Paying In Advance??

[jennsky]

Just a question...when you make room only reservation at Disney, they charge you one night's stay as a deposit. Now, if I want to pay for it all ahead of time, can I call them and get them to charge it to my Visa?? It's just that the Canadian Dollar is at 47 year high and for the first time in my life is worth MORE than the US dollar, so it'd be a bargain if I paid for it all now. Do you think they'll do that?? If I did need to cancel (which I don't see me having to do) would I still get all my money back assuming I get them ample heads up? I suppose I could call to find out but just wondering if anyone else has ever paid in advance for the entire stay. Thanks!

[jpH/keD]

After you put down your deposit you get a ressie #. Then you can do what ever you want. You can go online and make a payment each month or pay it off asap. You just have to key in your # and your account will come up w/ all your balance info on it! I wanted to pay ours off before our trip and I made several smaller payments by check in the mail!!:thumbsup: Good luck and Enjoy!!

[DDuck66]

I always go ahead and pay for mine totally in advance with my Disney Visa so that I get the pints before I head to WDW. I have never had a problem before. The only problem that I encountered was that this past year, I made a room only reservation for May 2008 and then the room price went up. I had to call back and make an additional amount for my deposit. I am calling back next week to charge the entire amount.

[BeccaO]

This is a good question that I was wondering about myself. I asked the girl at AAA if I could pay it off before we go and she said Disney does not allow that, they want you to pay the remainder when you get there. I wanted to send a check for the outstanding amount before we go.

[prshell]

I got my AAA room rate for February through Disney, and asked if I could pay it off ahead of time and they said that it was no problem at all.

[Tygger7]

This is a good question that I was wondering about myself. I asked the girl at AAA if I could pay it off before we go and she said Disney does not allow that, they want you to pay the remainder when you get there. I wanted to send a check for the outstanding amount before we go.

I can say with 100% certainity, the girl at AAA is wrong. As one of the above posters said, go to Disney's website and click on My Disney Vacation. You just enter your resv. number and it pulls up your account. No problem paying it off early. Think about it...why in the world would they refuse money early, when they can put it in their account and draw interest...now, think about how much interest that would be if even only 5% of the guests did it. Like I said, they never have any problem taking your money, especially early. :mickey:

[caryrae]

I always pay off our trip before we go too. I make small monthly payments or more if I can. It's always a nice feeling when It's paid off before the trip.

[cal5755]

Last trip I booked in March 07 for SEP 07 I booked and paid the same day.... it was 4 seperate transactions but did it all in one phone call. I also did the same thing on October first I booked for November 8th and paid all at once.

I did deposits for next Septembers bounce back and will pay the total due by Febuary 08. There is definately no problem paying it off early.

Have fun with all your planning!!

[BeccaO]

I thought it was a little strange that she was telling me I couldn't pay it off before we go. I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't want my money early either??? I am going to do what was mentioned about putting the reservation number into the disney web-site and do it that way. Thanks for the info!!!!

[RedSoxandPatsfan]

I agree with Tygger7, The AAA girl is wrong. We recently booked our April trip with them as a Grand Gathering. I paid My package in full. My sister did deposit and then paid off balance a week later when she was sure of time off. My parents have done the deposit and plan to pay the balance after the holidays.

I would find yourself a different AAA agent and book now to take advantage of the benefits you are talking about.:mickey:

[BeccaO]

I already made the reservation and paid the deposit, and when I was in making the deposit at AAA, I asked her where to send a check to pay off the amount due and she said that room only reservations can not be paid off until we arrive at the resort. It just didn't make sense to me the more I thought about it.

[morebroccoli]

just do what i did. and this happened by accident. i made a reservation for when i wanted to go at a deluxe resort. then called back the next day after my 1 night deposit went through and changed resorts to a moderate. my deposit for the deluxe was kept as my deposit but it now covered more than half of my total for all the days i will be getting at the mod resort.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Just a question...when you make room only reservation at Disney, they charge you one night's stay as a deposit. Now, if I want to pay for it all ahead of time, can I call them and get them to charge it to my Visa?? It's just that the Canadian Dollar is at 47 year high and for the first time in my life is worth MORE than the US dollar, so it'd be a bargain if I paid for it all now. Do you think they'll do that?? If I did need to cancel (which I don't see me having to do) would I still get all my money back assuming I get them ample heads up? I suppose I could call to find out but just wondering if anyone else has ever paid in advance for the entire stay. Thanks!:spend: I can answer this one easily enough...I always pay my trip in advance after tax refunds are in. Also, if you check into vacation insurance offered by Disney, you will find that it will refund all your money should you cancel as well as give you accident and medical coverage while you are on vacation. I think for our last trip for a family of four the accident insurance added an extra $100 US to our total bill so I think its worth it.

