Hiya Adam,
Welcome to planDisney! It is so exciting that you have booked a stay at the
Walt Disney World Resort Collection Hotel. Staying on property at one of Disney World’s resort hotels is terrific. I love the extra time in the parks, the incredible amenities, and the magical theming. It also helps having easy transportation to and from the Theme Parks. I’m sure whatever resort hotel you choose, you will love it!
At this time, only
Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Packages (Walt Disney World Resort Collection Hotel stay plus Theme Park tickets) are eligible for payments over time. If you only have a room-only reservation, the only way to pay your remaining balance is at check-in.
Unfortunately, that kind of puts a damper on budgeting for your trip if you are used to paying overtime. What I like to do in this situation is to leverage
Disney Gift Cards. Since you can combine your balances (up to $1,000 per gift card), creating your own payment plan strategy is super easy. I start out by purchasing a gift card in a smaller amount (as my first payment) and then purchase additional cards in smaller increments over time until I have my total remaining balance covered. Once I have enough, I combine all the balances and put aside the Disney Gift Card until my trip. By the time I get to my arrival date, I am ready to go! I also utilize this tip for dining reservations, quick service snacks, and other extras I plan to budget for my trip. It helps me not overspend and also enjoy my trip a lot more.
I’m sorry this isn’t exactly the answer you are looking for, but I hope my quick tip is helpful! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
Happy Planning!
Ashley F.