Room Key Credit Card Link

[PoohsGang]

Not sure if this is posted in right place so move me if you have to.

Leaving for 2 weeks at BCV Nov 24th, in the past I have always had the room card linked to a credit card, this trip we were fortunate enough to put plenty of money away for spending. I was wondering if they only link room keys to credit cards or will they link it to a Debit card ? (Its a BankOfAmerica Debit card with the Visa logo on it) Has anyone done this in the past? :veryconfu

 

[Figment82]

As long as it has a credit card company backing it (like yours has Visa) you will be fine. A straight debit card (without a credit card company) will not be able to be used.

 

[Monty]

I'm fairly sure if it has the Visa logo, they can link to it. But if they can't, just link your credit card and pay it off before it incurs interest.

 

[mousermerf]

They can link it to anything that can be charged like a credit card.

A word of warning - any hotel that holds a charge card or debit for charges to the room account may place a large hold on on your account - possibly even more then your available balance. When you check out, they charge for your purchases/use and then release the remainder of the hold - but that can take a few days.

With a debit card, this can cause all kinds of havoc.

 

[PoohsGang]

They can link it to anything that can be charged like a credit card.

A word of warning - any hotel that holds a charge card or debit for charges to the room account may place a large hold on on your account - possibly even more then your available balance. When you check out, they charge for your purchases/use and then release the remainder of the hold - but that can take a few days.

With a debit card, this can cause all kinds of havoc.

Thats ok as this card is our Trip only card/account we only use it to put money aside for trips to the world. We consider it our DisneyWorld Savings Account.

 

[CleveRocks]

WDW doesn't place a hold on debit cards

They can link it to anything that can be charged like a credit card.

You can also back up your room charge with cash, travelers checks and Disney Dollars. Plastic is fine, but not necessary.

A word of warning - any hotel that holds a charge card or debit for charges to the room account may place a large hold on on your account - possibly even more then your available balance. When you check out, they charge for your purchases/use and then release the remainder of the hold - but that can take a few days.

With a debit card, this can cause all kinds of havoc.

This DOES NOT HAPPEN at Walt Disney World owned-and-operated resorts. When you set up a room charge, they place no hold whatsoever on debit or credit cards. None whatsoever.

I understand that many other places might do this, but it's 100% fact that WDW does NOT do this. WHen you present your plastic (debit or credit), they swipe the card and run through a charge in the amount of zero dollars and zero cents. They do this in order to make sure the card is linked to an active account (it will not be approved if the card isn't "real" or is based on a closed account). Also, they don't check your available credit or bank balance, and once again, they place NO HOLD whatsoever.

I exhaustively researched this before each trip (on message boards and also by phone calls and an e-mail to WDW itself), and during each trip it went exactly as promised.

So you can use your debit card to back up a room charge and not have any concern about things getting screwed up.

[A note to mousemerf: I know you didn't say that WDW puts a hold on debit card accounts ... you said that, in general, hotels "may" place a large hold on the account. So I know you didn't say that WDW definitely does this, and therefore I didn't post this to criticize you in any way. I just wanted to set the record straight so people don't have to wonder whether WDW is one of those places. Thankfully, it's not.]

 

[met19]

cleve is right. What they do is put a limit you can charge to your room. When that limit is reached, WDW charges your card and it starts all over.

You can also back up your room charge with cash, travelers checks and Disney Dollars. Plastic is fine, but not necessary.
This DOES NOT HAPPEN at Walt Disney World owned-and-operated resorts. When you set up a room charge, they place no hold whatsoever on debit or credit cards. None whatsoever.

I understand that many other places might do this, but it's 100% fact that WDW does NOT do this. WHen you present your plastic (debit or credit), they swipe the card and run through a charge in the amount of zero dollars and zero cents. They do this in order to make sure the card is linked to an active account (it will not be approved if the card isn't "real" or is based on a closed account). Also, they don't check your available credit or bank balance, and once again, they place NO HOLD whatsoever.

I exhaustively researched this before each trip (on message boards and also by phone calls and an e-mail to WDW itself), and during each trip it went exactly as promised.

So you can use your debit card to back up a room charge and not have any concern about things getting screwed up.

[A note to mousemerf: I know you didn't say that WDW puts a hold on debit card accounts ... you said that, in general, hotels "may" place a large hold on the account. So I know you didn't say that WDW definitely does this, and therefore I didn't post this to criticize you in any way. I just wanted to set the record straight so people don't have to wonder whether WDW is one of those places. Thankfully, it's not.]

 

[H20Babie]

Just wondering, because for this trip, I too have saved up cash, but can I just put the cash on one of those pre-paid credit cards and link it to the KTTW?

 

[CleveRocks]

Just wondering, because for this trip, I too have saved up cash, but can I just put the cash on one of those pre-paid credit cards and link it to the KTTW?

The fact that it's a pre-paid credit card doesn't stop it from being a credit card as far as Disney's concerned.

But why not avoid the middle man and just plunk down cash for the room charge???

 

[H20Babie]

Eric,

Thanks for the tip. The only thing is, is that I will be leaving the World on DME at 4 am! I really don't want to have to get up any earlier than I have to in order to settle my account. I really want to use the express checkout!

Suzanne