Got an email from Disney I'm not sure I understand

[DLgal]

You are certain of this?

Well, can you imagine the outrage if someone wants to pay with cash, is asked "are you a guest of the resort?" They say yes, and are then told they can't. Then the guest next to them answers "no" to the same question, and is allowed to use cash?

What would prevent the resort guests from simply saying they are NOT a resort guest?

In order to gauge the success or failure of this "test", there has to be a control in place. The control is "no cash accepted anywhere within the test property." Otherwise, it's not really a test, it's an OPTION for resort guests to disclose their status and then comply with the no cash rule.

Obviously they are trying to determine the feasibility of going cashless at the resorts (at least). The only way to get accurate test results is to maintain the "no cash" policy for the duration of the test period.

 

[piccolopat]

Curious, Why do you understand doing it on a cruise ship but not a hotel?

Cruise ships don't have non-guests spending in shops and restaurants. More expenses are included on a cruise than for a hotel stay.

 

[clayfolks]

It can be a few things.

1. Less time required to balance cash register tills against receipts at the end of a shift.
2. Less chance of internal theft (CMs pocketing cash)
3. Lower fees negotiated with credit card companies for going cashless. Many card companies offer bonuses or incentives for businesses to go cash free because it translates to more money in fees for them

I am in the payment services business. I promise you that the credit card processors do not offer bonuses for businesses to go cash free. I can tell you that many banks are starting to charge businesses for cash deposits. That may have something to do with it.

 

[DLgal]

I am in the payment services business. I promise you that the credit card processors do not offer bonuses for businesses to go cash free. I can tell you that many banks are starting to charge businesses for cash deposits. That may have something to do with it.

I literally just read an article that said otherwise. Let me see if I can find it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...-help-small-businesses-go-cashless/472337001/

Note: this article is about small businesses, but it mentioned Visa expanding this type of offer to other industries... Disney is a huge Visa client. I would not be surprised if they have offered Disney a lower fee or some sort of one time bonus for doing this.

 

[corgi_monster]

I don't like this policy at all. We are getting ready to book a two bedroom villa at AKL, but I'm rethinking this choice.

How will this change affect the following situation?

Every adult in our party contributes an equal amount of cash to a pot and we use that pot to pay for meals, gas, and any other group expense. We find this method easier than trying to split bills at every meal or keeping track of who owes what.

Let's say we eat at The Mara for breakfast and I use my MB to pay. Can I make sure that the purchase is paid for from the cash deposit (the family pot money)?
Next, I buy a shirt at the gift shop for my daughter using my MB - can this be charged to the credit card on file? Or do I have to keep a running tally of all my personal vs. family pot money expenses? I don't want to spend my vacation playing bookkeeper.

Sorry if these are stupid questions - we are new to this MB thing! I only used it for a few days in 2014, but I didn't use it to pay for anything.

Also, can someone please explain the $2000 limit that was mentioned? Is it per day or the duration of the stay? We are a party of five adults and two kids staying for 14 nights and not on the dining plan, and unfortunately, $2000 for a group that size doesn't go as far as it used to.

 

[BayouQueen]

I like @corgi-monster's questions.
Mine would be how do I sneak off and add to my giant pin collection without DH catching me?!

 

[AngiTN]

Well, can you imagine the outrage if someone wants to pay with cash, is asked "are you a guest of the resort?" They say yes, and are then told they can't. Then the guest next to them answers "no" to the same question, and is allowed to use cash?

What would prevent the resort guests from simply saying they are NOT a resort guest?

In order to gauge the success or failure of this "test", there has to be a control in place. The control is "no cash accepted anywhere within the test property." Otherwise, it's not really a test, it's an OPTION for resort guests to disclose their status and then comply with the no cash rule.

Obviously they are trying to determine the feasibility of going cashless at the resorts (at least). The only way to get accurate test results is to maintain the "no cash" policy for the duration of the test period.

Again, how will someone who is staying off property that is coming to eat at Mara pay? If they don't have a credit card? Or even know of the test?

I don't think they plan to test this to everyone who visits the resort. Only to resort guests.

 

[clayfolks]

I literally just read an article that said otherwise. Let me see if I can find it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...-help-small-businesses-go-cashless/472337001/

Note: this article is about small businesses, but it mentioned Visa expanding this type of offer to other industries... Disney is a huge Visa client. I would not be surprised if they have offered Disney a lower fee or some sort of one time bonus for doing this.

Link goes to Something called viglink.com. Appears to be wayfair... I'm trying to find it via Google.

 

[AngiTN]

Also, can someone please explain the $2000 limit that was mentioned? Is it per day or the duration of the stay? We are a party of five adults and two kids staying for 14 nights and not on the dining plan, and unfortunately, $2000 for a group that size doesn't go as far as it used to.

They put a $2000 limit on the room. When you reach, or near, $2000, they run the card on file. That zero's out your charges and it starts over again.

People who don't want to run the card simply go by the desk and pay on the room charges via gift cards or cash, or whatever they want. If they want to use the card, they do nothing and let the charges to on the card.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm curious if someone who makes a dining reservation at Boma or Jiko is being informed too. Or just Lodge resort guests. That would also indicate if they are planning to implement this test to include all guests or just those staying there. If it's just Lodge guests that sort of tells you who the test is for.

