I have a question about using credit cards for room charges at Disney World. My trip is already paid for in terms of the room and tickets and meal plan. I had read that unlike most other hotels in the world, Disney doesn’t place an authorization hold on a card when you check in. Is this true? I had also read that they give you the option to put in a “spending limit” of sorts on a card when you check in. If you do this, do they pre-authorize or place a hold on your card for that amount? And if you do that, can you charge pretty much anything in the park to that and then settle at check out? Restaurant tips, bars at downtown Disney, shops, etc?
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Credit Cards and Room Charges...
- Thread starter paguy215
- Start date
norhel
Active Member
Both times I've been at WDW, I have linked my credit card to my room card, and I've got no hold on my card. But I think they might check that the card is valid.
There is a limit on how much you can put on room charge before WDW charge your card. It is 500 for value resorts, 1000 for moderate and 1500 for deluxe. And I believe you still can use the room charge after that. As long as there's a room charge reader at the till, you can charge your shopping, dining, drinks etc to your room. Hope this help.
MOUSEGIRL
Active Member
We always put a credit card on our room keys or now our magic bands all they do is link your credit card to your bands they do not put a hold on your credit card and you do not have a spending limit before this past year 2013 they did put a hold on your card and you had a limit but now they just run it thru just like a credit card. when you charge to your room it appears on your credit card bill. This past December it appeared as soon as we bought something.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
When you place a credit card on file, they will ask you if you want to have charging privileges. If you do you will pick a PIN code to use with your Magic Band, and you can use that to pay at probably 95%+ of locations on property. Some things like the balloons usually are cash only.
There are the spending limits as the PP already posted. However, the hotel will typically run them against the card before it gets to that point. We stayed at POP!, and they ran it mid trip at like $425. This helps to ensure that you don't run into issues the next day. And they hold the charges until that point, saving them tons on credit card transaction fees. The resort can give you an itemized folio report, but you will end up with a single charge on your credit card. You don't even need to stop by the desk, they will close out the folio sometime between midnight and check out time, and email you a receipt (if they ask for an email when you check in). The limits really mean that you can't buy the giant crystal Cinderella's palace that sells for $35,000 using your band, not that they will stop taking your money.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Also, if you want them to they can set your max limit on your account to be *less* than the pre-set 500/1000/1500 levels (though they can't set it higher). Some CMs may have to look it up in the manual or ask a supervisor, but it can be done.
You can also assign different credit cards to different room keys/Magic Bands.
If you choose to do either of these options, it's best to skip the room charge setup portion of online check-in and wait to do it at the Front Desk.
-Rob
You can also assign different credit cards to different room keys/Magic Bands.
If you choose to do either of these options, it's best to skip the room charge setup portion of online check-in and wait to do it at the Front Desk.
-Rob
Disvillain63
Well-Known Member
If you want to make a purchase that is larger than your limit on your Magicband, but is acceptable for your credit card, the store just needs to call your resort. They will get the resort to go ahead and process what is on your card and/or process your purchase that you are making at that time.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
i actually had issues with the beach club charging my card when I came upon my charging limit. We did a lot of shopping and 3x we got you have reached your limit. I asked the CM at the concierge why my card was not being charged when I got close to the $1500 dollar limit. Really did not have an answer for me but I always carry our cc that is linked to the room with us just in case.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Did you reach the limit mid day? I believe they usually run the cards at night, so if you did alot of shopping in the AM, you could possibly have issues in the afternoon/evening.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
Yes we drove down so we shopped til we dropped
....I thought the system would automatically charge your card when you hit lets say 1495.00. They need to find a better way to allow us to charge to our rooms and not have to call a CM at the hotel mid day in a park to run my credit card because I hit my limit. I mean there system should be sophisticated enough to automatically charge the card
whitney37354
Active Member
Be sure the CM that takes the cc number actually enters it in the system. We were embarassed twice on our last trip when we tried to use our KTTW & were told we had reached our limit. We hadn't even used it yet! We always take a little cash to the parks with us, but that day we had used it. I had to borrow $2.50 from a friend to buy a Dasani...how embarassing. We went to front desk that night & were told it was corrected. We tried it the next day & were told once again that we had reached out limit. This time there was a long line behind us. We decided to use a gift card & then put the balance on our cc. CM had to get a manager, but they figured it out. We went back to the front desk that night. It was immediately corrected & we were given FPs for our entire party & s'mores kits for the nightly campfire & movie. We never raised a fuss, but I think they could tell we were unhappy.
We always go to the front desk every couple of days to pay down our balance. That way we know our spending isn't getting out of hand.
We always go to the front desk every couple of days to pay down our balance. That way we know our spending isn't getting out of hand.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
I think the first time was due to CM not entering the CC info even though they took on for me to put on file. I also believe I should not have to stop at front desk to have them charge a CC they were given and authorized to charge. For me it is much easier to track our spending by charging everything to the room. I was Art of Disney when they told me I hit my limit. And again when paying for our fireworks cruise was not happy with this process.
flynnibus
Premium Member
I mean there system should be sophisticated enough to automatically charge the card
The limits are there to cap liability (for Disney). If they went ahead and charged through without any limiting.. there is no point to the cap
stalkingmickey
Active Member
The limits are there to cap liability (for Disney). If they went ahead and charged through without any limiting.. there is no point to the cap
yes but the system should know when I am reaching my cap of $1500.00 and then charge my CC that I have already authorized them to do so anyway. makes no sense
flynnibus
Premium Member
No.. it does make sense. If they just charged the card without intervention then there is no stopping the fraud from continuing until the card were cut off. It's just a speed bump to keep something from running wild.
Disney does not have the same type of merchant protections against credit card fraud as they would if you were using your credit card directly. They put speed bumps like this in place with the house accounts to keep things from going runaway without being noticed.
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
I always used my Key to the World for any room charges/purchases. I was just billed at the end of the trip on my credit card. i'm not sure how it will work with the magic band system, perhaps similar? I've never heard of a "cap" or limit on my spending though. LOL.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
CM ask for a CC to put on file for any room charges they explain that they will AUTOMATICALLY charge card once we approach the limit. I asked what the limit was because we were at deluxe resort she said $1500 she added that I should not see any interruption in being able to charge to my room that by providing a CC allows them to charge the card through out the vacation when needed. This is untrue and should not be explained to guest in this manner. A lot of people are not carrying any other form of payment when staying on property with room charging abilities. and with the magic bands no one can charge to my room without my pin# so the fraud has to have been minimized with this addition of a pin#.
I always used my Key to the World for any room charges/purchases. I was just billed at the end of the trip on my credit card. i'm not sure how it will work with the magic band system, perhaps similar? I've never heard of a "cap" or limit on my spending though. LOL.
value=500
regular=1000
deluxe=1500
We did a lot of shopping having the AP card and driving down we took full advantage of being able to buy items I would not want shipped or carried on a plane. so needless to say we had to call the hotel a few time during our stay due to them not charging my CC when I approached the $1500 limit set by the hotel.
flynnibus
Premium Member
You are making too much out of this.... if you want unfettered charging access... use your credit card directly. It gives you better protection anyways vs using a charge account.
stalkingmickey
Active Member
I am just stating what I was told by CM about charging. And using actual credit card at each individual places and all the little carts opens me up to fraud more than charging to my room does. They want people spending more money at their parks and shops through the magic bands then they need to rethink how the front desk CM explains it to a guest opposed to how it works in the back accounting room.
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
I am totally confused. I can see where you're coming from. I guess I'll be spending less then the next time we go. LOL.