[SBETigg]

When I book through WDW Travel, they take a $200 deposit, not one night's stay, and I'm required to pay it off about a month before travel. Is that just for packages, I wonder, or the way it works when you book through them? I'll never use AAA for Disney travel due to all the problems we had with them when booking our Disney honeymoon many years ago.

[mjm12000]

If you have a room only reservation you can not pay off the balance of your room online. I booked directly through the Walt Disney World site, I had this same problem and called the Disney phone line to find out if I could pay off the balance of my room before I get down there. I was told that you can mail a cheque if you really want to to the address they have on the reservations section of the website or you can pay the balance when you check in. You can only make payments if you book a package like room and tickets together. I am also Canadian and our dollar is rocking the US dollar right now so what I am doing to take advantage is buying travellers cheques for the amount of my hotel stay now, so that I get the current exchange rate and have the hotel money on hand when I arrive and check into the hotel.

[KylesMom]

This has come up before on Intercot. Jennsky, you should be able to pay off your room only ressie through Disney. With regard to cancellations, according to my confirmation sent by Disney to Magical Journeys for me: "In order to receive a refund of your deposit, including credit card deposit transactions, notification of cancellation must be received 5 days prior to your arrival date." Note this is the cancellation policy for a room-only reservation and not packages. You should be fine on the cancellation front. Let's hope nothing comes up, though! :D


This is a good question that I was wondering about myself. I asked the girl at AAA if I could pay it off before we go and she said Disney does not allow that, they want you to pay the remainder when you get there. This may be a loophole when you book a room-only ressie directly through AAA. As mentioned, this has come up before, and folks have been adamant that they were unable to pay off their entire reservation before they arrived. My suggestion has always been to put down all but $50 on the ressie - that way you still have a balance to pay off at check-in, so you're not violating the rules!

At any rate, if you have booked through AAA or another travel agency, you cannot access the Disney website to add additional deposits to your room. It must be done through the original booking agent.


You can only make payments if you book a package like room and tickets together. I'm sorry, but I disagree with this statement. We've been doing it for years on a room-only reservation, both directly through Disney and now through Magical Journeys. Unless a Canadian reservation is different than a U.S. ressie . . . ?

We book AAA room-only through Magical Journeys, and they gladly put as much money a month against our room charge as we want. This is a charge directly to Disney, not to Magical Journeys. We usually receive a receipt the next day from Disney Destinations, LLC via MJ to show what deposits we've put on our room to-date. I will say that the fine print on the receipt states, "Final Payment is due upon arrival", but no other specifics.

We have never been told we could not pay off the whole thing - although we always pay 11-12 nights with MJ before we arrive and leave one or two nights unpaid until we check in. :mickey: When we booked directly through Disney, we never had a problem paying off our room only ressie ahead of time. I realize things have changed drastically with Disney Travel over the years, but if you are unable to pay off the ENTIRE balance, you should be able to pay off all but a small portion of it!

[DessertDivaFL]

When I made my reservations back in June (2007) for Nov. (2007) the CM over the phone said she would need one night deposit and the rest was due before the check in date. I thought that was strange.

I called back to take advantage of a new FL resident special in August and the CM on the phone said I didn't have to pay the balance until I checked in. It is so confusing!:confused: I think I will pay the balance on-line before I go just to be safe.

[mjm12000]

It may be a Canadian thing but I doubt it as I booked my reservation online directly through www.waltdisneyworld.com and it does not redirect you to a Canadian version of the site. I have also called 3 times to make changes and updates and each time asked if I could pay off the balance of my room only reservation before I arrive and each time I was told no, because it is a room only reservation and you pay one night at the time you book and the rest at check in. There is not an online interface either to pay the balance online when you book room only through www.waltdisneyworld.com, only when you book room and tickets together. But alas I am not here to argue I can only tell you what the cast members I spoke with 3 times who are not here in Canada but at the same phone number that everyone calls for Walt Disney World vacations.

