit card is not charged.

A little side question...are you able to monitor your spending on a daily basis? Something like how I can check the balance of my debit card through the mobile banking app and see transactions. Just wondering because I was planning on linking my debit card but need to monitor my spending to an extent.

You can go to the front desk of your resort and get a detailed printout of all of your charges any time you want.
 

britdaw

Well-Known Member
Thanks to you both. I am staying onsite and am trying to decide how I feel about having my CC info linked to something I'll be wearing around my wrist.

This is something I'm wrestling with, too. I keep going back and forth about whether or not I think it's a good idea or not. I could easily see how spending could get out of control.

We did it. It is handy. The cool thing was that we could also allow our kids (11 and 14 at the time) make purchases, but could put a dollar limit on it. They liked being able to run and grab a snack if we were at the pool or grab a bottle of water somewhere on their own.

Oooh, I love the idea of being able to put a spending limit on it!! My oldest will love being able to have a little bit of freedom in being able to purchase stuff on her own if we decide to go for it.
 

MickeyMomV

Well-Known Member
I am staying onsite and am trying to decide how I feel about having my CC info linked to something I'll be wearing around my wrist.

This is something I'm wrestling with, too. I keep going back and forth about whether or not I think it's a good idea or not. I could easily see how spending could get out of control.

This nothing new and is the same way every hotel in the world operates. All your doing is leaving your credit card on file with the hotel (which you have to do at every hotel, Disney or not). When you check in the cast member will verify your card on file and ask if you want to use that one or a different one for room charges. While at the parks you are using your magic band, and pin number, to bill to your room. When your stay is done all of your room charges are billed to the card you left on file. The CC is not directly linked to the Magic Band. This operates the same way the Key To The World Card did except that was less secure as it had your name, length of stay and I believe your room # on it and the card was in your pocket and the MB is on your wrist. If at the end of your stay you review the charges and find something you did not authorize then let Disney know. There are enough cameras around property they can verify if you made the charge or if it was done fraudulently.
 

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
We used it all the time while we were at the park. As has been mentioned before, it's secured by your four digit PIN (so in essence, it's no different than using a debit card around the park, except it's probably a lot more obvious when you've lost your Magic Band compared to loosing your debit card). Since they accept it essentially everywhere on Disney property, we were able to leave our wallets in the hotel safe and just bring ID while we were at the park. So, in that regards, it was even more safe because we didn't have to worry about losing our wallets or having our wallets pick-pocketed.
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This nothing new and is the same way every hotel in the world operates. All your doing is leaving your credit card on file with the hotel (which you have to do at every hotel, Disney or not). When you check in the cast member will verify your card on file and ask if you want to use that one or a different one for room charges. While at the parks you are using your magic band, and pin number, to bill to your room. When your stay is done all of your room charges are billed to the card you left on file. The CC is not directly linked to the Magic Band. This operates the same way the Key To The World Card did except that was less secure as it had your name, length of stay and I believe your room # on it and the card was in your pocket and the MB is on your wrist. If at the end of your stay you review the charges and find something you did not authorize then let Disney know. There are enough cameras around property they can verify if you made the charge or if it was done fraudulently.
I get the basic concept behind it, however, having dealt with fraudulent charges done with my debit card earlier this year, I am hesitant to do this while in Disney and simply wanted other people's opinions.
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We used it all the time while we were at the park. As has been mentioned before, it's secured by your four digit PIN (so in essence, it's no different than using a debit card around the park, except it's probably a lot more obvious when you've lost your Magic Band compared to loosing your debit card). Since they accept it essentially everywhere on Disney property, we were able to leave our wallets in the hotel safe and just bring ID while we were at the park. So, in that regards, it was even more safe because we didn't have to worry about losing our wallets or having our wallets pick-pocketed.
If you're making a purchase somewhere in the park, say, in a gift shop, do they ask you for, or ask you to put in the four digit PIN?
 
Last edited:

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
If you're making a purchase somewhere in the park, say, in a gift shop, do they ask you for, or ask you to put in the four digit PIN?

If you are at a kiosk or in a store, there will be a credit card reader at the checkout that will have the MagicBand touch point. You simply tell the cashier that you want to pay with your MagicBand, touch your band to the touch point, and the display on the credit card reader will prompt you exactly like if you were using a debit card (i.e. it will ask you to validate the amount, then it will ask you to manually enter your PIN on the credit card reader. If you are in a resturant and want to pay your tip on your card, they have a hand held smartphone/tablet that they will hand to you and you will enter your own PIN that way. In all cases, your PIN stays exclusive between you and the device where you are entering it (it's not like you have to say your PIN out-loud to the cashier/waiter).
 

britdaw

Well-Known Member
We used it all the time while we were at the park. As has been mentioned before, it's secured by your four digit PIN (so in essence, it's no different than using a debit card around the park, except it's probably a lot more obvious when you've lost your Magic Band compared to loosing your debit card). Since they accept it essentially everywhere on Disney property, we were able to leave our wallets in the hotel safe and just bring ID while we were at the park. So, in that regards, it was even more safe because we didn't have to worry about losing our wallets or having our wallets pick-pocketed.

I do love the idea of not having to lug around my pocketbook or my husband's wallet while we're in the parks. :) That's a great perk!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom