When leaving Credit Card for Room Charges - How much do you need available?

[WDW2000]

Does anyone know exactly how this works? The room is paid in full at the Beach Club, but if I leave a credit card for room charges do they take a set amount off the card up front? Also how much do they take out? Since my bank card has a set limit per day, I don't want to be stuck with not being able to access my account because the resort has maxed out my card off the top.

 

[BrianD]

When we stayed at the Polynesian last summer, we could charge up to $1500 on our room card which of course is charged to the credit card, but it does not occur until the day you check out. Now it's very possible that during our stay that a $1500 hold may have been placed on my credit card. I'm not sure how that would work with a bank card?

 

[jgates]

The best thing would be to call the hotel and check with management - maybe more than once to verify answer.

My aunt had her card denied during a fancy Chicago hotel stay because they authorized about $1200 for a one or 2 nite stay. Naturally that was never charged but she still couldn't use it for a few days.

 

[Bob NC]

Not really sure what you are asking here.....but.......When we checked into AKL for a 4 night stay, the CM pointed out to me that they had requested, and received, a $1500 approval on my Amex Card. He said if we charge $1500 to my card, they would then get another $1500 approval.

 

[cinmell]

We were told by the Contemporary that it varies between the resorts. I believe at the Contemporary it was $2000.00. If we hit that, they said they would charge the $2000.00 to our card and then start over again. I would call the resort you are staying at to find out.

 

[drusba]

You give credit card; they check to assure you can get allowed hotel limit (I know the deluxes are $1500; not sure about others). When you have charged $1500 it then gets charged to your credit card. If at that time you are still under your card limit limit, they automatically reinstate you for another $1500 chargeable limit on your room key (unless that exceeds your allowable limit on the card). That is the usual practice but believe you can modify when you check in--for example tell them you want a limit set less than max with no automatic rollover to a new limit when it is reached.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Are those amounts taken even if you haven't paid for the room? Like the original poster, my room is already paid for, and have NO intention of spending even near that much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Terry S]

The value resorts are $500, the moderates are $1,000 and the deluxes are $1,500. They do put a hold on that amount on your credit card. After you reach the $500, $1,000 or $1,500 they will charge that amount to your credit card and put a hold on it for the amount again. So, if your staying deluxe and you only have $1,500 left to charge on your credit card, you will not be able to charge any more on it until the hold gets released. Unfortunatly, sometimes this does not happen until days after you leave WDW. I beleive when the resort gives you the limit, they do ask, is this okay with you, I beleive you could ask for a lower limit.

 

[minnie56]

O.K, I am sitting here looking at my PO/FQ bill from 10 days ago......
It appears they charge the full room balance (excluding deposit) the day of check-in..
then the charges to room are added daily..
I believe each night, the night staff, call for credit card authorization for that days charges but do not actually charge the card at that point? That happens the night before check-out.
That's how it reads to me.....

 

[Mom of 5]

To avoid a hold being placed on our bank card, we left traveler's checks with the front desk at AKL and the Poly in January. When we checked out, they returned the overage. This worked out really well for us.

 

[BrianD]

Here's another idea: If you think it's going to be too complicated or if you think you may not have enough room with your credit limit, how about you ask them to not give you room card charging privelages and instead just use your bank card around WDW so that you don't even have to worry about it?

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Good question! As others have said, I think you probably do have a hold placed on your CC when you check-in. I'd put a CC down that either has a high(er) limit, or a CC that you aren't planning to use during your trip on other things.

 

[Tinkbell]

As someone mentioned before, you can request how much you would like to be put "on hold". Tell them you would like a $500 (or whatever is comfortable) limit on your charging privlege. Once you hit $500 they will charge it and ask if you would like to have another $500 available. This way you won't have $1500 tied up at once.