Maybe when you book through a travel company their reservations can be done differently as they are generally dealing in bulk and so I am sure Disney makes special arrangements with them. However I would bet money that if you book directly through disney on your own with out AAA or Magical Journeys that you will not be able to pay the balance until you arrive.

Ultimately it doesn't really matter, if you are Canadian like me and you want to take advantage of the dollar then save buy US funds now and keep them until you arrive and pay the balance then.

[bleukarma]

I think it all depends on if you buy a package or room only and if you went through Disney directly or through a travel agent. If you go through a travel agent then you have to go by their rules, whether you buy a package or not. When you make your plans through a travel agency then you can’t make payments directly to Disney, everything has to go through them, so ask your agent.

I know for a fact that if you book a room-only directly through Disney then you can pay it off early because I did it when I went in June. When I showed up at the check-in I just got a receipt for what I already paid. The only money I put out was for my tickets.

I thought that you had to pay for packages early, but in looking back at my info pack for a Grand Gathering I was planning it says that you can pay at check-in.

Also, I think it depends on which CM you talk to. They all seem to have conflicting info. If you really want to pay it off before you get there and you get a CM that tells you that you can’t, call back and chances are you will get one that will take your payment. It’s sad that it’s that way, but it’s true.

[mouseketeer mom]

This has been a real sore spot for us this week. We have a split stay between the CR and the Poly. The CR I booked online, the Poly over the phone. I called yesterday to pay some on the CR before check in. Nope. No can do. When it is booked online, payment is at check in. This presents a problem for me now because I have no interest in "charging" the room, and my debit card has a daily limit. Guess I'll carry cash?? Personal check??? I don't know. This was not explained to me, I had every desire to pay it off with my debit card over the phone before check in. Now the Poly stay?? Since it was booked by phone I can pay it off over the phone before check in. Too weird. I'm not happy about the situation I am in now.

[CleveRocks]

When I book through WDW Travel, they take a $200 deposit, not one night's stay, and I'm required to pay it off about a month before travel. Is that just for packages, I wonder, or the way it works when you book through them? I'll never use AAA for Disney travel due to all the problems we had with them when booking our Disney honeymoon many years ago.The usual terms:

PACKAGE:
$200 deposit within 14 days of booking reservation, then balance in full no later than 45 days before trip (if also buying airfare, the airfare portion must be paid in full at time of booking).

ROOM ONLY:
The equivalent of 1 night's stay plus tax within 14 days of booking, then balance in full no later than time of check-in at resort.

[DawsonAR]

I always pay in advance to get my points on my Disney Visa. I have never had a problem. They love to get the money in their hands. :blush:

[FlaTinkRAMESAM]

If you have a room only reservation you can not pay off the balance of your room online.

That is not accurate... I do room only ressies (AP holder) and have ALWAYS paid off my balance online through the Disney site.

[mjm12000]

Hi Flatink


Maybe I am missing something on the site then, I log into the WDW site, find my reservation, and there is no link at all from that page to a payment page for any of the remaining amount for my room only res. I also have called Disney 3 times and asked each time, different CM's and each time I was told no you pay the remainder upon check in. So if I am missing something on the offical WDW website please let me know the link as I have looked everywhere as I too would prefer to pay in advanced.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Isn't the high Canadian dollar great for the cost of a Disney trip! :mickey:

I have never had any issues paying off my vacation early, but I usually book a package...they always seem really happy to have my money.

There was a great suggestion a couple of posts ago...if you can't pay it off, buy American cash, or travellers cheques, so you get the great exchange rate, and then use that to pay off the cost when you arrive! (we've started to do that...buy american $$ for the trip...we just store them, a bit at a time).

I hope it works out the way you want it, but either way, I hope you have a great trip!

[Tink1]

Maybe I can help??

There are different ways to book a room only reservation.

