Paying balance early for WDW trip?

[Sandy Fisher]

I have seen posts by different travelers who object to WDTC requiring final payment 45 days out. Are there any situations where you would pay off your balance early? If so, what would make you do that? I'm considering paying the balance on ours early, since it isn't that much now and it would be out of the way. Appreciate any info!

 

[dg39]

inkbounc Great idea, I do it all the time and disney is dependable, justmake sure you keep all your statements. One less thing to worry about when your down there.

 

[Joyce DC]

I pay early too. Then I recoup the money before I leave. It probably isn't the most fiscally wise move, but it works for me.

 

[bigsis1970]

It is so much eaiser to pay before you get there. I pay with check and then
do not have to have sooo much $$ when i arrive.. just food and fun $$..

 

[Humpbacks1962]

I do that as well. I pay it off early.
We are traveling in one week and all we'll have to pay for is souvenirs and food.

Wanda

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Many thanks for the replies. Sounds good to me too. I was a little concerned about paying it off early and then having something go wrong between now and the scheduled trip. The way this year has been going, nothing would surprise me!! But I'm going to hope for the best.

 

[manman1]

DH & I decided to pay our hotel balance off every month from our checking account. I wrote a check for one nights stay plus tax each month as a "regular bill."
This way when we get to Disney we just have to check in and we don't have to carry such a large amount of money.
I checked last night and the CM told me my balance was pd in full. Those were good words to hear.

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Sandy, depending on your payment method, your credit card may offer travel insurance and other benefits anticipating unexpected events before your trip.

Something may always happen, you're right. But if it is a truly dramatic thing, you'll cancel the trip anyway, regardless of when you booked.

My biggest fear is having someone come down with the flu or something. So far, the worst has been airlines switching schedules on me, but even that is easily worked out. I just take a deep breath and a day at a time. Make time for your vacation and budget for it. It helps you put things in perspective.

Wanda

 

[melme26]

Our trip is in december and we are all paid up, now I am paying a monthly "bill" towards spending money. This way, we don't feel like we have to come up with a lot of money at the last minute because everything is paid for.

only 111 more days to go!!!

 

[cindala]

I never pay more than the one nights deposit before the trip (other than having to pay for airfare). I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law, than anything that can go wrong, will go wrong at the worst possible time.

To avoid having to bring extra cash with me to pay the hotel bill, I call my credit card's 800 number and tell them I want to make a payment by phone.( You give them a check number and they take the money from your checking account) I do this a day or two before we leave. I pay on the credit card what the balance of the hotel bill is, and the car rental bill as well. There is a $10 fee for this service. This way, I don't have to put out all that money months ahead, or carry extra cash with me.

 

[Dizzy]

I make weekly payments to our WDW vacation by fax.
I started with just a hotel ressie and was able to do this with that too.
This is best for us.

 

[hulabird]

I pay mine a few payments at a time and now my trip which is 4 days away
(finally!) is all paid off, so we can just go and enjoy ourselves. I am going to pay for next
years trip on a monthly basis, actually turn it into a monthly bill, so that I can pay it off
without even touching savings or anything. I will book our next years vacation as soon as
we get back from this trip in Sept. I not only make payments on the room, but I do all my award programs as well all year, this year all our meals are paid with food vouchers
(through Connections Program) and resteraunt gift certificates that I received through mypoints.com. Our passes have been paid in full as well to both WDW and US/IOA

Hulabird

 

[zoe dog]

We're paying ours off a little at a time in advance too -- BUT we're "paying" the money to a special savings account that we set up for Disney. That way, if anything goes wrong we'll still have the money. When we get to the hotel we'll pay the balance with our credit card (which we'll pay off in full as soon as the credit card bill arrives because the money will be sitting in the Disney savings account). That way, we earn interest on the money while it is in the savings account PLUS we'll get the perks offered by the credit card for charging that much on the card.

 

[Dizzy]

hulabird: what is the food vouchers all about? And, the gift certificated through mypoints.com?? Would love to know!

I do all my award programs as well all year, this year all our meals are paid with food vouchers
(through Connections Program) and resteraunt gift certificates that I received through mypoints.com.

 

[mrsdash]

I must be slow but how do you go about paying monthly on your rooms? That really sounds like something I would like to do.

 

[PhillyDisnynut]

Just send a monthly payment to them. ! They will apply it to you room.