QUESTION about Payment for Paradise Pier...

[Lollipop's Mom]

I booked PP for May and I paid the deposit. I like to go in and pay a couple hundred here and there before my trip when we go to WDW, but I am not seeing that option for DL hotels. Im guessing I just have to phone in to apply payments if I want, but wanted to know if there was a way to do this online that I am not seeing?

 

[Malcon10t]

I booked PP for May and I paid the deposit. I like to go in and pay a couple hundred here and there before my trip when we go to WDW, but I am not seeing that option for DL hotels. Im guessing I just have to phone in to apply payments if I want, but wanted to know if there was a way to do this online that I am not seeing?

No, if you are doing hotel only, you have to pay by phone.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Did you book hotel only, or a whole package with tickets and everything? If you have tickets, too, you just go to the Disneyland website under "places to stay" and select "make a payment." We do that when we stay onsite because the cost is so much higher and it's nice to pay over time.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Thanks - yes hotel only

 

[ParkHopper1]

Another option is to add those funds to a Disney Gift Card then pay with that when you arrive

 

[tink89]

Another option is to add those funds to a Disney Gift Card then pay with that when you arrive

I agree. That is what we did. I ended up moving to much money to one gift card but they just took of it what was owed and i was ble to use the rest.

 

[DLgal]

Another option is to add those funds to a Disney Gift Card then pay with that when you arrive

You might not be able to do that. They are starting to auto bill the deposit credit card on the morning of your stay, before check in.

We stayed at the GCH last August and checked in at 6:30am to avoid this (and also to go to EMH) because I was with a friend and we were splitting the room cost for 2 nights. I paid the deposit and she was going to pay the balance. The guy at the front desk said if we hadn't shown up so early, it would have auto charged to my card later that morning.

 

[wareagle57]

You might not be able to do that. They are starting to auto bill the deposit credit card on the morning of your stay, before check in.

We stayed at the GCH last August and checked in at 6:30am to avoid this (and also to go to EMH) because I was with a friend and we were splitting the room cost for 2 nights. I paid the deposit and she was going to pay the balance. The guy at the front desk said if we hadn't shown up so early, it would have auto charged to my card later that morning.

Uh oh... I NEED to pay with my Disney Gift Cards. Can I call ahead of time and pay the balance with those? I have been stockpiling them for a while when they go on sale or have various credit card rewards attached to them. Can't really afford to use an additional 2 grand of cash and be sitting on this many gift cards. Our flight gets in at 11 am. I'm glad I read this because I would have shown up not a happy camper to start our trip.

 

[tink89]

Uh oh... I NEED to pay with my Disney Gift Cards. Can I call ahead of time and pay the balance with those? I have been stockpiling them for a while when they go on sale or have various credit card rewards attached to them. Can't really afford to use an additional 2 grand of cash and be sitting on this many gift cards. Our flight gets in at 11 am. I'm glad I read this because I would have shown up not a happy camper to start our trip.

We just paid with a gift card in January. We arrived around 11 am. Not sure if it matters what the total is.

You might not be able to do that. They are starting to auto bill the deposit credit card on the morning of your stay, before check in.

We stayed at the GCH last August and checked in at 6:30am to avoid this (and also to go to EMH) because I was with a friend and we were splitting the room cost for 2 nights. I paid the deposit and she was going to pay the balance. The guy at the front desk said if we hadn't shown up so early, it would have auto charged to my card later that morning.

They already charge you for the one night deposit. Why would they auto charge you for the whole amount before you check in and arrive?

In December and January they asked for a card to put on file for charges and i asked them to use the one i had on file that i had paid with it, but they had me show them the card and id and swipe it. Both stays where at DLH not sure if it might be a GCH thing.

 

[DLgal]

We just paid with a gift card in January. We arrived around 11 am. Not sure if it matters what the total is.



They already charge you for the one night deposit. Why would they auto charge you for the whole amount before you check in and arrive?

In December and January they asked for a card to put on file for charges and i asked them to use the one i had on file that i had paid with it, but they had me show them the card and id and swipe it. Both stays where at DLH not sure if it might be a GCH thing.

I don't know, but Disney World has also done this for my last two room only reservations as well, in 2018 and 2016. The first time, I did want to use my Disney rewards redemption GC and they had to issue a credit against my credit card and recharge it to the GC.

The language on the reservation is that full payment is due "on the date of check in." They can take the remaining payment at any time they want on that date, technically. Perhaps this isn't being implemented across the board yet, but there have been anecdotal stories about this happening for a couple years now. It doesn't happen to everyone and it's not consistent, but it has happened to me twice at DLR hotels.

I always book with a military discount. Not sure if that might be why. In any event, once you are at check in day, your reservation becomes non refundable and they can charge the whole amount due.

 

[tink89]

I don't know, but Disney World has also done this for my last two room only reservations as well, in 2018 and 2016. The first time, I did want to use my Disney rewards redemption GC and they had to issue a credit against my credit card and recharge it to the GC.

The language on the reservation is that full payment is due "on the date of check in." They can take the remaining payment at any time they want on that date, technically. Perhaps this isn't being implemented across the board yet, but there have been anecdotal stories about this happening for a couple years now. It doesn't happen to everyone and it's not consistent, but it has happened to me twice at DLR hotels.

I always book with a military discount. Not sure if that might be why. In any event, once you are at check in day, your reservation becomes non refundable and they can charge the whole amount due.

I always book with the car I intend to pay with just in case. But I like to pay with Gift cards also. I will keep this in mind and i think ill pay what i can ahead of time before arriving just in case.

 

[Malcon10t]

You might not be able to do that. They are starting to auto bill the deposit credit card on the morning of your stay, before check in.