1.) Via Phone (as a direct consumer or Travel Agent) One night deposit is due for initial payment. Full balance can be paid at any time. Prior to check in or at check in. (these reservations are 12 numbers EX: 372912345678)

2.) Via the internet (as a direct consumer) or the Travel Agent Portal ( as a TA) One night deposit is due to secure the booking. No additional payments can be made, and balance in full cannot be paid. It must be paid at check-in (these reservation numbers are usually one letter and 7 numbers ex: R1234567)

So, if the AAA agent is telling you that balance cannot be paid off, she went through the TA portal to do the booking.

nanc

[mjm12000]

Maybe I can help??

There are different ways to book a room only reservation.

1.) Via Phone (as a direct consumer or Travel Agent) One night deposit is due for initial payment. Full balance can be paid at any time. Prior to check in or at check in. (these reservations are 12 numbers EX: 372912345678)

2.) Via the internet (as a direct consumer) or the Travel Agent Portal ( as a TA) One night deposit is due to secure the booking. No additional payments can be made, and balance in full cannot be paid. It must be paid at check-in (these reservation numbers are usually one letter and 7 numbers ex: R1234567)

So, if the AAA agent is telling you that balance cannot be paid off, she went through the TA portal to do the booking.

nanc

That explains it, I booked a room only online reservation directly through Walt Disney World's website and my reservation has the R and 7 numbers so that is why I can not and maybe some others can not pay off the rest of the balance before arrival... Thank goodness I thought I was starting to go blind as I searched everywhere on the site and also called three times and there was no way to pay off the balance.

[mouseketeer mom]

I would never book a reservation thru the website again. You cannot pay it off in full, as others posted. I really dislike that. I like to have all my ducks in order prior to arrival. I didn't know that either, it is not explained when you book online and I went out of my mind trying to figure out a way to pay it off. Now I will show up on Thursday night at the CR owing 4 more nights of stay. I dislike that.

ALSO...cancellation is DIFFERENT if booked online. It is 45 days out, like a package, or the one night deposit is forfeited. If the room is booked over the phone, the policy is 6 days out. I called today (6 days out) to cancel a one night stay at POR (booked online). We were going to stay there one night before our move to CR, but the CR room opened so we added it and I needed to cancel that one night at POR. The CM told me the 45 day policy for online bookings, and didn't want to give me our money back. Well, I clicked on terms and conditions on our ressie and it clearly says 6 nights out, not 45. She said Yes, it says that, but thats not the policy for online booking. I then went thru a manager, and did end up getting my one night stay credited back from POR. The terms and conditions stated online when you book are not the actual terms and conditions of online booking. I can only imagine that plenty of people are put in that very same pickle I was..Disney better get that online policy stated very clearly under terms and conditions!!!! It gives you general terms and conditions of room only, NOT specific to online. Not very fair to the consumer.
I would never book online again. It seemed easier at the time to point and click, but forget it., What a hassle it turned into.

[Pipalotta]

After reading this post I checked online to see if we could start making payments on our room only ressies for January. We booked through magical journeys not the website directly. Well I put in my reservation number and am not sure which phone number I used (although I dont remember giving information such as phone number and address to them) and it can not find my reservations. AHHH. Panic mode over.

[magicofdisney]

ALSO...cancellation is DIFFERENT if booked online. It is 45 days out, like a package, or the one night deposit is forfeited. If the room is booked over the phone, the policy is 6 days out. I called today (6 days out) to cancel a one night stay at POR (booked online). We were going to stay there one night before our move to CR, but the CR room opened so we added it and I needed to cancel that one night at POR. The CM told me the 45 day policy for online bookings, and didn't want to give me our money back. Well, I clicked on terms and conditions on our ressie and it clearly says 6 nights out, not 45. She said Yes, it says that, but thats not the policy for online booking. I then went thru a manager, and did end up getting my one night stay credited back from POR. The terms and conditions stated online when you book are not the actual terms and conditions of online booking. I can only imagine that plenty of people are put in that very same pickle I was..Disney better get that online policy stated very clearly under terms and conditions!!!! It gives you general terms and conditions of room only, NOT specific to online. Not very fair to the consumer.
I would never book online again. It seemed easier at the time to point and click, but forget it., What a hassle it turned into.
I agree. I've had the same exact problem before. A possible solution around this "problem" is to reschedule your night beyond 45 days (they allow a reschedule) then cancel that reservation. I didn't have to go to that extreme because the newly rescheduled date worked out for us.