New Credit Card Authorization Holds

[AngiTN]

Yeah, it seems to be where the credit card companies (or in your case the bank) doesn't remove the hold as quick as they process the charges. If the banks (or credit card companies) removed holds faster this would also not be an issue, or as much an issue. While no, Disney policy is not their problem, they don't have any reason for leaving holds in place for a week. If the holds would be removed as soon as the actual charge is sent through then that would help alleviate a lot of the headaches. But technically Disney did not charge more than your trip total. The credit card company/bank held that much up "hostage" due to the combo of the charge and the hold Disney sent to them. If they'd have just released the hold quicker it wouldn't have happened.

 

[Scoobie]

Yeah, there's no doubt about who's benefit it's for. It's for their benefit. They are the ones left holding the bag with the charges. Or going after trying to collect on the charges, not the card holder. Sure it's us that will have to deal with reporting them but we aren't out the money in the end, they are. So quit trying to claim it's for MY benefit, it's for yours and yours alone, Credit Card Company. Be honest about it.

If I could love this a thousand times, I would! You nailed it.

 

[Searc]

I just came back from a trip. I have a separate debit account for my trips which is what is linked to disney. I had $1.8k in that account. My bill (including hotel and magicband charges) was $1100. However my account showed at negative $600. So somehow they had temp auths at $1.5k which was more then my total bill. Waiting to see how things settle out.

I understanding needed auth for purchases but to be doing temp auths for more then my bill even is is just crazy.

I like charging on magicband just so I don't have to carry a CC with me but based on this, I'm going to carry a CC and use that vs these insane auth charges.

EDIT: Just looked and my available balance is now $1500 in my trip account so finally got removed. It was $200 this morning.. again.. my total bill was $1100 so they temp authed all of my bill plus some. If I have 2K in an account and a bill of $1.2K I should not have a negative $600 balance.

What seems to be happening is they are holding actual charges and then that same amount again. So if you have $800 in actual charges, they are holding $1600.

 

[AngiTN]

What seems to be happening is they are holding actual charges and then that same amount again. So if you have $800 in actual charges, they are holding $1600.

Kinda. If in they you mean the bank/credit card company.
Disney requests the hold, then sends the actual charge through. These are crossing paths and both hanging on the account together, for a period of time. This specific part, the hold and it remaining on the account, is due to policies of the credit card processing company/bank vs. Disney. Disney can't control what happens with the hold once they ask the credit card company to check those funds are available. In reports here they are falling off accounts anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days.

In this day and age it should be as simple as a numerical, or even alphanumerical authorization number assigned to the hold, acting as a placeholder until the real charge is sent. When the real charge is sent that should keep the same authorization number and it should simply replace the hold. It doesn't work that way, ever. But it would be so much easier if it did.

 

[PolyRob]

Final update on my split stay.

1 week and 1 day for my pending authorizations to drop off with Citi. 4 days for the pending authorizations to drop off with Chase.

Something interesting to note, I got a random charge for $24 on my second stay. I knew something was weird because I paid it off in full with a gift card. Emailed for the final guest folio (thinking I had already received the final one). Turns out, Disney charged me for parking on my last night. Weird. I know it’s been mentioned here before, but watch those bills!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Final update on my split stay.

1 week and 1 day for my pending authorizations to drop off with Citi. 4 days for the pending authorizations to drop off with Chase.

Something interesting to note, I got a random charge for $24 on my second stay. I knew something was weird because I paid it off in full with a gift card. Emailed for the final guest folio (thinking I had already received the final one). Turns out, Disney charged me for parking on my last night. Weird. I know it’s been mentioned here before, but watch those bills!

Did you have a car or was it one of those "oops we charged the wrong customer"?

 

[AngiTN]

Final update on my split stay.

1 week and 1 day for my pending authorizations to drop off with Citi. 4 days for the pending authorizations to drop off with Chase.

