Debit/Credit cards vs Cash in parks

[LatVan]

I've searched around on the site but haven't found this discussed before. I'm sure the discussion is here somewhere so I apologize for not finding it.

My family will be making a wish trip and we aren't sure how much cash to bring along. We typically use our debit cards for almost everything but we weren't sure how often we would find ourselves at a kiosk or other location where plastic might not be accepted. I've never been to a Disney property or Universal so this is all new to me.

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you!

Edited to add: This is a wish trip & we are staying at GKTW so charging items back to the room/resort is not an option.

 

[disney david]

I've searched around on the site but haven't found this discussed before. I'm sure the discussion is here somewhere so I apologize for not finding it.

My family will be making a wish trip and we aren't sure how much cash to bring along. We typically use our debit cards for almost everything but we weren't sure how often we would find ourselves at a kiosk or other location where plastic might not be accepted. I've never been to a Disney property or Universal so this is all new to me.

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you!

Edited to add: This is a wish trip & we are staying at GKTW so charging items back to the room/resort is not an option.

Most carts owned by Disney accept credit cards if they don't their be a sign. Their are more that accepts credit cards then don't that you be fine.

 

[bidnow5]

I bring just a small amount of money for an emergency. All we have is debit cards it works fine only a few times outside of Disney that we had to use cash

 

[kirstenb1]

You can use cc/debit cards at all counter service, table service and stores. I always bring 20 bucks or so, because I don't know if the drink or, ice cream kiosks will take plastic.

 

[duckiegirl]

We just bring a small amount of cash too. Every place takes debit/credit

 

[LatVan]

Thank you all. I was assuming plastic would work for the vast majority of transactions but I appreciate everyone's confirmation.

 

[Michigan]

The only place that I found that doesn't take it is the tattoo kiosk Downtown Disney

 

[peemagg]

One thing you could do is to but charging on your room key and then just charge it back to the room. To be able to do this you either leave a credit card on your account or I think you can put a certain amount of cash on hold on your room. You then can either pay up the total each night or at the end of your trip. If you put a credit card on account for charging, it isn't charged till the end of the trip, so it isn't really put on the card at all. The credit card is just a means so that if you forget or choose not to pay it before you leave, it will then be charged onto your card.

 

[SenecaWolf]

They are staying off site, can't charge to room.

The only place i came across that did not take plastic is the balloon vendors. They are cash only. Even the carts that sell the light up toys take plastic.

 

[simonsayz]

i will be going on my trip in 20 days!!!

I decided that I will take probably $100.00 to Disney for the whole trip
$35 in $1 bills for tips. $5 in quarters and the rest for misc. expense

 

[MrsDuck]

We just got back from a trip where we used nothing but a debit card. Heck, we didn't even bring cash. No issues whatsoever.

That said, I'd bring $100 in cash in different denominations, just in case.

 

[arminnie]

Funny story about cash. I always go to the ATM before any trip. I had made several trips one fall leading up to Christmas.

I was driving and asked my sister to get some toll money out of my purse.
She started laughing and said "Do you realize how much cash you are carrying around?"

I didn't have a clue that I had an absurd amount of cash as I'd just been charging everything but still going to the ATM before each trip.

 

[LisaBi]

As others have said, you don't need much. I usually spend more cash for tips than anything. And I charge the dining tips. There are very few kiosks anymore that won't take plastic.

 

[snorris49]

I have to agree with others. I bring a small amount of money and then use my debit card primarily. The kiosks mostly take them too. When I'm there for longer durations I bring around $100-$200 in bills for tips, etc.

 

[stitchlovestink]

only thing to keep in mind is does your debit card have a limit on the # of times you can use it in one day? we can only use ours so many times in a 24 hr period. After that, it rejects it until the next 24hrs starts.... I bring a mixture of cash and then charge the bigger expenses. I don't want to swipe 3.50 mickey bars


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android