Charging to the room?

[Fashionista007]

I was thrown a curve ball yesterday when my mechanic suggested I purchase a new car because mine isn't really safe to drive and fixing it would cost more than the value of the car. So I'm looking to buy a car this weekend, 17 days before my WDW vacation. I am wondering how charging to the room works because now my credit card and checking accounts are not an option for me. I do have a "emergency" credit card with only a $300 limit. If I use this card for charges to my room, what happens if I go over my $300 limit? I seem to remember in days past I was given a certain credit limit for the room and Disney sent me a bill at the end of the trip instead of charging it to my card.

Luckily, the trip is paid for and we have the free dining so we won't really need that much spending money. It's always something! :hammer:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I would just use the charging priviledges and use cash as you go along. If you are set on charging, then you can give them a card and then pay it off each day as you go along (but this seems like more of a hassle).

 

[Rob562]

Depending on which resort you're staying at, they will open a room charge account for a set amount (I believe it's $500 Value, $1000 Moderate, $1500 Deluxe).

They do NOT put a hold on your card or check to see how much credit you have available, they will only run an authorization for $0.00 to make sure the card is active. So you don't have to have the full amount of your room charge account available on the card.

When it comes time for the system to close out the account (in the overnight hours the night before checkout) it will charge the balance to your card on file. If for some reason it can't do that (charge denied for being over the limit, for example) you will get a message to visit the Front Desk in the morning to settle your bill. At that point I presume you could charge $300 to the card, and then pay off the balance in another way.
I don't think they will let you check out of the hotel without paying the balance somehow.

Other options would be to visit the desk before that final night to pay down the balance with another form of payment so that the overnight auto-charge would be less than the $300 limit on the card.

You could also have them lower your pre-authorized room charge limit to $300 to avoid any overages. Some Front Desk CMs don't know how to do that, though, so it might require them to get a manager and/or consult the front desk manual.

No matter what your limit is on the room charge, if you reach that limit, further charges to your room will be denied until you visit the front desk and settle-up the account (or call them from the parks and authorize them to charge the balance to your cc and open up another room charge account)

Oh, and you can also open a charge account with cash, and then use your room card like a debit card, using money off of that until it's gone. (They will refund you anything left-over when you check out) Again, this is something that can be done that not all CMs know how to do, so a manager may be required.

-Rob

 

[Fashionista007]

Thanks for all the great info! I will most likely use as little cash as possible and tell the front desk to limit my credit to $300 when I check in. That seems like the way to go for me as I want to come back to WDW and not incur debt