Something interesting to note, I got a random charge for $24 on my second stay. I knew something was weird because I paid it off in full with a gift card. Emailed for the final guest folio (thinking I had already received the final one). Turns out, Disney charged me for parking on my last night. Weird. I know it’s been mentioned here before, but watch those bills!

Much difficulty in getting it removed?

 

[msmith1026]

We just checked in today to PORFQ and they very quickly mentioned they would be putting a 100.00 hold on our account if we elected to put charging to the room. We agreed because we like the convenience of having the ability to use the bands but came with cash knowing we would just use that for most of our purchases because we are using a debit card. So.... we checked in, ran to the store and grabbed two things our daughter needed which totaled 24.00. We now have a funds on hold amount of 124.00. On our way to dinner we will pay off the 24.00. I will see what happens to the hold amount tomorrow or Monday. I knew from reading the thread it was going to be an issue Bc we were using a debit card but we budget everything for our trips and figured if we did minimal charges under 100.00 and then paid it off before the threshold was hit, we wouldn’t have multiple amounts. Live and learn!

 

[PolyRob]

Did you have a car or was it one of those "oops we charged the wrong customer"?

I did not have a car. The CM was pleasant and said it must have been an error.

Much difficulty in getting it removed?

It was very easy. I called the number on the bottom of the guest folio (407-828-5630) and explained what I noticed on the bill. The CM inquired how I arrived at the resort because she saw I had no DME arrival. I explained I used the Minnie Van service and had the Lyft confirmation in my e-mail. The CM said it was not necessary and that she would credit me the amount back to either the CC I used to make the original deposit or gift card I paid the room off with, my preference. I took the CC refund.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I did not have a car. The CM was pleasant and said it must have been an error.

Thanks for answering. I knew some people were being hit with the random parking charge when they didn't have a vehicle and then some people were not being charged at all even though they had a vehicle.

Glad you got it sorted out though with the fee quick and easy.

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

I think if your stay is 1 night then yeah.... a $100 pre-auth is fine... but really if you're staying 7 nights it should be $700... most of WDW bookings are not night to night but 4 to 7 (or more) consecutive night stays. If they said they'd do an authorization for #of nights * $100 -- on a credit card I'd be A-OK since realistically that would cover more than a day or two of charges which would allow me time to make a payment at the front desk before the next hold hit.

In Dec 2018 --- we stayed 3 nights at the Hard Rock in Orlando. They said they would do a $200 per night hold but said if we thought we'd spend more to let them know. Nickel and dime-ing for multiple $100 holds is stupid. Ask the client how much they they think they'll spend and then authorize that amount --- it's not rocket science.

The $100 amount is not rational for week long stays.... unless they really don't want us to spend money at WDW. Again for non-US cards the anti-fraud alerts will definitely be flagged with multiple $100 holds in the US -- while I get that most Americans don't care about that but it is something to think about for foreign vacationers. Also in many cases the foreign holds last longer than the local card holds ---- plus may involve exchange fees depending how actual charges are processed.

 

[toocherie]

I absolutely love your signature

Thank you==it was done for me many years ago by someone that I don’t remember who they are now/!!!!

 

[MarkinNM]

We just checked in today to PORFQ and they very quickly mentioned they would be putting a 100.00 hold on our account if we elected to put charging to the room. We agreed because we like the convenience of having the ability to use the bands but came with cash knowing we would just use that for most of our purchases because we are using a debit card. So.... we checked in, ran to the store and grabbed two things our daughter needed which totaled 24.00. We now have a funds on hold amount of 124.00. On our way to dinner we will pay off the 24.00. I will see what happens to the hold amount tomorrow or Monday. I knew from reading the thread it was going to be an issue Bc we were using a debit card but we budget everything for our trips and figured if we did minimal charges under 100.00 and then paid it off before the threshold was hit, we wouldn’t have multiple amounts. Live and learn!

Sounds about right, as they way I understood it as long as you do not go over that pre auth it should be good, please keep us UTD with what you find as you can......thanks....

