Teen son going to WDW with chorus, need help!

[pat fan]

My 14yr old DS will be going to WDW the week before his 15th B-day with his schools chorus/band(he's in chorus). I am at a loss as how best to send him with money! He has to have food & spending money for 10 days and I don't really know if I want to give him several hundred dollars in cash that he may lose/have stolen. Has anyone ever sent a child on a trip like this before? How do you handle it? If I was a chaperone it would be no big deal, but I can't go, so............

[mudnuri]

I wonder if you could get him a prepaid visa card?

Everything at WDW (and some of the small carts now too) accept credit cards...you could photocopy the card at home, and that way incase he looses it, you could call and get a replacement etc..

I was thinking travelers checks- but those he would end up getting cash in place of- seems like a lot of time etc..

Check into a prepaid CC..not sure where you'd get them?

Brandy

[princesstommi]

Ooh, I would have never thought of a pre-paid CC. That's a really good idea, but I wouldn't know where to start looking.

I went to DL on a band trip when I was a freshman in HS. I went and got a state ID, and then my mom sent me with traveler's checks. I never had a problem.

Can you contact his director, and find out what they are suggesting, or willing to do to help?

[pat fan]

The director isn't a whole lot of help.On the last trip (to NY City)my son ended up sleeping on the floor of the hotel for 3 days because the other two boys in the room refused to take turns on the floor(heaven forbid 2 boys share a bed!).He told me to guarentee my DS a bed I should buy and send an Aero bed with him!I'm going to,I just think it's a little ridiculous.

The pre-paid CC is a GREAT idea.Know how to get one? I'll try calling my CC company and see if they have anything like that available.Good idea!

Thanks!

[llp479]

Check with your bank on the prepaid CC. Our credit union sells them. Another option would be a debit card. That way he could use it as a cc or to get cash at the ATM.

[karlad61]

Check out www.visabuxx.com.

My daughter is going to Hawaii with her band for spring break. I did a search on these boards to get more info on the visa buxx card and it seemed like a great way to go.

You actually load money onto the card in any amount you wish. They will send you an email every time your child uses the card. The card can be used at ATM machines to withdraw money. It is reloadable which you can do from your computer at home.

[InstImpres]

You can buy them on-line at :
https://www.simongiftcard.com/index.cfm

or go to a local simon mall, here's the MA list
Arsenal Mall Watertown Massachusetts
Atrium Mall Chestnut Hill Massachusetts
Auburn Mall Auburn Massachusetts
Burlington Mall Burlington Massachusetts
Cape Cod Mall Hyannis Massachusetts
Copley Place Boston Massachusetts
Emerald Square North Attleboro Massachusetts
Greendale Mall Worcester Massachusetts
Liberty Tree Mall Danvers Massachusetts
Mall at Chestnut Hill Chestnut Hill Massachusetts
Northshore Mall Peabody Massachusetts
Solomon Pond Mall Marlborough Massachusetts
South Shore Plaza Braintree Massachusetts
Square One Mall Saugus Massachusetts

Good luck