 

[KJal1]

We've stayed at ASMo and AKL and both times we used our bank card (MC) as the deposit on our room key, it is more convenient to only carry your room key rather than have your CC with you. At AS's they put a $500 hold and at AKL it was $1500, however, the day we left the hold was taken off at both resorts and the amount charged to our room key was applied to our MC. One warning to all those going to USF, the hold they apply to your card is not lifted the day you check out ours was still on three days after we got home (and that was with several calls to PBH and my bank). We DIDN'T authorize them to put a hold on our account, however DS wanted to use the Playstation they had in the room so they did place a hold of $250 on our account (for the use of the game) which stayed until well after we returned home. Just a warning...I know we were pretty tapped out $$$-wise when we returned home and were extremely upset that they were holding most of what we had left in our checking account hostage for a game system DS played for a total of 45 minutes.

 

[ukcatfan]

There is something else you should be aware of on room charges. If you are close to your limit (but not to it) and try to make a large charge, it will reject the charge but it will not go ahead and charge the backup CC and re-authorize more. You actually have to go slightly over for the re-authorization to happen.

For example: you have a $500 limit with $450 used and try to charge $150, it will not work. You would think it would then charge the $450 to your card and then re-authorize more credit, but it does not. You have to spend an extra $50 to make that happen. The system allows you to go over slightly and that is what signals your hotel to charge the card.

 

[SnackyStacky]

This was really freaking me out, so I called to verify what actually happens with your credit card.

And before I begin, I have to ask this in all seriousness....I've called WDW about 4 or 5 times now, be it a hotel, CRO, or merchandising, and without fail, I have been treated extremely rudely. Does this happen to anyone else? I'm always as polite as I can be, and without fail, I am treated like the stupidest person alive!!!! I'm really planning on sending a letter to WDW. Not an E-Mail, but an actual letter. I'm really sick of the shoddy treatment I get when I'm shelling out a LOT of money!

Anyway, I found out that the amounts people have listed are maximum "lines of credit" that can be opened. I was told that a hold is not placed, but rather a line of credit is opened. (I claim financial ignorance here, but the principle of both seems to be the same to me) The maximum you can request is $500 at the values, $1000 at the moderates, and $1500 at the deluxe. You can set any limit you'd like, or as someone else pointed out, you can simply not have charging privleges with your room key. They didn't say anything about not opening a new line of credit once you've hit your initial limit.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by WDW2000
Does anyone know exactly how this works? The room is paid in full at the Beach Club, but if I leave a credit card for room charges do they take a set amount off the card up front? Also how much do they take out? Since my bank card has a set limit per day, I don't want to be stuck with not being able to access my account because the resort has maxed out my card off the top.

Just keep in mind that there is a difference between a regular credit card and your bank debit card that has a credit card logo on it like VISA.

You have more protection with a regular credit card. If something is messed up with your debit card your funds are tied up until the matter is resolved.

I would use a real credit card if you have one and then just pay the balance off in full when the next months statement comes in.

 

[Vlahakis2001]

Depending on where you stay they put a hold on a set limit of money that you can spend. If the limit is reached they start over again.

 

[Beach_Bums]

We've never had a hold put on our charge or debit card at WDW.

We are given a daily spending limit but there has never been a hold put on our card for it. Every night our room and any charges made with our room key are charged/debited.

A hold is reflected immediately on both my credit card and debit cards 'available balance'. (there are 2 different balances available on both... 'current' and 'available') I watch my cards like a hawk and check my balances at least twice a day on trips. Many hotels do put holds on and I spot it right away. (and I hate the ones that hold a huge amount!!)

They do check to make sure the credit/debit card is valid at WDW but have never put a hold on ours.

 

[CindysGusGus]

I second that, we have gone to the WL for the last 3 years and always use our visa check card and they never put a hold on it. One year I didnt even have 200 dollars in checking when I checked in and they gave us 1500 limit....I knew I was ok because husband has direct deposit and was paid during middle of trip. But there was never any holds put on the card. They just see if the card is still active.