 

[Scoobie]

Disney charged me for parking on my last night. Weird. I know it’s been mentioned here before, but watch those bills!

This is very important. On my trip in Dec., I had a RO, then a 14 night, then another RO - all at Pop. They allowed us to stay in the same room, but told me I should check my bill and res. the next day. So, went to the desk to check, and noticed I had been charged parking. No one asked if I had a car when I checked in the day before and arranged to stay in the same room for 3 res. So, I told her I had no car and she said ok, we'll remove it. I also told her I had 2 more res., with no car - she noted it. On day 4 of the 2nd res., I went to the front to pay with a GC - 3 more nights of parking on my bill. Again, told new girl I have no car. Oh, sorry, we'll remove it. I had to keep checking, cause yeah, they kept adding it. For the last res., they couldn't even find it, but I had the numbers for it written in my typed itinerary (yes, I don't trust tech entirely, heh) and that was the only way she could find it. Morning of check out - boom! Charged another parking fee! I was "parking" cursed, with no car. Had that one removed as well, but really? It needs to be watched that closely? That's kind of a lot of mistakes. No one could tell me why it kept happening. I also asked why there is no way to let them know "I have no car" when doing online check in. They didn't know. Watch your bills! I know you guys are already.

 

[AngiTN]

This is very important. On my trip in Dec., I had a RO, then a 14 night, then another RO - all at Pop. They allowed us to stay in the same room, but told me I should check my bill and res. the next day. So, went to the desk to check, and noticed I had been charged parking. No one asked if I had a car when I checked in the day before and arranged to stay in the same room for 3 res. So, I told her I had no car and she said ok, we'll remove it. I also told her I had 2 more res., with no car - she noted it. On day 4 of the 2nd res., I went to the front to pay with a GC - 3 more nights of parking on my bill. Again, told new girl I have no car. Oh, sorry, we'll remove it. I had to keep checking, cause yeah, they kept adding it. For the last res., they couldn't even find it, but I had the numbers for it written in my typed itinerary (yes, I don't trust tech entirely, heh) and that was the only way she could find it. Morning of check out - boom! Charged another parking fee! I was "parking" cursed, with no car. Had that one removed as well, but really? It needs to be watched that closely? That's kind of a lot of mistakes. No one could tell me why it kept happening. I also asked why there is no way to let them know "I have no car" when doing online check in. They didn't know. Watch your bills! I know you guys are already.

I'm going back to my theory that the guard at the gate had noted that your party had a car, erroneously. And the guard's notation goes into the record on the back end reservation system. And as long as you were there, you were tagged as having a car, no matter what reservation you were using, the car followed you. That's why, no matter how many times the desk removed the charge, the back end had it recorded as "vehicle". The front desk should have a way to change the back end record, not just remove the charge. Probably 2 different steps.

They are probably going to have to decide which is better for them, guests going straight to the room or fixing all these parking issues by having guests come to the desk to verify parking at check in. It's too easy to the guard to accidentally put a car on room 1066 instead of 1069, for instance.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

In this day and age it should be as simple as a numerical, or even alphanumerical authorization number assigned to the hold, acting as a placeholder until the real charge is sent. When the real charge is sent that should keep the same authorization number and it should simply replace the hold. It doesn't work that way, ever. But it would be so much easier if it did.

It does work this way often, but the date of the actual charge has to match the date of the original authorization. This is what gas stations do, for instance.

It used to be the gas station would do a $1 authorization, and then the real charge as a separate transaction, and the $1 charge would fall if a few days later. With a $1 pending charge that never went through, most people never notice, and I doubt anyone cared, even if they used a debit card.

Back to Disney: They need to make 2 changes that would make this system so much easier on the guest, and not make Disney vulnerable to charge and runs:

1. Allow guests to put money on their room account in advance, like DCL does. I can see Disney not wanting to mail checks for those who add cash to the room, so limiting this option to credit/debit cards and gift cards would be understandable. For gift cards, they could even make the guest choose between refunds being put on the same gift card or emailing e-gift cards to the email address given at check in (this could be an online check in option).