We stayed at the GCH last August and checked in at 6:30am to avoid this (and also to go to EMH) because I was with a friend and we were splitting the room cost for 2 nights. I paid the deposit and she was going to pay the balance. The guy at the front desk said if we hadn't shown up so early, it would have auto charged to my card later that morning.

I have never had them do this. And we have had 5 stays in the last 2 months, and we never arrive before 5pm.

 

[DLgal]

I have never had them do this. And we have had 5 stays in the last 2 months, and we never arrive before 5pm.

Ok.

It has happened to me several times, it has never happened to you. Doesn't mean it isn't a thing.

Recently on the Dis podcast, this happened to Pete and he commented on it, as it had never happened to him either, and we know how many hotels stays he has on the books. It will probably happen to you eventually, so when it does, you won't be so surprised.

 

[Malcon10t]

Ok.

It has happened to me several times, it has never happened to you. Doesn't mean it isn't a thing.

Recently on the Dis podcast, this happened to Pete and he commented on it, as it had never happened to him either, and we know how many hotels stays he has on the books. It will probably happen to you eventually, so when it does, you won't be so surprised.

Very interesting. I have had it happen at Desert Inn and Suites, and at the Candy Cane, but never at the DLR hotels.

That said, I just spoke to the front desk manager at the DLH, and was informed that this is not their policy and that they do not keep a card on file to charge. You are charged for the first night as a deposit. And if you don't show, they keep that deposit. But until you check in, they do not charge your card, and do not have a way to charge since the computer system does not allow them to keep the card on file. (I know about a year ago I asked them if they could just charge it to the card on file as I left my card in the car, and they told me then they didn't have it on file as the computer system didn't allow for security.)

An exception to this could be group sales, such as convention rates. But even then I had to drop out of a convention rate once and was only charged for the 1 night.

I will ask more questions this weekend.

 

[tink89]

Very interesting. I have had it happen at Desert Inn and Suites, and at the Candy Cane, but never at the DLR hotels.

That said, I just spoke to the front desk manager at the DLH, and was informed that this is not their policy and that they do not keep a card on file to charge. You are charged for the first night as a deposit. And if you don't show, they keep that deposit. But until you check in, they do not charge your card, and do not have a way to charge since the computer system does not allow them to keep the card on file. (I know about a year ago I asked them if they could just charge it to the card on file as I left my card in the car, and they told me then they didn't have it on file as the computer system didn't allow for security.)

An exception to this could be group sales, such as convention rates. But even then I had to drop out of a convention rate once and was only charged for the 1 night.

I will ask more questions this weekend.

Yes that is what i thought. They have told me my card is not on file & i have to give them one at check in.

Very interesting. Wonder what is causing some to be charged before checking in.

 

[DLgal]

Very interesting. I have had it happen at Desert Inn and Suites, and at the Candy Cane, but never at the DLR hotels.

That said, I just spoke to the front desk manager at the DLH, and was informed that this is not their policy and that they do not keep a card on file to charge. You are charged for the first night as a deposit. And if you don't show, they keep that deposit. But until you check in, they do not charge your card, and do not have a way to charge since the computer system does not allow them to keep the card on file. (I know about a year ago I asked them if they could just charge it to the card on file as I left my card in the car, and they told me then they didn't have it on file as the computer system didn't allow for security.)

An exception to this could be group sales, such as convention rates. But even then I had to drop out of a convention rate once and was only charged for the 1 night.

I will ask more questions this weekend.

Interesting. When it happened to me at DLR, it was at the DLH. That was back in July 2015.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Uh oh... I NEED to pay with my Disney Gift Cards. Can I call ahead of time and pay the balance with those? I have been stockpiling them for a while when they go on sale or have various credit card rewards attached to them. Can't really afford to use an additional 2 grand of cash and be sitting on this many gift cards. Our flight gets in at 11 am. I'm glad I read this because I would have shown up not a happy camper to start our trip.

If that happens they will simply credit your credit card and you'll be able to check out using gift cards.

 

[Malcon10t]

Interesting. When it happened to me at DLR, it was at the DLH. That was back in July 2015.

It is very strange. I usually put the deposit on my personal card, then pay with the corporate card, so I would notice if they charged my card ahead of check-in. (Been doing it this way since 2012.) Like I said, I have had Candy Cane charge the night before, and had friends who the Desert Inn screwed up by charging and OVERcharging before arrival. But it hasn't happened to me at the DLH, GCH, PPH, Hilton, or Marriott.

When they charged you before arrival at the DLH, did they reverse it so they could put it on the other card?

 

[Malcon10t]

If that happens they will simply credit your credit card and you'll be able to check out using gift cards.

When I have checked in using gift cards, I simply gave them the gift cards at check in, and they used them first before billing my credit card.

 

[DLgal]

It is very strange. I usually put the deposit on my personal card, then pay with the corporate card, so I would notice if they charged my card ahead of check-in. (Been doing it this way since 2012.) Like I said, I have had Candy Cane charge the night before, and had friends who the Desert Inn screwed up by charging and OVERcharging before arrival. But it hasn't happened to me at the DLH, GCH, PPH, Hilton, or Marriott.

When they charged you before arrival at the DLH, did they reverse it so they could put it on the other card?

No, because I was going to use that card anyway. I actually got a notification via text because I have my credit card account security set up to alert me to any charges made without the physical card present. I have always gotten the notifications in the morning, right as it is charged. At this point, I expect it as a matter of certainty.

I have a 5 night room only reservation at the Contemporary coming up in April with 2 friends. When I booked it, I put down the deposit and asked the guy on the phone if we could all call in our portion of payments on our individual cards ahead of time, and he said "yes, that is the best way to do it, and make sure it gets done before the day you check in, otherwise the remaining balance will be charged to your Disney Visa automatically."