Hiya Zachary,
Welcome to planDisney! I hope you are a fan of warm weather and a lot of magic because that awaits you at Walt Disney World during your visit this summer. So many
exciting things are expected to happen this summer, including a new nighttime parade! To help you experience it all and beat the unpredictable weather, don’t forget to pace yourself, pack extra socks in case of a mid-day downpour, and stay hydrated!
Now, let’s get to your great question! Being able to make payments toward your final vacation is currently only reserved for Guests with a
Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Package. With a room-only resort reservation, you must pay whatever your remaining amount is when you check in to your resort hotel.
As an Annual Passholder, I book a lot of room-only reservations, Zachary, so I’m often in this same boat. In order to spread out the costs, since I’m not able to make payments in advance, I use
Disney Gift Cards. It’s an old trick I used as a graduate student working on my PhD, and it helped me budget for my vacations. I purchase gift cards a little at a time (they are available in denominations as low as $25) and set them aside, essentially “making payments.” Then, before my trip, I combine my “payments” onto one card (up to $1,000 per Disney Gift Card) and then use that one card to pay my remaining balance at check-in. I just set aside anything extra for snacks, dining, and merchandise at the theme parks!
I hope that my answer was helpful, Zachary. Please come back and see us if there is anything else we can do to help.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.