2. Allow guests to choose the amount of the pre-authorization (with $100 being the minimum for charging privileges). Option could also be given easily in online check in. They would still need to charge on the 5th day, however. Otherwise, for longer stays there would be an issue with the initial hold dropping off during the coarse of the stay, which could lead to Disney being left holding the bag for charge and runs. However, most people don't have a problem with this. It really is only an issue when people want to pay with gift cards or cash. Change #1 would alleviate this.

 

[Sleepy425]

1. Allow guests to put money on their room account in advance, like DCL does. I can see Disney not wanting to mail checks for those who add cash to the room, so limiting this option to credit/debit cards and gift cards would be understandable. For gift cards, they could even make the guest choose between refunds being put on the same gift card or emailing e-gift cards to the email address given at check in (this could be an online check in option).

In 2012 OKW let us do this. They next year Pop swore it couldn't be done - yet when I went to pay down my balance, they accidentally took all the money off the gift card and put a credit on my room. I told them I was going to spend it anyhow, so just leave it there. But it was interesting they said they couldn't do it, but it clearly could.
In 2017 (or 2015?, one of our AKV stays) the same thing happened with a gift card at AKV - I went to pay off my balance, and they took the full amount from the gift card. I told them to leave the credit, but then didn't end up using the whole credit. They automatically refunded the money onto my credit card when my stay was completed.
They really need to put more effort into making this an option again. It would save the front desk time, since people like us who like to use Magic Bands but pay it off with gift cards won't be stopping at the desk every couple nights. Especially since charges can now be seen in the app. I used to like having a print out of my charges every 2 days to verify they were legit and make sure I was staying on budget, but now can just see them on the app.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I was at DW 3/24-3/30 and I never saw the hold. I checked each night. I did use a gift card for the entire trip but I did have to use my magic band a few times because the parks were having trouble with payment options.

I always have charging privileges, I thought with the charging ability I would see the hold regardless.

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

It would be far less drama if they just charged the card as the actual charges occurred. If they did it per purchase of actual charges it would be less of an inconvenience than doing the hold and then adding the actual charge on top... What they've come up with is really the worst option for most. If they set a reasonable daily max based on the number of people on the reservation and the AI info which they most certainly have for most return guests based on previous visits.... then maybe you could argue that a reasonable pre-auth makes sense -- and they wouldn't be potentially causing excessive/repetitive hold issues/fraud/currency exchange issues for their clientele --- but the implementation they've come up with doesn't make a ton of sense.

I don't use my magic bands to delay charges to my card (and I think 99% of WDW visitors are in the same boat) but rather for the convenience of it. Make it less convenient and we won't charge to the room and won't shop as much.

 

[ninafeliz]

It would be far less drama if they just charged the card as the actual charges occurred. If they did it per purchase of actual charges it would be less of an inconvenience than doing the hold and then adding the actual charge on top... What they've come up with is really the worst option for most. If they set a reasonable daily max based on the number of people on the reservation and the AI info which they most certainly have for most return guests based on previous visits.... then maybe you could argue that a reasonable pre-auth makes sense -- and they wouldn't be potentially causing excessive/repetitive hold issues/fraud/currency exchange issues for their clientele --- but the implementation they've come up with doesn't make a ton of sense.

I don't use my magic bands to delay charges to my card (and I think 99% of WDW visitors are in the same boat) but rather for the convenience of it. Make it less convenient and we won't charge to the room and won't shop as much.

If they charged the card immediately then you could't use gift cards to pay off your room charges. I do think they need a better method, but I wouldn't like that one since I like the option of both using gift cards and magic bands to charge to the room.

I agree, delaying charges to my card has nothing to do with why I use the MB, I never even thought about that. It's solely convenience.