 

[cruiser21]

Curious, Why do you understand doing it on a cruise ship but not a hotel?

Its a resort at sea. The don't have access to large amounts of cash or a way to have it deposited daily. It keeps things much simpler for them
I don't know how they can go cashless at a hotel when they have visitors coming from offsite to eat and shop that aren't going to know they can't use cash. On a cruise ship the guests don't change until the cruise is over and there are no visitors on the ship.

 

[clayfolks]

I literally just read an article that said otherwise. Let me see if I can find it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...-help-small-businesses-go-cashless/472337001/

Note: this article is about small businesses, but it mentioned Visa expanding this type of offer to other industries... Disney is a huge Visa client. I would not be surprised if they have offered Disney a lower fee or some sort of one time bonus for doing this.

That article does not say anything about reducing fees to businesses that go cashless. It is offering 10k to 50 very small businesses to help them upgrade to point of sale equipment that will help them take credit cards. It is for small restaurants, food trucks, and cafes. Many of those businesses still don't take credit cards.

 

[DLgal]

That article does not say anything about reducing fees to businesses that go cashless. It is offering 10k to 50 very small businesses to help them upgrade to point of sale equipment that will help them take credit cards. It is for small restaurants, food trucks, and cafes. Many of those businesses still don't take credit cards.

My point was simply that it is something that Visa, at least, is doing in SOME capacity. A giant client like Disney probably isn't going to disclose these types of contract agreements to the public, nor will the credit card companies. It was merely a possible reason for this type of change. I don't have any insider knowledge.

 

[rileyz]

Its a resort at sea. The don't have access to large amounts of cash or a way to have it deposited daily. It keeps things much simpler for them
I don't know how they can go cashless at a hotel when they have visitors coming from offsite to eat and shop that aren't going to know they can't use cash. On a cruise ship the guests don't change until the cruise is over and there are no visitors on the ship.

Totally agree with this.

 

[HopperFan]

OK, then it sounds like the change is just that they no longer accept cash aside from a cash deposit at the the front desk.

Curious ... have they ever allowed folks to have a cash deposit on their accounts the MB can tap in to? I know folks have asked about doing this because they don't want to use a CC ... but I don't remember an answer. If this is new, could be a big plus for some.

It is interesting, sure cuts down on the huge volume of cash that is collected by the Mouse.

 

[corgi_monster]

They put a $2000 limit on the room. When you reach, or near, $2000, they run the card on file. That zero's out your charges and it starts over again.

People who don't want to run the card simply go by the desk and pay on the room charges via gift cards or cash, or whatever they want. If they want to use the card, they do nothing and let the charges to on the card.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Magnoliafan]

Again, how will someone who is staying off property that is coming to eat at Mara pay? If they don't have a credit card? Or even know of the test?

I don't think they plan to test this to everyone who visits the resort. Only to resort guests.

I spent years working in retail for a large department store and part of my job was managing the Cash Room. A lot of time went into managing the multiple cash drawers - keeping them stocked with enough to make change, balancing them to make sure that there were no shorts, calculating the proper amount to send to the bank vs how much to keep on hand, etc. If Disney plans to get rid of a cash option at AK, then it wouldn’t make sense to keep cash drawers at the registers just in case a non-resort guest stops by. Not when they could eliminate the extra work and the salary cost that comes with maintaining them. It would be much easier to have a single spot at check-in to deal only with exchanging cash for gift cards. They could even eliminate the hassle of loose change and limit sales to whole dollars only. No need for boxes of rolled pennies and quarters anymore!

For non-resort guests, the key would be notification. I’m thinking that if you book an ADR at a cashless Resort, then there would be a note included on the Dining page and in your confirmation and reminder e-mails. If you’re a walk-up, then they would tell you in person before seating you at a table. For counter service, there would be signs at the entrances and all the registers. And if you show up without a MB or credit card, then you can take a walk to the front desk to buy a gift card before making your purchase or sitting down to your meal. Convenient? No, of course not. But testing this out without applying it across the board would make the results worthless. Plus it would prevent the previously mentioned drama resulting from having to ask “are you staying at the Resort” to every person and treating them differently based on their answer. It’s fine if being a guest gets you a perk (like EMH), but not it it takes something away from you. That just opens the door to angry customers. I don’t get upset easily myself, but you’d better believe that I’d be calling for a Supervisor if I watched the guy in front of me pay in cash because he came from off-site and then have MY cash refused. Being told that I could charge to my room now and apply the cash to my account later wouldn’t cut it if I knew that they were capable of accepting cash now. Hearing “we CAN’T take cash” is easier to accept than “we WON’T take YOUR cash”.

Now whether I think that this is a good or even viable idea is another story. But I just don’t see them having this in place if it’s not applied to everyone.

 

[Action City]

Curious ... have they ever allowed folks to have a cash deposit on their accounts the MB can tap in to? I know folks have asked about doing this because they don't want to use a CC ... but I don't remember an answer. If this is new, could be a big plus for some.

It is interesting, sure cuts down on the huge volume of cash that is collected by the Mouse.

No, no cash deposit on MB's to charge against.

 

[HopperFan]

No, no cash deposit on MB's to charge against.

So that would be the only real change, other than no cash accepted. Will be a plus for some.

 

[ArwenMarie]

This would be fine with me. I use as little cash as possible, both at home and when I am away.